Wandering Eyes

Andrea Atzeni is focusing on quality over quantity when he rides four strong chances at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening, including Awesome Fluke in the feature Class Two Magazine Gap Handicap (1,800m). Ricky Yiu Poon-fai’s galloper is a staying specialist at Happy Valley, winning a pair of 2,000m races at the venue in May and June 2024, before adding to his tally with an 1,800m success on his second start this season. He showed he was not short of speed, however, when smashing the track record...View the full article

Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park), the impressive winner of last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, is set to continue her racing career in Australia and will transfer to the stable of champion trainer Chris Waller in Sydney next week. The daughter of Ocean Park is raced by Yulong Investments and her connections have opted to forgo the Gr.1 World Pool New Zealand Derby (2400m), for which she was $1.70 favourite, to instead target the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill next month and the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick. Ohope Wins has been installed a $3 favourite for both Sydney targets, while her ownership-mate and Oaks runner-up Autumn Glory, is now the $3.50 favourite for the New Zealand Derby, despite needing to be late-nominated for the race on March 7. View the full article

Numbers (NZ) (Tivaci) is one of Hong Kong racing’s brightest talents, and jockey Derek Leung hopes the imposing galloper can make a big impact in Sunday’s HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) for in-form trainer Frankie Lor. A two-time winner from only three starts in the city, headlined by his two-length score in the HK$4.2 million Gr.3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) this month, the classy Numbers has emerged as a leading contender in this weekend’s race – the second leg of the three-race Four-Year-Old Classic Series – at Sha Tin. Leung said: “I galloped him yesterday (Monday, 23 February) and he did it well. He’s good, and I think he’s slightly improving. He’s a stayer and he needs a few runs, but I think it’s a good time to go to the Classic Cup.” Leung has won the Hong Kong Classic Cup previously in tandem with Lor, striking aboard Mission Tycoon in 2019 as a 91/1 chance. However, Numbers – who, like Mission Tycoon, is expected to press forward and lead – won’t be anywhere close to those odds. Weighing in at 1,212lb last start, Numbers is of considerable size, and Leung believes the 100-rater is still a work in progress at the beginning of his races. “He’s very long and tall – so when he gets in the gates everything feels small to him. Sometimes he gets a bit agitated, but we always practice in the gates for him to calm down, so fingers crossed this weekend he can jump at the perfect time,” Leung said. Lor, who has six wins this month, is satisfied with Numbers and said: “Everything is good. He’s much better now and he’s more relaxed. Further distances are no problem for him. The light weight helped him in the Group 3, but it was a good win.” Numbers – who placed in the 2025 G1 Queensland Derby (2400m) in Australia when known as King Of Thunder – carried 117lb to victory last start when defeating Speed Dragon, Encountered, Ensued, Chancheng Glory, Beauty Joy and Straight Arron on 8 February at Sha Tin. The Four-Year-Old Classic Series culminates with the blue riband HK$26 million 149th BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March at Sha Tin. NZB Ready To Run graduate Straight To Glory (Hellbent) goes for a hat-trick of wins in Wednesday night’s Class 3 Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley with Leung in the plate. “He’s had perfect runs in his last two starts. He’s up to Class 3 now, but he gets a light weight and a good draw (two),” Leung said. “He loves a battle, and it seems like he calms down more at Happy Valley. He can be quite hot sometimes.” The HK$3.12 million Class 2 Magazine Gap Handicap (1800m) sees seven runners square off at the city circuit, including Huge Wave (NZ) (Vadamos), who placed second two runs ago in the HK$4.2 million G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m). Alexis Badel retains the ride and said: “He seems to enjoy the track at Happy Valley and he’s been very consistent. He has a good gate (four), he has a little bit of weight on his back, but I think he’s strong enough and he’s mature at the moment to handle it.” View the full article

