Author: NZRacingDesk

Dragon Leap (Pierro) has bowed out of racing with perhaps the greatest honour Matamata trainer Lance O’Sullivan could bestow on him. Just one horse has previously been retired to Wexford Stables over its luminary history, and that was New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame sprinter Mr Tiz. But O’Sullivan, whose late father Dave and brother Paul were both Hall of Fame trainer inductees from Wexford, has put Dragon Leap on a pedestal and given him a similar retirement distinction. “Over all the years, we’ve only given one horse the privilege…

Liam Riordan will add to the growing list of Australian jockeys crossing the Tasman to ride in New Zealand when he heads to Ashburton on Saturday. The 27-year-old Victorian has formed an association with Te Akau Racing through their Cranbourne barn, and he has accepted the invitation of trainer Mark Walker to ride for the stable in New Zealand this weekend. “I have ridden for Te Akau a few times in Melbourne and I am good friends with Ben Gleeson (Cranbourne assistant trainer),” Riordan said. “I pondered with the idea…

This week on the Guerin Report, we witness history with the death of Singapore Racing as Michael looks into what comes from such a bizarre event, how it happened and how they tried to save themselves from this occurring. Guerin Report – Singapore Racing, Ep. 6 (youtube.com)

Proven stayer Mahrajaan (Kitten’s Joy) remains firmly on target for a crack at the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) despite the weather ruling out an intended lead-up outing. The Shaun Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained chestnut was to have stepped out in last Saturday’s Gr.3 Bart Cummings (2520m), but the camp decided to wait a week in the hope of a better surface. “He’s guaranteed a run in the Cup now, he’s 23rd in order and as we know they run 24 so he’s in the race, but we didn’t want to run…

Te Aroha trainer Peter Lock is hoping to make another successful Central Districts raid with two strong chances at Waverley on Wednesday. He will be represented by the in-form Footloose in the Equivets NZ – SRVS Handicap (1400m) while Badgeringdawitness will relish the rise in distance in the Roper Agriculture Handicap (1600m). Lock produced one of the star performers on the Hawera undercard last Saturday when Debit (NZ) (Darci Brahma) returned from a lengthy spell to thump her Rating 65 rivals over 1200m. The daughter of Darci Brahma was making…

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Bjorn Baker is set to have a strong hand in the A$1.5 million Listed Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill with his team spearheaded by two-time New Zealand Group One winner Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto). Baker has nominated five horses for Saturday’s 1400m race and believes it shapes as an ideal target for Belclare, who has been kept up to the mark with a barrier trial fourth behind stablemate Overpass (Vancouver) since her Australian debut in the Gr.2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) last month. “She trialled brilliantly on Friday, she is going to have an easy gallop tomorrow (Tuesday) and…

New Zealand’s darling of the turf Orchestral is set to cross the Tasman this week to tackle the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The four-year-old daughter of Savabeel had a standout three-year-old term, winning five consecutive races, including the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), before heading to Sydney where she won the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and placed in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m). She made her first public appearance this season at the Taupo trials in August…

Multiple Group One winner Mustang Valley has joined her mother in the Windsor Park Stud broodmare band with both set to visit the Cambridge farm’s new stallion Paddington. The top-quality mare carried 60kg to victory in the open mile at Tauranga on Saturday in what was to have been her lead-up to another crack at the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), but was found to have bled and has been retired. Bred by Windsor Park, who remained in the ownership group, Mustang Valley was trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman…

In form gelding Wolfgang has secured a plane ticket across the Tasman this week to tackle Saturday’s Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield. The six-year-old son of Puccini has been faultless this preparation, winning both of his starts, including downing Australian raider Rolls at Matamata last week. “He was second-up over 2000m and he attacked the line really well. I am very happy,” said Peter McKay, who trains the gelding with his son Shaun. The Matamata conditioners were weighing up making a late nomination for the Gr.1 Livamol Classic…