Wandering Eyes

The 35-year-old produces a front-running masterclass in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) to snare his first top-level success since 2017View the full article

Reigning champion jockey dominates Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) undercard with his most prolific day in the saddle since October 2022View the full article

By Jonny Turner Sally Lindenny staked her claim as being the bargain buy of the spring and summer with her victory in the feature trot on Riverton Cup Day. Yesterday, the trotter made it win number four for trainer-driver Kirstin Green when bagging yet another win on a grass track. The mare has either been in the first three placings, or she has galloped out of contention in her 15 starts since joining the Green stable in September. Sally Lindenny could have added another mistake to her ledger in the Aparima Handicap Trot, but instead her manners allowed her to bank another cheque for owner Murray Swain. “She just loves the grass, and when she misses away it’s always when there are horses in front of her,” Green said. “She just gets a bit claustrophobic, and today she did the same; she bounded out but then just came down trotting and away she went.” “She was really good.” Swain purchased Sally Lindenny on the standardbred.gavelhouse.com platform after she had campaigned in Canterbury for several seasons. Swain wanted a prospective broodmare and he raced the trotter from Green’s stable in the hope she could win enough to pay her breeding costs. But Sally Lindenny has exceeded those expectations by returning more than ten times her purchase price of $3000. “It is amazing actually, I wasn’t expecting it,” Swain said. “I thought we could maybe win a race to pay her service fee and because that’s what I bought her for – to breed her.” Swain has trained plenty of winners in his own right, but these days he is more than happy to take a backseat by helping out behind the scenes at the Green stable. “Kirstin went away on holiday and needed somebody to look after the team, so instead of dispersing them out, a mate told me to come down.” “I came down and gave her a hand and quite enjoyed it.” “I had a bit of a spell for a while, but I sort of haven’t left, really.” Got You Covered took top honours as the Riverton Cup returned to the Riverton Racecourse on Sunday. The pacer made a good beginning for fill-in driver Brent Barclay, who soon found the lead in the 2800m staying test. Barclay didn’t have to ask Got You Covered for a serious effort as he ran to a deserved win for trainers Brent and Tim White. View the full article

Day One of Karaka 2024’s Book 1 Sale reflected ongoing industry positivity with several records broken and key sale indicators increasing. At the close of trade for the opening session, the aggregate reached a Day One record of $30,725,500 while the average reached a record $195,704, a 37% and 22% increase respectively on last year. The highlight of the day came early, when Lot 21, a full-sister to the superstar mare Prowess (NZ) (Proisir x Donna Marie) was knocked down to Peter Moody for $1.6 million, the highest price recorded for a filly sold at Karaka. “She’s an absolute princess,” commented Moody. “She is a full-sister to a Group One winner, which is a bonus. She was the one we wanted and we are so glad to get her.” The second highest-priced lot of the day came when Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster combined to secure Lot 144 for $900,000. A daughter of Rich Hill Stud’s hot young sire Satono Aladdin out of O’Reilly mare Inthespotlight. “We identified her quite early. We got blown out of the water on Lot 21, so we knew we’d be going after this filly,” commented Mulcaster. “Breeders are realising that quality fillies in Australia are expensive and hard to get so those putting them to the market are reaping the rewards.” The Chris Waller Racing and Guy Mulcaster combination was one of the strongest international buyers of the day, securing six lots for a total $2.7 million. But it was Karaka kingpin, Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis who came out on top, spending $3.4 million across 14 lots on the first day. NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was encouraged by the strong results. “It was an amazing Sale today, turning over $30 million, we’ve never done that in any day’s trading at Karaka.” “That is up seven and a half million on last year’s figures and the average is up about thirty thousand, so a really pleasing day. “For the vendors, everyone has been rewarded from Barn A to Barn I, buyers are finding their horses from all corners.” Selling continues on Monday for Day Two of Book 1, where lots 241 – 480 will go through the ring from 10am (NZT) at Karaka. Karaka 2024: Book 1, Day One Statistics (at end of selling) 2024 BOOK 1, DAY ONE 2023 BOOK 1, DAY ONE 2022 BOOK 1, DAY ONE 2021 BOOK 1, DAY ONE AGGREGATE $30,725,500 $22,420,000 $20,042,500 $17,047,500 AVERAGE $195,704 $160,143 $159,067 $130,134 MEDIAN $150,000 $147,500 $125,000 $100,000 CLEARANCE 73% 73% 69% 73% CATALOGUED 240 220 220 200 SOLD 157 140 126 131 TOP LOT Lot 21 Proisir – Donna Marie (Ch.F) $1,600,000 Lot 59 Savabeel – Bayrock (B.C) $625,000 Lot 161 Savabeel – Chandelier (B.C) $1,000,000 Lot 94 Zoustar – Scintillula (B.F) $800,000 Karaka 2024: Book 1, Day One Top Lots (at end of selling) LOT SIRE DAM SEX VENDOR PURCHASER PRICE 21 Proisir Donna Marie Filly Hallmark Stud Moody Racing (Victoria) $1,600,000 144 Satono Aladdin Inthespotlight Filly Rich Hill Stud Chris Waller / Mulcaster Bloodstock (New South Wales) $900,000 55 Zoustar Evalina Colt Elsdon Park Jamie Richards / Andrew Williams Bloodstock (Hong Kong) $725,000 146 Super Seth Irion Colt Pencarrow Stud Patella Bloodstock (New South Wales) $700,000 210 Kingman Marsden Cross Colt Pencarrow Stud The Hong Kong Jockey Club (Hong Kong) $650,000 62 Justify Fair Isle Filly Pencarrow Stud Chris Waller / Mulcaster Bloodstock (New South Wales) $550,000 224 I Am Invincible Midnight Revels Colt Highline Thoroughbreds Mr DC Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) (Te Akau) $510,000 142 Wootton Bassett Influencer Colt Haunui Farm Chris Waller / Mulcaster Bloodstock (New South Wales) $500,000 237 Savabeel Miss Opulence Colt Riversley Park Ltd Group 1 Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Victoria) $460,000 117 Savabeel Happily Colt Waikato Stud Ltd Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Wellington) $450,000 View the full article

