Month: August 2024

Chris Waller saw some positive signs in Manzoice’s (NZ) (Almanzor) first preparation as a gelding and he remains hopeful the Victoria Derby winning son of Almanzor can continue to build on that this spring. The 2022 classic victor will be the first of Waller’s Group One brigade to kick off their season when he resumes in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) at Randwick on Saturday. Most of the stable’s big guns, including Fangirl and Via Sistina, will return on Winx Stakes day on August 24, but being a stayer, Waller…

A classy field of synthetic specialists assembled at Riccarton Park in search of the rich spoils on offer in the inaugural Ripple Creek Equine Polytrack $100,000 (1200m), but the glory went the way of local trainers Russell McKay and Ashley Harrington with Spartan(NZ) (War Decree).   A winner of his maiden on the synthetic early last year, Spartan had proven himself in strong company on turf over the summer and was targeted at the feature back in May, with the father-daughter training partnership electing to run him in a fresh state.  …

It’s been a week to remember for the Woodsford family.  Family patriarch Steven Woodsford tasted success at Riccarton last Saturday with Street Fightin Man(NZ)(Pure Champion), and on Wednesday his daughter Bridget followed suit when recording her first win as a trainer courtesy of Blue Bay(NZ)(Preferment) in the 3F At West Fitzroy Apartments Maiden (1600m) on the Riccarton Synthetic.  Blue Bay had finished runner-up first-up on the surface last month and Woodsford was confident her mare could go one better at the midweek meeting.  “It was a big confidence boost when…

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are excited for what spring has instore for their premiership-winning team, with several of their stars stepping out at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday. One of those stars is Group One winner Move To Strike, who finished runner-up by a head to Alabama Lass in their 900m heat, showing he has lost none of the brilliance he showed as a juvenile when winning the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham in April. “He’s a lovely colt that we always thought was…

Robbie Patterson is eyeing major spring targets with the three top-rated performers in his New Plymouth operation. Puntura (NZ) (Vespa), One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One) and Mary Louise (NZ) (The Bold One) were chief contributors to his stakes tally during a personal best season in 2023/24 and the Taranaki trainer again has high hopes for the trio. Patterson sent out 53 winners last term with seven at Group or Listed level and stable earnings topped $2.3 million. Puntura was the individual star with success in the Gr.1 Thorndon…

Brendan and Jo Lindsay celebrated a string of major results in the 2023/24 season from both the proven and promising members of their racing team.  Such was the extent of the Cambridge Stud principals on-track successes, the couple claimed the New Zealand Ownership Premiership with 27 winners of 40 races from 38 runners.  The winner is determined over the season, with points awarded according to the quality of the race and the individual shareholding.  Most importantly for the iconic Waikato nursery, they registered five Group victories, a brace at Listed…