Category: Featured

Group One targets are in the offing for Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) after she broke through for her maiden win in the AKW Farrier LTD 2YO (1200m) at Matamata on Wednesday.  All eyes were on sale-topping juvenile Hostility ahead of the race, with the $1.65 million Karaka purchase jumping a short-priced $1.30 favourite, but it was The Oaks Stud-bred and raced Tajana who came out on top.  The daughter of Darci Brahma jumped well from her ace draw before settling three back on the rail where she enjoyed and economical…

A bright future is being tipped for local gelding Giacomo (NZ) (Puccini) following his comfortable victory in the Holster Engineering Lally And Symes South Waikato Cup (2000m) at Matamata on Wednesday. The six-year-old son of Puccini was sent straight to the front by jockey Jasmine Fawcett, where they were able to dictate terms throughout. When asked to improve at the top of the straight, Giacomo quickly opened up several lengths on his rivals, eventually running out a 2-3/4 length victor. Giacomo had placed in his previous three outings, and trainers…

Windsor Park Stud’s first-season sire, Circus Maximus, celebrated his first Australian winner on Wednesday when Ha’penny Hatch (NZ) Circus Maximus scored an impressive victory at Eagle Farm. The filly, trained by Paul Shailer and ridden by Damien Thornton, showed early speed to lead from the jump and fought off challengers to secure a three-quarters of a length win over Ready For Zion, with Estee Emm finishing third. Ha’penny Hatch takes out the Eagle Farm opener for @RacingShailer! pic.twitter.com/RPrDuLYnTn — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 12, 2025 Shailer was delighted with the…

Multiple Group 1 winner I Wish I Win (NZ) Savabeel has been retired. Waikato Stud announced that the Peter Moody-trained galloper has run his last race after pulling up a touch lame on Tuesday. The six-year-old won two G1s and a staggering $12.8 million in prizemoney in his 25 starts. “We’ll always do what’s best for the horse,” said Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick. “This decision wasn’t easy but on the advice of Peter (Moody) and Katherine (Coleman), we all felt the time was right for ‘Wishy’ to hang up…

12 March 2025 Roydon Bergerson is following a familiar path to the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) with his talented juvenile Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin). Awapuni-based Bergerson prepared Wolverine (NZ) (Tavici) to win the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) in 2022, before going on to place in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and the Sires’. A filly by Satono Aladdin, Too Sweet was a winner on debut and also continued on to take out the Eclipse, but fell victim to a wide barrier draw in…

Talented mare Coeur Volante (NZ) (Proisir) will jump from barrier one in her bid to deliver Ballymore Stables an emotional Group 1 victory on Saturday. Coeur Volante will travel to Sydney for the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill following her dominant last-start win in the G3 Mannerism Stakes at Caulfield. That victory was trainer Mike Moroney’s final city triumph before his shock passing just days later. Training partner Glen Thompson and racing manager Anthony Feroce have continued the training operation since Moroney’s death and a victory on Saturday would be…

Group Two winner Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) will return to the races on Saturday at Tauranga in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m), with a view to sticking to shorter trips. The three-year-old son of Ardrossan was tested over a mile for the first time in January’s Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), finishing midfield, and trainer Andrew Forsman believes he is best suited to sprint distances. “He had a little freshen-up after trying him at the mile, and he probably just didn’t run it out,” the Cambridge horseman said. Prior to resuming…

Confidence is growing in the Stephen Marsh-trained stablemates Velocious and Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth) returning to their best form in upcoming campaigns. Their spring preparations ended in disappointment following outstanding two-year-old seasons, but all indicators are pointing toward them being competitive forces again this autumn. Velocious was voted champion juvenile after winning the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), while Super Photon was unbeaten in two appearances, including the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1200m). Unfortunately for connections, their early spring careers were derailed and…