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Dragon Storm swoops to land Sandown Cup

Kiwi stayer Dragon Storm came from last to land the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday under a well-timed Blaike McDougall ride. The son of Shocking had won last season’s Gr.3 New Zealand Cup for Chris Gibbs and transferred to Mike Moroney’s Flemington stable after an unplaced effort in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m). The seven-year-old gelding’s three runs leading into Saturday’s triumph had been less than inspiring, with Moroney resorting to training the ...

Polly is a Cracker

Seven-year-old mare Polly Grey landed her fourth stakes race when successful in Saturday’s Listed ATC Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday, lumping a clear topweight of 59kgs on the Heavy track. The daughter of Azamour has a liking for rain-affected ground and handled the rise in distance from 1400m fresh-up to 2000m with aplomb, scoring a comfortable win under James McDonald. Prepared by Chris Waller for her New Zealand owners, the champion trainer joked that a pep-talk from a star stablemate...

Savabeel colt impresses in Sandown Guineas triumph

Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr have posted their first Group winner from their new stables at Cranbourne after Blue Army proved too classy for his rivals to win the Gr.2 Sandown Guineas (1600m). The three-year-old feature was contested at Caulfield for the first time, the base Price and Kent had previously called home prior to its closure as a training centre during the week, with plans afoot by the club for a second turf track for racing purposes and a host of commercial developments. ...

Double celebrations for Rose 'N' Power camp

Cambridge trainers Fred and Lindsay Cornege celebrated a personal milestone in style on Thursday when their game mare Rose 'N' Power (Power-Diamond Rose (Danroad)) landed the Listed Courtesy Ford Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. The four-year-old mare has now won four races in succession and ticked the black-type box, giving further cause for celebration for the Corneges who were celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary. Noted on-pacer Rose 'N' Power wasn’t as quickly away as usual but muster...

Favoured family delivers feature win

Time and patience has been a good friend to Reliable Team (Reliable Man [GB] - Stella Doro) and that was rewarded with a stylish win in the Gr.2 HKJC The BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) on Sunday. At six years of age, the lofty grey gelding improved on his last start third in the Gr.3 HKJC Ladies Purse (1800m) to record his seventh win in a career that spans four years. During that time, he has also run second in the Gr.3 HKJC Premier Plate (1800m) and third in the Gr.3 HKJC Queen Mother Memorial ...

NZTR COVID UPDATE

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Levante back in style with Counties Bowl victory

Class galloper Levante once again showed just what a talent she is when she when she made it back-to-back victories in the Listed Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m) on Saturday. Last year the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare had set tongues wagging when she scorched home from last on the turn at Pukekohe to win the Listed race with ease carrying 53kgs. Twelve months on and with two further black-type wins under her belt, along with a Group One placing in the Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie, th...

Ballarat Cup triumph for in-form Zayydani

Five-year-old mare Zayydani has been one of the flagbearers for the training talents of Ben and JD Hayes, and the daughter of Savabeel continued her winning ways when a gritty winner of the A$500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday. The Hayes brothers, who are forging a career in their own right after their father David relocated to Hong Kong and former training partner Tom Dabernig went solo, have a soft spot for the mare, who was the first winner for the partnership and also the first ...

Bosson magic secures stakes victory for Showoroses

Another magical ride by Opie Bosson saw gritty mare Showoroses secure her third career stakes victory when she held out all challengers to win the Gr.2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa. The Joanne Surgenor-trained five-year-old had enjoyed a purple patch of form at this time of the season last year, finishing second in the 2020 edition of the race before going on to win the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) and Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at her next two star...

Western Empire reigns supreme in Railway

The combination of trainers Grant and Alana Williams, jockey William Pike and leviathan owners Bob and Sandra Peters were to the fore again in this year’s Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m) when Western Empire became the fourth successive winner of the famed Perth race for the unstoppable partnership. The classy New Zealand bred four-year-old stalked the speed and enjoyed a trouble-free passage under Pike and blew his rivals away when asked for an effort, cruising to the line a four-length winner fro...

Western Empire another Australian star for Iffraaj

With his final southern hemisphere yearlings set to go through sale rings in early 2022, former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Iffraaj is back in the Group One spotlight in Australia. His exciting son Western Empire was sent out as a $1.60 favourite for Saturday’s Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot – the shortest price in the 134-year history of the Perth showpiece. He lived right up to those big expectations, exploding out of midfield and streaking away to win by four lengths. Trained by Gr...

Unique Ready to Run Sale Defies Odds

Momentum continued on the final day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2021 Ready to Run Sale off the back of a positive first day, with a strong market demanding quality juveniles that fetched significant price tags. NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was jubilant over the efforts of the auction house, consignors and agents. “This is a culmination of a huge effort from all industry participants.” “The consignors provided an exceptional level of service this year, not only with the sta...

Australian big hitters land their pick at Te Rapa

Prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir is hoping he has landed another Group One star after he shelled out $640,000 for what his judges deemed the best colt at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale. Group 1 Bloodstock’s Mathew Becker identified lot 195, the Pierro colt out of Group Three performer Mary Lou, as his pick of the sale and after submitting his finding to Kheir, the Australian property magnate was eager to acquire him from the draft of Riversley Park. “We thought he was the...

