Author: NZRacingDesk

A bright future is being tipped for local gelding Giacomo (NZ) (Puccini) following his comfortable victory in the Holster Engineering Lally And Symes South Waikato Cup (2000m) at Matamata on Wednesday. The six-year-old son of Puccini was sent straight to the front by jockey Jasmine Fawcett, where they were able to dictate terms throughout. When asked to improve at the top of the straight, Giacomo quickly opened up several lengths on his rivals, eventually running out a 2-3/4 length victor. Giacomo had placed in his previous three outings, and trainers…

Windsor Park Stud’s first-season sire, Circus Maximus, celebrated his first Australian winner on Wednesday when Ha’penny Hatch (NZ) Circus Maximus scored an impressive victory at Eagle Farm. The filly, trained by Paul Shailer and ridden by Damien Thornton, showed early speed to lead from the jump and fought off challengers to secure a three-quarters of a length win over Ready For Zion, with Estee Emm finishing third. Ha’penny Hatch takes out the Eagle Farm opener for @RacingShailer! pic.twitter.com/RPrDuLYnTn — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 12, 2025 Shailer was delighted with the…

Multiple Group 1 winner I Wish I Win (NZ) Savabeel has been retired. Waikato Stud announced that the Peter Moody-trained galloper has run his last race after pulling up a touch lame on Tuesday. The six-year-old won two G1s and a staggering $12.8 million in prizemoney in his 25 starts. “We’ll always do what’s best for the horse,” said Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick. “This decision wasn’t easy but on the advice of Peter (Moody) and Katherine (Coleman), we all felt the time was right for ‘Wishy’ to hang up…

12 March 2025 Roydon Bergerson is following a familiar path to the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) with his talented juvenile Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin). Awapuni-based Bergerson prepared Wolverine (NZ) (Tavici) to win the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) in 2022, before going on to place in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and the Sires’. A filly by Satono Aladdin, Too Sweet was a winner on debut and also continued on to take out the Eclipse, but fell victim to a wide barrier draw in…

Talented mare Coeur Volante (NZ) (Proisir) will jump from barrier one in her bid to deliver Ballymore Stables an emotional Group 1 victory on Saturday. Coeur Volante will travel to Sydney for the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill following her dominant last-start win in the G3 Mannerism Stakes at Caulfield. That victory was trainer Mike Moroney’s final city triumph before his shock passing just days later. Training partner Glen Thompson and racing manager Anthony Feroce have continued the training operation since Moroney’s death and a victory on Saturday would be…

Group Two winner Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) will return to the races on Saturday at Tauranga in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m), with a view to sticking to shorter trips. The three-year-old son of Ardrossan was tested over a mile for the first time in January’s Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), finishing midfield, and trainer Andrew Forsman believes he is best suited to sprint distances. “He had a little freshen-up after trying him at the mile, and he probably just didn’t run it out,” the Cambridge horseman said. Prior to resuming…

Confidence is growing in the Stephen Marsh-trained stablemates Velocious and Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth) returning to their best form in upcoming campaigns. Their spring preparations ended in disappointment following outstanding two-year-old seasons, but all indicators are pointing toward them being competitive forces again this autumn. Velocious was voted champion juvenile after winning the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), while Super Photon was unbeaten in two appearances, including the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1200m). Unfortunately for connections, their early spring careers were derailed and…

Stablemates and full-siblings Giacomo and Santa Catalina will go head-to-head for the first time in Wednesday’s Holster Engineering Lally and Symes South Waikato Cup (2000m) at Matamata. The elder of the pair, six-year-old Giacomo (NZ) (Puccini), has four race wins under his belt and has been a model of consistency this campaign, placing behind the likes of Willydoit, Balance Of Power and most recently, Doddle at the course on March 1. Peter McKay, who trains the gelding in partnership with his son Shaun, applauded the last-start effort after being taken…

There were many sincere words spoken at the memorial service for Mike Moroney in the mounting yard at Flemington on Tuesday. Each word was fittingly heartfelt and honest and each served as a reflection of the trainer’s immense personality. Younger brother Paul described Moroney as ‘a champion person’ and a ‘bloody good bloke’ in his eulogy, before reminding those who attended the service and those who watched it live on Racing.com, that these traits were not false or forced. He said his brother never gave hollow lip service but always…

Entries for NZB’s 2025 National Weanling Sale are now open, with the Sale set to be held at the Karaka Sales Centre on Thursday 26 June.  Continuing as a dedicated weanling only format, the Sale is a happy hunting ground for those searching for their next pinhook success story or racetrack star. The Sale also offers breeders an attractive platform to sell their young stock to a strong international and domestic audience, with the added bonus of Karaka Millions eligibility. In an exciting move, the National Weanling Sale will be held on…