Author: NZRacingDesk

The future is looking bright for Andrew Forsman’s two-year-olds, with sharp gelding The Espy (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) defeating stablemate Belle Noire (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in the Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge and Tauranga (1100m) on Sunday. After a smart trial victory at Ellerslie in mid-February, The Espy was a warm favourite to repeat that performance at Waverley on debut, but was caught three-wide throughout and finished fifth behind Pacific Breeze. Three weeks later, The Espy travelled to Tauranga and remained a short-priced favourite, albeit drifting late in the betting…

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable will have both the resuming Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit) and comeback galloper Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ayrton won the race in 2023 and has had one run back from a near 12-month break, while Globe will be first-up off a spell having last raced in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) in December. Both horses had an exhibition gallop between races at Sandown last Wednesday with the gallop being more beneficial for Globe with Ayrton there…

Livid Sky (NZ) (Proisir) was among the best of New Zealand’s staying fillies as a three-year-old and she is coming right back into that form this campaign, winning the Pyramid Trucking (2200m) at Te Aroha on Saturday. The Stephen Autridge-trained mare placed in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) and Gr.2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2000m) last term and had a quieter spring, but a step back up to 2000m in early March was all she needed to return to the winner’s circle.…

Guy, Emily & Jayne review the last Group 1 racing day of the domestic season. We’re joined by Michael McNab as he breaks back into the Group 1 winning circle. We also look across the ditch to review Alabama Lass winning at Flemington and much more. Weigh In, March 30

Smart four-year-old First Five (NZ) (Almanzor) continued his stellar form with a powerful display to win Saturday’s Capistrano Lodge 1400 at Te Aroha. The son of Almanzor showed early promise and was tested over middle-distance trips in his three-year-old and early four-year-old campaigns, but since reverting back to six and seven furlongs, he has been near unbeatable for Te Rapa trainer David Greene. Since mid-December, First Five had won or placed in every appearance, including a close second last-start to subsequent Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) placegetter December at Matamata. Greene…

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Four-year-old gelding Codigo notched a hard-fought victory in the Glorious Goodwood Handicap (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. Ridden by Blake Shinn, Codigo narrowly defeated La Defense and Shirshov as the son of Ardrossan made it back-to-back metropolitan victories in a new campaign. Codigo started his career with trainer Stephen Marsh in New Zealand, where he was the first winner for his sire Ardrossan when successful on debut, before becoming the Waikato Stud stallion’s first stakes winner when landing the Listed Wellesly Stakes (1100m)…

Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have once again come up trumps at Flemington with quality sprinting filly Alabama Lass successful in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed HKJC World Pool Sprint Classic (1100m). Two years after landing the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at the premier Melbourne track with stablemate Legarto, the astute Kiwi conditioners again plotted a successful hit-and-run with another quality three-year-old. Ridden by Craig Williams, Alabama Lass showed her customary early speed to lead throughout down the Flemington straight and when challenged dug in to hold off the challenge of…

A sparkling performance by La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth) in Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) completed another Te Akau clean sweep of New Zealand’s biggest two-year-old prizes. La Dorada had previously won the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), while her unbeaten stablemate Return To Conquer strung together four black-type successes including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). Since the inception of the Karaka Millions in 2008, Te Akau Racing is the only stable to win the Karaka Millions, Sistema and Sires’ Produce…

Unheralded four-year-old Doctor Askar (NZ) (Derryn) has proved himself one of the finds of the summer as he completed his fifth win from just six starts since breaking maidens in December when taking out the Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Handicap (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday. Trainer Joanne Moss, who bred and co-owns the son of Derryn in partnership with her mother Jill, had thought she had a handy horse on her hands when he showed plenty of ability by placing in five of his first eight starts before…