John Wheeler

Phelan to tick Warrnambool off bucket list

Posted on April 30, 2023
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Experienced horseman Shaun Phelan will achieve a long-held ambition this week when he rides at the famed Warrnambool carnival. Phelan won last season's New Zealand Jumps Jockeys' Premiership with 20 wins, including a record nine prestige events, and is now looking to make his mark at the Victorian festival to be held on Tuesday, Wednesday[...]

Posted on March 17, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Promising filly Le Villi will carry new colours when she lines-up in the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on Saturday. Australian Bloodstock purchased the daughter of Puccini following her fifth placed run in the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie last start and they could receive an[...]

Posted on February 10, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Accomplished New Zealand stayer Beaudz Well returns to action on Friday to kick off a long-term plan to hopefully conclude unfinished business in Australia in the autumn for trainer John Wheeler. The son of Zed will open his campaign in the Group 3 Powerworx Taranaki Cup (2000m), a race to set him on a path[...]

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

The NZ suffix has featured prominently in Australia this spring, so it's no surprise a couple of Kiwi stallions are featuring prominently on the Australian Leading Sires table this season. The Kiwi brigade is being led by Grangewilliam Stud stallion Zed, who sits fourth on the list with AUD$5.8 million in earnings, while Rich Hill[...]

Posted on November 4, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Zed may well have had two runners in this year's Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) had it not been for the current complications of trans-Tasman travel. His daughter Verry Elleegant confirmed her champion status with a resounding victory on Tuesday, while the Flemington feature had also been on the radar of Grangewilliam Stud stallion's promising[...]

Posted on August 9, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

While he wasn't really enjoying the serious drop in temperature that Christchurch was experiencing on Sunday, trainer John Wheeler was still savouring the success of a winning double at Riccarton 24 hours earlier. Wheeler produced potential jumping star Chief Sequoyah to win the opening hurdle event on the card before late maturing Zed gelding Zeefa[...]

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

Emerging hurdling talent Chief Sequoyah did everything trainer John Wheeler was looking for ahead of Wednesday's Hospitality New Zealand Canterbury Grand National Hurdles (4200m) when he took out Saturday's Avon City Ford Sydenham Hurdles (3100m) at Riccarton in fine fashion. The seven-year-old son of Redwood has taken to the jumping game like a duck to[...]

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

Rhythm and ringcraft might sound like a music festival but New Zealand Hall of Fame trainer John Wheeler reckons they might be the only missing ingredients for his emerging hurdler Chief Sequoyah on his path to greatness. And while those attributes might be lacking at present, Wheeler believes it's only a matter of time before[...]

Posted on June 21, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

A never-say-die attitude saw local runner Coconut upset predictions as he took out an action-packed LJ Hooker Manawatu Steeplechase (4200m) at Awapuni on Saturday. There was sensation early in the race as the disappointingly small field of five was reduced to just four runners when hot favourite () Aigne dislodged rider Shaun Fannin after jumping[...]

Posted on June 19, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Sam O'Malley is pretty chuffed with how his season has gone so far. The Central Districts apprentice jockey has racked up 30 wins in the saddle so far, more than double his previous best tally, and he noted his third-placing aboard Deerfield in the Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) as a major highlight. He[...]

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

There was a time when New Zealand trainer John Wheeler was an unmissable fixture of the Queensland winter carnival, but these days he's content to watch from afar. From the late 1980s the New Plymouth-based trainer became a regular in the Kiwi raiding party to the Sunshine State. He quickly achieved legendary status with a[...]

Posted on March 24, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Hall of Fame trainer John Wheeler will be back in Australia in a serious way this autumn, targeting the Sydney autumn carnival as well as making his regular raid on the Oakbank jumping carnival in South Australia. Three of the New Plymouth trainer's horses – Cleaver, Macklemore and Heistheone – have arrived in Oakbank, while[...]

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

She may have lived on the Central Coast of New South Wales for 40 years but Margaret Reid, the part-owner and breeder of the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) winner Irish Flame, is still very much a Taranaki girl. So much so that the green and brown colours that Irish Flame races in feature a stylised[...]

Posted on November 22, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Former Kiwi galloper Irish Flame overcame a torrid run and a frantic finish to score a narrow victory in Saturday's Listed A$500,000 Ballarat Cup (2000m) under jockey Michael Walker. Prepared by Mornington trainer Brett Scott, Irish Flame has been in rich form, and defied a tough run from barrier 16 to win in a close[...]

Posted on November 6, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Mornington trainer Brett Scott was delighted to pick up a winner at Flemington on Oaks Day with handy middle distance galloper Irish Flame in the Twitter Trophy (1800m). The son of Zed transferred from Scott's old boss John Wheeler after a Waverley trial in late June and the six-time winner in New Zealand has now[...]

Posted on October 24, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Through friendships forged in the tight-knit jumping community, a number of Kiwi horses have crossed the Tasman this year and joined the Mornington stable of Brett Scott. The latest addition to that list is the dual Group 2 winner Imelda Mary, who will make her first start for the former star jumps jockey in Sunday's[...]

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

There will be an uncommon sight on the first day of the Hawke's Bay Spring Carnival at Hastings on Saturday – jumpers. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the racing calendar has caused the unusual occurrence and one trainer that is pleased about the anomaly is John Wheeler. “It is good,” he said. “They[...]

Phelan to tick Warrnambool off bucket list

Le Villi transfers hands ahead of Oaks

Wheeler hoping to change Sydney Cup luck

New Zealand sires to the fore in Australia

Travel restraints prevented Zed’s Cup double up

Chief Sequoyah ready for National challenge

National contenders impress at Riccarton

Chief Sequoyah a budding jumps superstar

Coconut upsets in action packed jumping feature

New Zealand apprentice O’Malley jumping into winter racing

Wheeler content to watch Stradbroke day from afar

Sydney rain Beaudz Well for Wheeler stayer

Life-long dream realised for Reid

Kiwis claim Ballarat Cup with Irish Flame

Luck of the Irish for Kiwis

Jumps fraternity joins forces for Australian campaigns

Spring Carnival opener brings a grin to Wheeler

What are you really gambling with?