Sacred Falls colt headed to Baker’s Sydney stable

A son of the late Sacred Falls will be chasing the lucrative prizemoney on offer in Sydney following his sale to Australian interests on the closing day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale on Thursday afternoon. The colt drew an opening bid of $200,000 and fierce competition followed before he was knocked down for $600,000 to the New South Wales pairing of Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker and Group 1 Bloodstock. Presented as Lot 218, the youngster boasts a deep and successful pedigre...

Yiu digs deep for quality colts

Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu and New Zealand-based bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne have teamed up once again to secure a couple of colts at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa this week. On Wednesday, the opening day of the sale, the pair went to $320,000 to secure lot 103, the Capitalist colt out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft, while a day later they went to $400,000 to purchase lot 238, the Deep Field colt out of Riversley Park’s draft. Hawthorne said he has done a fair amou...

McEvoy makes successful play for Almanzor colt

Multiple Group One-winning Australian trainer Tony McEvoy made an early impact on the opening day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa on Wednesday when he secured a handsome son of Almanzor. McEvoy combined with bloodstock agent Bevan Smith, who was on site, to purchase Lot 12 from the draft of Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park for $330,000. He had breezed up in 10.68s. The son of the Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion is out of the winning Guillotine mare Tricoteuse, whose dam ...

Deep Field colt Hong Kong bound

There was a flurry of action at Te Rapa on Wednesday when lot 44 came into the virtual sales ring at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale. Offered through Riversley Park’s draft, the Deep Field colt had breezed in a time of 10.80 seconds, gaining the interest of a number of prospective buyers. When the dust settled it was Hong Kong trainer Jimmy Ting who came out on top, with his bid of $470,000 securing the sought-after colt. The colt is out of Pins mare Bang On, whose dam is Group On...

Rich Etiquette at Te Rapa

David Ellis is no stranger to the top end of the buyers sheet at a New Zealand Bloodstock sale, and he found himself there once again on Wednesday when purchasing the top lot on day one of their Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa. Caught in a bidding duel with bloodstock agent Bryce Tankard and an online bidder, Ellis was adamant he was going to secure lot 107, the Savabeel colt out of Etiquette, a full-sister to multiple Group One winner and ill-fated Waikato Stud stallion Sacred Falls. The bids quic...

First winner for Puccini

Mapperley Stud stallion Puccini sired his first winner at Rotorua on Tuesday when Giacomo won the Lance Lawson (1560m) for trainer Peter McKay. It was fitting that Puccini’s first winner was trained by McKay, with the Matamata horseman overseeing his racing career, where he won eight races including the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m). It was Giacomo’s third raceday start on Tuesday and he relished the step up in distance and the firmer track on offer at Rotorua...

Mondorani fulfils NZ Cup prediction

A prophecy made by Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers three years ago came to fruition last weekend when Mondorani (Burgundy – Del Mondo [USA]) won the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m). When the horse first arrived in his stable as a four-year-old Myers told his breeder John Murdoch that he thought the horse was a bit weak but in time he would win a New Zealand Cup with him. Murdoch who bred and races the horse with his wife Karlene had been patient with Mondorani until he went to Myers and was happy to...

Date change for Auckland Cup to accommodate Karaka Sales

Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day has been put back a day to Sunday March 13 in order to accommodate New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale series. The Karaka Sale is now set to commence Monday 7 March and run through until Saturday 12 March, rather than the original Sunday 6 March commencement. New Zealand Bloodstock’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook said the move was in the best interest of prospective international buyers. “The rationale behind moving the Sale back by one ...

No secret about speedy filly

Speedy filly Grace’s Secret made it two wins from two starts when she led throughout to take out the Listed Riccarton Park Function Centre Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton on Saturday. The Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong-trained daughter of Vadamos had performed in similar fashion when winning at the venue on debut over 800m, however rain on race morning left some punters in doubt over her ability to handle the tricky Slow7 conditions as she drifted from an opening quote of $1.30 to start at...

Richards provides first four in Group One feature

Trainer Jamie Richards added another milestone to his already storied training career when he provided the first four home in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. Impeccably bred filly The Perfect Pink gave Richards his 50th Group One victory of his career and an elite level double at the carnival for he and jockey Opie Bosson, after the pair combined just seven days earlier to capture the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) aboard Noverre. The Perfect Pink, ...

Mondorani upsets in New Zealand Cup

It was some Kevin Myers magic at play at Riccarton on Saturday when outsider Mondorani ($22.60) stormed home down the outskirts of the Riccarton track to take out the 158th running of the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m). Myers has long made Riccarton a happy hunting ground despite operating from his North Island base at Whanganui. Having already produced four winners during the Cup Week carnival, including a double earlier in the day with Kopua and Ucalledit, Myers provided the piece...

Justaskme takes Tauranga feature

A patient ride by Sam O’Malley proved the key to victory as Taranaki visitor Justaskme stormed clear to win the Gr.2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes (1600m) at Tauranga. The six-year-old son of No Excuse Needed relished the Heavy10 footing and looked to be travelling like a winner a long way out, despite being last in the seven-horse field. With stablemate and race favourite Tavi Mac setting up a solid pace in front, O’Malley began a searching run out wide at the 600m as he tracked down eventual r...