Back to Blog

New Website

NZ Racing News has launched a new website. Visit: nzracingnews.com.While we are in the process of transferring the archive of stories, racingnews.co.nz will remain live....

Audio: Fraser Auret

Trackside Radio’s Des Coppins speaks with trainer Fraser Auret about Cooga Doon’s win in the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) on Saturday....

Audio: Harvey Wilson

Trackside Radio’s Des Coppins catches up with trainer Harvey Wilson after Bad Boy Brown’s win in the Great Northern Hurdle (4190m) at Ellerslie on Saturday....

Audio: Raymond Connors

Trackside Radio’s Des Coppins speaks with trainer Raymond Connors about Wise Men Say’s win in the Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday....

More well-deserved recognition for Baker

Murray Baker has now been recognised with two of the highest honours in New Zealand racing, but he’s not about to rest on his laurels. Last year Baker was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame and on Sunday evening he picked up the Outstanding Contribution to Racing Award at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards, held in Auckland. “It rates right up there with the Hall of Fame (induction),” Baker said. “I was quite surprised to get it, but I knew something was...

Century of wins for Kuru

While leading jumps jockey Aaron Kuru didn’t take out either of the feature jumps races at Ellerslie on Saturday he secured another milestone, recording his 100th New Zealand win. He reached the milestone aboard the Shaune Ritchie-trained Bee Tee Junior in the opening event of the day, the Stella Artois Hurdle (2760m). Ellerslie has been a happy stomping ground for Kuru, with the former Black Sox softball representative winning his first race at the Auckland track. “It meant a lot,” Kuru s...

Sweet taste of success for Asano

Promising Canterbury apprentice Kozzi Asano has come a long way from picking strawberries in Queensland for a living. The Japanese 24-year-old left his homeland six years ago and after almost two and a half years in Australia he is now calling New Zealand home and pursuing his desired career as a jockey. He is making a fine impression to be sitting fourth equal on the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership, albeit so early in the season. Asano is indentured to Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston, for ...

Stakes success for ill-fated Atlante

The victory of promising three-year-old filly Riva Capri in Saturday’s Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui conjured up mixed emotions for well known bloodstock agent Bruce Perry. Perry, who selects and manages the thoroughbred interests of Wellington-based owner/breeder Lib Petagna, was thrilled to see the Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen-trained filly carry Petagna’s colours to victory as the first stakes winner for the ill-fated Mapperley Stud stallion Atlante. The win also ...

STAR MARE MELODY BELLE DOMINATES HORSE OF THE YEAR VOTING

Glamour galloper Melody Belle has added the New Zealand Horse of the Year title to her growing list of achievements. The Matamata mare was an almost unanimous choice for Horse of the Year, which was announced at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards, in Auckland on Sunday night. Of the 61 votes cast for Horse of the Year, Melody Belle received 59, with one apiece for stablemate Te Akau Shark and Bostonian, who was a dual Group I winner in Australia. Melody Belle was also named Ch...

NZ Racing and Breeding News – 9 September 2019

...

Autridge delighted with start to southern mission

A gritty win by promising filly Woodcote Lass at Riccarton on Saturday has kicked off Matamata trainer Stephen Autridge’s southern campaign in the best possible style. Autridge has based a five-strong team at Riccarton for the past few weeks as they get ready to tackle some of the feature events at November’s New Zealand Cup & Show Week for owner Kevin Hickman. Autridge’s contingent is spearheaded by Gr.1 Gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) nominees Woodcote Lass and Last Hoora...

Pleasing results for kiwi contingent in Australia

Despite not managing to put a win on the board, members of the New Zealand contingent that launched their assault on the riches of the Australian spring racing carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne were happy with their showings on Saturday. Te Akau Racing mentor Jamie Richards produced Te Akau Shark and Probabeel at Royal Randwick, with their second and fourth placings respectively delighting their trainer. “I was very pleased with both their runs on a day where there was a bias towards those who...

Rogerson upbeat despite loss of top performer

Trainer Graeme Rogerson is looking forward to the second day of the Bostock New Zealand Spring Racing Carnival at Hastings later this month despite the unfortunate loss of progressive five-year-old Comeback. The Makfi gelding was humanely euthanised following his gritty run for sixth in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on August 31 after sustaining a slab fracture in his left fore carpal joint during the closing stages of the contest. “He was very brave and it’s such a shame we co...

NZ Racing and Breeding News – 8 September 2019

...

Tofane tops at The Valley

Trainer Michael Moroney had been confident of a strong performance from Group Two performer Tofane leading into Saturday and the four-year-old mare did not disappoint. The daughter of Ocean Park was second-up in the Pfd Food Services (1200m) at Moonee Valley and despite having to travel three-wide most of the trip, she had plenty in the tank to collar leader Haut Brion Hur (Zoustar) with 100m to go and went on to win by .3L. “She got the right spot to a degree,” Moroney said. “I thought sh...

