Author: NZRacingDesk

Chris Waller denied a top Japanese galloper in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) and he will look to bring down another of its stars this weekend. The champion trainer has Joliestar (Zoustar) heading towards the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill. The Group One-winning daughter of Zoustar is the considered the best local hope in a race that also includes Japanese Group One winner Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major) and unbeaten French gelding Lazzat (Territories). Ascoli Piceno is looking to give Japan back-to-back Golden Eagle wins after last year’s win to Obamburumai (Discreet Cat) and will have the services of Joao Moreira, who has…

The spate of bad luck with New Zealand tracks continued at Te Rapa on Monday, with the abandonment of racing at the Hamilton venue following several slips. Jockey Sam Weatherley reported his mount, Ess Vee Are, had slipped prior to entering the straight before going on to win the opening race of the card, while Joe Doyle and Warren Kennedy reported that their horses, Oppenheimer and Sabrina Hall, had also slipped in race three, resulting in a decision to abandon the meeting. “We had the report from Sam Weatherley following…

Summer Cups targets are on the horizon for stakes winner Ess Vee Are following his bold win in the SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Labour Day. In a small but select field, jockey Sam Weatherley took Ess Vee Are straight to the front where they were able to dictate terms throughout. The pair started to apply pressure from the 600m mark and opened up several lengths on their rivals turning for home, and Ess Vee Are was able to hold onto his advantage, running out…

Emerging three-year-old He’s Lucid provided Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison with a bittersweet result when he downed a competitive age group line-up at Riccarton. The Kevin Myers-trained representative’s timing was faultless to break his maiden in Saturday’s Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) and is now a $10 equal fourth favourite for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). Davison bred and sold He’s Lucid, a son of the late Contributer who tragically passed away at the Matamata nursery last month. “Contributer had been a big part of…

Less than 24 hours after watching her former star Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto) collect the A$2 million Gr.2 The Invitational (1400m) across the Tasman, Lisa Latta unveiled another Group One hopeful in the same colours at Trentham with Connello (NZ) (Time Test) storming home to take out the Happy Hire 1400. Latta prepared Belclare to win two editions of the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) among a number of other feature successes, and now in the care of expat-Kiwi Bjorn Baker, the quality mare displayed her class in…

Allan Sharrock continues to be rewarded for the careful handling of his untapped sprinter Lazio (NZ) (Per Incanto), who collected a fourth-consecutive victory in the WRC Life Members 1000 at Trentham on Sunday. The son of Per Incanto has been lightly-raced by Sharrock, having just his sixth start on Sunday, with five previous appearances resulting in two seconds and three victories in succession. The market reflected his impeccable record, backing Lazio into $2.30 favouritism ahead of Bold Belle ($6) and Waihaha Falls ($8.40) as the only other runners in single…

It takes a talented galloper to run down Town Cryer (NZ) (Tavistock), and her rivals were no match for the classy mare in Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham. The Tavistock mare had a career-best season last term, winning the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), alongside placings in the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Roydon Bergerson, who trains the mare out of Awapuni, had hoped to target the Hawke’s Bay…

Storm Front’s pedigree, trial form and reputation within the Tony Pike stable created a buzz around his race-day debut in Saturday’s Dunstan Horsefeeds 2YO (1100m) at Ellerslie, and the promising colt produced a first-up performance worthy of the hype.  Storm Front (NZ) (Snitzel) is by Australian super-sire Snitzel out of the Per Incanto mare Indecision, who Pike trained to win six races including the Listed Hallmark Stud Handicap (1200m), Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) and NZB Finance Sprint (1200m). Indecision also placed in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) and was a…

Prominent owner Chris Rutten knows a thing or two about the Karaka Millions meeting at Ellerslie, and he might be heading in that direction again after a debut victory by Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) in Sunday’s Graham’s Painters 2YO (900m) at Trentham.  Rutten won the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) with Vespa in 2014 and has since collected minor placings with Kingsman (2016), Yourdeel (2019) and Avonallo (2021). He also had success with Scott Base in the Karaka Million 3YO (1600m) in 2018.  Rutten paid $50,000 to buy Too Sweet…

Guy Heveldt, is joined by Emily Murphy and Jayne Ivil in the studio as they break down The Cox Plate & JMac’s 100th group 1 win with Britt Taylor. Review the The Soliloquy and War Decree Stakes, and are joined by Andrew Gourdie to preview the NZB Kiwi Weigh In, October 27