A staggering jump in turnover has propelled the TAB Karaka Millions meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday to new heights, with $9.5 million wagered on the meeting – the most on any New Zealand meeting spanning back to at least 1998. The mammoth figure is $2m more than the previous highest meeting on record, the 2022 New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting ($7.5m) but Saturday’s record total was achieved in just six races, less than half that of the Trotting Cup meeting (13 races). Year-on year-turnover for the TAB Karaka Millions was up 66%, and the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO – the final race on Saturday’s card – set a new record for the most wagered on a single New Zealand race with turnover of $2.6m, eclipsing the $2.1m wagered on the 2022 NZ Trotting Cup. Average turnover by race was almost $1.6m. Cameron Rodger, the Managing Director – New Zealand for Entain Australia and New Zealand, the operators of TAB, said Saturday’s meeting was a phenomenal result built on a lot of hard work over the past year. “The energy at Ellerslie yesterday and these figures gives us so much cause for confidence as we continue to work with the great people in racing to supercharge the industry,” Cameron Rodger said. “This is a brilliant way to kick off the week of yearling sales at the New Zealand Bloodstock sale complex at Karaka and provides further impetus for the industry after the launch of The NZB Kiwi slot race and a revamped summer racing calendar earlier this week.” More than 48,000 TAB customers placed a bet on Saturday’s meeting, up from 36,000 last year, 35,000 in 2022 and 30,000 in 2021. “Word is certainly spreading that racing is back in a big way, and that’s reflected in more of our customers wanting to be part of the action,” Cameron Rodger said. Previous highest turnover meetings $7.5m – 2022 NZ Trotting Cup – 13 races $7.4m – 2023 NZ Cup, Riccarton – 12 races $7.1m – 2007 NZ Trotting Cup – 12 races $6.9m – 2023 NZ Trotting Cup – 12 races $6.7m – 2021 Ellerslie NY Day – 10 races Turnover for the past three Karaka Millions meetings $5.7m (2023) $5.5m (2022) $5.0m (2021) View the full article

A colt by exciting European stallion Kingman attracted plenty of attention during his time in the sale ring at Karaka on Sunday, where he fetched a winning bid of $650,000 from Boomer Bloodstock principal Craig Rounsefell on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Consigned from the Pencarrow Stud draft as Lot 210, the son of the European Group One winner is out of the Irish mare Marsden Cross who comes from a family that includes outstanding cross-continent Group One performer, Mother Earth. Kingman has already garnered success from a limited number of runners in Australia including Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) winner Zardozi and Gr.1 JJ Atkins (1600m) winner King Colorado. Boomer Bloodstock principal Craig Rounsefell. Photo: Trish Dunell “He was one of my main targets at this sale on type,” Rounsefell said. “Obviously Kingman’s a fast young stallion over in Europe and there’s no reason why he’s not going to do well in Hong Kong. “This horse had a great temperament and he is a rock-solid horse from a good farm. “On type, he’s just a smashing horse I thought. It’s around about where we had him (price). We had a go at a few others earlier at lower prices that we missed out on, but he was our top pick of the day and one of our top picks of the sale.” Rounsefell confirmed he was keen to add further lots in the coming days. “There’s some different families and different stallions over here that we’re looking at, and across a whole range of budgets,” he said. “We’ve got a good shortlist after vetting, so we’ll see how we go. It’s been a fairly strong sale today, so it’s good to put that one (Lot 210) on the board.” View the full article

Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis once again lead the buyers charge at Karaka on Day One of the National Yearling Sale series with an impressive array of youngsters finding their way into the shopping cart of the King of Karaka. Ellis outlaid $3.4million for 14 individuals with Lot 224, an I Am Invincible youngster from the Highline Thoroughbreds draft topping the list as he outlaid $510,000 for the colt’s new owners, Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud. Ellis was pleased with his results for the day. “We’ve bought 14 yearlings all together,” he said. “We came here very bullish as we thought the quality was as good as its been for many years, and we wanted to buy yearlings to win all these big new races that we have in New Zealand. “It’s the most exciting time to be part of New Zealand racing, with what the New Zealand government’s doing, what Entain’s doing and what New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing is doing. “It’s a combination, they’re all working really well together, and it’s exciting for somebody that’s been in the industry for a lifetime. “I’ve waited for this to happen and it’s not just happening, it’s happening big time, and there’s more good news still to come. “It’s just great to see everybody working together and to see prizemoney go to a level where owners get a serious return.” Lot 224 leaves the ring after selling for $510,000 to David Ellis. Photo: Trish Dunell Ellis was delighted to secure the I Am Invincible colt for the Lindsays, who have enjoyed considerable success with Te Akau Racing through the deeds of champion mare Probabeel, Group One winner Kahma Lass and the promising filly Zourion. “I bought him for Brendan and Jo Lindsay as they wanted me to buy them what I thought was the best colt in the sale,” he said. “We selected him and we thought he was great buying for an I Am Invincible colt. “I think most people would agree that’s one stallion we can train the progeny of (referring to champion sprinter Imperatriz amongst others). “I think he (Brendan) would like a nice I Am Invincible colt to stand at Cambridge Stud and we’ll certainly be supporting him. “He’s a very athletic colt, I thought that he’d be out and about at Christmas time, and could be a lovely Sires’ Produce colt, then make a really nice stallion at stud one day with his pedigree.” Ellis was also pleased to secure Lot 227, a Snitzel colt from the Curraghmore draft who is closely related to former Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner Kahma Lass. “I thought that he (Lot 227) was an absolutely outstanding buy,” he said. “I won’t tell you what I thought he would make and what I was prepared to pay, that wouldn’t be fair on the vendor, but he was very good buying, for sure.” Whilst he was happy with his results Ellis also admitted not everything went his way. “I went to NZ$1 million for a client in Australia on that early filly (Lot 21 by Proisir) and never really felt confident, so it’s been a great day of selling here at New Zealand Bloodstock, and the whole company, everybody that works here should be very proud of what they’ve put on today.” Day Two of the Book 1 Sale gets underway on Monday at 10am. View the full article

A day of milestones for the progeny of Rich Hill Stud based stallions Proisir and Satono Aladdin was one of the major highlights on the first day of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka. Lot 21, the full sister to dual Group One winner Prowess, a daughter of Proisir, fetched the highest price ever paid for the fairer sex at Karaka when knocked down to the $1.6million bid of Victorian trainer Peter Moody from breeder Hallmark Stud’s Book 1 draft. Later it was the turn of the son of Deep Impact in Satono Aladdin to achieve his highest ever sale price at auction in Australasia when Bloodstock Agent Guy Mulcaster and leading Australian trainer Chris Waller combined to secure Lot 144, a filly from O’Reilly mare Inthespotlight, from the Rich Hill Stud draft for $900,000. Stud principal John Thompson sported a beaming smile as he accepted congratulations immediately after the sale. “That is the highest price for Satono and the most we have ever sold a filly for at Karaka,” Thompson said. “We had our suspicions she would sell well as up until this morning she had had 144 parades and she never turned a hair the whole time. “People were coming back repeatedly as they loved her, she has a lovely temperament, beautiful walk and just looks like a racehorse. “This filly is not from his (Satono Aladdin’s) biggest crop but he has had full books of 170 mares in the last two seasons so there is many more to come.” The filly is a half-sister to Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) placegetter Japanese Emperor while Group One winners Metal Bender and Amarelinha also feature in the extended pedigree which Thompson believes was another of the many factors that attracted buyers. “A Group One performer like Japanese Emperor in her pedigree really helped her along and she is also a quality animal,” he said. “She belongs to my accountant Hayden Dillon and another good client in Trevor Luke. Trevor raced Alamosa and his health isn’t the best at the moment and this will be a big boost for him. “She is also going to a fantastic trainer in Chris (Waller) and as a studmaster that is where you want to see your horses going as you know they will get every possible chance. “On the evidence so far, this has been a very good sale and is just what the vendors needed. Sales like this one and the Proisir filly earlier are just life changing. “This mare has a Satono colt at foot and is back in foal to him so we are hopeful the family is going to go from strength to strength.” Mulcaster had also been involved as an underbidder on the $1.6million Proisir filly and was pleased to secure the Satono Aladdin after missing out to Peter Moody earlier. “We had a real good go at the sister to Prowess and making $1.6million just stretched us too far, so we’re delighted to secure this filly,” he said. “Her full brother (Japanese Emperor) is obviously a decent horse, his run in the Guineas was good and this filly looks a very good type and we are happy to have got her. “It was a solid sort of day today although we take it step by step as we are type buyers rather than pedigree as we just want to buy the best horses with Karaka being very good to us.” View the full article

