Month: March 2025

Leading into the 2025 breeding season we reflect on the volume of mares covered by a stallion with 10+ mares in 2024.

Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) may not be mentioned in the same breath as some of Chris Waller’s champions past and present, but the mare is far from a spent force on the racetrack.  The seven-year-old will be chasing a third Group 1 win at Flemington and her fourth in total when she lines up in the Australian Cup at Flemington on Saturday.  The same age as Pride Of Jenni and Deny Knowledge who have both improved as they have aged, Atishu also fits into that category.  Atishu registered her third Group 1 win last spring when successful in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m)…

Central Districts filly Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) was all the rage ahead of January’s Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), but now she seems to be the forgotten horse of the juvenile ranks, set to start as an outsider in Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham.  “I think she is the forgotten horse, she has drifted from $6 to about $21, so it’s incredible really,” trainer Roydon Bergerson said. “She is the only horse in the race that has beaten La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth), and…

Classy New Zealand filly Alabama Lass has conquered racing right and left-handed, now she must take to straight racing at her Australian debut.  Alabama Lass has arrived in Melbourne to contest the Listed HKJC World Pool Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday after showing her ability in New Zealand.  Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso are no strangers to travelling horses to Australia having won the Group 1 Australian Guineas in 2023 with Legarto (NZ) (Prosir) while stablemate Levante (NZ) (Proisir) was also productive on an earlier excursion to Flemington.  Alabama Lass has won five of her eight starts to date, finishing second on…

Leading into the 2025 breeding season we reflect on the volume of mares covered by a stallion with 10+ mares in 2024.

The decision to back-up Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) in the Neville Sellwood Stakes is part of a bigger campaign picture as Joe Pride looks to give his star galloper the best possible grounding for his ultimate goal. Having identified the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) as the race they want to win, Pride says Saturday’s Rosehill assignment is the logical next step. “This just looked like the obvious race,” Pride said. “The Doncaster (Mile) was also on the cards but the only trouble with the Doncaster is it would mean him backing up into the Queen Elizabeth. “The decision that…

Group One-winning trainer Andrew Campbell is set to return to the training ranks when he heads to Trentham on Saturday to line-up debutant Croupier (NZ) (Ace High) in The Oaks Stud 1200.  “It has been quite a few years now since I last had a runner, so it’s quite exciting,” Campbell said.  “I love it (training) and doing nothing gets quite boring, there are only so many fish you can catch out this way.”  The respected horseman transitioned into a career as a bloodstock agent three years ago, however, he…