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Theanswermyfriend in good shape: Smerdon

Another benchmark race at Caulfield is the next step on a path towards a possible crack at a Group One handicap for Theanswermyfriend (High Chaparral).The four-year-old gelding who was sold through Curraghmore's 2015 NZB draft for $70,000, finished second over 1100 metres at Caulfield first-up on August 19 and steps up to 1200m in another benchmark-78 race at the same track on Saturday from a wide draw.A Group Three placegetter over 1600m at the end of his autumn campaign, Theanswermyfriend's pe...

Williams to partner Tulip at Moonee Valley

Craig Williams will partner New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Tulip (Pierro) in Saturday’s Johnny Walker Plate at Moonee Valley. The 1200m event for three-year-old fillies is dripping with class and Williams will be aboard the Golden Slipper placegetter who was purchased for $400,000 from the 2016 draft of Curraghmore Stud. "I think she's quite special," Williams said of Tulip, who was scratched from last week's Gr.3 Quezette Stakes to be saved for this weekend's race. "I think she's right up th...

Katagas primed and ready for Singapore challenge

Trainer Laurie Laxon will saddle Curraghmore Stud graduate Katagas (Any Suggestion) in Sunday's $80,000 Kranji Stakes C race over 1200m.Katagas might not have saluted since April 2016, but his two runs back from a one-year spell give every indication he is primed and ready for a return to winning ways. “Katagas is in very good form and I expect him to run a good race. He galloped well this week,” Laxon said. Assistant-trainer Shane Ellis concurred with Laxon, saying he was pleased ...

Tulip trials at Cranbourne

Tulip (Pierro) trialed with her stakes-winning Lindsay Park-trained stablemates, Formailty and Catchy at Cranbourne on Tuesday.   Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Formality was victorious in the 1000 metre barrier trial, beating fellow Coolmore Stud-owned Tulip with Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Catchy a neck back in third place. "I thought they were all good and it's just confirmed what I've always thought, there's not much between them," co- trainer David Hayes said. "...

Tribal Wisdom to resume at Flemington

Trainer Mike Moroney aims to start Tribal Wisdom (Makfi) in a Benchmark 90 (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday. The four-year- old gelding ran four times last season for two wins, the highlight coming when taking out the Gosford Guineas (Listed, 1200m) in March. "Whether the 1000 metres is a bit short for him will be questionable, but it's a nice starting point," Moroney said. "But we think he's one of our better spring chances. He's been a bit slow-maturing buthe's been worth the wait. That was...

Heart of Courage wins trial

Heroic Valour's three -year-old brother Heart Of Courage showed he was on target for this classic season with a win at the Te Teko trials on Tuesday. The son of Fastnet Rock won a maiden three-year-old heat over 820m under the guidance of apprentice Wiremu Pinn. The pair worked forward to be three wide near the lead, quickened to a handy advantage at the 200m and remained strong to get the win – providing Apprentice Pinn with his first trial win, one of two on the day.Owned by the Te Akau...

Golden target for smart filly

Group One-performed filly Belle du Nord is likely to open her three-year-old season at Hastings.“She hasn’t done much galloping yet so she’ll have a trial and then probably kick off in the Gold Trail Stakes,” said co-trainer David Browne. “The 1000 Guineas will be her main aim.”Last season’s Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner furthered her spring preparation this week with a 950 metre jump-out at Cambridge.“We were happy with her, she went well and just got a bit t...

Update on Blizzard and Belle Du Nord

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One To Watch – Sale

Considered good enough to make his career debut in the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude in February, flashy chestnut Mighty Boss was never a factor there but showed he has a future when breaking his maiden over 1208 metres at Sale on Sunday. With flowing silver mane and tail, the Mick Price-trained son Of Not A Single Doubt is sure to build a fan club. Settled midfield, three-wide with cover under Damien Oliver, Mighty Boss put the race to bed quickly in the straight, coming clear to defeat the fa...