One of the cult heroes of New Zealand racing has passed away with news coming through that former Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner and successful stallion Jimmy Choux (NZ) (Thorn Park) was humanely euthanised earlier in the week. The multiple Group One winner was the standout story of racing in New Zealand during the 2011 calendar year where he captured four Group One titles and went within a length of a fifth when finishing runner-up to Pinker Pinker in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) of that year. His accomplishments for owners and breeders Richard and Liz Wood put fledgling trainer John Bary and former jumps jockey turned flat rider Jonathan Riddell on the map, with Bary quick to pay tribute to his mate and stable star. “We got the news from his home at Rosalee Park Stud in Western Australia on Tuesday that he had to be humanely euthanized as he was suffering from nose cancer,” Bary said. “It certainly brought back some very special memories as he was such a lovely horse, a great character and he put a novice trainer and battling former jumps jockey on the map. “The support he had from the general public was quite amazing as they really seemed to take him to heart and he returned that affection by trying his heart out every time we lined him up. “He wasn’t a natural talent but he had a big heart and big brain which meant he did things that a lot of horses couldn’t do. It would be great to have a few more like him in the stable.” Bary nominated his 2011 New Zealand Derby win as one of his fondest memories and was philosophical about the lowlight which was the narrow defeat in the Cox Plate later that year. “He gave me my first stakes victory when he won the Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham (Gr.2, 1200m) and then in his three-year-old season he won the Derby which was worth $2.2million at the time, which was just enormous for us all. “He went close to becoming the first horse to complete the Triple Crown at Hastings as he finished runner up in the Makfi Challenge Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m) before winning the next two legs,” he said. “We took him to Australia for the Cox Plate and he went so close to winning that day. “Jonathan rode a ten out of ten race that day and we got beaten by an eleven out of eleven effort by Craig Williams on Pinker Pinker.” Following his successful racetrack career Jimmy Choux found his way to Rich Hill Stud at Walton in the Waikato where he produced Group One winners The Bostonian and Two Illicit amongst his five individual stakes winners. “Jimmy was with us for eight seasons after his racetrack career,” Rich Hill principal John Thompson said. “He was an easy horse to promote as he had such a following and he left some very nice horses without quite reaching the heights we wanted him to. “He had The Bostonian and Two Illicit but was probably a very good bread and butter stallion and it is sad to hear about his demise as he was a lovely horse to have around the farm. “The breeders here didn’t want to support him in the end but he found a lovely home in West Australia.” Jimmy Choux won twelve of his 26 starts and more than $3.6million during his career on the track and produced 141 individual winners from his time at stud. View the full article

Waikato Stud resident stallion Super Seth was amongst the major highlight results on Day One of the National Yearling Sales series at Karaka when Patella Bloodstock’s Mike Kneebone outlaid $700,000 for a colt consigned as Lot 146 from the Pencarrow Stud draft. Out of the stakes placed Danroad mare Irion, the colt is a half-brother to the stakes winning mares Zourion and Pearl of Alsace. Irion is the daughter of Group Two winner Dopff with outstanding gallopers Octapussy, Pussy Willow, Valpolicella and Vilanova in his extended pedigree. Acting on behalf of Hong Kong clients, Kneebone was determined to secure the colt from the moment he saw him. “We’re really excited as when I first got over to New Zealand last Saturday as soon as I saw him come out of the box I was very keen on him,” Kneebone said. “I thought he was going to be around that $400,000 to $500,000 mark, but my people were really strong on him and said, ‘if you like him, keep going’.” Kneebone and the colt’s new owners will let the dust settle before making any decisions on his future. “So, we’re not in any rush with him. We will send him out to the farm to be broken in and then decide on a trainer as we go forward,” he said. “We haven’t really thought about that too much at this stage. We wanted to get a colt and we were looking for one who probably had a stallion’s pedigree. “If you’re lucky enough to get one to win a Group One race or go on to be a very, very good racehorse, we felt he had that pedigree to go with the quality and as you can see, the mare produces a really nice type. “We thought that (Group One win) might be in Australia but since the announcements from Entain and all the positiveness in New Zealand, that’s all of a sudden a big possibility for us now and that’s one of the reasons why we’re not discounting New Zealand for his initial racing.” Kneebone was also complimentary about the progeny of former Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) winner Super Seth who currently has his first crop of two-year-olds on the track in New Zealand and Australia. “I think he’s one of those sires on the rise,” he said. “He’s had good sales all the way through, all the really good judges have bought them previously and I just think he’s got a really nice line of horses again this year. “That’s always the risk, a sire that’s up and coming like that, but with the backing of Waikato Stud, he’s a good punt.” View the full article

