Day: 19 April 2025

Kiwi-bred filly Movin Out made a successful switch from Sydney racing to a tilt at Victorian riches when she came from well back to race to a dominant victory in the Mornington Guineas (1600m) on Saturday. The three-year-old daughter of Novara Park- stallion Staphanos originally began her career out of the Bill Thurlow stable at Waverley where she broke maiden status at her second start before finishing a meritorious third in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) behind Captured By Love and Alabama Lass at her third and final…

Kiwi Skyhawk’s (NZ) (Contributer) last-gasp thriller in the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday delivered a milestone result for his trainer Stephen Marsh. Having also won the Listed Skycity Star Way Stakes (1200m) with unbeaten two-year-old Little Black Dress earlier on the Ellerslie card, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing statistics now credit Marsh with 97 wins at Group or Listed level in New Zealand. He has also won three in Australia – the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) with Sofia Rosa, the Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (2200m) with Chocante…

Promising three-year-old filly Lilac further enhanced her future value in the matrons paddock when she dictated terms to take out the Gr.3 James HB Carr Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in the hands of James McDonald. A graduate of Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore draft at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka, Lilac is trained by Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald who had the daughter of Justify tuned to the minute after some strong recent performances including finishing fourth to Lady Shenandoah in the Gr.1 Surround Stakes (1400m) last…

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained four-year-old Immediacy was back in the winner’s circle with a strong win in the Enchanted Adventure Handicap (2000m) at Mornington on Saturday. The gelded son of Tarzino was a Group Two winner at three and has built towards another raceday victory. Ridden by Michael Dee, Immediacy was put into the race, settling one out and one back and went on to score by a length and a half from Foujita San with Golden Crusader back in third. Immediacy came into the race off a…

The 600km journey from Christchurch to Riverton paid off on Saturday for Michael and Matthew Pitman, who kicked off the annual two-day Easter fixture with three wins including a $44 upset by Makabar (NZ) (Swiss Ace) in the feature sprint. Makabar went into the Riverton Butchery Aparima Handicap (1200m) with unplaced finishes to his name in all of his last six starts. However, he had been a star performer at the Easter meeting 12 months ago, where he ran third in this same open 1200m sprint before winning over 1400m…

Flashy filly Little Black Dress (Snitzel)  maintained her unbeaten record with a dramatic victory in Saturday’s Listed SKYCITY Star Way Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. The only thing that seemed certain with 200m left to run in the two-year-old feature was that it looked like a Stephen Marsh-trained quinella with pacemaker Lady Iris (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) clinging resolutely to a narrow lead from Little Black Dress as the pair went stride for stride at that point. Lady Iris suddenly made a beeline to her left and hampered both her…

With four consecutive victories highlighted by the last three at Group 1 level and being named the equal 10th best galloper in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse rankings, the timing is perfect for New Zealand stayer El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) to tackle the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on 27 April.  El Vencedor will go into the HK$28 million feature after being freshened up following last-start victory in the G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on 8 March.  El Vencedor arrived in Hong Kong on…