Month: April 2024

If Apostrophe (NZ) (Tavistock) has run her final race, the talented mare signed off on a successful career in style with a powerful finish to capture the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. Apostrophe was purchased by her trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $60,000 at Karaka in 2019 and debuted in the middle of her three-year-old season and has aged like fine wine with each racing season bringing new heights for the now six-year-old mare. This term has been the best yet with her familiar…

Two years after taking out the Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) with Carolina Reaper (NZ) (Vespa), Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall have repeated and surpassed that result with a one-three finish headed by the rising star Snazzytavi (NZ) (Tavistock).  The time-honoured autumn showpiece was run for the 150th time on Saturday, a week later than expected and at a new home of Te Rapa due to the abandonment of the Ellerslie meeting last weekend. But despite the unusual circumstances, Snazzytavi produced a performance that will take a special place…

Progressive filly Tomodachi (NZ) (Tarzino) provided a fitting result in the opening event at Te Rapa on Saturday, a day where one of the greats of the New Zealand training ranks was remembered after the passing of Dave “DJ” O’Sullivan twenty-four hours earlier. The Sir Peter Vela-bred and owned daughter of Tarzino is trained by O’Sullivan’s legendary jockey and now trainer son Lance, in partnership with Andrew Scott and as she hit the line in front there were many dabbing away tears at the result. Guided to perfection by National…

Just twenty-four hours after the passing of Wexford Stables figurehead Dave “DJ” O’Sullivan, the New Zealand training icon would have been looking down on Te Rapa with a beaming smile as promising filly I’munstoppable (NZ) (Charm Spirit) led from go to whoa to capture the Gr.3 Inglis Sales Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) for the Matamata operation.  Prepared by O’Sullivan’s fellow New Zealand Hall of Fame member and son Lance alongside Andrew Scott, the three-year-old daughter of Charm Spirit led her age group rivals a merry dash throughout in the hands…

Progressive staying three-year-old Bold Soul (NZ) (Embellish) tuned up for next week’s Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) with a strong win in the Gr.3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville for trainer Patrick Payne and jockey Jake Noonan. The son of Embellish has followed a similar path to the Payne-trained Dunkel (NZ) (Dundeel), who won last year’s South Australian Derby after spring-boarding off a successful campaign in Tasmania. Like Dunkel, Bold Soul won both the Listed Launceston Guineas (2100m) and Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) on a successful working holiday in the…