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Wexford three-year-olds rise in torrid Tauranga conditions

Wexford Stables’ three-year-olds prevailed in the survival of the fittest at Tauranga on Wednesday, with Prudentia and Macallan each breaking maiden status in the extremely testing conditions.The opening race of the day had revealed a true Heavy10 track, with rain continuing to fall in the Bay Of Plenty, but that was of no concern to Prudentia, who lapped up the surface in the Tauranga Racecourse Event Centre Maiden (1400m).A half-sister to classy wet-track gallopers Cork and Little Bit Of Lov...

Change in tactics pays winning dividend for Uderzo

Underrated galloper Uderzo took up pacemaking duties at Te Rapa on Saturday for the first time in his career and it proved a masterstroke for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott as he never looked like being headed in the KPMG 1600 (1600m).The six-year-old gelding is far better known as a get back and charge home type so many were surprised when apprentice Rihaan Goyaram bounced him straight to the front and set up a leisurely tempo from race favourite Witz End.It was evident from 800m ...

Ribkraka delivers winning Wexford double

Promising three-year-old Ribkraka thrived on a change of venue to deliver a front-running victory for Wexford Stables trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott at New Plymouth on Saturday.Entered for both the AB Electrical 3YO (1400m) at New Plymouth as well as a similar three-year-old contest a Te Rapa, O’Sullivan and Scott rolled the dice and sent the son of Ribchester down country and it paid off handsomely as Khavish Chowdhoory had him rolling from barrier rise and looking the winner a ...

The comeback King reigns in Ellerslie staying contest

King Of The North went from zero to hero in the space of two minutes at Ellerslie on Saturday, surprising even his trainers with a massive performance to win the Join TAB Racing Club 2100.An aptly named son of Jon Snow, King Of The North has made a strong early impression as a stayer and was sent out favourite in Saturday’s Rating 75 contest - but he looked more like a pauper than a king after missing the start by five lengths.But, in-form apprentice jockey Triston Moodley maintained his compo...

Do You Just blitzes Champagne rivals

A masterful front-running ride by Warren Kennedy and powerhouse performance from Do You Just turned Saturday’s Listed Skycity Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie into a one-horse race.The pair led for every step of the way in New Zealand’s longest two-year-old race and romped home by six and a half lengths.Do You Just has always been held in high regard by his Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, and after being unplaced in two early-season appearances in November and Dec...

Wexford Go Back-To-Back in Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes

Pencarrow Stud homebred, Tomodachi, has made an enormous impression in a short career to date, winning six of her nine starts and more than $179,000 in stakes.The daughter of Tarzino burst on the scene with three wins in a row last autumn, then ventured across the Tasman to Queensland and finished midfield in a solitary appearance over 2180m.A stronger and better version of Tomodachi returned to racing as a four-year-old this season, collecting back-to-back wins at Tauranga and Ellerslie before ...

Kauri capitalises on Wexford opportunity

Promising jockey Liam Kauri jumped at the chance to ride for one of New Zealand’s biggest stables at Trentham on Saturday, guiding Tristar to victory in the Leica Lucy 3YO (1200m).The $35,000 race was Kauri’s 20th win in a career that has been plagued by long stints on the sidelines with injuries. The 25-year-old took special satisfaction from Saturday’s success aboard the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Tristar.“It’s the biggest stable I’ve ever ridden for, so this ...

Rotorua Stakes defence looms for Karman Line

The Group Three winner was right back to her best when taking out the BCD Group 1400 at Te Rapa on Sunday.The daughter of Myboycharlie has mixed her form from the outset and while she won the Lisa Chittick Plate (1400m) and Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) last term, she missed the top five in her opening four appearances this season, albeit in strong company.A fourth placing behind stablemate Little Bit Of Love last time out indicated she was on the up, but punters were still wary of the mare and sh...

Back-to-back Group Twos for Waitak

Last year’s Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) winner Waitak has showcased his versatility and class this autumn with a dominant double over 1600m and 2100m.The son of Proisir was a three-length winner of the Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga on March 15, and on Saturday he stepped up over even further and won the Gr.2 City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham with similar ease.Waitak has joined a rare club, becoming only the second horse to win both the Railway and the Awapu...

Checkmate bound for Rosehill feature

Wexford Stables took home the major spoils at Tauranga on Saturday, and this weekend, they will venture further afield with class three-year-old Checkmate contesting the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in Sydney.Checkmate has impressed in his first racing campaign, winning three races including the Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m). The son of Mongolian Khan was selected by trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott to represent Wexford in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), and after settling be...

Tauranga specialist prevails in Owens Plate

Grande Gallo collected her third win from four starts at Tauranga with a narrow victory over three-year-old Yaldi in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m) on Saturday.The daughter of Belardo won the three-year-old race on the undercard of this same Japan Trophy meeting 12 months ago, which has proved to be a strong form reference for the 2025 edition. Grande Gallo won that race by two lengths over You Say D’Orsay, who also returned a year later on Saturday and won the Stu Cundy Bayleys Countr...

Waitak and Elliot a class above in Japan Trophy

The $150,000 feature was a step down in class following a string of high-class summer assignments for Waitak, who has contested 10 Group One races in his 30-start career.The Proisir gelding had gone winless since taking out the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) in January of 2024, but he but has subsequently run fourth in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), fifth in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), third in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m), third in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m), second in the Gr.3 ...

