New Zealand
Local trainer Michelle Bradley celebrated a winning double at Ruakaka last month with Bosch and Sulabella and they promise to be strong chances again on their home track on Saturday. Pentire’s son Bosch claimed top honours in the Whangarei Gold Cup Stayers’ Final (2100m) last time out and looks
New Zealand
Champion jockey Opie Bosson’s post-race summation of Dragon Leap’s (Pierro) resuming run at Ruakaka on Saturday will influence the direction of the seven-year-old’s spring campaign. Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott didn’t consider taking advantage of an apprentice claim, preferring Bosson’s experience for the
New Zealand
Top-class mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) will be given another trial outing before she heads to Melbourne to spearhead Te Akau Racing’s new stable at Cranbourne. The multiple Group One winner impressed when winning her 900m open heat at Te Rapa on Tuesday as she prepares to chase further
New Zealand
Dual top-flight winner Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) took her first steps toward another trip across the Tasman when she enjoyed a quiet trial at Te Rapa on Tuesday. Given the heavy going, the multiple elite level winner was kept under a tight rein by jockey Warren Kennedy and allowed to run
New Zealand
Champion rider Michael McNab set a hectic pace during the 2022/23 season and he’s ready to hit the ground running again in the new term. McNab convincingly retained his crown with 164 winners, 47 clear of closest rival Craig Grylls, after first winning the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership
New Zealand
Shaun Phelan is expecting improved showings from his lightweight prospects in the main event on the Te Rapa card on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer holds a decent hand in the Taumarunui RSA Gold Cup (2200m) with Enchanted Elle and Pacheco to go head-to-head and finds it difficult to split the
Breeding
All the key indicators point to continued success for The Oaks Stud’s young resident stallion U S Navy Flag, although experience has taught General Manager Rick Williams to never look too far ahead. The son of War Front stood his first term at the Cambridge nursery last year and
New Zealand
Shaun Clotworthy didn’t foresee Quirky Habits (NZ) (Belardo) contending for black-type honours as a two-year-old, but has been more than happy to be proved wrong by the youngster. With wife Emma, he prepares the son of Belardo whose late season progress has seen him emerge as a leading chance
New Zealand
Hopes of successfully executing a long-term southern plan with talented mare Sanibel (NZ) (Shamexpress) received a timely boost in her final lead-up appearance. Saturday week’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton was identified as a major goal some months ago by trainer Shane Brown for
Breeding
Allan Sharrock continues to thank his lucky stars that he didn’t altogether banish racetrack failure Often (NZ) (O'Reilly) from his successful New Plymouth operation. The multiple Group One-winning trainer quickly realised she had no future as a racing proposition, but had the foresight to retain the O’
New Zealand
Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray had themselves a royal day out at the last meeting on the all-weather track at Cambridge and will be hoping for more of the same on Wednesday. The local training duo celebrated success on their home course earlier this month with Brave Spirit, Hammer Time
New Zealand
John Wheeler has good reasons to be looking forward to his home meeting on Saturday with the Taranaki trainer to be represented by an in-form quartet of runners. Tsunami, Zeefa Zed and Zivjeli are last-start winners while lightly tried filly Tiger Lily has made an encouraging start to her career