Hassman off to a perfect start
Hayley Hassman kicked off her riding career in the best possible fashion at Te Rapa on Saturday when winning aboard Hill Of Kings in her first raceday ride.
McNab not resting on his laurels
Champion rider Michael McNab set a hectic pace during the 2022/23 season and he’s ready to hit the ground running again in the new term.
Mongolian Falcon sires first winner
Mongolian Falcon got off the mark as a sire last Friday when Mumbo Jumbo broke through for her maiden win on Riccarton’s synthetic track.
Savabeel underpins another special season for Waikato Stud
The 2022-23 racing season has delivered another long line of triumphs for Waikato Stud, whose continued success has come on the back of two of its iconic stallions.
U S Navy Flag takes top first-season honours
Less than two months after The Oaks Stud made the bold decision to purchase U S Navy Flag outright from Coolmore Stud, their faith in the former shuttle stallion has been rewarded with the title of New Zealand’s champion first-season sire of 2022-23.
Young horseman gets Foote in the training door
There will be a new trainer’s name in the racebook come Tuesday, with Ryan Foote set to join his father Ben in partnership at the dawn of the new season.
Walker ends season on winning note
Mark Walker put a winning seal on a stellar season when taking out the last race of the card at Te Rapa on Saturday with Hero Worship.
Russo strikes gold again with Kiwi-bred purchase
Bluegrass Bloodstock principal Lenny Russo looks to have unearthed another treasure from his regular forays into the New Zealand tried horse market with Struck Gold, a three-year-old son of Castledale who romped home by four lengths at Echuca on Friday when making his Australian debut.
Carston secures South Island Trainers’ Premiership
Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston finished the season off on a high at his home track last Friday when scoring a winning treble and securing the South Island Trainers’ Premiership in the process.
Course specialist turns up trumps at Te Rapa
Turn The Ace returned to his favourite track at Te Rapa on Saturday and immediately bounced back into the winner’s enclosure with a dominant front-running victory in open company over 1400m.
Elle of a win for Phelan in Te Rapa feature
Underrated mare Enchanted Elle provided trainer Shaun Phelan with another major prize as a trainer when she took out the Taumarunui RSA Gold Cup (2200m) in the hands of apprentice Jess Allen
Thrilling finish to Ryder Stakes
In a thrilling finish to the Listed Phils Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m), Cambridge visitor and race favourite Itza Charmdeel got in the deciding stride at the winning post to claim the two-year-old feature at Otaki.