Author: NZRacingDesk

In an exciting move, the date for the NZB National Weanling Sale (thoroughbred) and NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale (standardbred) has been finalised, with both weanling sessions selling on Thursday 26 June 2025 at Karaka. The joint sale date will see the thoroughbred session get underway in the morning, with the standardbred weanlings selling later that afternoon. “Both industries are in great shape at the moment, and the positivity from stakes increases and new initiatives across both codes is encouraging. It’s certainly given domestic buyers more confidence which was seen with the Kiwi spend…

Respected horseman Ralph Manning has been a prolific purchaser on gavelhouse.com over the years, and a pair of his bargain buys played starring roles on Australian racetracks on Saturday. Manning paid only $7,750 to secure Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) from a gavelhouse.com auction in August of 2020, while he bought Step Aside (NZ) (Redwood) for $2,300 a few months later. Fast-forward to Saturday, when the exceptional Mr Brightside added a ninth Group One win to his record with a typically tenacious performance in the Lamaro’s Hotel Futurity Stakes (1400m) at…

Prominent Australian owner Aziz “Ozzie” Kheir and global thoroughbred giant Coolmore won the world’s richest turf race, the A$14 million The Everest (1200m), in 2019 with Yes Yes Yes, and six years on they are teaming up once more in the hope of taking out another slot race. Last year, Kheir purchased a slot in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), to be run at Ellerslie on Champions Day, March 8, in the hope of running his own horses in the southern hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race. While he had a…

Talented filly Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) is set to bloom once more when she heads to Ellerslie next week to contest the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) after winning her 1100m trial at Taupo on Wednesday.  The three-year-old daughter of Savabeel has been a standout for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, winning three and placing in two of her six starts to date, including taking out last month’s $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).  She is set to represent Te Akau Racing’s slot in next week’s NZB Kiwi…

Local trainer Shankar Muniandy is vying to score back-to-back victories in Saturday’s Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Dunedin Guineas (1600m) but said manners will be key with this year’s contender.  Muniandy scored a career highlight when taking out last year’s edition of the race with Collect Your Cash (NZ) (Rageese) and he believes he has the right filly to defend the stable’s local Guineas crown in Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose).  The promising daughter of Turn Me Loose was victorious on debut before running third to standout filly…

Group Three-winning stayer Outovstock (NZ) (Tavistock) will use Saturday’s $350,000 COMAG Wairere Falls Classic (1500m) as a stepping stone towards a tilt at his second Manawatu feature crown. A son of Tavistock, Outovstock scored a minor upset to win last year’s Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2100m) in April, earning himself a trip across the Tasman where he finished ninth in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m). As a result of his early success, Outovstock has faced some stiff competition in the first half of this season but has held his own…

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What The Grey Goose (NZ) (Reliable Man) possesses in talent may be hindered in match fitness when she takes her place in Saturday’s Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) at Wingatui. The Invercargill visitor collected a major prize at Otago’s feature meeting last year, winning the $200,000 ODT Southern Mile Final (1600m) in what was a breakthrough season for the mare. She went on to finish fourth in the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m), and after a break, looked to be every bit as strong returning to…

Dominic Sutton has Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) set for an Australian Guineas tilt and the up-and-coming trainer is hopeful Detroit City can join the Caulfield Guineas runner-up in the Group One feature at Flemington on Saturday. Feroce will be aiming to go one better in Saturday’s Australian Guineas than his narrow defeat in the Caulfield Guineas last spring, while stablemate Detroit City is 19th in the ballot order with a field limit of 16 plus four emergencies. Acceptances for the Australian Guineas are taken on Wednesday. “We’ll accept with both,”…

Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) might be the mystery horse for some in Australia in the lead-in to Saturday’s Gr.1 Australian Guineas, but not so for Flemington-based trainer Mike Moroney. The budding Kiwi star was initially to come to Moroney to train in 2025, but after his illness midway through last year, Moroney had to relinquish his New Zealand training partnership with Savaglee’s conditioner Pam Gerard at Matamata so as to be able to take on training partner Glen Thompson at Flemington. Gerard will fly the son of Savabeel into his temporary…