Month: August 2024

As is commonplace with trainers of four-year-old mares going into spring, Andrew Forsman is wary about where Positivity (NZ) ( Almanzor) will fit in among the older more seasoned stayers. Positivity proved she was one of the better staying three-year-old fillies with a last-start Group 3 win in the SA Fillies Classic over 2500 metres at Morphettville in May to accompany her second in the New Zealand Oaks. Positivity will make her spring return in the Heatherlie Stakes(1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Forsman said Positivity had been nominated for the…

Gavelhouse.com has become an integral source of thoroughbred racing stock for dual code trainer Trent Yesberg, who is set to line-up a couple of his online purchases in the coming days. The Rangiora horseman is set to line-up perennial bridesmaid If I Get Paaid (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Speights Summit Ultra On Tap Stayers Maiden at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday, and he is hopeful of a winning result. Initially trained by Jamie Richards, If I Get Paaid transferred south to the care of Kimberley Hodgson after being purchased off…

Group Three performer Unbridled Joy will be out to capture his maiden stakes victory when he heads south to Wanganui on Saturday to contest the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m). The Snitzel colt won one and placed in two of his four starts as a juvenile last season, including a third placed run in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) before finishing unplaced in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at his last raceday outing. He has had two trials leading into his spring preparation, both unplaced behind last…

Robbie Patterson is confident Read About It (NZ) (Wrote) possesses all the attributes to make his mark at the highest level later this season. The New Plymouth trainer has a long-term plan in place for the three-year-old and is prepared to sacrifice a crack at a major spring age group feature to achieve his end goal. “I doubt very much if he’ll go to the 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), I’ll let all the others go there and do their stuff and we’ll just wait for a race over Christmas like…

One of the most formidable partnerships in Australian racing will reunite at Caulfield on Saturday to try to improve on their Group One tally. Leading hoop Craig Williams has ridden New Zealand-bred Group One winner Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) in 30 of his 34 starts, including 14 victories, with five of those at elite-level. The pair enjoyed a stellar spring last season, winning their first three starts of the preparation, including the Gr.2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), and Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m). They will join…

Hilal has received a warm welcome from breeders with Grangewilliam Stud close to putting up the no vacancy sign on their newcomer. The regally bred son of Fastnet Rock will stand his first season at Mark and Jane Corcoran’s operation at Waitotara following a decorated racing career across the Tasman. “We have been very happy with the response, we have had really good support and he’s got over 100 mares booked to him already,” Mark Corcoran said. “I think I will limit him to 120, so he’s not far off.…