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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The 41st Asian Racing Conference (ARC) closed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday night with New Zealand announced as the host of the 42nd ARC in 2028. Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chair, Asian Racing Federation and Chief Executive Officer, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, hailed the Conference in Riyadh as an enduring success which highlighted the sport’s greatest opportunities and also its challenges. Praising the work of the Conference host, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia and His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, and the ARC Organising Committee, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said the ARC’s discussions reiterated the importance of increased collaboration and new technology as key motivators in safeguarding the sport’s future. “If there is one message that cuts across all our discussions, it is this: the future of horse racing is under threat and can only be secured by working together to address the key challenges we face,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said. The ceremony was crowned by the official exchange of the ARC flag to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, host of the 42nd ARC in Auckland in 2028. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Stakes winning juvenile De Armas has been sold to OTI Racing and will soon join the stable of Chris Waller in Sydney. The daughter of Ardrossan won two of her three starts for trainer Johno Benner with her most recent effort being a luckless fourth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) after enduring a wide passage throughout, yet still savaging the line. A five length winner on debut, De Armas won the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) at her second start before her run in the Karaka Millions. “OTI have been interested in her the whole way through, but post Karaka Millions, we decided to sell her early, simple as that,” Benner said. “She goes to Chris Waller and she will head to Australia on Sunday. “They’ve got to train-on as three-year-olds, but she’s definitely very good and a lovely filly to have around, but money talks at the end of the day. “She’s got a great brain and hopefully she acquits herself really well in Australia.” Benner secured De Armas from the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock National Online Yearling Sale for just $16,000 when sold by Elsdon Park. Respected bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo was delighted to secure De Armas for successful syndicators OTI. “When you look at her performances, every time she has been out she has shown real brilliance,” Cataldo said. “She had three trials, one before she raced and the other two between runs and blitzed them on all three occasions. “She spaced them on debut, then two months later won easily at Listed level going right handed for the first time. “The rub of the green went against her in the Karaka Millions, covering ground but she was still good enough to run the fastest closing 400m and 200m sectionals, which was a top performance under the circumstances. “To me she is the best two-year-old filly going forward. Her athleticism and scope excites me, as does the physical improvement she has to come. “She’s a class act with a great stride and bombproof temperament. “I see her as an ideal filly for the Princess Series in Sydney in the Spring. No doubt she will run 1600m and possibly further. “She has been magnificently prepared by Johno Benner and now goes to Chris Waller, so from one top trainer to another. I’m sure she will represent OTI and the NZ suffix with distinction.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Karaka 2026 marked the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand, and it was one for the record books. After an action-packed refreshed format, results have been accumulated from the Book 1, Book 2 and inaugural Karaka Summer Sale sessions, that took place from 25 – 29 January. The new condensed sale format saw several records being surpassed and increases across all key sale indicators. With 79 less horses catalogued, turnover was up almost $10 million on last year, with returns to consignors and breeders totalling over $96 million. Increases were also seen across the combined average of $127,774 (11%), $85,000 median (6%) and clearance rate of 83%, showcasing the strength across the entire Sale and at all levels of the market. The second day of Book 1 saw the Sale-topping Lot 513, a colt by Sword of State out of Las Brisas, purchased for $1.1 million by Mr Sanxiong Gao and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from Cambridge Stud, who fittingly claimed their 34th Leading Vendor title at the close of selling. The momentous occasion saw a record attendance with hotel bookings overflowing with guests keen to return to Karaka. The buying bench from Australia was particularly strong, with an increase of almost $12 million in total spend. While the competition was tough, the support from domestic trainers was felt all the way from Southland to Northland. There was also participation from Hong Kong, China, USA, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, South Africa and further afield. Kicking off the week, a spectacular night of racing was witnessed on the eve of Karaka 2026. Queensland trainer Liam Birchley was on top of the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) mountain again after Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca) triumphed, a $75,000 buy from Westbury Stud’s Book 2 draft. While visitors were treated to something special when Well Written (Written Tycoon), who was bought for $80,000 by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock from Brighthill Farm’s draft in the 2024 National Online Yearling Sale, blew her rivals off the track in the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO. NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook