Day: 5 February 2025

Talented stayer Lombardi (NZ) (Verdi) made a stylish return in his new preparation on Wednesday at Riccarton Park, putting away a tidy field in the Rangiora Equine Veterinary Services (1600m).  The son of Verdi recorded a pair of victories through the spring and placed in the Listed Sothy’s Spring Classic (2000m) before racing ungenerously and fading in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m).  His trainer and co-owner Bruce Smith allowed the gelding some time in the paddock, before assembling a plan to get to the Listed Positive Signs and Print…

El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) has been an unstoppable force at Ellerslie, and while there are looming targets at northern headquarters for the gelding, a lucrative bonus and prize money on offer at Te Rapa this weekend have lured his connections south.  The Stephen Marsh-trained six-year-old will line-up in the $700,000 Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) on Saturday where he will be chasing a share of the $500,000 on offer in the Rich Hill Champion Middle Distance Series.  The son of Shocking currently sits in second place (seven points) on the…

Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) has conquered all before him at age-group level in New Zealand, and on Saturday, the star colt will take on the older horses in a star-studded edition of the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m). In six starts as a three-year-old, Savaglee has won on five occasions, including the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m), Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m), all with considerable ease. His owners The Oaks Stud, and Pam Gerard, who trains the gelding at Matamata, resisted…

Probably for the first time in New Zealand turf history, a Kiwi trainer has made a $3.5 million race his backup plan.  Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie revealed today he had received multiple approaches from slotholders for the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 8 to run his galloper Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) in the race.  But Ritchie has another target on the same programme in his sights for Tuxedo – the $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m).  Aucklander Grant Barnett, a long-time Ritchie stable client –…

Opaki mare Ruby Rocks (NZ) (Burgundy) will be seeking back-to-back stakes victories when she heads to Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day to contest the Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).  The eight-year-old daughter of Burgundy was victorious in the Listed Marton Cup (2200m) at Trentham when first-up last month and has been freshened ahead of Thursday’s mile.  “They left her alone (last start),” owner-breeder-trainer Roger Allen said. “If she gets another soft run like that and they leave her alone out in front, she will be hard to catch…

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) is pleased to confirm the appointment of Matt Ballesty to the position of CEO, effective 5 March 2025. Ballesty is a highly respected senior executive who has more than 30 years’ experience in high performance leadership as well as strategic commercial development and execution. “This is a homecoming,” said Ballesty of taking on the new role. “I’ve been passionate about racing for a long time as both an enthusiast and an owner and I can’t wait to get stuck into the hard work of further…