Waikato Hospital radiologist Xavier Kos is dreaming of an Oaks victory with his filly Mehzebeen after she broke through for her maiden win at Awapuni on Wednesday. Kos moved to New Zealand from France, where he developed his interest in thoroughbreds, and Mehzebeen is his first foray into horse ownership in this part of the world. Under their Sarai Stud banner, Kos and his wide Beatrice Hild went to $50,000 to secure Mehzebeen out of Pencarrow Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Sale draft at the behest of former…
Month: March 2023
Forsman full of hope ahead of Derby
Andrew Forsman has trained two previous victors of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in partnership with mentor Murray Baker, and he is hoping he can claim one in his own right at Te Rapa this weekend. The Cambridge conditioner secured his first win in the race in 2015 with Mongolian Khan and doubled his tally three years later with Vin De Dance, who carried OTI Racing’s silks to victory. The Australian syndicator’s colours will once again be represented by Forsman in this year’s running of the Auckland Thoroughbred Racing-sponsored…
Perfect Derby draw for Sharp ‘N’ Smart
It’s hard to dismiss the similarities between Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) and Savabeel. Both horses were victorious in the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) before placing in the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) as spring three-year-olds for trainer Graeme Rogerson. Savabeel was also victorious in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) a week prior to his VRC Derby placing and later went onto a successful stud career where he has held court as New Zealand’s Champion sire for the best part of a decade. Sharp ‘N’ Smart has already equalled his…
Pakenham best bets & quaddie tips | Friday, March 3
What Pakenham Races Where Pakenham Racing Club – 420 Nar Nar Goon–Longwarry Rd, Tynong VIC 3813 When Friday, March 3, 2023 First Race 6:15pm AEDT Visit Ladbrokes The second of back-to-back race nights at Pakenham Racing Club will take place this Friday evening. With no rain on the forecast for Thursday and Friday, we expect to be racing on a perfect Good 4 surface. The rail will be out in the +3m position from the 1000m to the 400m and back in the true position for the remainder of the…
Broodmare paddock beckoning Coventina Bay
Trainer Robbie Patterson pictured with Coventina Bay. Photo: Trish Dunell The horse that did more for New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson’s profile than any other may have raced for the last time. Continued foot problems have meant Coventina Bay hasn’t managed this season to recapture the form that brought her victories in the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) last year. Following her sixth-place finish in this year’s Herbie Dyke, Patterson said it’s possible Coventina Bay’s racing career has come to…
Steinem connections hoping for dry Australian Cup conditions
Steinem, ridden by John Allen, wins the Peter Young Stakes at Sandown on February 25, 2023. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock owner Darren Dance will be hoping the dry weather in Victoria continues as Steinem heads towards the Group 1 Australian Cup over 2000m at Flemington on March 25. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained mare finished strongly in the Group 2 feature over 1800m on Saturday, holding out Melbourne Cup-winning stablemate Gold Trip at the finishing post in Good 3 conditions. Her residual fitness from a…
Aft Cabin heads 14-strong Randwick Guineas field
Aft Cabin will be looking to claim his maiden Group 1 in Saturday’s Randwick Guineas. A strong field of 14 three-year-old colts and geldings have accepted for Saturday’s Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m). Godolphin’s Aft Cabin has opened a $2.90 favourite with online bookmakers in a bid to claim his maiden Group 1 and will be looking to bounce back from a poor showing in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes when finishing fifth. James McDonald will jump back on board the Astern colt and will need to be at his…
Jacquinot heads bumper Australian Guineas field
Jacquinot will have 15 rivals in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) A full field of 16 runners will line up in the $1 million Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday afternoon. The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt Jacquinot has opened as the $2.80 favourite with online bookmakers for what could be his last-ever race start before going to stud. The race favourite is one of two runners that brings different Group 1 form, with the Kevin &…
NT jockeys return to National Apprentice Race Series
Alice Springs apprentice Dakota-Lee Gillett will represent the Northern Territory in Heat 1 of the National Apprentice Race Series at Fannie Bay on Saturday. For the first time in almost nine years, Northern Territory apprentice jockeys will be involved in the National Apprentice Race Series (NARS). The first two legs of this year’s series will be hosted by the Darwin Turf Club at Fannie Bay on Saturday. When the series first came into vogue over a dozen years ago there was an invited apprentice race run on Alice Springs Cup…
NT legend The Captain dies of colic
The Captain, with highly experienced Top End jockey Paul Shiers in the saddle, heading to the gates at Fannie Bay. (Picture: Caroline Camilleri) The Darwin racing public sadly farewelled sprinting champion The Captain at the start of the year when his retirement was confirmed, and now they mourn his passing. The 10-year-old gelding, who was trained by 10-time champion Top End premiership trainer Gary Clarke, passed away in Queensland early Sunday morning due to a bout of colic. “Yeah, terrible news,” Clarke said. “He’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime type of horse.…