Author: NZRacingDesk

There were some anxious moments for talented hoop Wiremu Pinn on Tuesday following an incident at the Waipa trials that could have placed his trip to Sydney this weekend in jeopardy.  “One just flipped over in the barriers and crushed me a bit at the back of the gates,” Pinn said. “My x-rays and scans are clean, I am just a little bit sore. I am just thankful nothing is broken.  “I will be alright to ride this week, I just thought I would have today (Wednesday) off, but I…

Singapore racing’s final chapter will be written in the S$1.38m Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) this Saturday, ending a proud history at Kranji that several New Zealanders have enriched with their skills and horses. Respected Kiwi trainers Laurie Laxon, Mark Walker, Stephen Gray, Bruce Marsh, Paddy Busuttin and Donna Logan have combined to win more than 3000 races in Singapore since the late 1990s. Many of those successes came from horses that were bred in New Zealand or sold through the Karaka sale ring. By 2014 Laxon had won nine…

Dan Meagher joined Michael Felgate on Racing Pulse ahead of the last ever Singapore racemeeting the Singapore Gold Cup where he will be represented by Lim’s Kosciuszko and Lim’s Saltoro.  Dan Meagher ahead of the last race meeting in Singapore – Racing Pulse with Michael Felgate – Omny.fm

Rich Hill Stud has joined forces with Entain Australia-New Zealand and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing as principal sponsor of the New Zealand Champion Middle Distance Bonus Series. Rich Hill, the home of champion New Zealand sire Proisir, is backing a revamped series to reward the country’s top middle-distance performers. The $500,000 bonus series will open with the running of Wednesday’s rescheduled Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Matamata. “Our stallions have a long history with these key qualifying races with star gallopers the likes of Xcellent (Pentire), Mufhasa (Pentire), Say…

Multiple Group One-winner Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh) is not a certainty to defend her Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) crown on Wednesday at Matamata. Andrew Forsman, who trains the mare out of Cambridge, has had a difficult time managing an interrupted preparation, missing a start over 1400m at New Plymouth before Saturday’s abandonment at Hastings continued her woes. “We’re a little bit disappointed, she’s already been down to one abandoned meeting and didn’t have a run, so we gave her a trial and thought we had her right for last…

Cody Cole had hoped to have his talented filly Renovations (NZ) (Ardrossan) running on her home track this week, but instead, she will continue her campaign towards some lofty targets at Tauranga on Saturday. Renovations had been a prominent late juvenile placing behind Super Photon in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m), and she lost no admirers when resuming as a three-year-old, with a solid performance into fourth behind Alabama Lass in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings. Cole had earmarked either the Gr.2 Windsor…

Brian Anderton, a doyen of South Island racing and breeding, has been recognised for his service to the thoroughbred industry when bestowed life membership to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association at their AGM on Monday. Arguably no person has made a greater impact on the southern breeding and racing community than the White Robe Lodge founder and principal, who has left a lasting legacy on the region’s thoroughbred industry. Horses have always played a pivotal role in Anderton’s life, which was fostered by his family’s hack, and led to…

Classy middle-distance galloper Quality Time (Amaron) will take the final step towards his Group One goal when contesting Wednesday’s Team Wealleans Premier (2000m) at Matamata. Quality Time joined the stable of Kylie Hoskin earlier this year after a successful career in Australia, earning more than A$300,000 in stakes in the care of Chris Waller. In his four New Zealand starts, the son of Amaron has recorded a win and two second placings, most recently in behind multiple-Group One performer Malt Time at Ruakaka. Hoskin was delighted with the performance over…

Following the partial abandonment of Saturday’s meeting at Hastings, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has made the decision to move the Saturday 12 October raceday and Group 1 Livamol Classic to Te Rapa. The move of the Group races is still subject to final Pattern Committee approval. The Saturday 28 September Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate meeting at Hastings was partially abandoned following a horse slipping in the first race. Post abandonment work was carried out to the area of concern past the winning post and a set of jumpouts…

This week on the Guerin Report, Michael sits down with CEO of NZTR Bruce Sharrock and asks him about the hastings abandonment, Jumps Racing and many more important current topics in the NZ Racing Industry. Guerin Report – Ep. 5, Ft. Bruce Sharrock (youtube.com)