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Quality short course galloper He Kin Fly (NZ) (Darci Brahma) reminded racing enthusiasts there is still plenty of life left in his eight-year-old legs when he boomed home to claim his tenth career victory when taking out the main sprint feature at Riccarton on Saturday. The Neill Ridley-trained Darci Brahma gelding won his only two local starts from the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman stable before being sold to Hong Kong during his three-year-old campaign. Successful once from five starts in Hong Kong he was returned to New Zealand in…

Ruakaka trainer Kenny Rae enjoyed a red-letter day at Riccarton on Saturday as two of his three-horse team that he had brought south from his far north base took out feature events. After earlier upsetting pundits with promising Iffraaj gelding Zoltan (NZ), who defeated red-hot favourite Matchmaker in a three-year-old 1100m contest, Rae nabbed the big prize on the day with underrated galloper Major Tom (NZ) (Red Giant) who held out all challengers in a desperate finish to the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 123rd Winter Cup (1600m). Rae, who prepares…

Showmanship (NZ) (Showcasing) produced an amazing finishing burst to win the final race at Caulfield on Saturday. The seven-start veteran looked an unlikely winner when he was back near the tail as the field turned for home in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1400m) till jockey William Pike got to work on the emerging horse and he thundered to the line to score what could prove an ominous win. Co-trainer Grant Williams admitted to some concerns on the home turn. “It looked a bit scary there for a little bit,”…

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Woodcote Lass (NZ) (Showcasing) was part of Stephen Autridge’s team of horses based in Christchurch last spring and a bold performance at Waverley on Friday would assure her of a place in the travelling squad this year too. Autridge, these days training in partnership with Kris Shailer, has earmarked nine horses to travel to Christchurch in the coming weeks to prepare for New Zealand Cup week features. Woodcote Lass, who won twice on the trip last year and placed in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton, has the…

Taranaki owner-trainer Marilyn Paewai would love nothing more than to see her star winter performer Rosewood (NZ) (Redwood) claim a deserved stakes win at Riccarton this weekend. Rosewood will tackle Saturday’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m), a race she was only narrowly beaten in last year. That was one of four stakes placings the Redwood seven-year-old mare has picked up over her 40 starts, which has seen her successful on 10 occasions, nine of those on heavy tracks. “Rosewood needs a Group win. That’s why we’re here,” Paewai…

Peter Setchell is having a grand old time racing handy mare Bothered (NZ) (ShamExpress) in Australia. The five-year-old daughter of ShamExpress continued her undefeated record across the Tasman when winning over 1100m at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. It was her second victory for trainer Clare Cunningham after winning first-up over 1000m at Gosford late last month, and Setchell was particularly enthused to see her win in city-class. “I was pretty excited because once you start heading over there and you start looking at going into town it steps up pretty…

In form gelding Showmanship (NZ) (Showcasing) will make his Melbourne debut on Saturday when he lines up in a in a 1400m benchmark race at Caulfield. The Bob Peters-owned son of Showcasing has been in Melbourne for a month and will be out to continue his winning run which has seen him string together four consecutive wins in Western Australia. Peters said the Grant and Alana Williams-trained five-year-old will run in a benchmark race in preference to the Listed Regal Roller Stakes as if he won the latter, his ratings…

The Canterbury Jockey Club together with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has made the decision to plan for Saturday’s race meeting to be run under the Emergency Regulations applicable to a Level 2 Alert. As was the case with the Taupo and Waverley race meetings this week this will mean that only people essential to the running the race meeting will be permitted on course.  Owners, members, and ticketed guests will not be able to attend due to there being insufficient time to make compliant arrangements as required by the regulations.…

Happy Star will be vying to keep his undefeated record intact this preparation when he contests the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton Park on Saturday. The Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained five-year-old has won both of his starts this time in and they are hoping he can continue his picket fence formline this weekend. “He’s been going super,” Benner said. “He has done nothing wrong this whole preparation, he has won two trials and two races. “He has travelled down really well. He is a very…