Author: NZRacingDesk

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There was a distinct New Zealand flavour to the final race on Saturday’s Rosehill card, where Cloudland (NZ) (Swiss Ace) headed a Kiwi-bred trifecta in the A$200,000 Petaluma Handicap (1200m). The Kris Lees-trained Cloudland had won a Benchmark 88 race over the same course and distance two starts earlier on July 5, then finished seventh under 59.5kg in a similar event over 1300m on July 19. The seven-year-old stepped up into Benchmark 94 company on Saturday and dropped back to 56.5kg, and he showed real fight to edge out fellow…

Accomplished galloper War Eternal scored the fifth win of his career and took his earnings past A$750,000 with a determined victory in Saturday’s Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill. The A$200,000 race was the third start in a new campaign for the New Zealand-bred Pierro gelding, who finished eighth over 1300m at Rosehill on July 19 before a second placing over the same course and distance on August 2. Ridden by Jason Collett on Saturday for fellow expat New Zealander Bjorn Baker, War Eternal had a comfortable midfield…

Consistent mare Chantilly Lace (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) carried the colours of Horowhenua to a thrilling victory in the feature race at New Plymouth, the ITM New Plymouth Interprovincial (1600m). The unique contest sees runners discard their traditional silks in favour of the colours of the region they represent with the red, white and blue of Horowhenua adorning the Chrissy Bambry-prepared runner who has been a model of consistency during her current preparation without managing to find the winner’s enclosure. With most races on the day dominated by those…

The Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) has often been the one that got away for Shaune Ritchie, but Tajana’s (NZ) (Darci Brahma) superb first-up performance at Ruakaka on Saturday has the Cambridge trainer dreaming of a breakthrough in the Riccarton classic. A last-to-first triumph in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) was Tajana’s first step along the road to the 1000 Guineas – a race Ritchie has run second in with Keep The Peace (NZ) (Keeper) in 2009, Bella Gioia (NZ) (Swiss Ace) in 2016 and Jennifer…

Wyong trainer Denim Wynen celebrated her second city winner in as many weeks when the New Zealand-bred Monkhana (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) took out the A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday. Wynen had never trained a metropolitan winner before the start of the 2025-26 season, but now the 29-year-old has struck twice in quick succession with Sunshine Law on August 2 and Monkhana on Saturday. “I’m lost for words,” Wynen said. “I can’t believe it, I’m so excited.” Saturday’s assignment was the second start in a new campaign for…

Apprentice jockey Gareth Lahoud has formed a potent partnership with Cleat (NZ) (Rios) this winter, and the pair mastered the murky conditions at Ruakaka on Saturday to collect another victory in the Accurate Books (1100m). Lahoud has now ridden nine winners in his career, with three of those successes coming from only four rides on Cleat. Lahoud and Cleat teamed up for the first time at Te Rapa on May 31, where Cleat won a 1200m Rating 75 by a length and three-quarters. More success followed at Tauranga on June…

Apprentice Elen Nicholas produced a pair of copybook rides to notch a winning double at New Plymouth including a stylish victory aboard Te Awamutu visitor Rosetown Princess (NZ) (Redwood) in the Makita Open (1800m). Nicholas opened her account aboard the Michael Wallace-trained Florin (NZ) (Vanbrugh) in race two before employing similar tactics aboard Rosetown Princess to make it two wins from her only rides on the day. Caught wide in the early rush for positions, Nicholas didn’t panic and eased the Darrell Hollinshead-prepared mare around to sit outside leader Pick…

Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) held his own against the best of his generation as a three-year-old last season, and a spectacular first-up performance at Ruakaka on Saturday suggested that he might be about to make the next step at four. The Tivaci gelding outclassed his opposition in the Hello Youmzain-Champion NZ First Season Sire (1400m) to set up a shot at the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie on September 6. Saturday’s $40,000 open handicap was only the seventh start of Tuxedo’s career. Cambridge trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray lined…

Veteran sprinter Tavis Court (NZ) (Tavistock) showed there is still plenty of fight left in the old dog as he led all the way to take out the opening event at New Plymouth on Saturday, the Paslode Open (1400m). The ten-year-old Tavistock gelding has always thrived on winter tracks and with rider Kate Hercock producing a pacemaking special, the Anna Clement-trained galloper was always going to be hard to peg back for his four rivals. Tavis Court jumped cleanly from the barrier and Hercock had no hesitation in keeping another…