Ex-pat Kiwi Jamie Richards made his presence felt early in the piece on Day One at Karaka as he and Bloodstock Agent Andrew Williams went to $725,000 to purchase Lot 55, a Zoustar colt from the I Am Invincible mare Evalina consigned from the Elsdon Park draft. Richards, who is back in New Zealand for the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale with fiancé Danielle and new baby Spencer, and Williams had already outlaid $275,000 for a Fastnet Rock colt (Lot 9) offered by Woburn Farm and had to fight off some spirited competition to secure the striking Zoustar youngster. He is the first foal of Listed Levin Stakes (1200m) winner Evalina, who also finished third behind Julius and Winter Bride in the 2020 Gr.1 Railway (1200m) and hails from a family that includes Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) winner Singing The Blues and Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) winner Referral. Richards was attracted by the physical presence of the colt who is likely to stay in New Zealand for his early education and racing. “It’s great to be back home in New Zealand and this colt looks like a real runner, out of a champion sire and from a stakes winning mare who is also by a champion sire (I Am Invincible),” he said. “Just a real running type of horse who we have bought for some good Hong Kong clients. “We’re not 100 percent sure what we will do with him but it is likely he will stay here and hopefully be aimed towards the Karaka Million (2YO, 1200m) although at some stage he will make his way up to Hong Kong. “He was the one we were keen to be really strong on although we had to see off the boss and thankfully, we were able to get it done.” Richards was referring to his former mentor, Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis, who was the underbidder on the colt. Richards learnt his craft at Te Akau Racing and headed the National Trainers Premiership on three separate occasions for the Matamata operation and once in partnership with Stephen Autridge before making his way to train in Hong Kong in 2022. He has made a successful fist of his time so far in Hong Kong with 35 winners in his first season and is currently sitting 12th of the Trainers ladder with 16 wins for the 2023/2024 season. “We are ticking along okay (in Hong Kong) as we try and build up a bit of momentum,” Richards said. “We have a stable full of young horses and it is a very challenging environment but very rewarding. “It is also good to come home and see the confidence that is building in New Zealand racing as sitting back and watching what is going on from Hong Kong, it appears to be very exciting. “It is great to see the buzz as it is good for the Industry.” Richards advised the Zoustar colt would go to his father Paul’s stable for his early education before any further plans for his future were made. View the full article

Studmaster Mark Baker looked more than a little stunned in the aftermath of a lifetime dream being achieved early on the first day of Book 1 of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka on Sunday. Baker has just seen the full sister by Proisir to outstanding racemare Prowess knocked down to a $1.6 million bid by leading Victorian trainer Peter Moody to set a new record for the female sex at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, eclipsing the $1.45 million set by the Zabeel-Marquise filly sold at Karaka in 2001. “We’ve never sold a $1 million yearling in our lives although we’ve dreamt of it,” Baker said. “This is just massive and we were lucky we had some real heavyweights bidding on her. “This would be massive for a big farm let alone one like us and all from a mare we bought for just $20,000 and off an $11,000 service fee that Proisir stood for that year.” Baker was referring to their Don Eduardo mare Donna Marie, the dam of Prowess who fetched $230,000 at Karaka in 2021 before going on to be a multiple Group One winner. She won more than $1.34 million from the Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable before having her racing career cut short due to a hoof injury. Her racetrack performances certainly added plenty of interest to her full sister that was consigned by Hallmark as Lot 21, with a full auditorium witnessing a fierce three-way bidding duel between respected international buyers Moody, and Bloodstock Agents Shamus Mills and Guy Mulcaster. “We own a share in Proisir and this is great for the farm, great for the mare and also for all the staff at home who put their heart and soul into preparing these horses for sale,” Baker said. “This is great for Dad (Denny) as well and is a long way from selling them for $1000 at Claudelands back in the 1980’s like he did. “From the moment she was born we knew we had a special filly on our hands and that was even before Prowess kicked up and did what she did. “She has always had a great action, a great brain and it was really a matter of getting her here in one piece. “We might have a short and sharp celebration tonight and then maybe a bit more after the sales are finished as we still have a fair few left to sell.” Moody was quick to outline the qualities he saw in the filly after his interest was piqued when working his way through the sales catalogue. “This is a big dive into the ocean, but she is a bloody nice filly,” Moody said. “Obviously a lot of people were on her and she paraded well and presented herself well all week. “She is a full to a Group One winner so she has that residual ticket following her racing career and when you see what Proisir has done with six individual Group One winners in a season it was a very strong attraction. “I would have loved to have bought her for $800,000 but for a special filly like this you have to go beyond, especially when you look at the catalogue and see her as a full sister to a superstar (Prowess) who I thought would have won the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) last year before things went against her. “It’s seldom you come to a sale and see a filly like this who is arguably a better type than the sister, although only time will tell with her. “It was a grind to get her but thankfully we came out on top.” Moody advised she will go straight back to his base in Victoria and expected to see her getting more serious about her racetrack aspirations in twelve months’ time. View the full article

