Month: August 2023

Stonybreck continued his dominant run of form on the country’s synthetic tracks on Wednesday, when securing a comfortable victory in the Richard Bright Memorial Cup 1550 at Cambridge. The consistent son of Tavistock broke his maiden just over a year ago at Cambridge and was a heavily supported favourite in a tidy field of polytrack specialists. Wednesday’s victory was his third in as many starts at the venue and his fourth on the all-weather surface. Piloted expertly by Opie Bosson, Stonybreck travelled midfield before moving into contention at the top…

Exciting three-year-old Crocetti will put his unbeaten record on the line when he returns to Ruakaka this weekend to tackle the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). The Danny Walker and Arron Tata-trained gelding won on debut as a juvenile before winning first-up at Ruakaka a fortnight ago and will return to the Northland venue this weekend to have his first crack at stakes level. Walker is excited about the prospects of the Zacinto gelding and believes the forecast conditions will be ideal for his charge. “He has come…

A trip across the Tasman could be on the cards for Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto), with the Lisa Latta-trained mare set to chase a A$1 million bonus on offer if successful in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 4. The daughter of Per Incanto became eligible for the bonus following her win in the Gr.1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe in April, and her connections are keen to take their shot. Belclare has pleased Latta in her two public appearances this preparation, particularly with her…

Former northern galloper Notabadpony (NZ) (Mulaazem) is well and truly living up to his name according to trainer John Blackadder. The Rangiora horseman has had the gelding for his last three starts, all on Riccarton’s synthetic track, with the now four-year-old posting two placings before scoring his maiden victory over a mile earlier this month. “It was a very good ride from Lisa (Allpress) last start. We were intending to go back with him, but she saw there was no pace on, so she took him to the front,” Blackadder said.…

The latest fortnightly sale on gavelhouse.com has been given a touch of star quality with the inclusion of a stakes-winning two-year-old filly from last season. Sky On Fire (Exceed and Excel) had six starts during her juvenile campaign, headed by a win in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton last November. She also collected two seconds, a third, and a close fourth in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1000m) at Trentham in January. By exceptional sire Exceed and Excel out of a mare by the short-lived but enormously influential Northern…