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Distinctive Darci doesn't take long to show his wares

After a couple of encouraging starts as a juvenile, Distinctive Darci has returned an impressive winner in the $65,000 Initiation race over 1000m on Sunday. Ridden by two-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes, the son of Darci Brahma whipped around from his wide gate to vie for the lead, which he was able to secure without spending too much petrol. But he looked in strife when Super Warrior (Danny Beasley) made an early move upsides just before reaching the home bend. Backers of the $11...

Unorthodox campaign no worries for Manolo

The unusual racing career of New Zealand bred, Australian owned colt Manolo Blahniq continues at Rosehill on Saturday as the well-travelled galloper tackles champion two-year-old Capitalist in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes. By his own admission, trainer Tony Noonan doesn't mind trying new methods when it comes to preparing his horses, which goes a long way to explaining why Manolo Blahniq began his career in New Zealand, has had four "trainers" so far, has visited two Australian states, and ...

First Seal set to trial

The John Thompson-trained First Seal (Fastnet Rock) is making good progress ahead of her intended return in a barrier trial at Randwick on Friday week. The five-year-old mare, who took out the Flight Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m) in October 2014, has not been seen since finishing 12th in the Doncaster Mile (Gr.1, 1600m) in April. ...

Tough challenge for Kiwi Group winner

Manolo Blahniq is set for his first Australian start on Saturday at Rosehill where he will face a stern test in his debut. He won last season's Gr.3 Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie from Craig Thornton's stable before transferring to the care of Tony Noonan, who paid $115,000 for the Jimmy Choux colt at Karaka last year. Manolo Blahniq is set to run in the Gr.2 San Domenico Stakes, in which he is likely to clash with the Gr.1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist....

Ruettiger favourite to take Aurie's Star

Consistent sprinter Ruettiger is the early favourite to add further black type to his record at Flemington. The Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained sprinter is the $3.80 top choice in Saturday's Group Three Aurie's Star Handicap over the straight 1200 metres. At his most recent start Ruettiger took out last month's Listed All Victorian Sprint Final over Saturday's course and distance. He holds favouritism over Beirut ($5.50) and Sooboog ($6) who are both listed as runners in the Group Three Spri...

Manolo Blahniq wins trial

Mornington trainer Tony Noonan holds high hopes for Hawkesbury barrier trial winner Manolo Blahniq. The Victorian trainer has the two-year-old son of Jimmy Choux geared towards the early Sydney three-year-old races. And if his form warrants it, the Group One Golden Rose at Rosehill on September will be his first spring target. Noonan bought Manolo Blahniq as a yearling but left him in New Zealand for his early two-year-old racing. He had three starts for Craig Thornton, winning in Group Thre...

Thunder Down Under arrives in Sydney

Thunder Down Under has arrived at Chris Waller's Sydney stable and he is likely to have one start for the stable as a three-year-old before season's end. "He will have a barrier trial at Rosehill on Friday and then run at Canterbury on the 23rd," Waller said. "He is a lovely big colt with some good form. "We will get him ready for some middle distance races." Thunder Down Under had 17 starts in New Zealand for trainer Stephen Ralph including a Group Three third in the Bonecrusher Stakes in S...

Ruettiger scores Listed win

Ruettiger delivered Curraghmore's tenth black-type win of the season in Saturday's Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington. Race favourite Voodoo Lad shot to the front with a furlong to run, but Ruettiger stuck to his guns and wore down his rival, powering along the inside to win the 1200 metre sprint by a short neck under jockey Craig Williams. "I thought he did a great job today," said Williams. "The second horse is a very talented horse and we had to fight and Ruett...

Rocknrolla completes Logan-Gibbs quartet at Ruakaka

Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs scored their fourth win from the first six races at Ruakaka on Saturday when Rocknrolla bravely edged out the favourite Late Decision in the Northpine Waipu Cup. The Towkay mare was a highly impressive winner at Ruakaka last month, but then went to Te Rapa and was a disappointing sixth. Logan put the performance down to the sticky track conditions and expected a better showing in drier conditions on her home patch this afternoon. She was exactly right and Rocknrolla...