Four NZB Kiwi Runners for Wexford

Wexford Stables’ long-held plan for an all-out assault on The NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie has come to fruition, with a quartet of in-form contenders to do battle on Saturday.Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will be represented by Checkmate, Sought After, Sethito and Hankee Alpha in the inaugural running of the $3.5 million Champions’ Day feature.“It’s certainly been a massive team effort and at the beginning of the season we had a number of three-year-olds that were genetic...

Meet the Team - Megan Fenwick

Megan leading Dark Destroyer back after winning the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate. Image: Grant Peters....

Tomodachi Extends Impressive Record

Rider Masa Hashizume made a quick return to winning action following an injury-enforced stint on the sideline when he guided emerging star Tomodachi to an impressive victory in open company over 1200m at Ellerslie on Saturday. The Auckland-based hoop suffered a broken collarbone in a race fall at Trentham in January but barely a month later he was back at trackwork. Hashizume showed he was back to full fitness with a well-judged effort aboard the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepare...

Sethito sparkles in NZB Kiwi audition

Four confirmed candidates for the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) had their final dress rehearsal in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, and a classy performance by Sethito put a spring in the step of her connections and slot-holders.Bred and raced by Waikato Stud patriarch Garry Chittick, Sethito was selected to represent Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s slot after an impressive run of form that started with a six-length Rotorua mai...

Hankee Alpha joins Wexford Quartet in The NZB Kiwi

Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) will host the inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) in just over a fortnight, and the Club’s Chief Executive Paul Wilcox is excited to announce Hankee Alpha (NZ) will carry the hopes of the locals in the $3.5 million showpiece. Hankee Alpha is a fourth NZB Kiwi runner for Wexford Stables’ Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, alongside Sought After (NZ) (Waikato Stud), Sethito (NZ) (Waikato Thoroughbred Racing) and Checkmate (NZ) (Wexfo...

Wexford filly proves She’s All That

Promising filly She’s All That rewarded the patience of her connections as a fitting winner of the Wexford Stables (1400m) at Te Aroha on Wednesday.Prepared by Wexford trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, She’s All That had come out of a key form race in mid-December, won by Ardalio, finishing fifth behind the subsequent Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) victor, and race-winners Charmrose, Mirabella and Kananaskis.The daughter of Time Test closed at $6.40 in the hands of George Rooke, wi...

Wexford savours milestone day

With a pair of highly promising winners, a milestone for the season and a perfect exhibition gallop by a Group One-bound star, the Wexford Stables team had plenty of reasons to leave Te Rapa on Friday with a spring in their step.Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott went into Friday’s race meeting with 49 wins to their name this season, and they lifted that total to 51 with victories by Sabrina Hall in the NZB Kiwi Preview Evening 6/3 (1400m) and Peerless in the Fairview Motors...

WTR secure Sethito for the NZB Kiwi

Waikato Stud and Wexford Stables have furthered their representation in the NZB Kiwi (1500m), with slot holder Waikato Thoroughbred Racing announcing their filly Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) as their contender for the $3.5 million feature.Bred and raced by leading thoroughbred nursery Waikato Stud, Sethito has made an impact on the track for Wexford trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott this term, winning two and placing in two of her five starts, including victory in the Gr.3 Bone...

Wexford Make Decisive Move On The NZB Kiwi

Wexford Stables’ red-hot form across a stable of talented three-year-olds in recent months has built widespread anticipation over which of their talented stars would emerge to represent the Matamata barn in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m).Training partners Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have ended speculation, making the decisive move to select hugely promising galloper Checkmate (NZ) to fill their slot in the inaugural running of the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year...

Winning Ellerslie rehearsal for NZB Kiwi contender

Sought After took a big step towards the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) with a stylish come-from-behind performance in the Sistema (1200m) at Ellerslie on Sunday.Following a winning debut at Taupo in the spring, Sought After earned himself a place in New Zealand racing history when he was selected by owner-breeders Waikato Stud to represent their slot in the NZB Kiwi. The Tivaci gelding became the first confirmed runner in the inaugural slot race.Sought After’s rise to prominence briefly stutte...

Grail Seeker soars to Telegraph triumph

Within the space of just two starts as a four-year-old, Grail Seeker has announced her arrival as one of the brightest stars in New Zealand racing.A first-up winner of the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings back at the beginning of September, the Iffraaj mare lined up for her first race in 119 days at Trentham on Saturday and blew her rivals away again in the Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m).It was the 40th win of a standout season for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, and one of...

Bonecrusher quinella continues Wexford run

The outstanding form of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott’s three-year-olds continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a one-two finish by Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) and Prosegur (NZ) (Proisir) in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m).It was the second age-group feature within the space of a week for the Wexford Stables team, who saddled Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) for a commanding victory in last Saturday’s Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m) at the same venue. Overall, O’Sullivan and Scott...

Wexford’s roll continues with Cheaha

Impressive debutant Cheaha was the latest of Wexford Stables’ three-year-olds to step into the winner’s circle, and on Saturday at Ellerslie, five of his stablemates will take their place in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m).Cheaha, a son of Alabama Express, made five trial appearances prior to the Rotorua meeting on Wednesday, showing enough promise to close a strong favourite for the maiden contest. Settling back early for jockey Warren Kennedy, Cheaha cruised along while the long-stridi...