News

The 2023-24 season has produced a long line of placings for Waipukurau owner-trainer Lucy de Lautour, who is set to make her presence felt again with two well-credentialled runners at Te Aroha on Sunday.

Cornelia made a bright start to her career with a pair of impressive performances during the summer, and the talented filly will add interest to the early part of Saturday’s Tauranga meeting when she resumes in the Gartshore Construction 3YO (1300m).

A spectacular lead-up performance at Ruakaka has given Shaun and Emma Clotworthy confidence that their stable star Malt Time is primed for a bold showing in Saturday’s Listed Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic (1400m).

The emergence of syndicators and traders Raptors Thoroughbred continued at Karaka on Thursday with the title of leading buyers at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale.

Wexford Stables hope to live up to the name of their Pukekohe victor in Winexpress when they take a strong team to Tauranga on Saturday.

All key indicators point to proven winter performer Poser going close to adding to her record at Tauranga on Saturday.

Chilli Con Khan could have been described as leftovers at one point in her life but was given a chance by Murray Garrett and the Pukekohe trainer was rewarded with an impressive maiden win at his home track on Wednesday.

Ortega has earned a late season shot at black type following her midweek success at Pukekohe.

The juvenile daughter of Reliable Man produced a tenacious performance at her second appearance to break her maiden over 1200m on Wednesday for trainer Stephen Marsh and rider Masa Hashizume.

Joyce Muller has seen a lot of races. And is still watching and punting on thoroughbreds as she celebrates her milestone 100th birthday on 20 June.

Promising jumper Auld Jock could earn a place in his first prestige jumping assignment with a strong showing on Sunday at Te Aroha.

Auld Jock is trained at Matamata by Peter and Jessica Brosnan, who reaped the rewards of an educational season last year when the gelding went back-to-back over fences at Hawera and Woodville in May.

New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale got off to an exciting start at Karaka on Thursday morning with three weanlings fetching $140,000 or more within the first hour, headed by prominent owner Gary Harding’s $170,000 purchase of a sale-topping Satono Aladdin filly.

Two of the foremost names among vendors at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale every year are Curraghmore and Haunui Farm, who both believe their 2024 crops of weanlings catalogued for Karaka on Thursday are right up to the respected nurseries’ usual high standard.