New Zealand 2000 Guineas

Aegon: a quintessential Waikato Stud product

Posted on November 12, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

The win of Aegon, a son of the late Sacred Falls, in last Saturday’s Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) provided cause for triumphant reflection from powerhouse breeders Waikato Stud. Bred and sold by the Matamata nursery, Aegon has come a long way in a short time for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman,[...]

Posted on November 9, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

A rueful Stephen Marsh was left with a bittersweet feeling following the running of Saturday’s Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. Not much more than a coat of paint separated his three-year-colt Bourbonaire from eventual winner Aegon at the finish line, the second time the pair had finished[...]

Posted on November 8, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

In what was a carbon copy of the finish to the Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) back in September, unbeaten three-year-old Aegon defeated Bourbonaire in a thrilling finish to the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. The Cambridge gallopers had fought out a terrific battle in the[...]

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

Jockey Sam Weatherley is making the most of his opportunities at present and heads to Riccarton on Saturday full of confidence. The 21-year-old has ridden a double at each of Awapuni, Te Rapa and Hastings on the past three Saturdays and hopes to continue that winning streak this weekend. “Things are going really well at[...]

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

Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman have a dual-pronged attack on Saturday’s Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), and the hopes of the South Island rest on their shoulders as they take on nine competitors from the North. The Pitmans will saddle lightly-tried galloper Marine and stablemate Watchmaker as they[...]

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

Matamata trainer Jamie Richards is well used to marking off new benchmarks in career highlights. Winning the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) with Xtravagant at Riccarton in 2015 to bring up the first Group 1 win of his career has begun a sequence of highlights, which have come to a head in 2020. A Karaka[...]

Posted on November 5, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Leith Innes can see plenty of similarities between Saturday’s Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld 2000 Guineas (1600m) contender Aegon and the colt’s sire Sacred Falls. But the one likeness Innes wants to see most is both horses’ names on the winner’s list for the Riccarton classic. The South Auckland jockey rode Sacred Falls to win[...]

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

Matamata training partners Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will have just the two runners at Pukekohe on Saturday, headed by resuming speedster Princess Rihanna. The daughter of Showcasing has four wins to her name, a Group 3 placing in the Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) as a three-year-old and the short-course mare has had two trials[...]

Posted on October 29, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Only a matter of days ago, trainer Kenny Rae had resigned himself to missing the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) with Zoltan at Riccarton on Saturday week. On Thursday at Ashburton, Rae will saddle the talented three-year-old in the Thank You Barneswood Farm 1200, the Iffraaj gelding on trial[...]

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

On a day where the contenders for the upcoming age-group classics at Riccarton were on display around the country, South Island galloper Miss Tycoon Rose threw her hat in the ring with an impressive maiden victory. The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained three-year-old was backed off the map in the first event at Riccarton on Saturday[...]

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

Smart three-year-old Need I Say More let his actions do the talking at Te Rapa when he gave his age- group rivals a galloping lesson in the Group 2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. The Jamie Richards-trained runner had his doubters after he was beaten into fourth in the Group 2[...]

Posted on October 21, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Dual-Island trainer Stephen Marsh is looking forward to Saturday where he will be lining-up progressive gallopers at both the Te Rapa and Riccarton meetings. In the north, he will saddle a trio of promising three-year-olds who are on trial to head to Christchurch next month for Guineas targets. Bourbonaire and All Black Bourbon will contest[...]

Posted on October 12, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Trainer Lance O’Sullivan was beaming after former top juvenile Summer Passage made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure at Matamata on Saturday, when striding clear in a rating 74 1200m contest. O’Sullivan, who prepares the Snitzel gelding in partnership with Andrew Scott, was brimming with confidence before the race having labelled the former top[...]

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

Well-travelled three-year-old Not An Option reminded punters of his galloping ability when he defeated a small but classy field of rivals over 1400m at Matamata on Saturday. The Not A Single Doubt colt was having his first start since returning home from a three-race campaign in Australia during his two-year-old season that included a third-place[...]

Posted on October 9, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Champion jockey Opie Bosson is confident his season can kick into gear when he takes seven rides at Matamata on Saturday. The star hoop has taken longer than he would like to shed the last few kilos to get him back to racing trim following a winter break. But after 19 rides for three winners[...]

Posted on October 9, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Unition may be ready to become a man – in a manner of speaking. The Fastnet Rock three-year-old will tackle Saturday’s Fairview Motors Matamata 1400 as he looks to cement his claims on a trip to Riccarton for the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (2000m) on November 7. Bred and[...]

Posted on October 4, 2020
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

The judge has his work cut out at Hastings on Saturday as he perused the photo finish to one of the day’s feature events, the Group 2 Dundeel at Arrowfield Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m). Five horses went to the line with less than half a length between them and when the dust settled it was[...]

Aegon: a quintessential Waikato Stud product

Spelling paddock beckons gallant Guineas runner-up

Aegon lands 2000 Guineas in grandstand finish

In-form Weatherley to make Riccarton impact

Southern Guineas hopes rest with Pitmans

Richards chasing Trans-Tasman features

Innes looking for replica 2000 Guineas win

Princess Rihanna ready for Pukekohe sprint

Zoltan bounces back

Pitman filly ready for classic challenge

Smart three-year-old leaves rivals speechless at Te Rapa

Guineas hopes on trial for Marsh

O’Sullivan gains satisfaction from sprint victory

Not An Option on top at Matamata

Bosson excited by Matamata prospects

Guineas credentials on the line for talented Unition

Blanket finish to Hawke’s Bay Guineas

Connect with Racing Online