Karen Parsons

Kiwi Ida thriving ahead of Tarzino

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

Six-year-old mare Kiwi Ida is in fine fettle heading into Saturday’s Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) with the John and Karen Parsons-trained mare staying in the Waikato after her fresh-up sixth placing in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m). The multiple Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed sprinter has been installed a $14 chance for[...]

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

Promising stayer Five Princes made it three wins from just five starts in his latest campaign when he produced a last-to-first performance to take out the rating 99 2000m event at Riccarton on Saturday. The former North Island galloper has been a revelation since racing returned in June after a COVID- 19 enforced stand-down period,[...]

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

Group 1 performer Kiwi Ida is set to fly the South Island flag in the Group 2 Valachi Downs Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa on September 5. Owned and trained by John and Karen Parsons, the high-class mare has been off the scene since February, but she warmed up for her return with impressive[...]

Posted on July 19, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

The John and Karen Parsons-trained Delacroix made the long trip north from Balcairns a profitable one when he proved too strong for his rivals over the concluding stages of the Ken and Roger Browne Memorial Steeplechase (3900m) at Te Rapa. Rider Buddy Lamas bided his time on the South Island fencer before moving into contention[...]

Posted on May 7, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons were in a more fortunate position than most throughout New Zealand’s month-long lockdown, with the husband and wife training combination able to utilise their private training set-up to lightly exercise some of their younger stock. The South Island conditioners have enjoyed another strong season and were fifth on the[...]

Posted on February 2, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

After a touch-and-go few days, emerging staying mare Sitarist headed to Wingatui and was part of a super Saturday for trainers John and Karen Parsons and jockey Tina Comignaghi. The daughter of Road To Rock prevailed in a thrilling finish to the Listed Fire & Mechanical Contracting Ltd Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), which was part[...]

Posted on February 2, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

The combination of John & Karen Parsons and rider Tina Comignaghi completed a clean sweep of the stakes races at Wingatui on Saturday when they scored in the day’s feature event, the time-honoured Group 3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m). Riding former North Island galloper Killarney, Comignaghi repeated the front-running tactics that saw[...]

Posted on February 2, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

For the second time in four years, John and Karen Parsons have turned a Gore failure into an upset triumph in the Listed Mediaworks Dunedin Guineas (1500m). In 2017, the Parsons’ talented filly Residential finished 10th in the Listed Gore Guineas (1335m) before landing the Dunedin Guineas at odds of $15.10. This year they repeated[...]

Posted on January 30, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons are hoping their North Island luck holds two-fold at the Te Rapa premier meeting on Saturday week. The North Canterbury couple have struck three times on end on their latest northern raid on features, with Kiwi Ida winning the Group 2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on December[...]

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

Outstanding southern mare Kiwi Ida showed northern racegoers a glimpse of her undoubted class when she dashed home to take out the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m) in her first look at the Ellerslie track. Prepared at Balcairn in the South Island by John and Karen Parsons, the Squamosa five-year-old had upset the applecart prior[...]

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

John and Karen Parsons are becoming accustomed to plundering northern spoils of late and the Balcairn trainers will attempt to do the same at Ellerslie on Saturday. The Canterbury conditioners won the Group 3 Trentham Stakes (2100m) with Camino Rocoso a fortnight ago and the Group 2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) with Kiwi Ida last[...]

Posted on January 11, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Free-going southern galloper Camino Rocoso led his rivals a merry chase when he dominated proceedings from the front to take out the first of the Trentham features on Saturday, the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Trentham Stakes (2100m). Rider Chris Johnson was struggling to keep his mount in check in the initial stages of the contest[...]

Posted on December 21, 2019
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Underrated southern mare Kiwi Ida scored her biggest career victory when she upset the favourites in Saturday’s Group 2 Kamada Park Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni. The John and Karen Parsons-owned and trained five-year-old has been a standout in southern racing, winning twelve of her 39 career starts prior to Saturday with two at[...]

Posted on December 2, 2019
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Enigmatic former North Island galloper Camino Rocoso put his best foot forward on Sunday when he gave a dashing display of front-running to take out the feature event at Cromwell, the No Limits Interiors Cromwell Cup (2030m). The annual Cromwell Christmas meeting attracts huge crowds each year and there was a noticeable cacophony of noise[...]

Posted on August 29, 2019
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons will kick-off the three-year-old campaigns for Touchabeel and Sombra Deamor in the Barneswood Farm Stakes Day 19th October (1250m) at Ashburton on Friday and their performances in the race will help dictate their spring paths. Touchabeel had the four starts as a juvenile and finished fourth on debut in[...]

Posted on July 8, 2019
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

John and Karen Parsons were caught by surprise with the latest milestone in their training careers. When Sitarist, a Road To Rock mare part-owned by Karen Parsons, won the open 2200m at Ashburton last Wednesday she took the prizemoney tally for the Balcairn-based couple beyond $1 million for the season. It’s just the second time[...]

Posted on June 24, 2019
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons stretched their memories back 30 years when Pippi Rea extended his winning streak to five at Riccarton on Saturday. “We have to go back to Seamist to remember another horse we’ve had who has won as many in a row,” Karen Parsons said after Pippi Rae’s last-stride victory over[...]

Kiwi Ida thriving ahead of Tarzino

Spittles looking forward to better things for promising stayer

Kiwi Ida on target for Foxbridge

Southern visitor takes feature chase at Te Rapa

Refreshed Parsons ready for racing return

Sitarist overcomes scare to feature in big treble for Parsons

Red letter day for Comignaghi and Parsons team

El Gladiador all the way in Guineas upset

Group 1 Te Rapa missions for in-form stablemates

Southern mare takes the spoils in Westbury Classic

Southern raiders set to plunder more northern spoils

Headstrong southerner too swift in Trentham Stakes

Southern mare springs upset in Awapuni feature

Camino Rocoso leads all the way in Cromwell Cup

Parsons duo kick-off 3YO campaigns

Parsons surprised by milestone

Pippi Rea’s feat brings back memories

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