Month: September 2023

Sydney trainer John Sargent is renowned as a master trainer of staying types, and the Kiwi expat unveiled a live VRC Oaks chance when Harlow Mist (NZ) (Contributer) scored a strong victory in the Kennedy Oaks Preview (1800m) at Flemington on Sunday. Given a perfect ride by Mick Dee, Harlow Mist sat just behind the speed before the daughter of Contributer was presented soon after straightening and she was strong through the line, defeating Konasana and Everlasting Kiss. The three-year-old filly has stepped through the grades nicely and is now…

Mick Price is trying to keep things simple when it comes to managing talented but troublesome galloper Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj), who will shortly resume racing. A spider bite and subsequent illness almost claimed the gelding’s life and, ever since, getting the horse to display his true ability has been an understandably tricky task for Price and co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr. However, a pleasing Cranbourne jumpout on Monday morning has Price equal parts optimistic and hopeful Ayrton can bounce back this spring. “He was good, he’s good and then there’s race…

Trelawney Stud bred Singapore Horse of the Year Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec) won his second consecutive Raffles Cup in Kranji on Saturday to take his record to 16 wins from 19 starts. Trainer Daniel Meagher also won his third Raffles Cup, which equalled his father’s – ex-Kranji trainer John Meagher – haul of three victories in the iconic feature race. The only concern was the wide barrier 11 from which Lim’s Kosciuszko jumped from, but any doubts that the gate may cause issues were quickly dispelled when jockey jockey Wong Chin…

Te Akau Racing announced on Sunday that stable rider Opie Bosson will take the ride on Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes at The Valley on Friday night. Trainer Mark Walker has also confirmed that a planned Monday morning gallop with stablemate Zourion has been put back to Tuesday so he can see her work. Cambridge Stud owned filly Zourion (NZ) (Zoustar) will have her first Australian outing in the gallop, after two runs for as many wins at home – including a Stakes win at Matamata…

Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow has enjoyed a successful run with his versatile team of runners recently, adding another to the board when producing Frank The Tank (NZ) (Burgundy) to score in the tough conditions at Awapuni on Saturday. The Burgundy four-year-old jumped leisurely away from the barriers in the Pilet Contracting LTD/Pioneer Seeds 1400, but jockey Michael McNab soon had him settled midfield between runners behind a relatively strong pace set by Perkyorlamosa. Frank The Tank was initially restricted for clear air down much of the home straight but McNab’s…

The New Zealand Pattern Committee (NZPC) has completed its annual review of black-type racing in New Zealand, with several changes made to the schedule of feature races for 2023-24. The total number of black-type races has been reduced by eight to 142 races. This is due to a downward trend in the overall number of races being run every season, leading to an increasingly disproportionate number of races holding black-type status. “A significant decline in the number of races run in recent seasons has seen the New Zealand Pattern race…

The Northlanders came to town at Tauranga on Saturday and played a starring role, headed by a quinella for Ruakaka trainer Chris Gibbs in the $50,000 Mills Reef Wines Open (2100m). Cakebytheocean (NZ) (Ocean Park) and Chevron (NZ) (El Roca) were the only two horses that Gibbs took to the Tauranga meeting, and they dominated the feature staying race from the moment the gates opened. Chevron attempted to lead all the way in the hands of jockey Craig Grylls, but Cakebytheocean and Masa Hashizume crept forward from their trailing position…