Darryn Weatherley is unable to split his talented stayers Ess Vee Are (NZ) (Shocking) and Arby (NZ) (Proisir) ahead of Saturday’s Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation And Sport Wellington Cup (3200m), and with the same ownership group in both horses, he would be happy to see either take the Trentham feature. The stablemates are half-brothers and strikingly similar, as big staying types with plenty to respect about their records. A seven-year-old by Shocking, Ess Vee Are won the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2600m) nearly two years ago at the…
Author: NZRacingDesk
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 13 January 2025
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Autumn prep nears for Scary
Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) runner-up Scary (NZ) (Shocking) is building up nicely towards his return to the races next month. The Emma-Lee and David Browne-trained colt jumped out at Pakenham last Tuesday, when he had Jack Virgona in the saddle. “We’re really happy with him,” said Emma-Lee Browne. “He just had a quiet jumpout the other day, we were going to wait another week but then they put it on the course proper, so I just got Jack to take him along quietly. “He’s ridden him before in a jumpout…
Bellatrix Star’s freak injury
Top filly Bellatrix Star’s (Star Witness) autumn campaign has been aborted and her racing future is unclear after a freak accident at Cranbourne last week. Mark Walker’s Group Two winner and Group One runner-up sustained a serious neck injury when she reared and fell while exiting the swimming pool after a routine piece of exercise. Managing owner John Galvin said that while initial scans have confirmed several fractures, the injury appears stable and he will await further veterinary advice as to the filly’s long-term prospects. “She had an accident as…
Flying Acquarello set for KM target
Fast-improving mare Acquarello produced the perfect dress rehearsal for her Karaka Millions Night assignment at Ellerslie on Sunday, putting away a compact field of class horses in the Auckland Co-Op Taxis (1400m). The daughter of Written Tycoon has scarcely put a foot wrong throughout her five-year-old term, finishing in the first three at every start including a victory in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and a second placing to subsequent Group One winner Provence in the Royal Descent Stakes (1400m). With a focus on the $500,000 Gr.2 Westbury Classic…
Bonningtons excited about Champions Day prospects
Plenty of people in the New Zealand racing fraternity are looking forward to the inaugural Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8, but none more so than Rayner and Lynn Bonnington. The $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) will be one of eight stakes races on the action-packed card, and the West Auckland couple, who breed and race under their Little River Thoroughbreds Partnership banner, look to have a strong contender for the classic. Farm graduate Mustang Morgan has shortened into $12 in the TAB Futures Market for…
Brave colt flying Nearco flag for Millions
Unbeaten colt To Bravery Born powered into TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) contention with his comeback victory at Ellerslie on Sunday. The gifted son of Snitzel showed his precocity when successful on debut in the opening race of the two-year-old season at Wanganui back in August and was subsequently laid low by injury. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson had doubts he would be back in Karaka Millions contention but quickly bounced back and Sunday’s victory now has him equal $4 second favourite for the January 25 feature. To Bravery…
Mustang Morgan a popular winner in Gingernuts Salver
In a nail-biting finish to Sunday’s Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m), the roar of adoring connections was heard in the Ellerslie grandstand when maiden galloper Mustang Morgan (NZ) (Preferment) was found victorious. Coming into Sunday’s feature, Mustang Morgan had been improving through the distances and finished third behind Bourbon Proof over a mile at Matamata last month, setting him up for the three-year-old staying contest. The Andrew Forsman-trained galloper started among the middle market at $10, while Te Akau’s pair of Class and Hakkinen were the favoured runners ahead of Golden…
Options aplenty for impressive Checkmate
The future prospects for rising star Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) continue to be uncertain for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, after the impressive three-year-old trounced his rivals in the Sunday’s Cloudsoft Accounting 1500 at Ellerslie. Having just his fifth start, Checkmate entered the three-year-old contest off the back of a defeat to Yaldi and Midnight Edition in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day. Yaldi started a narrow favourite ahead of Checkmate in the re-match, where the former pressed forward to trail Midnight Edition the one-one, while his…
Winning Ellerslie rehearsal for NZB Kiwi contender
Sought After (NZ) (Tivaci) took a big step towards the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) with a stylish come-from-behind performance in the Sistema (1200m) at Ellerslie on Sunday. Following a winning debut at Taupo in the spring, Sought After earned himself a place in New Zealand racing history when he was selected by owner-breeders Waikato Stud to represent their slot in the NZB Kiwi. The Tivaci gelding became the first confirmed runner in the inaugural slot race. Sought After’s rise to prominence briefly stuttered when he was an unlucky fifth…