New Zealand
Leading Australian jockey Blake Shinn will return to ride in New Zealand on Boxing Day where he is hoping he can unwrap some late Christmas presents at Ellerslie. The 37-year-old hoop had a memorable day at Pukekohe’s Boxing Day meeting last year where he rode the Lance O’Sullivan
New Zealand
Don Goodwin, the breeder of 11-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant, has passed away, aged 86. Goodwin was a proud student of thoroughbred pedigrees, and it was this passion that led him to acquiring Verry Elleegant’s dam, Opulence, to send to Grangewilliam Stud stallion Zed, for whom he was
New Zealand
Te Akau Racing will be well-represented in each of the four stakes races at Trentham’s LawnMaster Christmas At The Races meeting on Saturday. A pair of exciting juveniles in Cool Aza Rene and Marokopa Falls will kick off stakes proceedings when they meet for the first time in the
New Zealand
Four has been Buoyant’s favourite number since his return to New Zealand, with the Group Three winner having recorded that placing in all three of his starts this preparation, and owner-trainer Sabin Kirkland is hoping to break that sequence when he heads to Gore on Sunday. The six-year-old son
New Zealand
Te Akau Racing, the country’s leading stable, has captured some of the biggest prizes in New Zealand racing this year, and trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are keen to add their home cup, the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m), to their trophy cabinet on Friday. “You would
New Zealand
Dual Group One winner La Crique(NZ) (Vadamos) will bid to add another elite level scalp to her record when she heads to Ellerslie on Boxing Day to tackle the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m). The daughter of Vadamos came close to adding a third Group One title
New Zealand
Former New Zealand Horse of the Year Sharp ‘N’ Smart(NZ) (Redwood) is set to head to Trentham on Saturday to kick-off his summer campaign and ready for a Group One assignment at the Upper Hutt track next month. The son of Redwood was runner-up in the Gr.1 Thorndon
Breeding
Blue Sky At Night (NZ) (Shamexpress) gave owner-breeder’s Isabel and Alistaire Barker a massive thrill last Saturday at Te Rapa when taking out the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m), extending the couple’s great association with her family. “It was pretty amazing,” Isabel Barker said. “She is a very
New Zealand
Donovan Cooper has made quite the impression in the southern jockey ranks since he moved down from the North Island earlier this year, and he continued his good run of form at Ascot Park on Saturday when scoring a four timer. The expat South African’s previous best day in
New Zealand
Taranaki mare Hi Yo Sass Bomb already has a Group One placing next to her name, and owner-trainer Kim Reid is hoping to improve on that in the coming months. The daughter of Complacent was runner-up to Snazzytavi in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Te Rapa in October,
New Zealand
Otaki trainer Howie Mathews is in high spirits ahead of heading to Trentham on Sunday where he will be represented by stable stalwart Free Spirit and newcomer Gee Force. Eight-year-old mare Free Spirit has been a consistent performer for Mathews, particularly in the latter stages of her current preparation, with
New Zealand
Wind of Change was able to shed her bridesmaid tag at Ellerslie on Thursday just in the nick of time ahead of her looming trip across the Tasman. The four-year-old daughter of Deep Field had placed in all three of her previous starts this preparation but was finally able to