Author: NZRacingDesk

The emergence of the Victorian-based Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) is another winning story for a New Zealand breeding and ownership group established to support the three-year-old’s young sire.  The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Ardrossan made it four wins on the bounce when he carried 60kg to victory at Flemington last Saturday.  He was bred by the Dewar Partnership, established to promote the Waikato Stud stallion through the early stages of his career.  “Taken has come a long way and is out of a good staying family and…

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After a phenomenal few months for Waikato Stud’s stallion roster, the world-renowned nursery will offer six select progeny of those high-flying sires at this week’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka. Quality offerings from Waikato Stud at the National Weanling Sale are nothing new. Their previous graduates include this year’s catalogue cover horse Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel), who was a $35,000 purchase in 2020. He has gone on to earn A$917,650 from a 22-start, eight-win career to date, including a victory in the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick in March. The 2025…

Hong Kong-based trainer David Hayes has welcomed changes to the Spring Carnival protocols announced by Racing Victoria on Monday, declaring his star galloper Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) a likely challenger for the 2026 Gr.1 Champions Sprint (1200m) on the final day of Melbourne Cup Week. The Australian Hall Of Fame trainer had campaigned against international horses that were not contesting the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups or Cox Plate having to have a further CT scan before each new race in Australia. The newly announced RV change to drop that…

After a phenomenal few months for Waikato Stud’s stallion roster, the world-renowned nursery will offer six select progeny of those high-flying sires at this week’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka. Quality offerings from Waikato Stud at the National Weanling Sale are nothing new. Their previous graduates include this year’s catalogue cover horse Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel), who was a $35,000 purchase in 2020. He has gone on to earn A$917,650 from a 22-start, eight-win career to date, including a victory in the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick in March. The 2025…

The Taplin name has been absent from New Zealand racebooks over the past couple of years, but that all changed on Saturday at Tauranga when emerging apprentice Jack Taplin rode his first winner aboard Pacifico. Indentured to Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, Taplin had ridden Group One winner Mercurial and Group One performer Harlech on his opening day at the races at Te Rapa and then came close to breaking through during the week at Cambridge, with a runner-up result aboard Billy Lincoln. Prepared by Andrew Forsman, Pacifico was Taplin’s sole…

Bernie’s Ego scored a popular victory at Te Aroha on Sunday when taking out the Bottle O Maiden (1150m) for trainer and part-owner Frank Neill. The Te Awamutu horseman had been pleased with the eight-year-old son of Ego heading into the weekend, but wasn’t confident of a positive result over the short trip, which was shared by punters, who let him drift out to $41.80 at the jump. However, Bernie’s Ego belied those odds when storming home late out wide in the hands of apprentice jockey Joe Nishizuka to score…

Expat Mauritian jockey Abhay Seesa made the perfect start to his riding career at Te Aroha on Sunday when winning the JT Carter Plumbers Amateur Riders (2200m) aboard Dancin In The Dark for his employer Ralph Manning. Seesa has been working for the Cambridge horseman for the last couple of years, and he was excited to bring up his first win for Manning. “I was very excited as it was my dream,” Seesa said. “To get my first win with my first ride was great, and it was great to…

Danny O’Brien had his sights on starting Grinzinger Belle (NZ) (Shamexpress) in the Gr.1 Tattersall’s Tiara Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm for some time, but he knew there was a caveat on this plan as she was to be sold at the Chairman’s Sale in May. Luckily for O’Brien, after Yulong Investments purchased the mare for $1.45 million from her owner John Wheeler, they elected to leave her with him and allow him to fulfil his plan. Now the O’Brien stable is hoping they can impress the behemoth ownership group…

Emily Farr made a promise to her father before his recent passing and she came closer to fulfilling that on Sunday at Te Aroha, when guiding Leitrim Lad (NZ) (Tavistock) to success in the K and R Steeplechase (3500m). A mainstay in New Zealand’s jumps jockey ranks, Farr has missed the majority of the past two seasons whilst being in her homeland of Wales, caring for her parents. After a tough battle with dementia, her father sadly passed earlier this year, and she arrived back in the country less than…