Year: 2023

The rain in Sydney this week has been a welcome arrival for trainer John Thompson as he prepares to saddle up With Your Blessing (NZ) (Vadamos) on Saturday. With Randwick rated in the soft range on Thursday, Thompson is looking towards the weekend with some optimism. “Hopefully this rain stays around. I’ve got three runners on Saturday and they’re all wet trackers,” Thompson said. “They’re horses that have been running well on good tracks, but a soft track will help them.” With Your Blessing drops back to benchmark company in…

For almost as long as he can remember, David Eustace has craved an opportunity to train in Hong Kong. As of next season, a dream becomes reality for the well-travelled young Englishman, who boasts strong family links to the city’s racing community. As the nephew of former Hong Kong-based horseman David Oughton, Eustace’s formative horse racing memories were filled almost as much by his uncle’s globe-trotting exploits as those of his Newmarket-based father, James, who was also a trainer. “My mother Gay is David Oughton’s sister and as a nine…

Ascot Park trainer Sally McKay couldn’t be happier with her quality sprinter Henry Hubber (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) ahead of the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Hazlett Stakes (1200m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day. It will be the five-year-old gelding’s second tilt at stakes level, having placed in the Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton last month. He was subsequently runner-up over 1400m on his home track earlier this month and McKay said he has continued to progress since that outing. “I am thrilled with him, he is coming…

Well-performed stayer No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) will bid to add a home Group One title to match his Australian efforts when he opens the third stage of his career on Boxing Day. The son of Pins will take aim at Tuesday’s Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2050m) with Ryan Elliot booked to guide the seven-year-old’s fortunes. He began his career from the Waverley base of Bill Thurlow, who trained the gelding for brother Grant and sister-in-law Patricia to win twice before he relocated to Chris Waller’s champion stable. No Compromise…

Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) asserted her dominance last month when storming to victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and the glamour filly will return to chase Northern spoils in the Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day at Pukekohe. The daughter of Ace High was nothing short of sensational in the $500,000 fillies’ feature at Riccarton, coming from near-last to sail past quality opposition in Impendabelle (Impending) and Tulsi (The Autumn Sun), the latter among several key race rivals in the Eight Carat…

Gifted performer Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel) has bounced back from a last-start hiccup and is on target to execute a long-term plan when she steps out at Pukekohe Park on Boxing Day. Lance Noble will be chasing a special victory with the five-year-old in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2050m), sponsored by the mare’s breeders and owners Cambridge Stud. Noble is the private trainer for farm principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay and the weight-for-age feature has been a long-term target for the daughter of Dundeel. Two runs back, Aquacade was a dominant…