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Kingsclere duo kick-off spring campaigns

The burgeoning training partnership of Roger James and Robert Wellwood will give a pair of talented five-year-old mares their first hit-out of the season when they line-up in the Celebrating Melody Belle 1400 at Ellerslie on Saturday. It could be the start of an exciting spring for Group One performer Rondinella who is earmarked to head across the Tasman to target some rich Australian spoils after Saturday’s run. “We originally were going to head straight to Australia, but a couple of target...

Telegraph tilt on the cards for Emily Margaret

Last season’s New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Emily Margaret will kick-off her season in the gavelhouse.com Open Handicap (1000m) at Riccarton on Saturday. The Kevin and Pam Hughes-trained mare won four of her 11 starts last term, including the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m), Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m), and Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m). “I was very pleased with her last season,” Kevin Hughes said. “She was very brave and getting that Group Two was th...

NZ Racing and Breeding News – 6 September 2019

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Aussie Spring Contenders

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Lucky For All works hard for Valley return

After taking over the training of Lucky For All trainer Mick Price sent the four-time winner back to school. A former member of disqualified trainer Darren Weir's yard, Lucky For All was transferred to Price and training partner Mick Kent jr for his current campaign. Lucky For All makes his racetrack return at The Valley on Saturday in the Drummond Golf Handicap (1600m) having not started since being well in the market and finishing a fading 11th in last year's Ballarat Cup. "We've done a fair ...

AUDIO: Murray Baker

Murray Baker talks to Michael Felgate on RSN Racing & Sport 927am Inner Sanctum...

Greene heads to Wanganui to flaunt star filly

She may have earned her stripes on the heavy tracks of winter but Hamilton trainer David Greene believes Flaunting possesses the good track ability to be competitive in November's Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. A winner of two of her six starts, the Showcasing filly won the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui in June before second placings at Te Rapa and in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki, all on heavy tracks this winter. She had finished sec...

Northern win in Logan’s sights

Fledgling trainer Samantha Logan will hunt her first Network Visuals Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) win at Ellerslie on Saturday but don't presume this has been anything but meticulously planned. Logan, a daughter of leading trainer Donna Logan and her late husband and training partner Dean, has been training professionally for just four years but the 27-year-old has already impressed astute judges with her success rate. She will saddle last-start Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4900m) winner Lacustre ...

Tavisan aiming for first stakes scalp

Multiple stakes-placed gelding Tavisan will be aiming to add a black-type victory to his tally when he competes in the Listed Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained four-year-old has been in fine form this preparation, recording two wins and a placing from three starts, including a two length victory at Moonee Valley last start. It was an all the way victory for the son of Tavistock and Price said it was a brillia...

Bosson back on Belle

Fortuna Syndications Director, John Galvin, has confirmed Opie Bosson will ride Melody Belle in the second leg of the Hawke’s Bay Racing Triple Crown, the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), taking over from Michael McNab who has ridden the mare in her past two outings, including last Saturday’s comprehensive victory in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m). “Opie has declared himself available to ride for us on September 21,” Galvin said. “Opie is the number one stable rider for Te Akau Racin...

Local double for Gavin

Pukekohe trainer Ray Gavin picked up a winning double at his local meeting on Wednesday courtesy of two plum rides by Rowena Smyth. She kicked home $38 outsider Innamincka to win the Dunstan Horse Feeds 1600 before securing an all the way victory aboard $2.50 favourite Bullybrook in the Haunui Farm 1200. It was the first win for Bullybrook who had been runner-up in his first two races and Gavin was relieved to get that maiden win out of the way. “We expected this one (Bullybrook) to win and no...

Miss Federer to commence spring campaign

Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston is expecting a bold showing fresh-up from multiple stakes winner Miss Federer, as the well-named daughter of Swiss Ace commences a spring campaign on her home track on Saturday in the NZ Bloodstock Three-Year-Old (1000m). The Christchurch-horseman, who won 21 races last season, cautioned that Miss Federer would be entering the event without a trial.  “I’m as happy as I can be,” Carston said. “She hasn’t trialled and that’s purely because in the ...

Guineas tilt for impressive maiden winner

Three-year-old gelding Caithness Kid will get his first opportunity at stakes level when he lines-up in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1340m) on Saturday. The son of Keeper put in an eye-catching run late to win his first-up run at Matamata last week although trainer Karen Nicholson believes he still has a bit to learn. “I felt he was still a little bit green and a little bit hesitant,” she said. “I thought they would be a bit quick for him, but he just settles naturally. It’s quit...

