NZ Racing and Breeding News – 27 January 2025

A broken finger on his right hand will have last season’s National Jockeys’ Premiership winner Craig Grylls out of action on raceday for the next few weeks. Grylls fractured the middle finger on his right hand in a trackwork incident last week and while he shook it off as
Six-year-old gelding Hard To Cross (NZ) (Hard To Cross) was aided by the three-kilo claim of Rose Hammond as the Kiwi bred landed his first victory of the preparation when landing the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1523m). Prepared by Patrick and Michelle Payne, the New Zealand bred son of All
Six-year-old gelding The Creator (NZ) (Wrote) led throughout to claim the Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Betting Handicap (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday under a perfect Logan Bates ride. Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr put their faith in the two-kilo claimer who elected to take up proceedings
Sterling Express (NZ) (Shamexpress) stepped up to Group level for the first time in Saturday’s Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa, and a stunning last-to-first performance showed that he belongs. Gloria Macrae and Brian McKeagg’s homebred son of Shamexpress had already racked up seven