Karen Parsons

Synthetic trials at Riccarton get thumbs up

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

The first set of trials was conducted on the newly installed synthetic track at Riccarton on Tuesday, with the new surface receiving the full support of some of the major players in the region. Leading trainer Michael Pitman, who trains in partnership with son Matthew, was full of praise for the track. “The feedback has[...]

Posted on September 23, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

John and Karen Parsons got a much-needed tonic after a tough week when El Gladiador won the Martin Collins New Zealand Cup Trial (1800m) at Riccarton on Saturday. El Gladiador’s victory came after Karen Parsons required hospital treatment after a lumbar puncture, which collects fluid from the spinal area to check for diseases in the[...]

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

Prominent breeder and racehorse owner Daniel Nakhle was a bundle of nerves as he waited for Saturday’s two-year-old race at Wingatui to get underway. Nakhle, who admits he can get a bit keyed up before one of his runners is set to perform, was not overly worried about the performance of well-bred filly Sorrento for[...]

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

An urge to see the world more than a decade ago was a lifechanging experience for Canterbury jockey Tina Comignaghi. The Argentinian native was backpacking around New Zealand, and like many travellers, decided to get a job in order to replenish her funds. Growing up riding horses, Comignaghi found herself a job working with thoroughbreds[...]

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

There aren’t many prouder of Chris Johnson then North Canterbury trainers John and Karen Parsons. As Johnson guided the Ellis Winsloe-trained Point Score to success in Invercargill last Saturday to level up to David Walsh’s record of 2451 New Zealand wins, the Parsons were overcome with emotion. “It was incredible,” Karen Parsons said. “We didn’t[...]

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

A huge crowd at Cromwell on Sunday were treated to an extended glimpse of the silky skills of Chris Johnson as the rider they call the magic man guided enigmatic galloper Camino Rocoso to victory in the Loveracing.nz Cromwell Cup (2030m). The John and Karen Parsons-trained seven-year-old was up for the challenge of defending his[...]

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

Popular racing journalist Wally O’Hearn has died, aged, 61, after a lengthy battle with cancer. O’Hearn plied his trade for more than 40 years and worked for a host of publications including the Friday Flash, Best Bets, Sunday Star, Sunday News, DB Racing Annual, Waikato Times, the Informant and was also a regular contributor to[...]

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

Six-year-old mare Kiwi Ida will start favourite in Wednesday’s Group 3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) on the back of an eye-catching performance when second to Wekaforce in the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) last Saturday. The John and Karen Parsons-trained mare is rated 18 points superior to her nearest rival in the fillies and[...]

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[...]

Synthetic trials at Riccarton get thumbs up

Cup trial victory a tonic for Parsons

Nervous wait ends in triumph for Nakhle

Former explorer enjoying jockey life

Proud-as-punch Parsons would love to provide record-breaker

The magic man thrills huge Cromwell crowd

Vale Wally O’Hearn

Parsons mare ideally placed

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

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