Author: NZRacingDesk

Trainer Matthew Williams is hopeful a good break for Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote) after an underwhelming late-summer preparation can be the catalyst to a better spring campaign for the Stakes-winning mare. Wrote To Arataki will resume in Saturday’s Group 3 Cockram Stakes at Caulfield, a race she finished third in 12 months ago, before going on to win the G2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) later that spring. It will be her first start since finishing fifth in the Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February, in what was her second…

Brucey Lee (NZ) (U S Navy Flag)  made the seven-hour round trip from Ruakaka worthwhile for trainer Kim Knight on Wednesday when taking out the TAB 2000 at Cambridge Synthetic. The son of U S Navy Flag had placed in his previous start over 2100m on his home track earlier this month and Knight was confident of an improved result despite his topweight of 60kg. Punters shared her thoughts and backed him into $4.40 favouritism, and he didn’t disappoint, running out a one-length victor over fellow Northland raider Richie’s Dream.…

Promising gelding Martell (NZ) (El Roca) will face his sternest test to date when he heads to Wanganui on Saturday to tackle the Balance Accountants Open 1200. It will be the furthest the five-year-old gelding has travelled away from trainer Jim Collett’s Matamata base, and his handler doesn’t think it will pose any issues. “He raced at Taranaki one time. Wanganui is a bit further, but he travels well,” Collett said. The son of El Roca has won three of his four starts this preparation, including his last two outings…

Promising four-year-old El Chapeau (NZ) (El Roca) opened his preparation in perfect style and is in the right order to make a bold bid for two wins on the bounce when he runs at his home meeting at Riccarton on Saturday. The Anna Furlong-trained son of El Roca will step up to Rating 65 company in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Handicap (1400m) and will again be partnered by Leah Hemi. She will also be aboard stablemate Tommy Shelby who also looks a strong chance in the opening event…

Welcome to another Entain Edition – the first one for the 2024/25 season. Last week, the full Entain Australia and New Zealand Executive team came together in Sydney to take stock of where we are at, and to ensure we are on the same page in terms of priorities. These sessions are not what most would expect. There are no PowerPoint presentations. No cumbersome bureaucratic processes to wade through. No long-winded papers that are heavy on corporate jargon and light on ideas. We genuinely keep things pretty simple at Entain –…

Impressive debutant Fields Of Courage (NZ) ( Savabeel) will go down as Michael Moroney and Glen Thompson’s first winner together, getting the better of favourite Athanatos over 1300 metres at Sandown on Wednesday. The son of Savabeel cost connections $425,000 at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and, even though it’s taken until early in his four-year-old season for him to debut, he made a strong impression when he finally did so. Athanatos ($3.50) looked to be going much better at the 400m, coasting to the front shortly thereafter, but…

As is commonplace with trainers of four-year-old mares going into spring, Andrew Forsman is wary about where Positivity (NZ) ( Almanzor) will fit in among the older more seasoned stayers. Positivity proved she was one of the better staying three-year-old fillies with a last-start Group 3 win in the SA Fillies Classic over 2500 metres at Morphettville in May to accompany her second in the New Zealand Oaks. Positivity will make her spring return in the Heatherlie Stakes(1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Forsman said Positivity had been nominated for the…

Gavelhouse.com has become an integral source of thoroughbred racing stock for dual code trainer Trent Yesberg, who is set to line-up a couple of his online purchases in the coming days. The Rangiora horseman is set to line-up perennial bridesmaid If I Get Paaid (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Speights Summit Ultra On Tap Stayers Maiden at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday, and he is hopeful of a winning result. Initially trained by Jamie Richards, If I Get Paaid transferred south to the care of Kimberley Hodgson after being purchased off…

Group Three performer Unbridled Joy will be out to capture his maiden stakes victory when he heads south to Wanganui on Saturday to contest the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m). The Snitzel colt won one and placed in two of his four starts as a juvenile last season, including a third placed run in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) before finishing unplaced in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at his last raceday outing. He has had two trials leading into his spring preparation, both unplaced behind last…

Robbie Patterson is confident Read About It (NZ) (Wrote) possesses all the attributes to make his mark at the highest level later this season. The New Plymouth trainer has a long-term plan in place for the three-year-old and is prepared to sacrifice a crack at a major spring age group feature to achieve his end goal. “I doubt very much if he’ll go to the 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), I’ll let all the others go there and do their stuff and we’ll just wait for a race over Christmas like…