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Provence caps huge day for Spratt

By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskA coming-of-age performance by Provence in the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) capped a feature treble at Trentham on Saturday for leading jockey Sam Spratt.The 40-year-old had previously won the Listed Star Group Wellesley Stakes (1100m) on To Cap It All and the Gr.2 Top Kat Roofing Levin Classic (1400m) with standout three-year-old Savaglee. Spratt, who also recorded another black-type treble on the first day of the New Zealand Cup Carnival ...

Bumper Oaks result for Rider’s Milan Park

By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskTony Rider celebrated a classic dose of double delight in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on Saturday.In a near perfect result for the Milan Park principal, he had the honour of breeding the winner Pulchritudinous and also owns the dam of the runner-up Positivity.Rider enjoys a close association with Pulchritudinous’ trainer and part-owner Chad Ormsby and purchased the mother of the second filly from ...

Pulchritudinous takes out G2 Lowland Stakes

Milan Park Stud-bred filly Pulchritudinous was successful in Friday’s Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2000m) at Taupo.Pulchritudinous was bought by Ormsby under his Riverrock Farm banner for $32,500 from out of Milan Park's Karaka Book 2 draft of 2022. She was a stylish maiden winner in the second start of her career at Tauranga in October, then recorded one placing from her three appearances since then. A strong finish for a last-start third over 1600m on February 11 gave ...

Rider reunites with Aromatic

Milan Park’s Tony Rider went full-circle on gavelhouse.com on Monday night, buying back the multiple Group-winning mare Aromatic (NZ) (Sacred Falls) for $257,500.Rider bred Aromatic and offered her in Milan Park’s yearling draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2018, where she was bought by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for $160,000.Aromatic carried the tangerine colours of Te Akau to six wins and 14 placings from a 32-start racing career, earning more than $419,000 for her owners in the...

Derby throne awaiting Te Akau stayer

By Jess de Lautour, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskTe Akau unleashed a serious Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2000m) chance in Ascend The Throne at Te Rapa on Wednesday, the gelding displaying all of his staying prowess in claiming the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m).After commencing his career with two strong performances over the shorter trips, Ascend The Throne looked all too comfortable in breaking maidens over 2000m last start, the performance warranting $6.90 TAB second-favouritism be...

Te Akau Popthebubbles after Tauranga win

By LOVERACING.NZ News DeskPopthebubbles edged her trainer Mark Walker closer to the magical 200 wins for the season mark when taking out the Ultimate Mazda 1600 at Tauranga on Saturday.After jumping away fairly from the ace barrier, Popthebubbes settled toward the rare of the field for veteran hoop Vinnie Colgan, who began his move on the three-year-old filly at the 800m and she was able to storm home late out wide to capture a 1.8 length victory.“It was another really good winning e...

The Chosen One to stand at The Oaks Stud

The Chosen One will join the rejuvenated stallion roster at The Oaks Stud this breeding season.The Chosen One joins Champion European Two-year-old and Champion Sprinter U S Navy Flag and proven Classic sire Roc de Cambes at the Cambridge farm, with stalwart Darci Brahma retired from stud duties last month.“We’re really excited to be standing The Chosen One this season,” The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams said.“He has all the credentials to be a success at stud, he’s a Group On...

Aromatic wins Counties Cup

On a day where Auckland’s enigmatic weather produced plenty of sunshine combined with heavy showers, stablemates Aromatic and Self Obsession fought out a thrilling finish in trying conditions to the Gr.3 Pukekohe Traders Counties Cup (2100m). A sharp downpour before the race saw all riders splattered with mud midway through proceedings, with those in contention for the lion’s share of the prize heading to the outside of the track rounding the home bend. At that stage it was one of last seaso...

Musigny Lass in Tauranga victory

Trainer Ben Foote was blissfully unaware that his impressive Tauranga winner Musigny Lass (NZ) (Iffraaj) had nearly blown her chances at the start of Saturday’s 1300m three-year-old contest. The daughter of Iffraaj had overcome some buffeting at the top of the Tauranga straight to charge home and down $1.30 race favourite Turn The Ace (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), however it was a hairy moment for apprentice rider Ace Lawson-Carroll as the barrier opened that went close to ruining her chance...

The Chosen One to stand at Highview

Champion racehorse The Chosen One has been retired and will stand at Highview Stud in New Zealand in 2022. The six-year-old retired as a Group One winner over a mile, multiple stakes winner on both sides of the Tasman and dual NZ Stayer of the Year with over $2.7 million in stakes earnings.  A versatile and durable horse, The Chosen One followed his winning debut as a three-year-old with a win in the L...

Oceanex sold for $1 million

The stunning looking Oceanex has sold today at the Magic Millions Broodmare sale for a cool $1million dollars!Bred, raised and sold by Milan Park as a yearling, Oceanex is a daughter of Ocean Park and our wonderful mare Danex. On the track she was a Group Two winner and multiple black-type performer and she was sold in foal to the champion sire I Am Invincible.Congratulations to Luke Wilkinson, who purchased her as a yearling and her new owners, Kia Ora Stud....

Ritchie Enraptured with promising filly

Adrian Clark may have found his next Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle). The bloodstock agent bought the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner and Champion New Zealand Three-Year-Old Filly of her year for just $5,000 as a weanling, and he outlaid a similar price for her heir apparent, Enraptured (NZ) (Preferment).The juvenile filly won on debut in the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1050m) at Matamata on Wednesday, impressing trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray.“We will probab...

Lowry and Cullen mare answers punters prayers at Trentham

Underrated sprinter Can I Get An Amen (NZ) (Hallowed Crown) justified some inspired support at Trentham on Saturday when she captured the Listed Race A Horse With Te Akau NZ’s No. 1 Stable Lightning Handicap (1200m).The Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen-trained five-year-old brought an impeccable form reference into the race having finished fourth behind Levante (NZ) (Proisir) and Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at the venue back in January.After Roch ‘...