VACANCY: Night Foal Watch Person

We are seeking a Night Foal Watch Person to join our team based at Curraghmore, near Te Awamutu. This is a part-time seasonal position where the successful applicant will be required for 2 to 5 /six hour shifts per week during the foaling season on a roster basis. The successful applicant will have good energy, a background with and passion for horses and very good stock sense. Previous experience/familiarity foaling mares would be beneficial. You must be reliable, honest and able to work well w...

High Class all class at Te Rapa

Former handy juvenile High Class finally put it all together on raceday as she ended a two-year absence from the winner’s enclosure with a gritty performance to score at Te Rapa on the weekend. The now four-year-old Shocking mare had looked to have any amount of ability when she downed a talented field of two-year-olds, including subsequent Gr. 1 1000 Guineas winner Risque, on debut at Avondale back in May 2015. She then finished fourth in Listed company to round out her two-year-old season be...

Yesterday’s Songs to run at Sunshine Coast

Stakes winner Yesterday's Songs (Henrythenavigator), who dead-heated for fifth with Snippets Lands (Snippetson) in the Moreton Cup (Gr 2, 1200m) on 3 June, will take his place in the Glasshouse Handicap. Trained by Mike Moroney at Flemington, Yesterday's Songs has been kept fresh since his first run in Queensland this campaign, which came after a placing in the Straight Six Handicap (Listed, 1200m) at Flemington on 20 May. He also ran fourth in the Wangoom Handicap (Listed, 1200m) at Warrna...

Pike produces another star at Te Aroha

The Tony Pike-trained filly Hui Hai Stars dashed home to score an eye-catching win at Te Aroha on Sunday. Hui Hai Stars who was having just her second raceday start after placing third at Avondale on debut. The benefit of that raceday experience weighed in the Pour Moi filly's favour late in the piece as she dashed away from debutant Way Too Easy after the pair settled down to fight out the finish to the 1000 metre contest. "She was perhaps a touch unlucky at Avondale as she never really...

Kamikaze Rebel opens his account in style

Well regarded galloper Kamikaze Rebel is a maiden no longer after putting win number one on the board in comprehensive fashion at Tauranga on the weekend. The stylish bay gelding has always looked a galloper of some promise but had the misfortune to find one or two better in his previous eight starts before Saturday's effort. Despite some questioning his effectiveness on the Heavy 11 surface on offer on the day, the Alamosa five-year-old displayed a touch of class to travel sweetly throughout ...

Options a plenty for Belle du Nord

Standout two-year-old Belle du Nord has recently returned to Emma-Lee and David Browne's Cambridge stable after a two-month spell. The Reliable Man filly had an impressive two-year-old season, featuring a comprehensive victory over subsequent Gr.1 J.J. Atkins runner-up Aloisia and Listed Castletown Stakes winner Hard Merchandize at Trentham in March. She backed-up that performance with a brave second to Karaka Million winner Melody Belle in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni...

Wood runner rocks them at Te Rapa

Trainer Chris Wood was in good spirits as he navigated his way around his local golf course on Sunday after adding to a recent run of good results with progressive galloper Roc de Bank a day earlier. The four-year-old Roc de Cambes gelding made it career win number 5 and third at Te Rapa when he led for the length of the long run home to claim the Ebbett Toyota 1600. Handled skilfully by three kilogram claiming apprentice Darren Danis, the gelding bounced nicely from the outside barrier to tak...

Injury puts smart 4YO’s career on hold

Talented four-year-old Thunder Down Under is on the easy list. The stakes-winning son of Street Sense looked back to something like his best last month at Te Rapa where he overcame a wide run for the fourth victory of his career. Unfortunately, his progress has subsequently been halted and he will be side-lined through the winter. "He was sore again after he won and it's turned out that he's fractured a pedal bone," trainer Stephen Ralph said. "It doesn't need surgery and he's on a month...

