New Zealand
Six years in the making, El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) now stands as New Zealand’s champion. The Cambridge-trained galloper was crowned Sport Nation Horse of the Year for 2024-25 at New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s black-tie Awards dinner in Hamilton on Sunday night, proof that some champions simply need time
New Zealand
Timaru trainer Stephanie Faulkner admitted to doubting Richard Stomper’s (NZ) (El Roca) prospects before and during the LOVERACING.NZ Remembering Grey Way (1600m) on Sunday, but the talented six-year-old kicked off his new campaign with a tenacious front-running victory on his home track. It was the first raceday appearance
New Zealand
The 370km journey from Matamata to Woodville has proven to be a worthwhile commute for Jakama Krystal (NZ) (Jakkalberry), who collected her third jumps success at the course in Sunday’s $50,000 Jude Challies Property Brokers Woodville Tararua Steeplechase (4800m). The Jakkalberry mare is now the winner of eight
New Zealand
Ultra-consistent mare La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) earned a unique place in New Zealand racing history at Ellerslie on Saturday with her seventh runner-up finish in a Group One race. The Vadamos mare produced another top-drawer performance in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m). Almost half of the 16-horse field lined
Racing
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa, and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate. The $400,000 weight-for-age triumph came almost exactly a year after the Te Akau Racing
Racing
Lollapalooza went into Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie as a maiden, but she came out of it as one of the leaders of her generation and the clear favourite for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). The $150,000 three-year-old fillies’ feature was
Racing
A booming late run out wide on the track has carried promising stayer Crouch to an eye-caching victory in the first run of a new campaign as he took out the feature race at Otaki on Saturday, the Cavallo Farms and Chris Rutten Bloodstock Handicap (1400m). The Mike Breslin-prepared six-year-old
Racing
Trainer Pam Gerard had been confident of a good showing from her lightly raced three-year-old Affirmative Action and that’s exactly what she got when the showy gelding upset the applecart at a Fixed Odds quote of $91 when taking out the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie.
Racing
Promising gelding Have A Crack retained his unbeaten New Zealand record with a gritty performance to take out the Rich Hill Stud (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The five-year-old son of Zoustar made his way to Chad Ormsby’s Matamata stable after losing his rider during his only start in
Racing
Ruakaka stayer Bosch took his best form over the Brynderwyn Hills on Saturday and scored his first Ellerslie victory in the Dunstan Horsefeeds 2200. The Pentire gelding headed into the $75,000 race with five wins to his name, all of them at his home track. His six previous visits
Racing
Te Akau Racing will hold a strong hand on Proisir Plate Day at Ellerslie on Saturday, particularly in the age group features. Exciting three-year-old Hostility will kick-off his spring preparation in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m), for which he is a $2.70 favourite with TAB bookmakers. A
Racing
Erin Leighton will continue her comeback to raceday riding when she heads to Otaki on Saturday to pilot debutant Sea Wolf in the AR Painters Maiden (1400m) for employer Roydon Bergerson. The 33-year-old hoop’s name had been absent from the racebook for three years following injury, but she made