Te Akau stablemates Angel Wings (outer) and Superbly Written fight out the finish. Photo: Race Images South After reaching the 99 mark on Wednesday at Matamata, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson were swift in recording their 100th domestic winner for the 2023/24 season early at Riccarton’s Saturday meeting. The powerhouse Te Akau stable has surpassed the 100 mark for the past five seasons on the bounce, initially with former trainer Jamie Richards at the helm, before Walker returned from Singapore in 2022/23 and rewrote the history books in amassing a record total of 203 winners, as well as the fastest to a century. Sam Bergerson joined Walker in partnership this season, and from the stable’s 523 starters, now has three Group One, four Group Two, three Group Three and three Listed winners to his credit with an overall strike rate of 5.2. Te Akau principal David Ellis credited the pair alongside the remainder of their staff at both Matamata and Riccarton Park bases, the latter producing the 100th victor in Angel Wings, who was guided by former Te Akau apprentice Joe Kamaruddin, ahead of stablemate Superbly Written. “What a great achievement by Mark and Sam to reach 100 wins in such a quick time again this season, and it’s hugely rewarding to everyone involved; staff, owners, and for Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) and me too,” Ellis said. “Everyone that works for Te Akau gives 110%, and without that type of commitment, you just can’t get these sorts of results.” Te Akau Racing established its first Trans-Tasman stable at Cranbourne earlier this season, with champion mare Imperatriz’s three Group Ones headlining nine victories from their Australian-based representatives. “(The 100 wins) have included 18 stakes winners between New Zealand and Australia, and we’ve got some nice black-type chances coming up through the summer and autumn in both countries,” Ellis said. More horse racing news View the full article

Akrotiri headed home a New Zealand-bred trifecta at Moonee Valley. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Up-and-comer Akrotiri passed his first staying test with flying colours at Moonee Valley on Saturday, heading a New Zealand-bred trifecta. Akrotiri jumped well from the starting gates and jockey Celine Gaudray allowed the Tarzino gelding to stride forward, taking the lead turning out of the straight on the first occasion. He dictated terms from there and kicked hard before turning for home, putting himself out of reach of Interlinked and Miss Tarzy. Trained by Cindy Alderson at Cranbourne, Akrotiri has now had six starts for three wins and $124,350 in stakes. “Cindy gave me a lot of confidence before I hopped on today,” Gaudray said. “She thought he’d run a good race, and she just wanted me to keep it smooth. He’s a big-striding horse, so I just let him find his rhythm. He was too strong in the end. “He’s very inexperienced. He didn’t handle the corner that well today, but he’ll take good improvement from this and there’ll be no problems going further.” Alderson was always confident that the step up beyond 1600m would bring Akrotiri into his element. “He’s a good young stayer,” he said. “Blinkers were off for the first time today. Celine did a great job getting him out of the barriers and giving him a perfect run. “He’s a big, long, lanky horse. He can’t really accelerate when he’s caught back behind them on the fence in a stop-start race, but today, with free running and a well-judged ride from Celine, he went really well. “It was good to see him relaxing and striding along so nicely today. I’ve got no doubt he’ll do 2400m, and maybe he can even go further than that. Who knows?” More horse racing news View the full article

Staying at Santa Anita Park for the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) instead of going to Florida for the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) may put Newgrange in a good position to make his next start abroad, possibly in the Dubai World Cup (G1).View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellamore finally breaks through at the graded stakes level with a gutsy performance in the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park Jan. 27.View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellamore finally broke through at the top level with a gutsy performance in the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park Jan. 27.View the full article

Warm Heart made her final career race one to remember as she defeated males and lowered the Gulfstream Park course record in winning the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) Jan. 27.View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellamore finally broke through at the top level with a gutsy performance in the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park Jan. 27.View the full article

Lucky Appeal became the first winner for Louisiana stallion Breaking Lucky in winning a $33,000 open maiden race by a neck Jan. 27 at Sam Houston Race Park.View the full article

