Underrated filly Epee Beel claimed her first career stakes victory in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) on Saturday, and in doing so brought up a special milestone for co-trainer Michael Pitman as she became winner number 2000 in New Zealand for the Riccarton maestro.
The brand-new $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m) was created with the goal of giving lower-profile southern stables their moment in the sun, and the inaugural running at Riccarton on Saturday could hardly have done that better.
Promising stayer Samuel Langhorne came with a well-timed run under jockey Blaike McDougall to claim the lion’s share of the prize in the Carlton Draught BM78 Handicap (2400m) at the standalone Bendigo meeting on Saturday.
New Plymouth trainer Janelle Millar secured the seventh black-type win of her career in Saturday’s Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) at Otaki, and this one meant more than most.
The Listed Riccarton Park Function Centre Welcome Stakes (1000m) has been moved to a new position on the South Island’s racing calendar, but its first autumn running at Riccarton on Saturday brought no change to Te Akau Racing’s dominance of the two-year-old feature.
Having already secured a special place in South Island racing history through a career spanning more than four decades, it would be fitting for Riccarton trainer Michael Pitman to take a share of the spotlight during an exciting raceday on his home track on Saturday.
With the curtain coming down on the racing career of Te Akau Racing’s 10-time Group One winner Imperatriz yesterday, they are now looking forward to unveiling their next future star, which could very well come at Riccarton on Saturday.
Wexford Stables have the future in the forefront of their minds with a couple of juvenile debutants at Te Rapa on Sunday.
Orchestral will aim to follow in the footsteps of some of New Zealand’s greatest fillies when she contests Saturday’s A$1 million Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick.
Australasia’s darling of the turf, Imperatriz, has been retired from racing.
In the wake of the abandonment of Wednesday’s race meeting at Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR), in conjunction with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), have undertaken a comprehensive investigation, resulting in an agreed plan of action that will be implemented to address safety concerns and ensure future racing success.
Victorian trainer Dominic Sutton has made a strong start to his training career highlighted by a pair of two-year-olds sourced from New Zealand.
