Author: NZRacingDesk

Six-time Group One winner Auguste Rodin will shuttle to Windsor Park Stud in Cambridge this spring in a coup for the New Zealand breeding industry. One of the world’s finest racehorses, Auguste Rodin enjoyed elite-level success at two, three and four. An impeccably-bred son of Deep Impact out of Galileo’s triple Group One winning daughter Rhododendron, Auguste Rodin boasts one of the most sought-after pedigrees in the world. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Auguste Rodin made an immediate impact on the track, showcasing an exceptional turn of foot and versatility over…

Our Jumala (NZ) (Zed) finished runner-up in last year’s running of the Gr.3 intowin.co.nz Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m), and trainer Robbie Patterson is hoping she can go one better in this year’s edition at Wanganui on Saturday.  The daughter of Zed is in a purple patch of form, winning her last two outings, including victory in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham last month.  Patterson has been duly pleased with her impressive run of form and is confident of another bold showing this weekend, but she will have to…

Well-performed mare Fall For Cindy (NZ) (Sacred Falls) will make a return trip to the Central Districts this weekend in a bid to deservedly turn her fortunes around. The Pam Gerard representative will head south for Saturday’s Gr.3 intowin.co.nz Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) at Wanganui where conditions are expected to suit the Waikato Stud-owned mare. The Matamata trainer also has travel plans in place for stablemate Dubai Gold (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) to head further afield for the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 12. Fall For Cindy…

John O’Shea is content he couldn’t have Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) in any better shape for the Doncaster Mile and the rest, he says, is up to the horse. The colt remains favourite at $6 after coming up with gate 14 at Tuesday night’s barrier draw and O’Shea says Linebacker’s campaign has been faultless. “The things we can control we have under control,” O’Shea said. “He is a very fit, healthy horse. Whether we’re good enough, we’re going to determine that on Saturday. “The preparation has gone exactly how we have wanted. He will…

Dual Group One winner La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) has been plagued by foot issues her entire career, and unfortunately they have reared their ugly head once again over the weekend.  The daughter of Vadamos was set to contest the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill last Saturday, but the race was transferred to Tuesday because of inclement weather, which proved costly to La Crique, who succumbed to a foot infection and was forced to be withdrawn from the rescheduled race.    “When they moved those races to the Tuesday, I was…

Multiple stakes winner Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns) is to continue her career across the Tasman at Lindsay Park with brothers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. The daughter of Ten Sovereigns will relocate in due course to the family’s Euroa complex to prepare for a spring campaign in Melbourne. The three-year-old’s sparkling run of southern form through the summer prompted Cambridge Stud to purchase a 50 percent holding in the filly from owner Colin Wightman. Connections identified Lindsay Park as the ideal fit for Pivotal Ten, given she has previously…

Stakes tests are in the offing for Rangiotu galloper Chase (NZ) (Zed) if he performs up to expectations in the Wanganui-Taranaki Racehorse Owners Association Open 1600 at Wanganui on Saturday.  The Group One performer will be fresh-up after finishing unplaced in the Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) at Trentham in January, and trainer Stephen Nickalls has been pleased with his progress leading up the weekend.  “Chase is really well, we went to the Levin jump-outs yesterday (Tuesday) just to have a good hit-out, he ran third and did everything right,…

Shaun and Emma Clotworthy will break new ground in their training careers at Randwick on Saturday, with their first Australian runner coming in the form of the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) second-favourite Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino). The Byerley Park couple unveiled the talented son of Tarzino in November and he was immediately stamped as a Derby prospect, a promise fulfilled five starts later when he bolted away with the $1.25 million Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day. Willydoit caught the hearts of the New Zealand public while…

Lindsay Park are hoping for a confidence boosting result this weekend with their talented three-year-old Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. The New Zealand-bred son of Per Incanto has shown plenty of ability on the track this season but has been winless since the Gr.2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at The Valley in September, his fourth consecutive victory before placing in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m). He returned to his homeland last month where he finished runner-up behind Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) in the…

Multiple Group One winner Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj) made a big impression ahead of a possible Australian feature target at the Ellerslie trials on Tuesday afternoon. The daughter of Iffraaj has only had three raceday appearances this season, and in that time picked up both the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) and Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m), accumulating more than $500,000 in prizemoney. Starting favourite in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) in early February, Grail Seeker struck firmer track conditions than she would typically fancy but still finished sixth in a high-class…