Group One mare Belclare returned to the peak of her powers on New Zealand racing’s biggest stage on Saturday, scoring a dominant victory in the $500,000 Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie. The Per Incanto mare was a triple black-type winner last season, capturing the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and Listed Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) before landing a Group One triumph with a three-length victory over subsequent elite performer Skew Wiff in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe. After resuming with an eye-catching third in the…
Month: January 2024
Master Fay cruises to Concorde victory
Former Hong Kong galloper Master Fay displayed a touch of real class when he scored a dominant victory in the Gr.2 Brighthill Farm Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie. The Chad Ormsby-trained six year-old son of Deep Field was a $100,000 purchase out of the Highden Park Book 1 Sale draft at Karaka in 2019 by Ormsby as a pinhooking prospect but didn’t make it back to the sales ring and was sold to Hong Kong interests following some impressive trial wins. He performed well in Hong Kong, winning his only…
Dennis Brothers get Radiant result
Well known southern breeding and racing identities the Dennis brothers were back in the limelight at Riccarton on Saturday as their royally bred mare The Radiant One took out the Listed Speight’s Timaru Stakes (1400m). Bred, owned and trained by brothers Tony, Ray, Joe and Martin Dennis, the daughter of former The Oaks Stud resident stallion and multiple Group One winner Darci Brahma hadn’t been at her best in her last two runs following a brave performance to finish fourth in the Listed Stewards Stakes (1200m) during New Zealand Cup…
The Radiant One a class above in Timaru Stakes
Tina Comignaghi returns to scale aboard The Radiant One after her Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) victory on Saturday. Photo: Race Images South Well known southern breeding and racing identities the Dennis brothers were back in the limelight at Riccarton on Saturday as their royally bred mare The Radiant One took out the Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m). Bred, owned and trained by brothers Tony, Ray, Joe and Martin Dennis, the daughter of former The Oaks Stud resident stallion and multiple Group One winner Darci Brahma hadn’t been at her best in…
Orchestral hits right note in Karaka Millions 3YO
James McDonald salutes Orchestral’s outstanding triumph in $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m). Photo: Race Images Roger James and James McDonald teamed up to win the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in 2012 with Silent Achiever, and the pair reunited at the Auckland venue 12 years later to take out New Zealand’s richest race, the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) on Saturday evening. Fresh off taking out the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with the Stephen Marsh-trained Velocious, McDonald was favoured to secure a Karaka Millions double…
Desert Lightning thrashes rivals in Aotearoa Classic
Desert Lightning rises to an emphatic victory in the inaugural $1 million Aotearoa Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Race Images Desert Lightning has spent the majority of his career flying under the radar, but there was no denying his place at the top of the tree in the inaugural $1 million Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The under-rated son of Pride Of Dubai has consistently been among the very best of his generation. He finished fourth in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old, then returned…
Velocious reigns supreme in Karaka Millions 2YO
James McDonald scores a dominant $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) aboard Stephen Marsh and Go Racing’s Velocious. Photo: Race Images Ellerslie racegoers got to witness expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald have his first ride back on home soil in several years at the Karaka Millions meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday, and he made an instant impact in front of the sold-out crowd. Sydney-based McDonald had returned across the Tasman to partner the Stephen Marsh-trained filly Velocious in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and he showed why he is revered…
Veight returns a winner in Group 2 Australia Stakes
Damian Lane returns to the mounting yard on Veight after winning the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley. (Photo by Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) Damien Lane and team McEvoy have combined with Veight (+115) to take out the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday afternoon. The race mapped out perfectly in the end for the son of Grunt, as Lane was able to sit just in behind a hectic tempo throughout the 1200m contest. Lane landed into the one-one position from gate three, allowing the three-year-old colt to…
Belclare causes Westbury Classic boilover
Sam Spratt guides a game Belclare to victory in the $500,000 Group 2 Westbury Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Race Images Group One mare Belclare returned to the peak of her powers on New Zealand racing’s biggest stage on Saturday, scoring a dominant victory in the $500,000 Group 2 Westbury Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie. The Per Incanto mare was a triple black-type winner last season, capturing the Group 3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and Listed Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) before landing a Group One triumph with a three-length victory over…
Master Fay claims Group 2 success at Ellerslie
Master Fay sprints to an impressive victory in the Group 2 Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Race Images Former Hong Kong galloper Master Fay displayed a touch of real class when he scored a dominant victory in the Group 2 Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie. The Chad Ormsby-trained six year-old son of Deep Field was a $100,000 purchase out of the Highden Park Book 1 Sale draft at Karaka in 2019 by Ormsby as a pinhooking prospect but didn’t make it back to the sales ring and was sold…