Year: 2023

New Zealand-breds had a successful start to the Boxing Day card at Randwick on Tuesday, recording two impressive early wins with Fire Tribe and Monfelicity. Three-year-old Fire Tribe’s victory in the A$65,000 Drinkwise Plate (1200m) started a Boxing Day bonanza for Mapperley Stud stallion Contributer, who later sired the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2050m) winner Campionessa and Gr.3 Summer Cup (2000m) winner Lion’s Roar. Fire Tribe had shown promise with three runner-up finishes in his four previous career starts, and he took a big step forward on Boxing Day to clear…

Pint sized mare Kai showed her undoubted ability on wet and loose footing when she stormed down the outskirts of the Wingatui track to take out the feature race there on Boxing Day, the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Hazlett Stakes (1200m). Heavy overnight rain and persistent showers during the day saw the track downgraded to a Heavy 10 which played into the hands of the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained northern visitor as three of her previous four career wins had come on similar surfaces. Handled patiently by…

New Zealand-bred mare Mrs Chrissie began a new campaign in style at Caulfield on Boxing Day with a commanding front-running performance in the A$65,000 Ken Sturt Handicap (1100m). The Benchmark 70 Handicap was the Per Incanto mare’s first appearance since early July, and she brought a strong fresh-up record into the race – recording two wins and a placing from four previous starts in that state. She added another win to that record on Tuesday, sliding forward from gate four and dominating the race from the front for apprentice jockey…

Campionessa shed her Group One bridesmaid’s tag at Pukekohe Park on Boxing Day when recording a well-deserved victory in the Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2050m). Previously runner-up in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2050m) earlier this year, Campionessa returned in the spring where she disappointed in her two outings at Hastings and the decision was made to put her aside for summer racing. That decision by trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson has proven to be a masterstroke, with the daughter of Contributer…

Visiting Australian rider Blake Shinn made good use of his trip across the Tasman to ride at Pukekohe on Boxing Day as he guided Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner Molly Bloom to a nail-biting victory in the Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m). The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained daughter of Ace High had been unsighted since her victory at Riccarton last month and she gave her supporters, who backed her into a $1.60 favourite for the race, plenty of anxious moments before getting in the deciding…

Enigmatic three-year-old Pendragon demonstrated just how tough he is as he took out the Gr.2 Shaw’s Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas (1400m) at Pukekohe with a strong front-running performance. The Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained son of U S Navy Flag was ignored by punters to start at the juicy odds of $26 in the race, despite having beaten two of his more fancied rivals in Tokyo Tycoon ($3.60) and Quintessa ($4.80) by nearly two lengths at his previous start over 1200m at Te Rapa. Seeking a hat-trick of victories after…

Boys Get Paid have become synonymous with the Karaka Millions meeting, and the punting club will have a million reasons to cheer even louder at the feature raceday at Ellerslie on January 27. Their first bet for the meeting was a $50,000 outlay at $21 odds for Cool ‘N’ Fast, which looks to be an astute investment, with the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained colt shortening into $3.50 following his debut win in the New Zealand Bloodstock – Karaka 2024 (1100m) at Pukekohe on Boxing Day. The son of Savabeel…