Author: NZRacingDesk

Spencer, the find of the winter sprinting ranks, showed he could be just as effective on better going when he claimed a decisive victory in the Gr.3 Valley D’Vine Restaurant Spring Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Erin Hocquard-trained five-year-old put three victories in a row together during the winter before finishing runner-up in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) back in July. The son of Derryn was thereabouts in his next three starts but was left alone by punters on Saturday, starting at the generous odds of $17.60…

North Island raider Raziah produced a brilliant burst of speed to make it back-to-back victories at stakes level when she took out the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton on Saturday. Fresh off success in a slogging finish to the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton last month, the Tony Pike-prepared filly looked to be in a power of trouble when back on the fence and a conservative six lengths off the leaders rounding the home turn. Despite collecting a bump from the tiring Rapid shortly after straightening,…

A flying visit across the Tasman has paid dividends for Victorian jockey Liam Riordan, who rode back-to-back winners at Ashburton on Saturday with Fellini and Vivacious. Riordan has formed a successful association with Te Akau Racing’s Cranbourne stable over the last 12 months, and he accepted an invitation from trainer Mark Walker to make his New Zealand debut with a handful of mounts at Ashburton this weekend. The 27-year-old wasted no time in making his mark, steering Fellini to victory in the McCrea Painters Decorators Ashburton Cup (1600m) and following…

Four-year-old gelding Medatsu notched his fourth victory from 11 starts when running out a strong winner of the Vale John Nicholson Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The Chris Waller-trained son of Staphanos has won three of his past five outings and is proving a good money-spinner for owners Luigi and Tony Muollo. The New Zealand-bred galloper began his career in the Cambridge stable of Clinton Isdale, for whom he placed in three of his four starts including the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) as a late-season juvenile. After wins at…

Lightly raced three-year-old filly Kitty Flash showed her age group rivals a clean pair of heels as she dominated the opening event at Te Rapa on Saturday, the Colliers Commercial 3YO (1400m). The Andrew Forsman-prepared daughter of Ace High had impressed when winning at Taupo last month over the same distance to break her maiden status following a debut fifth in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka. Apprentice Rihaan Goyaram made full use of his 3kg allowance, which had the filly carry just 52kgs, as he bounced her…

Mike Moroney is recuperating well from a major health scare, with the popular Flemington-based trainer looking forward to a prosperous spring. Moroney has been back at work at Flemington this month after he spent many weeks in hospital since April with a range of serious ailments and he said the time away from the sport he loves has reinvigorated him. “I’ve been back at track now around about a fortnight,” he told RSN927 on Friday. “Things are going great and I’ve got a real enthusiasm for the whole thing. “They say when…

Promising colt Scary is delivering on the promise he showed trainers Emma-Lee and David Browne from the time he entered their Pakenham stable. The Group One-bound son of Rich Hill Stud resident stallion Shocking impressed his expatriate New Zealand conditioners with his talent and attitude and that has shone through this preparation. Scary was unplaced on debut before he finished runner-up at Geelong, went one better in hollow fashion at Sale and last time out he bridged the gap to black-type company when third in the Listed Super Impose Stakes…

Group One-winning Australian sprinter Uncommon James could be in line for a trip across the Tasman to contest the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) and Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) in January. Uncommon James is the winner of six of his 16 starts and more than A$1.4 million in prizemoney, headed by a brilliant victory over Lofty Strike and Asfoora in the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) in Melbourne in February of last year. Eagle Farm trainer Matt Hoysted considered a trans-Tasman raid earlier in the Cable Bay gelding’s decorated career, and the newly…

Ashburton couple Sarah and Chris Green and business partner Ger Beemsterboer have experienced plenty of highs in racing under their Barneswood Farm banner, but this weekend could prove to be the pinnacle in their racing endeavours. The trio sponsor the feature race at their home track on Saturday, the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), while at Caulfield, their Group One winner Desert Lightning will come up against farm graduate Orchestral for the first time in the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m). The pair were two of the most exciting horses in…

Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall are on weather watch as they prepare to shoot for $650,000 in prizemoney across a pair of Group races this weekend. They will saddle emerging mare Snazzytavi in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Te Rapa on Saturday, followed by proven star Bonny Lass in Sunday’s Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Rotorua. On Friday morning, Te Rapa was rated a Soft 7 and Rotorua a Heavy8, and Richardson has been keeping a cautious eye on the skies. “Track conditions and weather patterns are…