commented on the final results. “It was one of the best weeks at Karaka in a very long time, with both buyers and vendors very happy.” “To increase our turnover by 11% despite having a smaller number of horses offered is phenomenal, and an important boost for our industry. “It was great to see the Australian spend was up significantly, particularly during Book 2 thanks to having those horses on the ground earlier for inspections,” he added. “There were some great pinhook results especially through the Book 2 and the Summer Sale, which should give people confidence to enter the weanling market in just a few months’ time. “I’m really proud of how we acknowledged the milestone of the National Yearling Sale for the wider industry, it was very special to be a part of. “Our thanks go out to the vendors, buyers, underbidders and the thousands in attendance who all combined to make the 100th National Yearling Sale one to remember.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Cambridge mare Imprevu will be seeking to shed her bridesmaid tag when she heads to Matamata on Saturday to contest the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m). For the second successive year, the daughter of Wrote finished runner-up on Karaka Millions night, finishing behind Moschino in the Jo Giles Stakes (1400m) after being runner-up to Konasana in last year’s Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m). They join her growing list of placings, including the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) and Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m), and trainer Janenne Dalley is keen to buck that trend this weekend. Dalley is pleased with Imprevu in the lead-up to the Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes, but the wet weather forecast remains her biggest quandary. “Everything is going to plan, so I just hope the rain isn’t going to be too much,” she said. While concerned about the forecast, Dalley said it could aid their chances from their wide gate of 11 in the 13-horse field. “She will be out of trouble there and won’t be locked up on the fence,” she said. “At that time of day (race six), if we do get a bit of rain, I don’t think it is going to hurt her.” With regular rider Tayla Mitchell currently suspended, Imprevu will be reunited with apprentice jockey Hayley Hassman, who has ridden her on three prior occasions, and Dalley would love it if she could win on her mare. “Tayla does a lot of the track work on her but she is suspended,” Dalley said. “Tayla and Elen (Nicholas) have won on her, so it would be nice if Hayley can win on her as well.” Following Saturday, Imprevu is set to head to Ellerslie on Champions Day where she will be seeking redemption in the Gr.2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Classic (1400m), formerly known as the Westbury Classic. On that card last year the seven-year-old mare was unplaced in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), and Dalley hasn’t ruled out heading south to tackle the mile feature at its new home of Trentham next month. “We have tried her over a mile three times and she hasn’t really liked it,” she said. “It may be on the cards, but we will just get through tomorrow and Champions Day.” Imprevu is currently a 26-1 outsider with the TAB for the Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes, but Dalley is confident her mare can belie those odds this weekend. “She is in a good headspace, we are happy with her and I am sure Hayley will be perfect on her,” Dalley said. “We will try and get a good result with her tomorrow.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Noble Knight has ventured to Southland just once before, winning last year’s Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m), and he will be out to keep his 100 percent strike rate intact in the region when he heads to Ascot Park on Saturday to defend his crown in the Olphert Contracting LTD-sponsored event. The Prebbleton gelding heads into the race in good form, having won the Marlborough Cup (2000m) at Riccarton last month after finishing runner-up in the Waikouaiti Cup (2200m) at Wingatui a week prior. “It was a good win last start and his work has been good, so I am pretty happy with him,” trainer and part-owner Sandy Cunningham said. The eight-year-old son of Ghibelline’s has been lumbered with topweight of 60kg, but will get some weight relief courtesy of apprentice jockey Floor Moerman’s three-kilogram claim, and he will jump from barrier three. “He has drawn well and being top weight, it is nice being able to claim a little bit too with Floor,” Cunningham said. “She gets on with the horse, so that is really good.” Bred by White Robe Lodge’s Wayne and Karen Stewart, Noble Knight will reunite with the Otago couple on his way south as Cunningham makes a pitstop at the renowned thoroughbred nursery on her way to Invercargill. “I am very spoilt because I get to stop and camp at White Robe Lodge overnight, so I will stop there and take them down the next day,” Cunningham said. “The trip down there is long enough, so it breaks the trip up.” All going to plan post-Saturday, Noble Knight will head to Wingatui in a fortnight where he will attempt to score an elusive stakes victory in the Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), a race he placed in two years ago. “I’ll have another go at the Dunedin Gold Cup, which is going to be a wee bit of a tougher task,” Cunningham said. Noble Knight will be joined on the float trip south by stablemate Watson, who will be seeking a breakthrough win in the Heineken Maiden (1600m). “His work has been better than his races, so he has been a wee bit disappointing,” Cunningham said. “He has drawn well (2) so fingers-crossed he goes a bit better. He has a hood on for the first time, so it might wake him up a little bit.” Noble Knight currently heads the market for the Invercargill Gold Cup, alongside Smooth Operator, at $3.50, while Watson is rated an $11 winning hope with TAB bookmakers for his contest. View the full article
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