A major innovation in global racing is now a big part of New Zealand thoroughbred racing’s most iconic race, with Hong Kong Jockey Club’s World Pool the new naming rights sponsor for the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby next month. The 2400-metre race for three-year-olds, an integral part of the New Zealand racing landscape since the 19th century, will be held at Ellerslie in Auckland as part of the second-ever Champions Day on Saturday, 7 March. Entain Australia and New Zealand has partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) to deliver the HKJC World Pool New Zealand Derby. By linking New Zealand’s premier three-year-old staying race into HKJC’s global commingled pools, World Pool delivers access to a truly international betting audience, with up to 25 racing jurisdictions across the world betting into World Pool. World Pool was part of the inaugural Champions Day last year, elevating the NZ Derby on the world stage and driving greater exposure for New Zealand racing. Entain ANZ CEO Andrew Vouris said: “It is fitting to have HKJC World Pool as the naming sponsor for the iconic New Zealand Derby. Having World Pool in action at Ellerslie takes global engagement with the meeting to another level, and it’s pleasing we can recognise that through the race name. Winfried Engelbrecht‑Bresges, CEO of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, added: “New Zealand’s first year as part of the World Pool — becoming one of nine leading racing jurisdictions showcasing top‑class Group 1 races since its debut on this day in 2025 — has been a tremendous success. We are delighted to see our collaboration with our New Zealand partners continue to strengthen, further elevating New Zealand racing for our global customer base.” The meeting includes two other Group 1 races, two Group 2 races including the Auckland Cup, a Group 3 race, and the $4m NZB Kiwi – a 1500m race open to New Zealand-bred three-year-olds. World Pool will be operating on five premier races on the day, which is a flagship meeting for NZTR along with Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, the host club at Ellerslie. Auckland Thoroughbred Racing CEO Paul Wilcox said: “We are delighted that World Pool will be in action across these feature races — it’s a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on New Zealand racing at its very best.” View the full article

WATCH: Pride Of Jenni in action Cranbourne Jump Out 1 – 23.02.2026 HEAT 3 JIMMYSSTAR (won the heat) Ciaron Maher (trainer) “He’s super, I’m rapt with Jimmy. It’s hard to think he can improve off what he’s done but at this stage, I couldn’t be happier.” 1:21 WATCH: Jimmysstar Cranbourne Jump Out 3 – 23.02.2026 View the full article

Entries for NZB’s 2026 National Online Yearling Sale are now open, with the Sale set to be held again on leading online auction platform Gavelhouse Plus. The source of champion filly Well Written (Written Tycoon), the catalogue for the Sale will be available to view online from Tuesday 31 March, with bidding set to open on Friday 10 April and closing from 6pm (NZT) on Tuesday 14 April. A significant benefit of the digital catalogue is that all lots offered in the National Online Yearling Sale are eligible to be nominated for the lucrative Karaka Millions Series. Just nine short months after they make their virtual sale-ring debut, graduates of the online sale can compete for a share in the 2027 $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), followed by the 2028 $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), as well as the NZB Mega Maiden Bonus Series. Graduates of the relatively new sale have already had multiple successes on the racetrack, with just 169 runners claiming an impressive 159 wins on the track, including the unbeaten Group One winner and TAB Karaka Millions 3YO winner Well Written, plus Listed Counties Challenge winner De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Group Two Eight Carat Classic winner Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish). Bought by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock for a Sale-topping $80,000 from Brighthill Farm’s 2024 National Online Yearling Sale draft, Well Written has now had five starts for five super-impressive victories and more than $1.4 million in prizemoney. Several high-class yearlings have already been confirmed for the 2026 National Online Yearling Sale catalogue, with the Sale marking a cost-effective platform for breeders and vendors. Entries for the 2026 National Online Yearling Sale are open now and will close Wednesday 18 March. To enter the Sale, visit NZB’s online portal at portal.nzb.co.nz or for enquiries contact NZB’s Bloodstock Administrator Mary Jane Harvey by calling +64 9 393 9832 or emailing MaryJane.Harvey@nzb.co.nz. One quality conformation photo must be submitted with each entry, by 24 March at the latest. For more information about the Sale, contact NZB Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email Kane.jones@nzb.co.nz. SALE SCHEDULE Entries Close: 18 March Sale Online: 31 March Bidding Opens: 10 April Bidding Closes: Tuesday 14 April, from 6pm View the full article