Cooga Doon wins Wanganui Guineas

Lightly raced three-year-old Cooga Doon made it two wins from two starts when he took out the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1340m) in sensational fashion on Saturday. The Fraser Auret-trained Makfi gelding had set tongues wagging when successful by seven lengths over 1200m in his debut run at the venue last month. The subject of a mountain of late support that saw him start favourite for his first start in black-type company, Cooga Doon looked anything but a winning chance when he was forced ...

Wise Men Say takes second victory in Ellerslie’s great race.

Wise Men Say added his name to the Ellerslie record books when he took out one of the world’s iconic jumping races, the Network Visuals Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m), for the second time on Saturday. The ten-year-old, who had won the race in 2017, adopted tearaway tactics as he led from go to whoa to defy his rivals under the urgings of rider Shaun Fannin. The pair gave a faultless display of jumping in front throughout after taking command at the first fence of the 6400m journey. Comin...

Picaro wins in QLD

Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli has predicted more Sydney horses will be heading to Brisbane in coming weeks after Picaro won at Eagle Farm. Picaro won a battle with favourite Miss Shanti to score by a half head in the Madison Cleaning Plate (1825m). The four-year-old son of Pierro was sold as a yearling though Hallmark Stud’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock draft when purchased by Laurel Oak Bloodstock for $100,000. Portelli, who also won with Single Bullet at Eagle Farm last week, said he wou...

Sweet revenge for Bad Boy Brown in Ellerslie jumping feature

The never say die attitude of accomplished hurdler Bad Boy Brown was on display for all to see at Ellerslie on Saturday after he produced a stirring home straight rally to claim the day’s first prestige jumping event, the Boutique Body Corporates Great Northern Hurdle (4190m). Narrowly beaten in a tight finish to the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) at Riccarton last month, the Harvey Wilson-trained eight-year-old put that disappointment aside as he rallied bravely in the final 100m of the Eller...

Riva Capri impressive in Wanganui victory

Hastings visitor Riva Capri indicated she will be a filly to watch at a higher level over the next few months after she broke her maiden status in stakes company when taking out the Listed The O’Leary’s Fillies Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui. Raced in the colours of well-known owner Lib Petagna under his JML Bloodstock banner, the Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen-trained three-year-old had looked a likely type when flashing home late for second on debut at her Hastings home track back in July. Unsight...

Field Marshal doubles the score

South African trainer Ricardo Le Grange’s high opinion of Field Marshal was given another boost following a second win from as many starts on Friday night. The New Zealand-bred three-year-old by Sweet Orange made a thrilling winning debut under Le Grange’s apprentice jockey Krisna Thangamani, getting up by a nose in a Restricted Maiden race over 1200m on turf on July 28, carrying only 50kgs. Le Grange raised the ante by stepping up the Middle Kingdom Stable-owned galloper in the S$75,000 Nov...

Me Tsui wants the win as Ugly Warrior readies for Korea Sprint

Me Tsui is seeking redress. The trainer’s Fight Hero ran a race befitting his name to place a close second in last year’s Korea Sprint (1200m) - after luck deserted - and on Sunday his Ugly Warrior will enter the Seoul sand track in an attempt to go one better. “I want to win,” Tsui said, recalling the wide run from gate 13 and the barely believable, deep-closing stretch run that took the now-retired Fight Hero to within a head of Japan’s victorious Moanin. Fight Hero was allotted that...

The Chosen One faces WFA test at Valley

Champion New Zealand trainer Murray Baker's Australian spring carnival team has hit the ground running and The Chosen One will try to keep the momentum going in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes. Baker, who is now in partnership with Andrew Forsman at Cambridge, has won 21 Group One races in Australia over the past three decades, more than any New Zealand-based trainer. He has started this season's spring carnival assault with three-year-old Quick Thinker winning the Gr.3 Ming Dynasty Quality last Saturday...

Long Jack on Derby path

Long Jack will attempt to blaze a new trail from the Ballarat synthetic track to the oldest Group One classic in Australia at Flemington after a decisive maiden win on Friday.The son of So You Think, who had been runner-up at his only two starts in New Zealand, showed he was worthy of a Victoria Derby campaign when he dominated a 1400-metre maiden at the cramped odds of $1.55.Leading jockey Damian Lane had been recruited for the ride and he said later that although the colt had plenty to learn, ...

Rees hoping for crowning moment on Saturday

Morrinsville dentist Simon Rees leads a busy lifestyle, and Saturday promises to be another action-packed day. Rees, who juggles training racehorses and taking sole-charge of his dental practice in the east Waikato town, will saddle-up Laekeeper in the Boutique Body Corporates Great Northern Hurdle (4190m) at Ellerslie. The eight-year-old jumper won the Pakuranga Hunt Hurdle (3350m) at the same venue a fortnight ago and has duly been installed the $3.60 favourite for Saturday’s $125,000 featur...