Month: November 2023

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Frank Ritchie had anything but a relaxed watch as Gwen’s Daughter descended down the Pukekohe straight on Saturday, but he was delighted when she prevailed in the Stella Artois Championship Qualifier (1500m). The mare had run second behind an impressive Uderzo a week prior at Tauranga but may have been much closer having veered towards the outer rail in the closing stages, and came into Saturday’s event rated a $10.90 fifth-favourite with TAB bookmakers. With the addition of blinkers at Pukekohe, Gwen’s Daughter shot out of the gates almost a…

There will be no resting on laurels for New Zealand Bloodstock after last week’s record-shattering Ready to Run Sale. Instead, the release of the catalogues for Karaka 2024 has launched the countdown to the pinnacle event on the sales calendar. The 98th National Yearling Sales Series will take place at Karaka from Sunday 28 January to Friday 2 February. The catalogues, which are now available to view online, contain an exceptional selection of 682 yearlings in Book 1 and another 442 in Book 2. The momentum of Karaka graduates and…

Shane Crawford has shown plenty of patience with promising four-year-old Wallen, and that approach seems to be paying off, with the son of Tarzino having placed in his first three starts. In his debut at Matamata, Wallen was a game third behind the exciting Adam I Am and subsequent winner Suzuka. He then went on to post consecutive runner-up results, including a head defeat to Kenobi at Pukekohe earlier this month. Crawford has been pleased with all three outings and is expecting another bold showing at Te Aroha on Wednesday…

Precocious two-year-old Velocious is proving a gem of a filly on two fronts for Inglewood Stud. The unbeaten daughter of Written Tycoon was bred by Gus and Bianca Wigley’s North Canterbury nursery, who will also be offering her half-sister at next year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka. Velocious followed up her debut success at Te Rapa with a hollow victory in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Pukekohe to earn $3 favouritism for the country’s richest juvenile event. “She is potentially our first runner in the…

Josh Shaw tasted Group glory with Hinepara last year and he has got a craving for more. The Horowhenua horseman came close to tasting it again last Saturday when Faraglioni was runner-up behind Campionessa in the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and Shaw was duly rapt with the result. “I was pretty confident going into the race and I was rapt that she ran up to my confidence levels,” Shaw said. “The only question mark was whether she would cop the better track. I had no reservations…