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Gypsy Goddess all class in Oaks triumph

New Zealand-bred filly Gypsy Goddess left her rivals with few excuses after landing the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) for trainer David Vandyke and jockey William Pike at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The daughter of Tarzino went back from the horror outside draw of 18, and while the rangy filly relaxed well throughout, she was forced to cover plenty of ground rounding the home turn and presented widest in the home straight. It mattered little as the $4.40 favourite landed the Classic with a length to...

Gypsy Goddess requires Wizard magic

Gypsy Goddess has continued her bad run of luck with barriers after drawing the outside gate in the 18-horse field for Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm. It is nothing new for the daughter of Tarzino who has had to overcome wide draws in her previous outings this preparation when placing in the Gr.1 Vinery Stakes (1850m), Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m), and Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m). “It is a terrible barrier,” trainer David Vandyke said. “I am glad that we ha...

Cunningham gets Flying Start with Godolphin

Godolphin has selected a dozen up-and-comers from around the world for the 2022-2024 edition of its Flying Start programme, including Liam Cunningham. He will be joined by 11 others from around the world including fellow kiwi Annabel Adams. Beginning in August at Kildangan Stud in County Kildare, Ireland, the two-year programme gives trainees the opportunity to learn and experience management operations and leadership in the global thoroughbred industry with phases in Ireland, the UK, the USA, A...

Tofane sells for A$3.1 million

Curraghmore principal Gordon Cunningham was on hand on the Gold Coast on Wednesday to watch Tofane, a product of his Waikato farm, sell for A$3.1 million to the bid of Yulong Investments. Cunningham bred the daughter of Ocean Park who went on to win eight of her 30 starts, four at Group One level, and more than A$3.6 million in prizemoney. “It has been a great thrill to see her on the sale grounds,” Cunningham said. “She was beautifully presented and looked her magnificent s...

Tevere in top form at Te Rapa

Track specialist Tevere converted with a genuine effort in the Waikato Draught Open (1200m) on Saturday at Te Rapa. Impressive winning her Maiden over in May last year, Tevere extended her course record to four from six, with a second to boot, and five out of 10 in total. Continuing his great affinity and aboard for each win at Te Rapa, jockey Michael McNab tracked in fifth before challenging to level with smart galloper Mega Bourbon and drawing to a winning advantage inside the final furlong. B...

Germanicus set to bounce back at Te Rapa

Multiple stakes winner Germanicus is in the right condition to turn his fortunes around with a return to top form at Te Rapa on Saturday in what may be his final appearance of the season. The six-year-old, who was born and raised at Curraghmore for breeder-owners the St Germaine Syndicate, will be aided in his quest to add the Wig (Noel) Wilson Memorial Mile (1600m) to his record with the booking of apprentice Masa Hashizume reducing the gelding’s impost to a more manageable 59kg. Germanicus h...

Talented Tevere back on favourite footing

Te Rapa has proved to be the happiest of hunting grounds for Tevere and a return to the Waikato course on Saturday may again bring out the best in the gifted mare. The Contributer four-year-old has made five appearances on the course for three wins and a runner-up finish and will bid to add to her record in the Waikato Draught Handicap (1200m). Tevere will be coming off an unplaced performance in the Listed Flying Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni, but co-trainer Pam Gerard has ruled a line through that...

Curraghmore top Online Yearling Sale

Curraghmore sold the top lot at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Online Yearling Sale hosted on Gavelhouse Plus.A colt by popular young sire Turn Me Loose purchased for $34,000 by NZB Agent Alex Teng on behalf of an internationally-based client. Breeder Gordon Cunningham was delighted by the sale of his colt in the online format. “He was a good colt and was bought very well. Timing can be everything and with his sire (Turn Me Loose) going so well at the moment, the price he made really...

