Author: NZRacingDesk

New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2024 Ready to Run Sale is just moments away, set to take place on 20 and 21 November at the iconic Karaka Sales Centre. Inspections and parades and well and truly underway, and the grounds are busy with many guests also staying onsite at the DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka hotel situated just a minutes’ walk from the complex. Various international buyers will be met by an astute line up of Kiwi judges to provide strong competition in the sale ring, all looking to secure their next champion from…

The past year has been a tough one for Matamata horseman Gary Hennessy, but he got plenty of satisfaction out of watching Mystic Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) take out Saturday’s Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.  Hennessy bred the five-year-old gelding, who is by his five-time Group One winner and Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) hero Ocean Park, and out of unraced Dubawi mare Spirit of Karlu.  “It was terrific. I have followed him all the way through, and I have his dam set to foal any day to Ocean Emperor,”…

New Zealand has an exciting group of apprentice jockeys coming through the ranks, and last season’s standout performers were recently recognised at the Northern, Central Districts and South Island Apprentice Awards. On Monday night, the Milan Park Northern Apprentice Jockey Awards acknowledged the achievements of the region’s rising stars, with Niranjan Parmar awarded the Premier Apprentice Jockey Award as the highest-achieving Northern apprentice on the premiership table. Parmar, who was apprenticed to Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, recorded 50 winners last term, finishing second to Lily Sutherland in the premiership.…

Last week will live long in the memory of northern race caller George Simon. On New Zealand Trotting Cup Day at Addington Raceway, he became a Group One-winning standardbred breeder when Marketplace took out the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Series Final (1980m), and four days later he called Talentoso, who he bred and part-owns with his wife Maryanne, to victory at Tauranga. “It was an unbelievable week,” Simon said. “I was calling Te Aroha last Tuesday and I just sat in the commentary box and watched the race from Addington…

This week, ahead of this week’s sales, Michael is at the Ready to Run Breeze Ups, for a behind the scenes look, chat, and deeper dive into them. And what now for the likes of Alabama Lass and Captured By Love after the 1000 Guineas? Guerin Report – Ep. 12, Ready To Run Sales Preview

In a coup for the New Zealand racing industry, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) have announced the arrival of World Pool to two New Zealand thoroughbred meetings in early 2025. In an unprecedented development for the New Zealand racing industry, the TAB Karaka Millions meeting at Ellerslie in Auckland on January 25 will be the first of the two World Pool meetings in New Zealand, with the second taking place on the newly created Champions Day on March 8, also at Ellerslie. Champions Day is home to four Group…

Wentwood Grange savoured a trans-Tasman double at the weekend and the Hawkins family will be looking for further reasons to celebrate at this week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.  They bred and race impressive Tauranga winner Miss Bo Peep (NZ) (Astern) and also bred and sold Group performer Harlow Mist (NZ) (Contributer), successful at the feature Newcastle meeting.  Wentwood will be hoping that roll continues into the two-year-old sale when they offer a pair of youngsters by Hello Youmzain and Almanzor deep into Thursday’s session at Karaka.  Astern…

The Waikato Thoroughbred Racing (WTR) board has announced that members have agreed to undertake further work towards securing a single fit-for-purpose site for racing and training in the Waikato. This announcement follows endorsement by WTR members at its AGM yesterday and is the result of extensive feasibility studies and independent assessments to identify a sustainable option that will meet the long-term needs of the racing industry. “A Greenfield site will not only centralise our operations but also futureproof the entire racing ecosystem in the Waikato region,” WTR board chairman Bruce Harvey said. Harvey…

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Chad Ormsby has had a phenomenal 12 months with horses he has retained from New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sales, but this week at Karaka he is hoping to go home with an empty truck. Ormsby operates Riverrock Farm out of Cambridge, where he balances training, educating and preparing horses for the sales. In the training role, Ormsby prepared Pulchritudinous to win this year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in March after she failed to meet her $50,000 reserve in 2022. He achieved a similar feat in the Gr.3…