Melbourne-based expat Mick Dee is set for a return to familiar territory at Ellerslie on Saturday week with a strong book of Champions Day rides. Since relocating to Victoria in his late teens, 29-year-old Dee has enjoyed immense success, interspersed with regular trips home for feature race assignments. One notable such occasion was last year’s inaugural Champions Day when he achieved a career highlight with victory on Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino) in the Gr.1 Trackside NZ Derby (2400m) as well as the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) on Island Life. This time around Dee will partner Aksil in the Derby, while his book also includes Belle Cheval in the Listed NZB Kiwi (1500m), Lara Antipova in the Gr. 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), Waitak in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher NZ Stakes, Grail Seeker in the Gr.2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Classic (1400m) and Espionage in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m). Last year Dee conjured a form reversal out of Willydoit after he had been unplaced in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), and he’s hoping he can do the same again on Aksil (NZ) (Ace High). In Saturday’s Avondale Guineas, the Katrina and Simon Alexander-trained gelding, who now races in the OTI Racing colours, finished a below-par sixth after racing keenly in the early stages. “I’ve been told he was quite fresh in what was his first run over ground and he’ll have the blinkers off for the Derby, so I’m hoping he’ll be better for the experience,” Dee said on Tuesday. “He looked pretty good when he won at Ellerslie the time before.” With the news that Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai NZ Oaks winner is set to be transferred to Chris Waller and will not be running in the Derby, the reframed TAB futures market is now headed by Oaks runner-up Autumn Glory at $3.50, while Aksil is on the fourth line at $12. The most fancied of Dee’s Champions Day rides is Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution), who remained unbeaten with her last-start victory in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and is currently quoted at $1.50 for the Sistema Stakes. “I’m really looking forward to riding Lara Antipova in the big two-year-old race, she looks the best of that age-group,” said Dee, who finished second on Closer To Free in last Saturday’s Melbourne juvenile feature, the Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield. Dee will also combine with another Mark Walker/Sam Bergerson-trained filly in Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel), who likewise is weighted below stable rider Opie Bosson’s minimum. On Saturday the Savabeel filly completed her NZB Kiwi preparation with a comprehensive win in the Uncle Remus Stakes, but Dee is keeping his feet on the ground given the challenge presented by the unbeaten Well Written. “She certainly looks the goods that other filly, but I’m happy to be riding one that also has a strong formline – you never know what might happen.” The prospect of being legged up on the well-proven Wexford Stables pair Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) and Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj) is also something for Dee to look forward to. “I’m not sure what to make of Waitak’s run the other day, but I think they’re going to change things with his training and hopefully that can turn him around. On his day he can win anything. “Grail Seeker also has strong Group One form and she’s been targeted at the fillies and mares’ race, so she should be a good ride too. “I always enjoy coming back home to ride and it’s great to have such a solid book on what’s become New Zealand’s biggest raceday.” View the full article

There are two clear stand-outs in Sunday’s Classic Cup (1,800m), but history suggests the second leg of the four-year-old series can produce a surprise result. While favourites have a good recent record with five saluting in the past nine years, there have been some major upsets including It Has To Be You ($126), Mission Tycoon ($92), Thunder Fantasy ($23) and Healthy Happy ($22) since 2013. The SCMP has ranked the top 10 contenders for Sunday’s HK$13 million feature. 1. Little...View the full article

This year's Pennsylvania-Bred Stakes Schedule will offer $1.7 million in purses across 20 stakes races. All three of Pennsylvania's racetracks will host stakes.View the full article

Sandman and Magnitude are the only millionaire stakes winners in the expected field of seven for the $500,000 Razorback Handicap being run Feb. 28 at Oaklawn Park.View the full article

Popular entertainment comes from ideas in all shapes and sizes, both large, and, in this case, small. Former jockey and exercise rider Robert Montano has achieved rave reviews for something much different and quite personal. View the full article

