Month: July 2024

Saturday August 24th (Matamata farms) 9.00am               Waikato Stud – 521 Tower Road, Matamata (Ardrossan, Banquo, Novere, Ocean Park, Savabeel, & Super Seth)– Coffee cart/Breaky 8.30-9am 10.15am             Mapperley Stud – 107 Matai Road, Matamata  (Armory, Contributer, & Savile Row) – Coffee Cart 11.00pm             Rich Hill Stud – 570 Landsdowne Road, Walton  (Ace High, Proisir, Satono Aladdin, Shocking & Vadamos) 12.15pm             Brighthill – 1352 Tauwhare Road, Eureka 3284 (Dalghar, Eminent & Preferment) Sunday August 25st (Cambridge/Hamilton farms) 9.45am               Highview Stud – 1544 Kakaramea Road, Ngahinapouri  (Wrote, Divine prophet, Mr…

Group One sire Vadamos will not shuttle to Rich Hill Stud for the upcoming 2024 Southern Hemisphere season. “It’s purely an economic decision,” farm principal John Thompson said. “The progeny of Vadamos have had another good year on the racetracks and they continue to sell well. “He currently sits in 15th place on the New Zealand premiership, with outstanding Group One-winning mare La Crique his flagbearer. “It will be difficult to cover the costs of transport, promotion and staff at his advertised service fee of $9000. “As any Australasian farm…

The prestigious S$400,000 Singapore Derby (1800m) is set to be run for the final time this Sunday, bringing the curtain down on a race whose proud history is littered with New Zealand-bred and Karaka-sourced success stories. The Singapore Derby was first run in 1880 and is the oldest feature race in Singapore. It is one of the most coveted prizes on the annual calendar of Singaporean racing, which is set to come to an end later this year with the closure of Kranji Racecourse. Throughout that long and rich history,…

Emerging jumper Affluential (NZ) (Zed) remains on track for next month’s Grand National Hurdle, despite skipping Sunday’s blockbuster all-jumps card at Pakenham. Trainer John Leek Jnr confirmed that Verry Elleegant’s younger brother will run in a 3100-metre flat handicap at Warrnambool on Tuesday instead of Sunday’s Brendan Drechsler Hurdle (3500m), in a bid to avoid a potential weight penalty. The five-year-old Zed gelding is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, including a dominant win in a Benchmark 120 hurdle at Sandown last start and Leek Jnr is keen to get…

If assistant trainer Jack Turnbull is right, Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) is about to strike form at Flemington. The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper contests the VRC Member Peter Drake Plate (2000m) on Saturday, one of five runners from the stable. A Group 1 winner of the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington in October 2022, Smokin’ Romans has placed only once in 12 subsequent starts. Smokin’ Romans did run seventh in both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup following the Turnbull Stakes success and fourth in an Australian Cup at Flemington. Turnbull…

Liquid Les (NZ) (Echoes of Heaven) has become more like a family member than a racehorse for Craig Williamson, and the capable gelding will aim to collect a hometown success at New Plymouth in the Revital Fertilisers Open (1800m). A rising eight-year-old by Echoes Of Heaven, Liquid Les has been sparingly raced throughout his career and has made just five appearances this season for two wins, most recently a brave front-running victory at Te Rapa. “It was a big thrill, we’d gone there for a run because there weren’t many…

It is only fitting that Nikki White has secured a place in next month’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 127th Winter Cup (1600m) with her gelding Balzano (NZ) (Shooting To Win), with few trainers experiencing wintery conditions like the Omakau trainer. White is met by chilly temperatures and frosts most days at this time of year and has to work her team within a set time window in the afternoon where the ground has finally defrosted for the day. “It is pretty hard training where I am because it is frozen,…