By Adam Hamilton Exciting young Kiwi pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming looks right on target for the $450,000 Group 1 Hunter Cup. Mark and Nathan Purdon’s emerging open-class star launched his Aussie raid with a close and fantastic second to proven topliner Better Eclipse in last night’s $50,000 Casey Classic at Melton. It was a terrific pointer to the five-year-old prospects in next Saturday night’s Hunter Cup against an even stronger field, headed by Leap To Fame. Don’t Stop Dreaming sat in the one-one trail, launched with a big sprint from the 400m, but Better Eclipse was able to get away from behind the leader at an ideal time and win by a head. The win took Better Eclipse past $1 million in earnings. He’s raced 60 times for 21 wins, 21 placings and $1,013,270. X X X Trainer Grant Dixon hopes to have two runners in the Hunter Cup. His superstar pacer Leap To Fame posted his seventh successive and 30th from just 40 starts at Albion Park last night. And stablemate Tims A Trooper ran a terrific second. “I’d love to run them both,” he said. “I think Tims A Trooper deserves a crack at it, he’s right back to his best.” Leap To Fame worked forward from a wide draw to take the front and ripped home in 54.9sec to beat Tims A Trooper by 3.5m at Albion Park last night. “I’m glad we got that extra run into him last night. You need to have them screwed right down for a race like the Hunter Cup,” Dixon said. Leap To Fame is a $1.60 in prepost markets to add the Hunter Cup to his fantastic record. X X X Team McCarthy also plans to have two Hunter Cup runners after classy pair Spirit Of St Louis and Cantfindabettorman ran second and third respectively at Menangle last night. The pair were first-up and chased home classy former Kiwi pacer Taipo in good times. Spirit Of St Louis will be lining up for his third consecutive Hunter Cup, having run second to King Of Swing in 2022 and sixth last year. Cantfindabettorman beat Leap To Fame as a three-year-old and McCarthy expects him to become a serious open-class player. “He’s on the up,” he said. “He had no luck through the Inter Dominion heats and easily won the consolation.” X X X There is just no stopping champion trotter Just Believe. Jess Tubbs’ eight-year-old looks to have another Great Southern Star at his mercy this week after cruising to his seventh successive win in last night’s Group 2 Dullard Cup at Melton. It took Just Believe to $1,011,673, making him the first Aussie-bred trotter to top $1 million in earnings. The gelding is 10th on the all-time Australasian trotting earners list with the potential to get as high as second to Lyell Creek in coming weeks. Star Kiwi-owned mare Queen Elida ran a much better race when she sat parked and finished a terrific second to Just Believe last night. She will need to draw better than Just Believe to have any chance of upstaging him in the Great Southern Star next week. X X X Superstar mare Encipher broke down while winning yet another feature race at Melton last night. The inaugural $2.1mil TAB Eureka winner broke a pastern on her way to victory in the $75,000 Group 2 Ladyship Cup. It was her 18th win from just 30 starts (with seven seconds and a third). She’s earned $1.635,479. “I knew she’d broken down when we got into the back straight after the win,” driver Kate Gath said. “It’s devastating. I love her. She’s given me so many great moments and tries so hard.” Trainer Emma Stewart said Encipher was having surgery today. “She went straight to the Ballarat clinic from Melton, We just hope the surgery goes well,” she said. View the full article

October (NZ) (Ocean Park) put his head down where it mattered in an exciting three-way finish in the S$75,000 Restricted Maiden race (1400m) on Saturday. Coming from fourth position one-off the rails in the running, the Stephen Gray-trained three-year-old was set alight on the outside by jockey Ryan Curatolo at the 400m, with two other promising youngsters, Fire and favourite June joining in the fight at the 200m. Fire got the upper hand momentarily at the 150m mark, but the two Falcon Racing No 7 Stable-owned horses on his inside, October and June, were still up for the tussle. Under a hard drive from Duric, it looked like June could win the bob from October, but when push came to shove, the latter proved hard to mow down. The son of Ocean Park fought back and took out his first win by a head. Fire came in second while June was nosed out into third. Assistant-trainer Saimee Jumaat knew October was not quite the finished article yet but was relieved to see him get on the board at his fifth start. “He was ‘floating around’ in the straight and I wasn’t too sure, but when the other horse (Fire) came alongside him, he picked up again,” said the former champion jockey, who stood in for Gray who was in New Zealand for the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale. “He’s still a bit green but he’s come on a bit from the last couple of runs. “He’s done a good job and we’ll see how he goes. He’s bred to stay and he’s looking for more grounds. “It would be nice to have a Novice race next for him to progress naturally before he goes to open company. It could be 1400m or 1600m for him next. “He was supposed to be (jockey) Matthew’s (Kellady) ride, but unfortunately, he’s out for now, so we were lucky to have Ryan for the ride. “He (Curatolo) did take the horse out for a canter over the week once. He had to know the horse because he’s (October) still a bit quirky.” October ran second at his last two starts when ridden by Kellady, but the latter is currently on the sidelines after suffering multiple fractures to his eye socket when Gemilang reared in the parade ring last Saturday. The in-form French rider agreed October was a bit immature, but he had the right amount in the tank to finish on top of the rest. “He felt good in the morning, was nice and relaxed, but he’s so much better on the turf and proved it today,” he said. “The trainer (Gray) put him on the right distance. We had a good draw (four). “He’s a bit green on the line when I asked him to go, but after going ‘left and right’ for a couple of times, he found just enough to put his head in front at the right time. “I think 1400m might be the best distance for him now.” Bought for NZ$60,000 from the Ohukia Lodge draft as a two-year-old at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, October has now taken his earnings to over S$50,000 for connections. View the full article