Weekend Runners - Easter Weekend 15.04.2022

Good luck to connections of all Cm graduates racing over the Easter weekend including the following:AUSTRALIA FRIDAYCanberra RC- Race 8 Andy Stanham-Worksforyou H., A$22000 1400m Rover (AUS) 2015 (G. by Fastnet Rock-Gypsy Princess) (trainer: Joseph Ible) AUSTRALIA SATURDAYRandwick- Race 8 All Aged S. Gr.1, A$605000 1400m Tofane (NZ) 2015 (F. by Ocean Park-Baggy Green) (trainer: M D Moroney)Caulfield- Race 8 Victoria H. Gr.3, A$200750 1400m Kahma Lass (NZ) 2017 (F. by Darci Brahma-...

Swansong for Tofane

Tofane will be vying to finish her racing career on a high on Saturday when she lines-up in the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. The daughter of Ocean Park won the race two years ago in the hands of Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson, her first at elite level. She was set to be offered in a broodmare sale last year, however, trainer Michael Moroney convinced her owners to have one final throw at the stumps at the Queensland Winter Carnival. His belief in the mare paid off, with Tofane going on to ...

Gypsy Goddess to lap up Oaks distance

Trainer David Vandyke can’t wait to see Gypsy Goddess over more ground at Randwick on Saturday. The daughter of Tarzino was impressive when running home for third in the Gr.1 Vinery Stakes (1850m) at Newcastle last start, with the race reducing from its original 2000m distance after being transferred from Rosehill. She clocked the fasted closing 200m of the race and Vandyke believes she will appreciate the step-up to 2400m in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks this weekend. “That is how we have traine...

Moroney mare shows Verve in Chairman’s victory

The Michael Moroney-trained mare Nerve Not Verve scored her biggest success to date when landing the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) on Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick. Ridden by Regan Bayliss, the six-year-old daughter of Shocking sat handy to a sedate tempo set by Knights Order and shortly after straightening the pair cleared out from their rivals with Nerve Not Verve going to the post a short neck in front. Luncies was a further 3¼ lengths away in third. A winner at Moonee ...

Germanicus upsets in Flying Stakes

Enigmatic galloper Germanicus was back to his best when he produced an irresistible finish to take out the Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni. The Danica Guy-trained son of Rip Van Winkle, who finished sixth in the Gr.1 El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki at his last start back in February, appreciated the strong pace throughout the race and loomed into contention for rider Taiki Yanagida rounding the home turn. A wall of horses stretched across the track at ...

Gelding option proves winning move

Flemington trainer Michael Moroney enjoyed further success with a Kiwi sprinter when four-year-old Not An Option took out Saturday’s Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington. The stable, which recently sent out New Zealand arrival Roch ‘N’ Horse to win the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), received Not An Option as a tried horse from the Tony Pike stable. After a disappointing effort when ninth in his only start for Moroney last spring, the son of Not A Single Doubt returned to winning ...

Gypsy looking to camp out in Sydney

Classy filly Gypsy Goddess faces her biggest test to date when she contests Saturday’s Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill, where the track is currently rated a Heavy 8. Trainer David Vandyke is confident the daughter of Tarzino will run well but has cautioned that the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) on April 9 at Randwick has long been the principal target for the staying filly. William Pike will ride the unbeaten Gypsy Goddess, who extended her record to five wins when resuming from a ...

Group Three breakthrough for No Compromise

Five-year-old gelding No Compromise ran out a game winner of the Gr.3 Queen’s Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday as the former Kiwi gears up for a tilt at the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m). The son of Pins, who began his career with Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow before transferring to Chris Waller, was ridden a lot handier to the speed than usual by jockey Jay Ford and kicked gamely to defeat stablemates Surefire and Chalk Stream by half a length. It was a black-type breakthrough for the impeccabl...

Gypsy Goddess Sydney bound

Gypsy Goddess has taken another leap towards the Gr.1 Australian Oaks with a dominant return to racing at Eagle Farm on Saturday to remain unbeaten. On a dour day, the David Vandyke-filly was the star attraction, returning for the first time with more questions than answers over 1600m in the 3YO Handicap. Marked as a Group 1 Australian Oaks prospect by the astute trainer, Vandyke will now travel with his unbeaten filly to Sydney for the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in a fortnight’s time bef...

