Two weeks after a luckless run over the same course and distance, well-related local mare Candyflip turned her fortunes around in style in Saturday’s Fairview Motors Matamata Maiden (1400m).
While most people were surprised to see Town Cryer hold out the late charge of multiple Group One winner Prowess as she took out the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeder’s Stakes (1400m), trainer Royden Bergerson wasn’t necessarily one of them.
Exciting two-year-old prospect Poetic Champion produced an emphatic first victory for young Waikato Stud stallion Super Seth at Hawera on Saturday.
With a dominant home-track performance in Saturday’s Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m), Legarto has put last week’s weather woes behind her and set her sights on Sydney.
Promising filly Luberon confirmed she is right on schedule for a trip to Christchurch later in the spring with a comprehensive winning performance at Matamata.
Despite the last-minute defection of Skew Wiff, New Zealand maintained a strong influence on Saturday’s A$300,000 Gr.2 Furphy Rose of Kingston Stakes (1400m) at Flemington thanks to a determined victory by Kiwi-bred mare Life Lessons.
A new training partnership will shoot for its first win at Timaru on Friday.
Matamata trainer Stephen Autridge has focussed on quality rather than quantity in his stable over the last few years, and it’s showing.
Matamata trainer Ken Kelso is taking inspiration from a turf legend as he prepares Group One-winning mare Legarto for Saturday’s Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m).
The South African accent has been growing in volume in jockey rooms around the country in recent years thanks to former jockey turned NZ Equine Academy director Donavan Mansour, with that number growing by one this season.