Thunder Down Under back to best

Trainer Stephen Ralph believes he has Thunder Down Under back to his best. The talented entire impressed as a three-year-old winning three races including the Listed BMW 3YO Slaver and placing in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes. His performances earned him a stint in Sydney however he wasn't the same horse across the Tasman. His best performance of five starts there was a third placing in a Benchmark 85 at Randwick. He returned to New Zealand with serious hoof issues, which Ralph believes he h...

Group One winner Fanatic to join Melbourne stable

New Zealand Oaks winner Fanatic will target the Melbourne spring carnival for new trainer David Hayes, Taranaki breeder-owner Sean Kiernan has revealed. Kiernan said the Shocking four-year-old mare, who has won three of her 21 starts for Te Awamutu trainers Graeme Sanders and Debbie Sweeney, would fly to Melbourne next week and join the stable of Hayes and training partners Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes. "I spoke to Graeme about it and he agreed it was better to kick off her campaign over ther...

May Sale a success

Curraghmore enjoyed another successful NZB Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka earlier this week. The top lot from Cm was the weanling Savabeel colt and first foal out of the three-time stakes winning Tavistock mare Avisto. He was knocked down to Andrew Williams, under his newly established Andrew Williams Bloodstock banner, for $170,000. "He's a really athletic individual and I'm very happy to have got him on my first trip to Karaka under my own banner," said Williams...

Guineas already a priority for smart filly

Connections of the surprise two-year-old package Belle Du Nord have high hopes the filly can scale even greater heights next season. The daughter of Reliable Man enjoyed a light, but highly successful opening campaign and was turned out off the back of a runner-up finish in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes. "She's spelling and she'll come back in June and we will be looking toward the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton with her," said Emma-Lee Browne, who trains the filly with husband David. ...

Williams makes a splash at Karaka

Andrew Williams has made an instant sale ring impact on his return to New Zealand. He has recently established his own bloodstock company in Sydney and he enjoyed a successful maiden buying foray to Karaka during the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock's Weanling Sale on Monday. Williams went to $170,000 to secure the Nearco-bred Savabeel colt (Lot 30), the first foal of the multiple stakes-winning Tavistock mare Aristo, from Currraghmore's draft. "He's a really athletic individua...

Weanling & Broodmare Sale PEDIGREE UPDATES

Weanling Sale Pedigree Updates Lot 97 El Roca x Final View colt Closely related to Keely Be (2012.f. by Roc de Cambes-Arthena, by Desert Sun-Tri View). 1st Te Aroha JC Te Aroha Plumbing and Drainage H. Lot 122 Roc De Cambes x Identity colt Out of a sibling to D S Mind (2011.c. by Heart's Cry-Hear's Hoping, by Dahar-French Polish). 1st Kochi C2-13 Out of a sibling to Kyoei Brain (2013.c. by Kinshasa No Kiseki-Hear's Hoping, by Dahar-French Polish). 1st Saga C2-19 Group Lot 143 Power x Koo...

Jimmy Lincoln provides timely update

Jimmy Lincoln produced a tidy performance to win at the first time of asking in the Prodrive Golf Wellington Maiden at Hastings on Saturday, and in doing so provided a timely pedigree update for his weanling brother. From an inside alley, the colt made the running and he showed admirable fighting qualities to hold his rivals at bay in the straight. "He jumped and ran and kept out of trouble," said trainer Lisa Latta, who paid $150,000 to secure the son of Jimmy Choux out of Curraghmore's...

So Far Sokool breaks through

So Far Sokool was the impressive winner of the Avondale Sunday Markets Fillies' Classic for two-year-olds on Anzac day. Future plans for So Far Sokool are uncertain with Williams preferring to see how his daughter of Showcasing progresses in the next few days before setting anything in stone. "The better track here probably helped her and we'll get her home and play it by ear, she's not very big and is still a bit fragile," he said. When the favourite Piper issued a challenge into the strai...