Zabeel Classic

Exciting times ahead for Richardson

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

Matamata trainer Graham Richardson left his local meeting a happy man on Wednesday after witnessing two of his runners quinella a star-studded trial. Last start Group One winner Tiptronic beat out stablemate, Group One performer Bonny Lass, to win his sedately run 1050m heat, which included Group One winners On The Bubbles, Sword Of State,[...]

Posted on January 2, 2022
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

A recent injury prevented popular owner-breeder Joan Egan from attending the New Year’s Day races at Ellerslie on Saturday, but her pride and joy Concert Hall gave her a timely boost with a masterful performance in the Group 3 Skycity City of Auckland Cup (2400m). The high-class daughter of Savabeel was backing up from the[...]

Posted on December 27, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Veteran galloper Tiptronic led all the way to take out his second career Group One prize when he captured the Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie. The Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained eight-year-old had hinted he could return to his best form when finishing on strongly for third in the Group 1[...]

Posted on December 25, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Consistent performer Prise De Fer has multiple top-flight placings to his credit and the Jamie Richards-trained representative is in top order for Ellerslie where he will attempt to breakthrough at the highest level on Boxing Day. The genuine son of Savabeel will take aim at the Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m), in which[...]

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

Top-class jockey Vinnie Colgan will be reunited with quality mare Two Illicit in the Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Sunday and should the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained five-year-old salute, no one would begrudge the veteran hoop success. Two Illicit enters the Ellerslie contest on the back of a devastating win in[...]

Posted on December 22, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard will have numbers and class in their favour for the Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day. The Matamata training partnership is set to have three runners in the weight-for-age contest at Ellerslie, with two of them – Harlech and Sound – both looking like solid chances.[...]

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

Two-year-old debutant Kana raced into contention for the NZD$1million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie next month with an impressive victory on her home track at Awapuni on Saturday. The statuesque daughter of Waikato Stud-based stallion Tivaci had been expected to be too good for her four rivals in the juvenile dash[...]

Posted on December 17, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

An overkill of rain might yet foil Awapuni trainer Peter Didham’s cunning plan. Didham had planned to use last Saturday’s Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa as a lead-up to the Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day for his smart mare House Of Cartier. But when the rain[...]

Posted on December 14, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Group Three winner All Saints’ Eve had her first hit-out on home soil at Arawa Park on Monday and new trainer Stephen Marsh is excited about her prospects over the summer. Bred by trans-Tasman powerhouses Waikato Stud and Rosemont Stud, the daughter of Sacred Falls was raced by the pair with Isabella O’Shea, whose husband[...]

Posted on December 14, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Four wins during the week including a double at Te Rapa on Saturday has trainer Pam Gerard excited about the prospects for her Ballymore Stables team leading into the busiest period of racing in the country over the summer months. After wins earlier in the week by Myrtle Creek and Let’s Say Grace, exciting sprinter/miler[...]

Posted on December 14, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Something about the start of summer brings the very best out of Concert Hall, who broke an 11-month win drought with a superb victory in Saturday’s Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa. The NZD$110,000 fillies and mares’ showpiece was the 10th win of a 29-start career for the high-class daughter of Savabeel,[...]

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

It will be something of a ‘girls day out’ for star members of the Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable on Saturday. The Cambridge training duo will produce mares in three Te Rapa features on Saturday and tackle the Group 3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni with a couple of emerging fillies. It will[...]

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

Ballymore Stables will double their attack on the Group 1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa on Saturday after its transfer from Trentham last weekend. Harlech was originally the stable’s only entrant, however, with the race now on their backdoor step, the Matamata operation has also elected to line-up On The Rocks.[...]

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

The abandonment of racing at Trentham on Saturday and the subsequent rescheduling of the Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) to Te Rapa this Saturday has played nicely into the hands of trainers Jenny and Bob Vance and their quality galloper Royal Performer. The nine-year-old gelding had looked to be working nicely into form with[...]

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

Trainer Catherine Cameron knows that she has limited time left with impressive Te Rapa winner Solid Impact but is keen to make the most of it with the progressive four-year-old. The son of Real Impact made it three wins in a row when he downed a handy field of rating 74 gallopers over 1600m on[...]

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

Hamilton trainer David Greene is hoping it’s a case of like mother, like daughter with promising three-year-old Just Dance, and early indications are promising. Just Dance is a daughter of Stolen Dance, a mare Greene trained to Group One runner-up results in the Zabeel Classic (2000m), Thorndon Mile (1600m), and Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m). She[...]

Posted on November 1, 2021
in New Zealand Horse Racing News

Roger James and Robert Wellwood will be chasing a third black-type success for the season when Concert Hall takes aim at the Group 3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on Tuesday. The Cambridge trainers have already claimed major targets with Cheaperthandivorce and Two Illicit, who both carry the Trelawney Stud colours, and are confident[...]

Exciting times ahead for Richardson

Concert Hall delivers tonic for Egan

Warhorse Tiptronic triumphs in Zabeel Classic

Richards can’t fault Group One hope Prise De Fer

Colgan eager to make up for lost Group One

Three-pronged attack on Zabeel Classic for Ballymore

Kana leaps into Karaka Million 2YO contention

Didham in a quandary with House Of Cartier

Homecoming for All Saints’ Eve

Ballymore Stable winding into form as Christmas approaches

James and Wellwood to the fore at Te Rapa

James and Wellwood to rely on girl power

Venue change adds to Ballymore arsenal

Royal Performer confirmed for rescheduled Captain Cook Stakes

Singapore Derby a target for impressive Te Rapa winner

Just Dance: Like mother, like daughter

Trainers looking to add to stakes tally

Chances are you’re about to lose.