Dreamtime (NZ) (Time Test) is the only horse to have lowered star two-year-old Lara Antipova’s flag in a public hit-out, and all eyes will be on the Simon and Katrina Alexander-trained filly when she makes her debut at Pukekohe on Wednesday. The daughter of Time Test beat Lara Antipova in an 800m trial at Ellerslie last October, with Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson’s gun filly going on to win all three of her raceday starts to date, including the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and is a $1.50 favourite for next week’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. The Alexanders have taken confidence out of that trial form and are hopeful their filly can bring that to raceday this week when she lines-up in the Stella Artois 1100. “She wasn’t screwed down tight when she put in that nice trial against Lara Antipova,” Katrina Alexander said. “It’s pretty good form in that respect.” Initially set to trial on Tuesday, the Alexanders had to quickly come up with a plan B after the two-year-old heats were scrapped at Tauranga, and they have elected to test her under raceday pressure for the first time on Wednesday. “Whether she is quite fit enough I am not too sure, but she has drawn nicely (3) so I think we will go ahead and run her,” Alexander said. “We need to get going.” The Te Awamutu couple nominated Dreamtime for next month’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) following her trial win, and Wednesday’s hit-out will give them a gauge on whether they are on track for the Trentham feature. “We are cutting it fine (with the Manawatu Sires’), but it is a race we thought she would suit at the end of last preparation after she put that trial together,” Alexander said. “If we don’t make it there, there is also a nice race for her (Listed Star Way Stakes, 1200m). There are still options for her if we don’t reach that target. “It is nice to have something to work towards.” Meanwhile, Alexander has been pleased with the way Aksil (NZ) (Ace High) has come through his Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) sixth placed run and said things didn’t go right for the gelding on the day. “He was up there four hours before his race and he got sick of the environment a little bit, even before he got to the outside parade ring, and it was quite clear he was above himself,” she said. “He left the barrier and got himself way handier than what we intended him to do or thought that he would. He found himself in a handy position with a bit too much speed around him and he ran his race a bit early, and he took a bit to settle after that. “The horse himself pulled up fine, it was just the circumstance of the day with a green horse that we do have to manage right and keep him calm and relaxed prior to racing, and that just didn’t quite work out for him on Saturday unfortunately.” Alexander said the connections of the horse are still keen to press onto the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Champions Day next week. “All connections are keen to continue down the nominated path at this stage,” she said. “We still have faith in the horse, he just needs to be ridden a bit colder, and we will make a couple of gear alterations. “At home he is still a lovely, relaxed horse. He could probably cop a bit more work being dished at him, I may be a bit guilty there that he is still a bit above himself. “I think we have still got some improvement that we can make out of it and we won’t quite let go of things yet.” View the full article

A paramedic at Turf Paradise has been suspended 90 days for refusing to take a breathalyzer test after the track's stewards found “reason to believe the licensee had consumed alcohol and/or was intoxicated” on Feb. 14. In addition to the suspension, which runs two weeks beyond the May 2 closing date of the current Turf Paradise meet, the paramedic, Robert Winters, “is ruled off for the duration of the term of his suspension and barred from all grounds under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Department of Gaming Racing Division,” according to the Feb. 21 ruling. In that ruling, the track's three stewards-Jason Hart, Claudia Alvarez and John Adams–had cited “substantial evidence” to find that Winters had violated parts of the Arizona Administrative Code related to horse racing. But the stewards did not detail any specifics of those findings in their ruling against Winters, nor did the stewards write about any paramedic-related irregularities in their daily stewards' report for Feb. 14. TDN attempted to get some context on the safety ramifications of what happened, like whether or not the paramedic's alleged intoxication occurred while he was part of an on-track ambulance crew during morning training or for the afternoon races. But regulators, track officials, and a representative for The Jockeys' Guild did not respond to Monday's queries prior to deadline for this story. Emails sent Feb. 23 to both the deputy director of the Arizona Department of Gaming (Shannon Nelson) and to that agency's deputy director of operations (John Mazza), did not yield replies. Nor did a phone message that a Turf Paradise receptionist on Monday said would be hand-delivered to the three stewards. The same non-responses also followed voicemails left on the cell phones of Tom Ludt, the general manager at Turf Paradise, and for Darrell Haire, the western regional manager for The Jockeys' Guild. The allegations outlined in the ruling represent only one side of the story. TDN could not reach Winters, and it was unknown if he has appealed or plans to appeal the ruling against him. The post Paramedic at Turf Paradise Ruled Off for Alleged Intoxication appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On Feb. 23 episode of BloodHorse Monday: Trainer and co-owner John Ennis talks about Great White's victory in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, Byron King gives insight to his Derby Dozen rankings, Tod Wojciechowski on new safety measures at OBS.View the full article

This year's Pennsylvania-Bred Stakes Schedule will offer $1,700,000 in purses across 20 stakes races. All three of Pennsylvania's racetracks will host stakes.View the full article