Month: August 2023

Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) today announced a partnership with Elsdon Park, with the New Zealand stud signing on to sponsor the newly created $1m open 4YO race to take place on TAB Karaka Millions night. To be known as the Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic, the race will be run over 1600m for $1,000,000 under set-weight conditions on TAB Karaka Millions night (27th January 2024), one of the highlights of the ATR calendar. Elsdon Park sponsored the Group 2 Royal Stakes at the New Year’s Day Races in 2023, held at…

Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar didn’t have to travel far to celebrate his winning treble on Sunday, scoring a hat-trick in successive races at the Matamata stable’s home track. Originally hailing from Mumbai, Parmar joined the riding ranks in New Zealand in the 2020/21 season, gaining his first winning ride in October 2021, and has since flourished under the guidance of Mark Walker to record 39 winners last season and a sixth-place finish in the Apprentice’s Premiership. Parmar posted his first stakes success in November 2022, guiding the Paul Richards-trained…

Lupo Solitario made the perfect start to his career when taking out the Banquo 3YO 1200 at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Danica Guy-trained gelding settled midfield on the fence for jockey Ryan Elliot, who was able to navigate his charge to the outside with 500m to go to find clear air, and under his urgings, Lupo Solitario quickened in the straight to reel in Glamour Tycoon to win by a length, with a further neck back to Mary Shan in third. The son of Satono Aladdin had pleased in…

Sam Spratt was both delighted and relieved to post a winning double at Matamata on Sunday to reach a notable personal milestone. The affable jockey enjoyed success aboard Phillip Stevens’ Thermoregulate and then closed out her day with victory on the Michael Rogers-trained Con Artist to reach 1000 domestic victories. “It was awesome to get it done and great to get it off my back,” Spratt said. “I didn’t think anyone knew about it and to be fair I had forgotten about it until people started talking about it and…

Allan Sharrock is setting his sights on bigger things with promising filly Crickets Chirping following her maiden win at Awapuni on Saturday. The Taranaki trainer took plenty of confidence into The Pavemasters 1100 following her runner-up effort at the Palmerston North track when on debut as a juvenile and fourth placed run in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki last start. “Australian Bloodstock have procured her, so I am training her on their behalf, and the owner has kept a share,” Sharrock said. “It is good to tick that…

Reigning Singapore Horse of the Year Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec) made it back-to-back wins in the S$300,000 Lion City Cup (1200m) at Kranji on Sunday. The Kiwi import is the best horse in Singapore and again proved that status for trainer Daniel Meagher and jockey Wong Chin Chuen. The six-year-old son of Kermadec flexed his muscle to fend off the admirable challenge of Singapore Derby winner Golden Monkey and held him safely at bay by a length on the line. It was Lim’s Kosciuszko’s 15th win in 18 starts and took…