Author: NZRacingDesk

Kopua(NZ) (Shocking) attended to unfinished business in style on the middle day of the New Zealand Cup carnival at Riccarton when he produced an irresistible finish to claim top honours in the main event on the card. The son of Shocking had finished a luckless sixth in the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) 12 months ago and successfully turned his fortunes around in Wednesday’s feature, now renamed the TAB Mile. Kopua further added to the long list of Riccarton successes of his trainer Kevin Myers, who has regularly placed his…

Patiently handled mare Acquarello has the looks to match her rich pedigree and she’s now added winning black-type form to her record to boost her future broodmare value. Trainer Tony Pike identified Wednesday’s Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) as the ideal race for the five-year-old and she duly obliged with a commanding victory off the front. The Trelawney Stud-raced daughter of Written Tycoon had been in fine touch ahead of her southern venture and she delivered in style, courtesy of a fine ride from Michael McNab. “She’s…

Cambridge Stud shuttle sire Hello Youmzain has made an outstanding start to his stallion career in the Northern Hemisphere, and he’s now opened his Australasian account. The former high-class sprinter was on the board following his two-year-old son Hello Romeo’s(NZ) (Hello Youmzain) front-running victory over 1000m at Bendigo on Wednesday Hello Youmzain won the Gr.1 Haydock Sprint Cup (1200m) before Cambridge Stud purchased the son of Kodiac with Haras d’Etreham, his northern base in France, and he subsequently added the Gr.1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) to his record. He has…

Rich Hill Stud graduate Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) has ticked another box en-route to Saturday’s Gr.1 Thousand Guineas, working comfortably around the Caulfield circuit on Tuesday morning. After a three-and-a-half length demolition job in the Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes, the daughter of Castelvecchio has shot into $3 favouritism for this weekend’s feature, and Chris Waller’s stable representative Lizzie Collett said the filly’s first look at the track was a satisfactory one. “She was really good; we were really happy with her. Jye (McNeil) just took her around in company with her…

Promising filly Celestial Wonder (Xtravagant) left little to the imagination at Te Aroha on Wednesday, bolting to her maiden success in the KB Bloodstock 1150. After impressing at the trials, Celestial Wonder showed plenty of fight in the testing conditions on debut at the course on October 30, finishing a neck short of Honey Badger. Back on an improving Soft 5 surface, the three-year-old filly was heavily backed to go one better, closing at $1.40 over debutant She’s All That ($9.20). Sliding forward from a middle draw, Celestial Wonder settled…

Trainer Tony Gollan talks to Steve Hewlett about Queensland Horse of the Year Antino (NZ) (Redwood) competing at the International meeting in Hong Kong on December 8. Tony Gollan 12.11.2024 – Racing HQ with Steve Hewlett – Apple Podcasts

Kiwi-bred Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) has rapidly assumed chief position of Hong Kong’s sprinting ranks and on Sunday the 127-rater lines up in the HK$5.35 million Gr.2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) as trainer David Hayes eyes a HK$26 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) challenge for his talented four-year-old next month. The Shamexpress gelding was arrogant when capturing October’s HK$5.35 million Gr.2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) as 1.3 favourite in 1m 07.57s – the third-fastest winning time in history over 1200m on the Sha Tin…

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Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) can set himself up to become one of racing’s dominant forces in 2025 if he can win a Group One at his first attempt this Saturday, according to his major part-owner Ozzie Kheir. The former Kiwi galloper will start as one of the favourites in Saturday’s Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m), where Kheir said connections were confident he can score and confirm himself as one of racing’s rising middle-distance stars. Kheir said he felt Jimmysstar and fellow Kiwi-bred galloper Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto), who scored…

Timaru gelding Richard Stomper will head north to Riccarton on Wednesday where he will get a deserved crack at stakes level for the first time in the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m). The five-year-old son of El Roca has been in impeccable form over spring for trainer Stephanie Faulkner, finishing runner-up first-up over 1200m on his home track last month before winning his next two outings at Ashburton over a mile. Faulkner has been pleased with the way he has progressed and is looking forward to testing him in Group company…