New slot race heads shake up of New Zealand’s racing calendar
Ellerslie to host southern hemisphere’s richest race for three-year-olds with changes to summer carnival announced Racing in New Zealand is set to have a new look from 2025, with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), TAB New Zealand and Entain all combining to launch what will be the southern hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race – ‘The NZB... Read More
Railway a World Pool hook for Karaka Millions night
Among the raft of changes and innovations announced yesterday by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, arguably the most significant is the moving of The Railway (Gr 1, 1200m) to Karaka Millions night. While capturing the headlines was the NZ$3.5 million three-year-old NZB Kiwi (1500m) slot race, which will increase to NZ$4.5 million in 2027, the transfer... Read More
Yiu and McDonald land Stewards’ Cup with Voyage Bubble
Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) has sealed his ascent into Hong Kong’s elite class with an emphatic victory in the HK$13 million (approx. AU$2.51 million) Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m) at Sha Tin yesterday as James McDonald anointed Ricky Yiu’s flagbearer as an emerging star. Providing Yiu with his first Group 1 triumph since Amber Sky’s... Read More
King makes history at Nakayama
Rachel King made history at yesterday’s Nakayama meeting as she became the first foreign female rider to win a JRA Graded race on the flat when she steered Chuck Nate to victory in the Grade 2 American Jockey Club Cup. Trained by Noriyuki Hori and raced by Kaneko Makoto, the six-year-old went into the Grade... Read More
Inglis release quality Easter catalogue
Hutch rates the yearlings assembled for 2024 sale among the strongest ever compiled by the auction house The keenly awaited first live foal out of Winx (Street Cry) and the maiden offspring of Group 1–winning mares including Melody Belle (Commands), Pippie (Written Tycoon) and Mizzy (Zoustar) are among the headliners for an Easter Yearling Sale... Read More
Vale David Benjamin
The New Zealand breeding industry lost one its best marketers as well as a genuine character with the passing of David Benjamin on Friday. Benjamin had been battling illness for some time. Buzz Williams went to school with Benjamin and paid tribute to him: “I was a couple of years ahead of David at Wanganui... Read More