The Shark set for Australian debut

Exciting New Zealand galloper Te Akau Shark will kick-off his spring campaign in Australia on Saturday where he will contest the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in front of some of his local owners, including Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Captain Paul Gallen. The five-year-old son of Rip Van Winkle pleased connections with his runner-up performance in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa last month and trainer Jamie Richards said he has settled in well to his new surroundings in Sydn...

NZB to Sponsor Newcastle's Spring Stakes

New Zealand Bloodstock is excited to enter a partnership with the Newcastle Jockey Club, sponsoring the A$160,000 Group 3 New Zealand Bloodstock Spring Stakes (1600m) on November 16. First run in 1987, the three-year-old feature has been won by subsequent Group 1 stars such as Ebony Grosve (NZ) (Grosvenor), Dracula (Quest For Fame), Shogun Lodge (Grand Lodge), Universal Prince (Scenic), Lotteria (Redoute's Choice) and Hotel Grand (Grand Lodge). Recent winners Sweynesse (Lonhro) and Proisir (Choi...

Daffodil Raceday raises record funds for Cancer Society

Tarzino Trophy TAB Daffodil Raceday raised $40,000 for Hawke’s Bay cancer patients and their families, surpassing the previous fundraising record of $36,000 set last year. “We are in shock. Good shock! $40,000 will have a massive impact in helping to provide services for Hawke’s Bay patients and their whanau,” Hawke’s Bay Cancer Society Acting Centre Manager Chris Franklyn said. “We can’t speak highly enough of the commitment and passion of the team at Hawke’s Bay Racing and the ...

Coming Through his grades with tougher assignment

Just like most Kranji racegoers on hand three weeks ago, trainer Desmond Koh was suitably impressed by New Zealand-bred Coming Through’s emphatic debut win, but remained realistic it may not be the same one-way traffic second-up this Friday. The Singaporean handler couldn’t fault the way Coming Through has trained on since that first win, which came in a 1100m race in Open Maiden company on August 16, but the S$75,000 Novice race over 1200m - on Polytrack again - will be a different kettle o...

Baker-Forsman switch focus to Victoria

Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman kicked-off their Australian spring in the best possible fashion on Saturday with Quick Thinker taking out the Gr.3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill and the champion trainers will turn their attention to Victoria later this week as their next wave of spring hopefuls step out for the first time. “We have got three in Melbourne that flew over on Sunday morning,” Baker said. “Long Jack races at Ballarat on Friday in a 1400m maiden an...

Bargain buy begins Melbourne Cup charge

Surprise Baby, a $NZ5,500 purchase off gavelhouse.com, will kick-off his Melbourne Cup campaign at Moonee Valley on Saturday when he contests the Gr.2 John F. Feehan Stakes (1600m). The surprise package has now won four of his eight starts since being purchased off the online auction website, including victory in the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m). The Paul Preusker-trained five-year-old hasn’t raced since finishing a narrow second in the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m), a race that would have...

Marsh pleased with quality pair

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh stepped out stable stars Vernanme and Crown Prosecutor for the first time this season at Ruakaka on Saturday and he was pleased with what he saw. Group One performer Vernanme finished runner-up to Mac Attacka in the Harcourts Just Rentals (1400m) and Marsh said he will take a lot of benefit from the run. “I was really happy with Vernanme, 1400m was always going to be short of his best,” Marsh said. “He took a little while to win as a maiden, so as a rating 8...

Morley going with the Breeze in Australia

If you don’t go, you won’t know. That’s the mindset South Auckland trainer Allan Morley is taking with Melbourne Cup aspirant Blue Breeze as he prepares to kick-off his spring campaign in Australia on Friday. The six-year-old stayer will contest the Listed Wyong Gold Cup (2100m), the first of four lead-up races to his ultimate goal, the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November. The gelding, who placed in three stakes races last term including the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m), has pleased Morley...

Walk the course returns to Ellerslie

The Auckland Racing Club is delighted to announce the return of their steeplechase course walk – this year hosted by jumps racing legends, Michelle Strawbridge and Wayne Hillis. Taking place prior to the 135th running of this Saturday’s Network Visuals Great Northern Steeplechase, the Club will open both its famed steeplechase course, and new function space – Tote on Ascot – for the public to come and take a look at. Starting with a complimentary morning tea at 9.00am in Tote on Asc...

Audio: Tony Pike

Trackside Radio’s Des Coppins catches up with trainer Tony Pike to talk about Kali’s win at Hastings on Saturday....

Audio: Rick Williams

Trackside Radio’s Des Coppins speaks with The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams about Catalyst....

Audio: John Galvin

Trackside Radio’s Des Coppins speaks with John Galvin of Fortuna Thoroughbreds about Melody Belle’s win in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) on Satruday....