Concert Hall

Cambridge pair set for feature Hastings sprint

Posted on October 11, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood will make a two-pronged attack on Saturday’s Group 3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings, which is shaping as a strong contest. Classy mare Two Illicit will kick off her spring campaign in the event while last year’s winner Hypnos will also be back to defend his[...]

Posted on April 20, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Roger James couldn’t have been happier with the return to racing of high-quality mare Two Illicit at Te Rapa last Saturday. The issue now is to see if there are any autumn targets for her to chase. One of the best three-year-olds last season, Two Illicit won on her return to racing as a four-year-old[...]

Posted on February 26, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Robert Wellwood reckons he might have a star autumn two-year-old on his hands. But the Cambridge trainer won’t mind if talented Lonhro colt Western Springs can pick up a late summer feature on the way there. Western Springs will tackle Saturday’s Group 3 Waikato Stud Slipper (1200m) at Matamata at just his third start but[...]

Posted on February 8, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Trainer Roger James admits he feared the worst as he watched his star mare Concert Hall crash through the outside fence at New Plymouth on Saturday after escaping from the starting gates prior to the start of the Group 3 Powerworx Taranaki Cup (1800m). The last start Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) winner was a[...]

Posted on February 7, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh struck Group Three gold in both islands within the space of one special hour on Saturday afternoon. Belle Fascino capped a series of black-type placings with a big finish to capture the White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) at Wingatui, then Vernanme swooped to victory in the Powerworx Taranaki Cup[...]

Posted on February 5, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Cambridge trainer Roger James will produce Concert Hall in Saturday’s Group 3 Powerworx Taranaki Cup (1800m) at New Plymouth as a springboard to a campaign in Melbourne, just days after the death of his last star performer in Australia, Silent Achiever. O’Reilly mare Silent Achiever was a four-time Group winner for James and breeder-owner Kevin[...]

Posted on January 20, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Three of Australia’s feature middle distance races are on the cards for classy Cambridge mare Concert Hall this autumn. The six-year-old mare has been nominated for the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 6, and she also has the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on March 20 and the Group 1 Tancred[...]

Posted on January 6, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood are still coming down from the high of winning the Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) with Concert Hall at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, and they are now looking at international targets with the mare. The daughter of Savabeel has been in faultless form this season, winning three of[...]

Posted on December 31, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Owner Joan Egan is having a week to remember. On Boxing Day she won the Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie with Concert Hall, and on Wednesday the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained Beauden won the Taupo Cup (2000m) emphatically in front of a bumper crowd. The son of Bullbars began well from barrier six[...]

Posted on December 28, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

While his training partner is an old hand when it comes to producing winners at the elite level, Robert Wellwood was an uncapped novice until just after 5pm at Ellerslie on Saturday. In front of a massive crowd, Savabeel six-year-old Concert Hall dashed home out wide to take out the Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel[...]

Posted on December 27, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Versatile mare Concert Hall bagged the Group 1 victory she richly deserved when she stormed home out wide to snatch victory in the Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie. Prepared for owner and breeder Joan Egan by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Concert Hall had looked a Group 1 winner in waiting[...]

Posted on December 25, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Cambridge trainer Robert Wellwood is hoping his best Christmas present can be unwrapped at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. Wellwood, who trains in partnership with Roger James, has yet to win a Group 1 race but is hoping that can be remedied when Savabeel six-year-old mare Concert Hall tackles Saturday’s Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic[...]

Posted on December 3, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Happy versus Grumpy. Not a clash between two of the seven dwarves but a snapshot of trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood’s two contestants for Saturday’s Group 1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. Happy is the personality-plus last-start Group 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) winner Hypnos. Grumpy is last-start Group 2 Tauranga[...]

Posted on November 17, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Cambridge trainer Robert Wellwood is one of the bright young stars of the New Zealand training ranks and the hands-on horseman has already proved adept at a number of roles in the thoroughbred industry. But on Monday Wellwood ticked another industry box, filling the void as the commentator at the Taupo trials, after a rostering[...]

Posted on November 16, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Six months after undergoing surgery to correct a painful issue with his neck, jockey Vinnie Colgan is back and firing on all cylinders. Established as one of New Zealand’s leading riders in a career that spans three decades, Colgan was close to giving the game away at the start of the year as he battled[...]

Posted on November 15, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable capped off a superb week when classy mare Concert Hall captured the Group 2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes (1600m) at Tauranga on Saturday. The Cambridge stable picked up the Group 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton on Wednesday with Hypnos and made it a Group 2 double in[...]

Posted on October 26, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

It may have taken nearly all of the Trentham straight to get her head in front but class performer Concert Hall delivered when it counted as she took out the Group 3 Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) on Sunday. Sent out a warm favourite after producing a storming finish for second at[...]

Cambridge pair set for feature Hastings sprint

Two Illicit makes pleasing return

Wellwood has good opinion of Western Springs

Concert Hall escapes serious injury after nasty barrier incident

Marsh savours Group Three double

James farewells star mare, looks for big run from another

Australian campaign on horizon for Concert Hall

Australian targets for Concert Hall

Stakes target for Beauden

Wellwood still coming to terms with first Group 1

Concert Hall gets maiden Group 1 success

Concert Hall primed for Zabeel Classic

James in good spirits ahead of Captain Cook Stakes

Versatile Wellwood answers the call

Winning Tauranga treble for revitalised Colgan

Concert Hall caps superb week for Cambridge pair

Concert Hall all class at Trentham

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