Kiwi-owned filly wins at Randwick

While the filly didn't develop in time to travel north for the Oaks, the Chris Waller-trained Firebird Flyer claimed the biggest win of her career yesterday when she edged out Storm System by a nose in The Mick Crusher Kerr Memorial at Randwick. Having her sixth start for the preparation, which has included two wins and four seconds, Firebird Flyer's fitness shone through over 2000 metres on a heavy track. Waller said he had plenty of fears about how she would handle the going, but her toughne...

Rain to suit Derby contender

Former champion New Zealand trainer Mark Walker has his fingers crossed for track conditions at Kranji to suit his in-form Singapore Derby hope Rockfast on Sunday. "All he needs is a bit of rain to get the sting out of the ground," he said of the Curraghmore graduate. The Te Akau-raced four-year-old is at the top of his game having won his two lead-up races in impressive fashion. -www.racingnews.co.nz...

A Rock steady climb to Derby doorstep

Champion trainer Mark Walker said Rockfast was the best shot he has had at the Emirates Singapore Derby since he began training at Kranji in 2010. Initially sceptical the son of Fastnet Rock ticked all the boxes for the final Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge run over 2000m on July 10, the Kiwi horseman has slowly warmed up to his chances, especially after he reeled off his last two wins over the classic distance. Granted they were recorded against Kranji Stakes C company while he w...

Thunder Down Under to join Chris Waller in Sydney

Stakes-winning three-year-old Thunder Down Under is set to join the stable of champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller. Trainer and part-owner Stephen Ralph revealed to www.theinformant.co.nz that the Street Sense colt is booked to cross the Tasman early next week. "He'll fly over on Monday night and join Chris Waller," the Te Rapa trainer said. "Then Chris will do whatever he likes with him and we'll see how he measures up. It's exciting." Thunder Down Under is the winner of three of his 17 star...

Rodrico sold to HK

New Zealand-owned three-year-old Rodrico has been sold to Hong Kong interests. The son of High Chaparral, who was raced by Robin Peel-Walker and Mark Wyborn, will do his future racing out of John Moore's stable He will be aimed toward the 2017 Hong Kong Derby following his purchase by Johnson Chen, who won this year's edition with the Kiwi-bred Werther. Rodrico was trained by Chris Waller to win three races and at his last appearance he finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby. -...

Waller wins with former New Zealand filly

A win with Firebird Flyer at Warwick Farm on Wednesday has edged Sydney's premier trainer Chris Waller closer to a record-breaking season. Firebird Flyer, who came to Waller from New Zealand as a six-start maiden, ended a frustrating four-run sequence of second placings for her new trainer. A $3 chance in the TAB Rewards Plate, she got the nod by a head over $2.40 favourite Kingsguard. "It's good to get the win," Waller said. "She has a good constitution and looks as well as she did when sh...

Cm grads in HOY contention

Three Curraghmore graduates feature in the the New Zealand Horse of the Year finalists announced by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing earlier this week. Two Cm graduates stake claims on Champion 3YO honours, Gr.1 Queensland Oaks heroine Provocative and Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks winner Fanatic. Cantankerous filly Provocative burst on to the scene in December with a customarily wayward but convincing win on debut at Taranaki. Jockey Leith Innes' saddle slipped at her next start, at Ellerslie in Janua...

Talented youngster back in the fray

Smart filly What Choux Want has returned to Andrew Carston's Riccarton stable to build up for her spring campaign. "She's looking good and hopefully she'll be ready to go to the Canterbury Belle Stakes," he said. What Choux Want was a debut juvenile winner and subsequently placed in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes and the Listed Welcome Stakes and she also finished fifth in the Listed Karaka Million. - NZ Racing Desk...

Heroic Valour back in work

Unbeaten two-year-old Heroic Valour has returned to Te Akau's Matamata stables. He made a successful debut at Trentham in January and a month later he won the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper before adding the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes to his CV. "He looks great and is being prepared for a trial at Te Teko in early August and then he will be aimed at races like the Hawke's Bay Guineas and the New Zealand 2000 Guineas," said Te Akau princpal David Ellis. "He will have a spell after that and we wi...