Terri Rae had plenty to celebrate on her home track of Riccarton Park on Saturday, recording a winning treble capped off by the ever-improving Sir Albert (NZ) (Savabeel). Sir Albert has been a model of consistency for Rae this season, claiming victories over 1600m, 1800m, and a stunning display over 2000m during New Zealand Cup Week. The son of Savabeel journeyed to Trentham last Saturday to contest the $350,000 Remutaka Classic (2100m), and a luckless run saw him finish strongly late in midfield, a performance duly rectified in the Woodbourne Tavern & Motels Bottle-O Renwick Marlborough Cup (2000m) on Saturday. Back at his favourite course, where all three of his previous on-turf victories where recorded, the four-year-old started a warm $2.90 favourite ahead of fellow local talent Jon Ol Rocco ($4.20). In the hands of northern jockey Joe Kamaruddin, Sir Albert was settled back in the 10-horse field, the tempo solid up-front with Amazon Goddess in command. Nearing the 800m mark, Sir Albert remained upwards of 16 lengths from the runaway pacemaker, but a no-panic ride from Kamaruddin saw the gelding track Jon Ol Rocco into the clear, with Sir Albert eventually prevailing in a tough head-bobbing battle to the post. “He was possibly going to go to Dunedin (next Saturday) after Wellington, but he ended up pretty much following them around up there and running home. He ran the second quickest last 600m and still went really well,” Rae said. “It was his first trip away, but he came through that well, so we thought while the track was good, which he prefers, it would be a good race to back up in. Back at a better weight and better footing, it all worked perfectly for him.” Andrew Carston’s Jon Ol Rocco has been a key rival for Rae’s charge this season, finishing ahead of Sir Albert on three occasions over 1600m, while the diminutive gelding narrowly cemented his place on top over 2000m. “Jon Ol Rocco is a big strapping horse, he seems to have the better of Albert at a mile, but over the 2000m, Albert really shows his best,” Rae said. “They’re both lightly tried, promising horses and super consistent, so it was nice to see them fight out the finish.” Sir Albert with strapper Ruby Rae following the Woodbourne Tavern & Motels Bottle-O Renwick Marlborough Cup (2000m) at Riccarton. Photo: Race Images South The victory was Sir Albert’s fifth in just 13 raceday appearances, bringing his total earnings over $151,000, with Rae crediting his impressive performance to niece Ruby, who works at the stable. “She does a great job and she loves all the horses, but especially Albert. He’s a funny little horse, very small but tries so hard,” she said. “Albert’s done a great job this prep, he’s pretty tired tonight and it was a big trip for him last weekend, so he is coming home and will have a few weeks out now. We’ll decide what to do with him from there.” Sir Albert’s triumph was the third in a successful meeting for Rae, saluting earlier on the card with Spot On Time (NZ) (Time Test) in the Karaka 2024 Maiden (1400m), and Chapinteel (NZ) (Savabeel) in the D Reynolds Electrical Rating 65 (1800m), with Aristocrat a close-up second in the Lot 933 Jon Snow Filly At Karaka 2024 (1800m). A son of Time Test, Spot On Time was a commanding victor under Kylie Williams at her third start, the victory a sentimental one for Rae with the children of the late Kevin Pratt (former principal of Kamada Park) in the ownership. “We were expecting Spot On Time to go pretty well, especially at the 1400m. He won really nicely,” she said. “I used to train for Kevin Pratt, so the kids have all taken over and they race this horse now. They were all very happy, so it was cool to get the win for them.” Lightly-tried Savabeel mare Chapinteel has been in a work in progress for Rae, and produced a professional effort to go back-to-back in successive weeks under apprentice Niranjan Parmar. “She’s only really lightly-raced, the owners have been very patient with her and she’s been given a fair bit of time. She’s really putting it all together now, maturing and furnishing into a really nice horse. She just needed some confidence,” she said. “We’ve got a great little team, it was great to get these results.” View the full article

Taking command leaving the second turn, 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure opened up a stretch lead and outlasted late-running Senor Buscador in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

During an interview on Saturday's NBC broadcast of the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, 1/ST CEO Belinda Stronach announced that Santa Anita Park will play host to the “California Crown” Sept. 28, which she said will have some of the same elements as Gulfstream's Pegasus World Cup Day. The Pegasus has become a huge event for 1/ST, who owns both racetracks. “We have an amazing relationship with the folks here in Miami, but we're going to move it out West,” Stronach said. “Not the Pegasus, but a new race called the California Crown. We're going do something that's unique to California, something old school with a Hollywood vibe. It will be tremendous racing. It will be the richest day of racing in California. We're going to be bi-coastal. The Pegasus will remain here in Miami and continue to grow. We'll be doing something very similar but very 'California' at Santa Anita Sept. 28 this year.” The Associated Press reported that the California Crown would replace the GI Awesome Again S., a race for 3-year-olds and up. The AP reported that the California Crown will be for 3-year-olds. “(Santa Anita) doesn't have a marquee, special-event date,” Stronach told The AP. Few details were available at deadline for this story, including the intended purse or what would consist of the undercard. 1/ST Racing and Gaming President Aidan Butler told the Associated Press that the purse would depend on the division of revenue between northern and southern California this year after the closing of Golden Gate Fields in June. The post 1/ST Racing Unveils Marquee Event For Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article