With a hard-fought victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 TAB Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, Good Banter completed a trans-Tasman feature double for three-year-old progeny of former Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock.
Te Akau Racing produced the goods once again in a major two-year-old event when the highly touted Move To Strike came with a powerful late burst to capture the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham.
Fresh from an incredible interstate double in Australia last weekend with Orchestral and Mark Twain, the Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable picked up another black-type feature in New Zealand this time when race favourite Apostrophe ($3.50) claimed victory in the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2100m) at Trentham.
Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray continued an outstanding season with their stayers when up-and-coming star Nereus powered home to win the Gr.2 City Of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday.
An outstanding few weeks for Waikato Stud’s freshman sire Super Seth continued at Caulfield on Saturday with the unbeaten Feroce winning the A$150,000 Vale John Russell (1200m).
Waikato horseman Chad Ormsby is making a habit of landing major prizes at Trentham with three-year-olds that he was unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale.
A year ago, I Wish I Win scored his first elite-level scalp in the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), and on Saturday his connections are hoping for a repeat dose.
Ascot Park trainer Robert Dennis is set to line-up eight horses at his home meeting on Sunday and is hopeful of taking home several winning cheques.
Stakes performers Saint Bathans and Devastate will take an important step towards an Ellerslie feature when contesting the Dunstan Horsefeeds 1300 at Pukekohe on Saturday.
In the gap between two enormously exciting weekends in Australia, Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood are hoping to maintain their winning form in the two domestic meetings in New Zealand on Saturday.
A future in Hong Kong could be on the cards for consistent three-year-old Just As Sharp if he performs up to expectations in the Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday.
The 2023-24 season has already delivered countless highlights in both New Zealand and Australia for Te Akau Racing, and the powerhouse Kiwi syndicators are hoping the next few days will produce more of the same.