Ruthless Dame on Group One path

Ruthless Dame has maintained an unbeaten record with a strong win in the Gr.3 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained daughter of Tavistock was successful over 1300m at Sandown last month which helped her at the end of the 1200m in Group Three company on Saturday. Under the guidance of Jamie Kah, Ruthless Dame dug deep to score by a neck from Nangui with Mumbai Jewel a short-neck away third. Eustace said the Gr.2 VRC Sires' Produce ...

Ellis buys ‘filly of the decade’

Te Akau principal David Ellis has bought plenty of quality fillies at Karaka over the years, so it was a bold statement when he labelled lot 410, the Fastnet Rock full-sister to Group One winner Unforgotten, as the best filly he has seen at New Zealand Bloodstock’s sales venue in a decade. “I have been coming and buying yearlings here since 1988 and definitely in the last five to 10 years I haven’t seen a filly of more quality or athleticism, and we were determined to buy her at any cost,�...

Curraghmore make strong start at Karaka

Australian interest in the quality New Zealand horseflesh on offer during the New Zealand National Yearling Sale was high early on the first day of selling with many familiar names featuring on the results page. Agents representing trainers such as Chris Waller, Danny O’Brien, Henry Dwyer and John O’Shea were all part of the early buying action, however, it was Tony Fung who headed the pack under his TFI banner as his on-site representative Kacy Fogden went to $425,000 to secure Lot 18, a Lo...

Melbourne Cup aspirations for Derby hero

Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott are eyeing a tilt at the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in spring with Asterix after his victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The son of Tavistock took out the $1 million feature after a light preparation and his conditioners have elected to send him to the spelling paddock to give him time to mature ahead of spring. “Andrew and I sat down with one of the part-owners, Sam Kelt, this morning and Sam’s dream has always...

Derby winner highlights another bumper day for Curraghmore

On the eve of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham was again pleased to see the farm’s past-graduates do the talking on the track, no doubt paving the way for further confidence for the product he will present at auction this week.The Karaka Sales will commence from 11am on Monday and pedigree updates don’t come much bigger than offering a full-sister to a Derby winner.But that is exactly the position Cunningham finds himself in following the a...

Asterix delivers Derby double for O’Sullivan and Scott

Twelve months after living up to expectations with a Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) favourite, Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott went back-to-back with a very different kind of triumph at Ellerslie on Saturday. In contrast to their 2021 Derby hero Rocket Spade, who came into the classic as a $4 favourite with outstanding lead-up form under his belt, O’Sullivan and Scott were well and truly under the radar in 2022 with last-start maiden winner Asterix. But the well...

Weekend Runners - 5.3.2022

Good luck to connections of all Cm graduates racing this weekend including the following:AUSTRALIA SATUDAYArmidale JC- Race 5 Debortoli Wines H., A$15000 1900m Chapal (AUS) 2014 (G. by High Chaparral-Bombay) (trainer: Theresa Stair)Randwick- Race 4 Randwick City S. L, A$140000 2000m No Compromise (NZ) 2016 (G. by Pins-Baggy Green) (trainer: C J Waller)Newcastle JC Race 5 AKA Racing Partnership H., A$35000 1880m Chapal (AUS) 2014 (G. by High Chaparral-Bombay) (trainer: Theresa Stair)Flemingt...

Weekend Runners - 19.02.2022

Good luck to the connections of all Cm graduates racing over the weekend including:AUSTRALIA SATURDAYRosehill- Race 3 Midway H., A$100000 1500m French Emperor (AUS) 2018 (G. by Tavistock-Special Memories) (trainer: David Payne)               Race 7 Parramatta Cup L, A$141000 1900m No Compromise (NZ) 2016 (G. by Pins-Baggy Green) (trainer: C J Waller)Flemington- Race 8 Elms H. L, A$161000 1400m Age of Chivalry (NZ) 2015 (G. by He's Remarkable-Onyx...