Month: August 2024

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER

Some of Australian racing’s biggest names ramped up their spring campaigns on Monday and Antino (NZ) (Redwood) hinted that maybe he is ready to step into the top echelon with an impressive jumpout at Cranbourne. The Queenslander pressed his Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) claims with a solid hitout against Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai). The leading Horse Of The Year contender won the 800m trial narrowly, but had Antino closing late under little riding from Jamie Kah. The performance affirmed Antino’s liking for the Melbourne way of going and revived Tony Gollan’s hope that he might…

Archaic Smile (Saxon Warrior) held her own among the top juveniles last season and she will kick-off an exciting spring three-year-old campaign in the Taupō Pak ’N’ Save 3YO Fillies (1100m) on Wednesday.    The daughter of Saxon Warrior earned her maiden success at start two last November and her upward trajectory continued, winning the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) and finishing less than a length of star filly Velocious (Written Tycoon) when second in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).   A commendable fourth in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) completed…

Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking), New Zealand’s leading hope for this year’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), has been ruled out of spring racing with a tendon strain.  The five-year-old gelding gained automatic entry into the iconic race with victory in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington in March, which followed his placing in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie earlier that month.   Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood were excited about campaigning their charge in Melbourne this spring, however, those dreams have been dashed after the five-year-old pulled up…

The Oaks Stud is hoping Ruakaka’s feature three-year-old event can again provide a springboard to elite level success.  The farm’s colours were carried to victory in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) five years ago and the Cambridge operation again had reason to celebrate a top result after Saturday’s contest.  The Oaks Stud’s young resident sire U S Navy Flag was to the fore with his progressive son So Naïve (NZ) an impressive winner of the event for trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley.  “The Breeders’ Stakes has been a…

Amateur jockey Olivia Helagi was thrilled to notch up her first riding win at Arawa Park on Sunday when guiding the Murray Garrett-trained Impaired Vision (NZ) (Rock ‘n’ Pop) to victory in the Patrons Race & Flair Amateur Riders (1950m). The pair were caught three wide in the early stages of the race before Helagi asked her charge to improve at the 800m mark to eventually sit parked outside leader Rodolfo (NZ) (Nom du Jeu). They hit the lead with 200m to go and ran out 3-1/2 length victors on…