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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...

New role beckons stakes winner

Absolut Excelencia is likely to be seen out in a new role in the coming months. The winner of 10 races, including the Listed Gore Guineas, will be in action on both days of the Marlborough meeting on Friday and Sunday before a change of tack. "He's going to Sam Logan to get his jumping ticket," said Kenny Rae, who trains the gelding with his wife Lisa and their daughter Krystal Williams. "He's a genuine old horse and he jumps well, but we'll take it a step at a time with him." - NZ Racing ...

Heroic Valour progressing well

Group One winner Heroic Valour enjoyed a quiet trial at Hawkesbury on Monday ahead of his Queensland campaign. The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained colt finished third in his 1000 metre heat without being out under any pressure. The three-year-old will make his Australian debut in the Gr.3 Gold Coast Guineas on May 6 with Richards confirming that Opie Bosson will take the ride. Providing Heroic Valour races up to expectations, the Gr.1 Darley Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on...

Change to top colt's Australian programme

An abandoned domestic meeting prompted New Zealand Group One winner Heroic Valour's early arrival in Australia. "He's going to run in the Gold Coast Guineas on May 6 and he was going to have a gallop between races at Taupo, but when they were called off we decided to get him over here," said co-trainer Jamie Richards from Sydney. "He's going to have a trial at Hawkesbury on Monday and then head up to Brisbane on Wednesday with Shocking Luck. "We were looking at the Doomben 10,000 as his ...

Red Dawn rises again

Curraghmore weanling sale graduate Red Dawn posted the sixth win of his career in Singapore overnight. Purchased by Mr SP and Mrs KC Engelbrecht out of Curraghmore's 2012 New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling Sale Draft for $21,000, Red Dawn has proved to be a star in both the sales ring and on the racetrack. The handsome chestnut was re-presented at Karaka at Karaka as a two-year-old raising $170,000, a $149,000 profit, when purchased by trainer Shane Baertschinger out of Westbury Stud's 2013 N...

Three in a row for Gorgeous Again

Gorgeous Again (Fastnet Rock x Ocean Pearl) made it three wins in a row in Hong Kong overnight. He was purchased out of our 2014 NZB Premier Yearling Sale draft by the HKJC for $400,000. Now trained by Danny Shum he has so far collected HK$1,426,950 for his owners Mr & Mrs Yip Kong Wah. Check out the replay of his latest win here: http://racing.hkjc.com/racing/video/play.asp?type=......

Pitman team enjoying Riverton sunshine

The father and son training partnership of Michael and Matthew Pitman stamped their mark on the opening day of the Riverton Easter Carnival on Saturday when they produced four winners from their eight runners at the meeting. O'Kiwi and Prince Ransom got them away to a flying start with wins in the first two races on the day before Jazzman and Dynamic added further success later in the programme. It was just reward for the partnership with Pitman senior a noted supporter of the traditional two-...

First Seal retired

Group One winning five-year-old First Seal (Fastnet Rock) has been retired following a customarily brave performance to finish sixth in Saturday's Queen of the Turf Stakes. First Seal retires with a race record of six wins and over $1.2 million in prizemoney in a 21-start career, hampered by hoof issues. Showing promise to finish fourth on debut as a two-year-old, her three-year-old season was truly remarkable. She had the wood on the mighty Winx, defeating her on three occasions, in the Gr...

Provocative $1,200,000

Group One winning Curraghmore graduate Provocative (NZ) (Zabeel) has topped the Inglis Chairman's Sale after Paul Willetts went to $1.2m to secure the mare presented by Newgate Farm. Bred by Nearco Stud Limited, Provocative is by the late champion New Zealand sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram), Provocative won four of her eight starts for New Zealand-based trainer Tony Pike, including the last year's Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). The four-year-old mare, who was offered in foal to Tavistock, is out ...

First Seal in peak condition

First Seal (Fastnet Rock) is in peak condition ahead of the Coolmore Legacy Stakes (registered as the Queen Of The Turf Stakes) (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick tomorrow, according to trainer John Thompson. The Group One-winning mare has had two starts this preparation, running down the field in the Coolmore Classic (registered as the TAD Kennedy Stakes) (Gr 1, 1500m) on 11 March before finishing third in the Sunline Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Moonee Valley most recently. Thompson said yesterday that ...

Smart filly heading offshore

Group performer What Choux Want will do her future racing in Australia. The daughter of Jimmy Choux has won two races from Andrew Carston's Riccarton stable and last season she also placed in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes, the Listed Welcome Stakes and ran a meritorious fifth in the Karaka Million. This term, What Choux Want has finished fourth at Listed level in both the Canterbury Belle Stakes and the Gore Guineas before heading north again. She finished sixth and less than three le...

Tribal Wisdom earns well deserved black-type

Despite not getting the smoothest trip at his first right-handed start, Tribal Wisdom put on a brave and hearty display yesterday when taking out the $150,000 Listed Pluim Group Gosford Guineas over 1200m in the hands of Christian Reith. Usually displaying lightening gate speed, on this occasion, he didn't get the best jump which consequently set him back in the field. That didn't matter much though, as in the end, at the 200m, this smart galloper showcased his impressive turn of foot and was s...