From New Zealand midweek, to Australia on Saturday, then up to Hong Kong on Sunday, the spotlight on the local industry hardly dimmed.  New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale proved a great success and, as if to put an exclamation point on things, the big money in Victoria the Saturday following went the way... Read More

The moon and stars aligned perfectly for the entities involved in The Perfect Pink (Savabeel) and her New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday. Jamie Richards secured his 50th Group 1 winner, an astonishing number given his relatively short career as a trainer. The wise-beyond-his-years young man saddled up five runners... Read More

Prior to last Tuesday and the stunning Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) victory by Verry Elleegant (Zed), the above trifecta of words was reserved for the original Kiwi (Blarney Kiss), the 1983 winner. The similarities are noteworthy. Both are from very humble New Zealand backgrounds. Kiwi was bought by farmer Snowy Lupton for the princely... Read More

Competition between the heavy hitters, Racing NSW and Racing Victoria, extended to week three beyond the once typical Sydney Spring Carnival. Before the concept of The Everest (1200m), the Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m), Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Metropolitan Handicap (Gr 1, 2400m) were run before all eyes focused on Melbourne’s big... Read More

Thoroughbred racing and breeding is truly global, exemplified by the result of Saturday’s thrilling Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) at Moonee Valley.  The winner, State Of Rest (Starspangledbanner), is bred in Ireland, is by the Australian sprint star Starspangledbanner (Choisir) and arrived in Melbourne as the last-start winner of the recently re-established Saratoga Derby Invitational... Read More