Helagi rides first winner
Amateur jockey Olivia Helagi was thrilled to notch up her first riding win at Arawa Park on Sunday when guiding the Murray Garrett-trained Impaired Vision to victory in the Patrons Race & Flair Amateur Riders (1950m).
Mark Twain out of Melbourne Cup
Mark Twain, New Zealand’s leading hope for this year’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), has been ruled out of spring racing with a tendon strain.
Oaks hoping So Naive can fly Group One flag
The Oaks Stud is hoping Ruakaka’s feature three-year-old event can again provide a springboard to elite level success.
Liefting pair powerful at Rotorua
The testing track conditions at Rotorua on Sunday posed no issue for Rudy Liefting’s jumpers, with Mont Ventoux and Renegade Fighter securing the two open contests by sizable margins.
Dawn rises to challenge
In-form galloper Rise At Dawn is likely to be set for a black-type assignment after notching a comfortable victory at Caulfield on Saturday in the Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1600m).
Charred chalks up first steeple success
Charred’s tough victory in the K.T Myers Racing Stables Steeplechase (3500m) at Rotorua marked a number of firsts for trainer Paul Mirabelli and jockey Corey Wiles.
Cameron’s stayer Raajoices heavy conditions
Catherine Cameron’s stayer Raajoices was back in the winner’s circle in dominant fashion at Rotorua on Sunday, claiming the Terry Fitzpatrick Memorial (2200m).
Liefting pair powerful at Rotorua
The testing track conditions at Rotorua on Sunday posed no issue for Rudy Liefting’s jumpers, with Mont Ventoux and Renegade Fighter securing the two open contests by sizable margins.
Dawn rises to challenge
In-form galloper Rise At Dawn is likely to be set for a black-type assignment after notching a comfortable victory at Caulfield on Saturday in the Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1600m).
Local colours salute in Interprovincial challenge
Taranaki representative Tobias, carrying the black and gold hoops of the Taranaki province, proved too tough in a slogging finish to the ITM New Plymouth Interprovincial (1600m) on Saturday.
Stable quinella in Ruakaka feature
The Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley training partnership had plenty to celebrate on Saturday when they produced a superb quinella in the feature event at Ruakaka, the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), with stable runners So Naive and Toruk Makto.
Southern stakes targets for Illicit Dreams
Ruakaka trainer Kenny Rae has a great record campaigning horses in the South Island and he is hoping that will continue this spring when he heads to Riccarton with Saturday winner Illicit Dreams.