Michael McNab

Prowess downs older rivals in dramatic New Zealand Stakes

Posted on March 11, 2023
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Three-year-old filly Prowess showed a combination of class and guts to upstage her older rivals in Saturday’s Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2050m) at Pukekohe. After racing handy to the speed set by veteran galloper The Mayor, Prowess cruised to the front at the top of the straight. Despite laying out significantly under pressure,[...]

Posted on February 28, 2023
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Promising filly Val Di Zoldo will kick-start a big period of feature race participation for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike when she tackles Wednesday’s Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Awapuni. Last-start Taupo winner Val Di Zoldo will showcase her credentials for the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 18 in the[...]

Posted on February 7, 2023
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Race favourite Tulsi justified some inspired support when she made a successful debut at Tauherenikau on Monday. The Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained juvenile had won a trial in impressive fashion at Foxton last month, with punters seeing enough to install her the $2.10 favourite for the 1000m two-year-old dash, with Michael McNab aboard. McNab[...]

Posted on January 2, 2023
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

A powerful late sprint carried progressive filly Polygon to an impressive victory at Te Rapa on Sunday when she destroyed her rivals in to take the Group 2 Royal Stakes (2000m). Fresh off another comprehensive win in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at the venue a fortnight earlier, the Lance Noble-trained daughter of Highly[...]

Posted on December 29, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Tony Pike is bullish about the chances of Tutukaka in Friday’s Taupo Cup (2000m) with the step up in trip on a good surface fuelling his confidence. The Cambridge trainer also has the capable Field Of Gold in the Harcourts-sponsored feature and while he has been happy with his lead-up work, it’s Tutukaka who gets[...]

Posted on December 3, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Despite a few moments of concern when placed in tight quarters at the top of the Trentham home straight, rugged filly Impendabelle maintained her unbeaten record with a dogged performance to win the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m). The Tony Pike-trained filly had been an impressive first up winner at the venue back in[...]

Posted on December 3, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

It has been a long time in the making but grand galloper Prise De Fer finally claimed his first elite level title when he took out the Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. In a distinguished career that is littered with black type wins the seven-year-old son of Savabeel shed the bridesmaid tag[...]

Posted on November 28, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Te Akau racing dominated the juvenile event at Te Rapa on Saturday with debutant Tokyo Tycoon heading home a Mark Walker-trained trifecta. The flashy gelding by popular young Deep Impact sire Satono Aladdin was sent out favourite on the back of a strong trial win and comfortably held stablemates She Turns Heads and Talisker, while[...]

Posted on November 14, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Sabin Kirkland was in a buoyant mood at Riccarton on Monday after his gelding Buoyant comfortably took out the Group 3 Stewards Stakes (1200m). The Dalghar gelding was fractious in the gates and missed the kick by several lengths, however, jockey Michael McNab didn’t fret and settled in behind the pace. McNab guided his charge[...]

Posted on October 26, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Impendabelle delivered exactly what was expected of her at Trentham where the highly regarded New Zealand filly was untested to open her career in perfect style. The Tony Pike-trained two-year-old had won her lead-up trial at Te Awamutu and carried that form over to race day with a 4.5 length victory over 900m on Sunday[...]

Posted on October 18, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Connections of Sacred Satono have waived an Australian campaign for the in-form three-year-old in favour of chasing a domestic Group One prize. The son of Satono Aladdin is making a good fist of fulfilling the potential he showed last season with consecutive victories and will attempt to complete a hat-trick of wins when he runs[...]

Posted on October 16, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

New Zealand trainer Andrew Forsman capped a successful day on both sides of the Tasman when progressive mare Mustang Valley bolted away with the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings. Forsman, who has had his team firing on all cylinders this season, had earlier captured back-to-back victories at Caulfield with Saint Bathans in a[...]

Posted on October 8, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Local runner Pier dominated his three-year-old rivals in the closing stages of the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), dashing away to win the Group Two feature in fine style. With the race transferred to Saturday’s Matamata meeting after Hastings was abandoned due to inclement weather last weekend, the strapping son of Proisir was in his element[...]

Posted on September 30, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

New Zealand trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray believe they may have unearthed their next Cups horse in Regazzo. The four-year-old gelding was impressive when winning his maiden by 5.5 lengths at Te Rapa earlier this month and his conditioners believe big things may be instore for the son of Tavistock. “His win was super[...]

Posted on September 23, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Tony Pike’s bid to win a second Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) rests on the shoulders of Slipper Island, who will open his campaign at Ruakaka on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer had until recently a trio of hopefuls in the running for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai-sponsored feature, but the weather has derailed[...]

Posted on September 22, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor sired a winning double at Matamata on Wednesday and also enjoyed further success in Victoria with another first crop representative. The Mark Walker-trained three-year-olds Zantabulous and Bubbles Await broke their maidens in style at Matamata while Algendy later followed suit at Bendigo for Mark and Levi Kavanagh. Zantabulous had given a[...]

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

Three weeks on from a spectacular debut on Riccarton’s synthetic track, exciting New Zealand filly Miss Take is switching to the turf and stepping up to stakes class for Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m). The Terri Rae-trained filly headed into her first start on August 25 with a reputation and red-hot[...]

Prowess downs older rivals in dramatic New Zealand Stakes

Val Di Zoldo poised to confirm Oaks claims

Tulsi terrific in Tauherenikau two-year-old

Polygon provides winning angle in Royal Stakes

Pike keen on Tutukaka’s Cup hopes

Impendabelle proves too tough at Trentham

Prise De Fer achieves Group One glory

Bright future for Tokyo Tycoon

Kirkland Buoyant after Stewards win

Debutante justifies rating with hollow win

Riccarton feature confirmed for Sacred Satono

Mustang Valley caps huge day for Forsman

Pier makes it a one act affair in Hawke’s Bay Guineas

Cup goals for Regazzo

Pike banking on Slipper Island for Guineas

Trio of winners for Almanzor

Miss Take ready for black-type test