In-form galloper Rise At Dawn (NZ) (Almanzor) got off the canvas to score an unlikely victory in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday as he made it three wins in succession. The son of Almanzor is prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes and has raced well through the winter months and may yet snare some spring riches after his tenacious win on Saturday. Ridden in his customary positive manner by Michael Dee, Rise At Dawn looked to be under siege deep into the home straight but…
Author: NZRacingDesk
Brilliant Ceolwulf has Pride second guessing
An explosive second-up win by Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) runner-up Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) at Rosehill has put trainer Joe Pride in two-minds about the best path to pursue this spring. Pride had identified the Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m) as a target but said the turn of foot Ceolwulf demonstrated in Saturday’s Bankstown Sports Handicap (1500m) had all but forced him to entertain the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). “To see him do something like that so early in the spring, it is hard not to get excited,” Pride said. “I was a…
Verry Flash provides monumental win for Riddell
Winter warhorse Verry Flash (NZ) (Zed) recorded the 14th win of his career in Saturday’s Wanganui Insurance Brokers (2060m), and in the process he provided an unforgettable moment for his 22-year-old jockey Amber Riddell. The Wanganui open handicap was the first win as an apprentice jockey for Riddell, who had previously recorded four wins as an amateur. “I’m just so happy to get this win, because it’s taken a couple of weeks,” said Riddell, a daughter of Group One-winning jockey Jonathan Riddell and former jockey and trainer Trina Marshall. “I’m…
Class prevails as Quintessa lands Cockram
Group One winner Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) returned with a bang when running out a resounding winner of the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The Mark Walker-trained mare lumped 60kg topweight under Daniel Stackhouse and looks set to contest races over sprint-mile distances this campaign after getting out to 2400m when fourth in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks last autumn. Coming from midfield, Quintessa forged away from her rivals to record a three-quarter length victory from Extratwo (Tornonado) and La Danseuse Rouge (Manhattan Rain). Although racing out of…
Read About It impressive in Listed Wanganui Guineas
Exciting three-year-old prospect Read About It made all the headlines in the feature event at Wanganui, the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m). The Robbie Patterson-prepared galloper was having just his third start on Saturday but had created plenty of buzz around his chances and future prospects after closing off his two-year-old campaign with a scintillating victory in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. Patterson was keen on his chances prior to the contest and despite settling towards the rear in the seven-horse field, Read About It never gave…
Fresh up win for Hi Yo Sass Bomb
Under-rated Taranaki mare Hi Yo Sass Bomb (NZ) (Complacent) took her career to all-new heights last season, and a smart fresh-up performance in Saturday’s Balance Accountants Open (1200m) at Wanganui hinted at more to come in 2024-25. It was the fourth win from only seven starts in a fresh state for Hi Yo Sass Bomb, who kicked off last season’s campaign with a first-up victory at Hawera before finishing sixth in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m), fourth in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), fifth in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu…
Mystic Park makes an impressive return
Major sprint features are looming large on Mystic Park’s (NZ) (Ocean Park) horizon after the classy local kicked off his five-year-old season with victory in Saturday’s Pryde’s Easifeed Open Sprint (1000m) at Riccarton Park. Mystic Park made barnstorming progress through the grades last season, winning four of his seven starts in increasingly impressive style. The Ocean Park gelding won by four lengths in Rating 65 company first-up during the New Zealand Cup Carnival in November, then added two Rating 75 victories and an open handicap before the season was out.…
Expressiveness ready for Cockram bid
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is banking on a drop back to mares’ grade being beneficial for Expressiveness (NZ) (Shamexpress) at her second start in Australia. The former New Zealand-trained mare under the name Express Yourself, heads to the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday after a pleasing first-up run at the track on August 17. Expressiveness finished third, beaten 1-¼ lengths, behind the Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel). “She was very good first-up, very brave, but was beaten by a better horse on the day and the Hayes boys have got…
Poetic Champion set for three-year-old debut
Despite the challenges posed by New Zealand’s weather and track conditions at this time of the year, Cambridge trainer Tony Pike believes his multiple black-type performer Poetic Champion is ready to kick off his three-year-old season at Hastings next weekend. The final piece of that puzzle fell into place with a 950m trial on Cambridge’s synthetic track on Friday, which Poetic Champion won by a length and a quarter. He was ridden by Matt Cartwright and beat a line-up that included talented older rivals Tossuforit, Cornelia and Val Di Zoldo.…
Marsh delighted with Group One winner’s trial
Stephen Marsh is building towards the second and third days of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival with a bit more confidence after a pleasing trial by El Vencedor on the Cambridge synthetic track on Friday. El Vencedor was one of last season’s breakout stars, improving throughout a 10-start campaign that began in August and culminated in a superb victory in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie in March. The son of Shocking also won the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) and finished second in the Gr.1 Thorndon…