Author: NZRacingDesk

Andrew Forsman is no stranger to big-race success on Caulfield Cup Day, and he is hoping the 2024 edition of one of Australia’s biggest racedays will deliver more of that winning feeling. Forsman will saddle Positivity in Saturday’s A$5 million Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), while Aegon will contest the A$200,000 Gr.3 Moonga Stakes (1400m). The Cambridge trainer is attempting to win both of those races for the second time. Mongolian Khan delivered a Kiwi triumph in the 2015 Caulfield Cup for Forsman and his former training partner Murray Baker, while…

After more than five decades at his Tuhikaramea property, near Hamilton, Graeme Rogerson has decided it is time for a change. Rogerson has developed his 43-hectare farm into a world-class training facility, initially for thoroughbreds, but he has diversified into harness racing in the last 20 years. The Hamilton City boundary has slowly moved closer to Rogerson’s property, to the point where it is now on the city fringe, and Rogerson believes now is the right time to sell. “I have been here 54 years, it is a long time…

Joe Pride says Epsom Handicap winner Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) is still on the improve as he prepares for his next big challenge at Randwick. Ceolwulf was well beaten by Pride Of Jenni in their only clash to date but trainer Joe Pride is convinced the recent Epsom Handicap winner will run a much better race when they meet again in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick. Exciting four-year-old Ceolwulf stormed home to claim his first Group 1 win in the Epsom at Randwick on October 5 and the gelding returns to the scene of that triumph to contest Saturday’s…

Australian visitor Rolls is aiming to finish a frustrating trans-Tasman mission on a high note when he contests the New World Otaki Handicap (1600m) at Otaki on Saturday. Rolls travelled over from Maddie Raymond’s Warrnambool base in late September for a shot at the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m), but the eight-year-old failed to make the final field at Matamata, instead having to start in the undercard 2000m race where he finished a meritorious second to Wolfgang. “I thought he was really good, we’d obviously trained him to be running…

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh has a host of horses just a step away from booking trips south to the New Zealand Cup carnival. However, one who has already clipped his ticket is Nest Egg (NZ) (Reliable Man) who will continue his preparation in the Elsdon Park Handicap (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The son of Reliable Man is a proven distance performer and while he was successful over the course and distance last time out, there is a feeling he’s now looking for further. “He was second-up when he won…

Kiwi-bred sprinter I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) will be flying the New Zealand flag high when he heads to Randwick on Saturday where he will be seeking redemption in the A$20 million The Everest (1200m). The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained gelding was runner-up to Think About It in the rich feature last year and he will once again fill Trackside Media’s slot this weekend, where he will jump from the more favourable barrier nine compared to his ace draw last year. “We have worked out that one is…

Lib Petagna’s stayer Kalapour will be tasked with the topweight when attempting to add another Group One to his resume in Saturday’s A$5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) in Melbourne. The son of War Command was imported to Australia out of Ireland after being purchased by the Wellington-based breeder, and over the past 18 months he has accumulated victories in the Gr.3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m), Gr.3 Archer Stakes (2500m), and a crowning success in the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) in March. Since returning as an eight-year-old, Kalapour finished fourth in the…

A mammoth $10 million is on the line for the second straight year with the TAB Everest Mega Millions open for entries from today. The $10 million prize is on offer if any TAB customer can correctly pick the finishing order of this year’s edition of The Everest, the world’s richest race on turf, at Randwick in Sydney on Saturday. The $10 million pool was won last year by an Auckland customer who correctly placed all 12 runners in order. There are more than 440 million possible different finishing combinations…

Last start maiden winner Exuberance (NZ) (Savabeel) will chase a Stakes race win at Caulfield. New Zealand trainer Mark Walker has called on an old friend from his days in Singapore for the ride on Exuberance at Caulfield.  Joao Moreira will pilot the filly when she runs in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) on Saturday.  Walker and Moreira combined on 204 occasions during their time in Singapore, winning on 48 occasions with a further 61 placings.  Exuberance broke through for her maiden victory at Cranbourne last start, and Walker’s assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said the filly…

Broadsiding will be the sole three-year-old in the Cox Plate field, with Lindsay Park confirming Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) will not take his place in the $5 million race on October 26. Despite being unbeaten in three runs at The Valley, including the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, the son of Per Incanto will instead head to the G3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) on Victoria Derby Day, Ben Hayes confirmed to Racing.com. Evaporate finished a brave third in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, with the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and the G2…