Author: NZRacingDesk

The fast-improving You Say D’Orsay (Under The Louve) indicated he is a serious contender for the upcoming Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) with a gusty victory at Tauranga on Saturday. An Australian-bred son of Under The Louvre, You Say D’Orsay has been lightly-raced by Cambridge trainer Chris Wood, with just four starts as a three-year-old resulting in two wins and two runner-up finishes. The gelding has continued his upward trajectory at four, placing fourth in the $1 million Aotearoa Classic (1600m) and was deservedly among the favourites in Saturday’s St…

Northern apprentice jockey Sienna Brown earned a fitting first victory in the saddle aboard Hadid (NZ) (Charm Spirit) at Tauranga on Saturday. The 19-year-old had ridden the daughter of Charm Spirit on four previous occasions, including at the trials in the early stages of becoming an apprentice. Prepared by Hanna Orting, Hadid is owned by Brown’s parents Tony and Nikki, who were on course to witness a very special moment in the Larissa Reid Bayleys Whakatane Commercial (1600m). Having observed the pattern of the day, Brown took initiative from the…

Syndicator Joe O’Neill has enjoyed the results over summer with his two-year-olds, but it’s the prospect of having a champion hurdler with The Cunning Fox (NZ) (Reliable Man) which is whetting his appetite for the future. O’Neill watched the undefeated jumper trial at Cranbourne on Thursday when he finished second in a 2400m hurdle trial to Dashing Willoughby. “He trialled brilliantly at Cranbourne on Thursday. We thought he was extraordinary,” O’Neill said. The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained jumper won his three hurdle starts last season, with his final win coming…

Now that Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote) has ticked off the 1600 metres box she will return to that trip in next Saturday’s Gr.2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at The Valley. After Wrote To Arataki won the Gr.3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 15, Trainer Matt Williams gave the six-year-old mare her first opportunity over 1600 metres when she finished third in the Gr.3 Matron Stakes at Flemington. In that race, she took up the running and was still in front with 50 metres to go, before she…

The Team unearth some great stories from what on paper looked like a quiet week in racing. They cover everything from Waitak returning to the winners circle, exceptional Australian racing, international jockeys and retired ones. That and plenty more on this weeks Weigh In. Weigh In, March 16

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Seven-year-old mare Electric Belle (NZ) (Power) has yielded a bumper pay day for trainer Reece Goodwin and his owners in the A$250,000 Country Mile Series Final (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The Kiwi-bred daughter of Power came from well-back under a well-timed ride by Damian Lane to land the most lucrative victory of her career, with the mare now the winner of seven races with 13 placings and a total of A$478,635 in prizemoney. The mare has proved a nice hand-me-down, winning five races for Alex Rae as a city-class…

Mighty seven-year-old mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) was back doing what she does best on Saturday, when running her rivals ragged to land the Gr.2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield. The Ciaron Maher-trained triple Group One winner signed off on her spring campaign in disappointing fashion when finishing last in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) after suffering a bleed. After a subsequent enforced layoff, the Trelawney Stud-bred mare returned a winner first-up for the first-time in her career. Under new rider Craig Newitt, Pride Of Jenni adopted…

Grande Gallo (NZ) (Belardo) collected her third win from four starts at Tauranga with a narrow victory over three-year-old Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m) on Saturday. The daughter of Belardo won the three-year-old race on the undercard of this same Japan Trophy meeting 12 months ago, which has proved to be a strong form reference for the 2025 edition. Grande Gallo won that race by two lengths over You Say D’Orsay (Under The Louvre), who also returned a year later on Saturday and won the…

A week after Blake Shinn’s rail-skimming masterclass to guide Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) from last to first in the inaugural NZB Kiwi (1500m), Ryan Elliot followed a similar script to help Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) triumph in Saturday’s Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga. The $150,000 feature was a step down in class following a string of high-class summer assignments for Waitak, who has contested 10 Group One races in his 30-start career. The Proisir gelding had gone winless since taking out the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) in January…