A sharp front-running performance by headlined a dominant afternoon for trainers Brian and Shane Anderton at Wingatui on Melbourne Cup Day. The local father-and-son training partnership won three races through the card, all of which they quinellaed, including the feature Grand Casino Open Handicap (1400m) where they had a trio of runners engaged. Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines) had been slightly disappointing first-up but was still fancied in the market, closing third-favourite behind Bouyant and Martell, while her stablemates Mayor Of Norwood and Capo Dell Impero were the outsiders resuming over a…
Year: 2025
Sister act score first win at Ellerslie
Sisters Sophia Nolan and Hanna Orting recorded the first win in their fledgling training partnership in impressive fashion at Ellerslie on Tuesday, courtesy of exciting gelding Golden Wings (NZ) (Super Seth). The four-year-old son of Super Seth and Group One-winning mare Xanadu had shown plenty of promise, undefeated in his three trials and was runner-up in both of his starts prior to Tuesday’s Yourride 1200. He rocketed out of the gates in the sprint for jockey George Rooke, who immediately pressed forward with his charge to take up the lead.…
Affirmative Action Guineas bound following Ellerslie triumph
Pam Gerard is a bundle of nerves as she gets ready to shoot for her second consecutive victory in next week’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. The Matamata trainer won last year’s edition with standout colt Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel), and this year she is set to line-up Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes), who shortened into $3.80 favouritism for the race following his victory in the Show By SkyCity 1400 at Ellerslie on Tuesday. The son of Yes Yes Yes hadn’t raced since his…
More Cup Day success for Hickmotts
The Hickmott family already has its name etched in the history of the Melbourne Cup, with Robert having trained two winners of the historic race, but on Tuesday it was time for other family members to experience what it is like winning on the day. This time it was his son Josh who experienced the thrill of part-owning a Melbourne Cup Day winner after Party Crasher (NZ) (Ocean Park) claimed the Benchmark 80 (2000m), which was trained by Rob Hickmott’s younger brother Michael. Josh works as a bloodstock manager for…
Merlin back on track for New Zealand Cup
By Michael Guerin Merlin’s New Zealand Cup campaign is back on track and he could even be joined by another stablemate in the great race. The five-year-old recorded his first win in nearly a year in the $100,000 Alabar Kaikoura Cup and it was a proper victory too, coming from well off favourite Akuta to overpower him in the last 150m. Akuta led early and was briefly challenged by Sooner The Bettor but Merlin still had to come from a long way back, three wide down the back straight, and…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 03 November 2025
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“The tractor” cracks $200K with popular Kaikoura victory
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Surely they can’t be a more popular winner at Kaikoura today than Rachmaninov. The veteran trotter, having his 289th start, outstayed his rivals to win the Smartpanel Construction Ltd Trot. It was his second start in two days, his 12th career win and it pushed him over $200,000 in career earnings. “Everyone’s so stoked with him,” says co-breeder, co-owner and trainer Trevor Grant. “He really is everyone’s favourite horse isn’t he? After a safe beginning Rachmaninov went up to sit parked with…
Netherlands and Germany win on day two of WDC
Europe has flexed its muscle on day two of the World Driving Championship in Kaikoura. Firstly it was Jaap van Rijn from the Netherlands who took out Heat 4 and then it was Germany’s Michael Nimczyk who prevailed in the second and final heat of the day with the Matt Purvis-trained Flying Bird. Their victories completed a hat-trick for the Europeans, following Italian Giampaolo Minnucci’s win in the third heat yesterday. The opening two heats were taken out by Australia’s Gary Hall Junior. In today’s heats It’s Tough produced a…
The Netherlands take out Heat 4 of the WDC at Kaikoura
Jaap van Rijn (The Netherlands) has registered his first win at the World Driving Championship. And it was a powerhouse performance at the South Bay race course in Kaikoura in heat 4 of the WDC. Van Rijn made a mid race move with favourite It’s Tough and from there it was all over. The Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained four year old has been in outstanding form and just powered away from his opposition to win effortlessly. It was his fifth win in his last six starts. For van Rijn it…
Swayzee ruled out of IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup
Two-time champion Swayzee is out of the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. The Jason Grimson-trained star was vying to become just the fourth horse to win three New Zealand Cups in a row but today he’s been officially withdrawn from the $1m feature at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11. The news was not unexpected. Over the weekend it was reported he had a suspected cold and was scratched from a race at Menangle. He also missed last month’s Victoria Cup with a bowel infection. Australia’s two starters in the…