Day: 30 January 2025

Rich Hill Stud stallion Satono Aladdin has provided the headline acts of Book 2 of Karaka 2025, siring the highest-priced lots on both Wednesday and Thursday. Less than 24 hours after topping the sale with Brighthill Farm’s $260,000 filly out of Sparkling Rose late on Wednesday afternoon, Satono Aladdin took top billing again with two six-figure sales in the final hour of day two. The top price of the second day was $150,000, which John Foote paid to secure Lot 1079. The colt was offered by Libby and Sam Bleakley’s…

Next week’s Legends Day at Te Rapa will have a strong international flavour, with Sydney trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald set to tackle the meeting’s two Group One features with a pair of high-profile runners. Promising three-year-old Bosustow is set to tackle the $500,000 Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) following his last start victory in the A$3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m), while Group One performer Numerian will head into the $700,000 Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) in a fresh state after finishing runner-up in the Gr.2 Ted…

Classy mare Pearl Of Alsace (NZ) (Tavistock) will have an opportunity to get back in the winning groove at New Plymouth on Saturday, tackling the Gr.3 Denis Wheeler Earthmoving Taranaki Cup (1800m). Earlier in her career, Pearl Of Alsace was near-unstoppable winning six of her first nine starts, including the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m), and a Group One placing in the Livamol Classic (2050m). The daughter of Tavistock had just 13 appearances on the board entering her six-year-old term, where aside from a narrow second in the Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes…

Byerley Park trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley will have a three-pronged attack in Saturday’s Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m), including a couple of leading lights for Champions Day at the Auckland track on March 8.  Exciting stayer Son of Sun (NZ) (Tavistock) and Melbourne Cup runner Trust In You (NZ) (Sweynesse) are being set for the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at the feature meeting, and will use Saturday as a starting point for their shot at New Zealand’s most coveted two-mile race.  Both horses have been…

Some of racing’s biggest equine names have featured prominently in a key barrier trial session. Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) has tuned up for his Apollo Stakes return with a superb barrier trial win at Warwick Farm, setting the scene for an exciting autumn carnival ahead. The dual Group 1 victor led throughout in Thursday’s 1000m heat and wasn’t tested to comfortably defeat Via Sistina, who he is likely to meet first-up in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) two weeks from Saturday. Fangirl warmed up late for third, just ahead of 2022 New Zealand Derby winner Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock), who also…

With an eye to the future, the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) is the preferred Classic option for talented filly Hinekaha (NZ) (Savabeel).  The Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Savabeel is on a path toward the Trackside-sponsored feature and will trip south to Saturday’s Taranaki meeting to further her preparation.  She will run in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth while stablemate and fellow Derby hope Mustang Morgan (NZ) (Preferment) will stay closer to home and line up at Ellerslie.  Bred by co-owner Christoper Grace, Hinekaha is…

A $1 million Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) path is on the cards for Waverley filly Twisted Love (NZ) (Vanbrugh) following her debut win in the Agfirst (1650m) at her home track on Wednesday.  While Oaks campaigns are nothing new to Thurlow, having trained Beyond The Fort to a runner-up result in the 2019 edition of the Classic, this one will have added sentimental value for the South Taranaki horseman, with Twisted Love being owned by his daughters Emma and Jamie.  The siblings purchased the daughter…