NZ racing wrap: Romancer on the comeback trail
The Redwood gelding sustained a minor leg injury just before the Group One New Zealand Derby, which has taken longer to heal than expected.
“Romancer is back and doing extremely well at Donna’s (Logan, who trains in partnership with Chris Gibbs),” OTI Racing Director Terry Henderson said.
“They are very happy with him.
“We don’t really have any plans with him, he might have a race in four weeks’ time, but we had a serious hiccup with him so we have just taken our time to get him back.”
Meanwhile, Henderson believes Night’s Watch could extend his unbeaten streak to three this time in when he lines-up in Adelaide on Saturday for trainer Darren Weir.
“He’s an enormously talented horse, but he is still relatively new to the game, so he just needs racing,” Henderson said.
“He’ll have a trip to Adelaide which will do him the world of good and he should go very close to winning over there and then we will bring him back over here (Melbourne) and find a mid-week city race for him.”
RTR catalogue on-line
New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale catalogue is now available on-line and on the free iPad application.
The auction will be held at Karaka on November 22 and 23 with breeze-ups at Te Rapa on October 16 and 17.
The most successful sale of its kind in Australasia, it has celebrated 110 stakes wins in the past five seasons alone, nearly double the number of its closest competitor.
Graduates of the sale have won 19 Group One races in the same time, cementing its position as a prolific producer of successful racehorses.
Headlined by the recent Group One-winning performances of Gingernuts and Hall of Fame, graduates have won the Rosehill Guineas, New Zealand Derby, Levin Classic, Futurity Stakes, Emirates Stakes, New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas, Caulfield Cup, Australian Derby, Easter Handicap, Haunui Farm Classic, Hong Kong Mile, Stradbroke Handicap, Auckland Cup, International Stakes and Victoria Derby.
Siblings to Group One winners Adventador, Savaria, Sofia Rosa, Magic Cape, Zabrasive, Able One, Kawi, Silent Achiever, Brambles and King Mufhasa and to the Group One-placed Strada Cavallo, Allez Eagle, Fazzle, Formality, Frolic and Kabayan will go under the hammer.
This year’s auction will feature 437 two-year-olds, representing 117 sires from New Zealand and Australia, with catalogues due to be in the mail next week.
Short break for Rangipo
A start in the Group One Windsor Park Plate, the second leg in the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown series, has been ruled out for Rangipo.
He endured a horror run from a wide gate when beaten in the Group One Tarzino Trophy and trainer Tony Pike has elected to give his Group One New Zealand Derby winner a break.
“We decided to push forward and he was caught six and seven deep down the back,” he said.
“It was a tough run on a heavy track.
“We’ll give him a three-week freshen-up and then maybe look toward Ellerslie with him.”
Stakes winner making good progress
Black type winner She Brings Joy is closing in on a return to competition.
“She trialled up really well at Te Teko and she’ll probably have her first-up run in a Rating 65 over 1400 metres at Te Rapa on September 20,” trainer Stephen Marsh said.
Bred and raced by Kevin Hickman, She Brings Joy hasn’t raced since she won the Group Two Royal Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
New headwear for Guineas contender
Promising three-year-old Ohceedee is to have a change of gear.
It has been prompted by the son of Power’s last-start effort for second behind Felton Road at Ruakaka last month.
“Alysha (Collett) said he got a bit lost when he got to the front so when he races next we’ll change the blinkers for the visor blinkers,” trainer Steven Cole said.
Ohceedee, who placed in last season’s Listed Great Northern Foal Stakes, has the Gr.2 Sacred Falls Hawke’s Bay Guineas on October 7 on his programme.
Trainers fancy Kiwi-bred’s chances
New Zealand-bred galloper He’s Our Rokkii will strip a fitter horse in Saturday’s Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley.
The son of Roc de Cambes has benefitted from his resuming run for fourth in the Group Two P. B. Lawrence Stakes behind Hartnell last month.
“He had a really good spring last year and then he had a flat autumn,” co-trainer Ben Hayes said.
“So then we just turned him out, reset him, and from his first-up run it looks like he’s come back to his old spring form.
“We’re really happy with him and think he’s a really good chance on Saturday. He’s drawn barrier one so you’d imagine he’ll get a good run and then just need a bit of luck getting out at the Valley.”
Marsh notes quality of opposition
Trainer Bruce Marsh is happy with War Affair going into Sunday’s Jumbo Jet Trophy, but he is wary of the former Singapore Horse of the Year’s opposition.
The son of O’Reilly warmed up for the task with a barrier trial win earlier in the week.
“I was happy with his trial on Tuesday, but he faces a big challenge in the Jumbo Jet Trophy,” Marsh said.
“It’s a weight-for-age race and he is definitely well-in at the weights, but he’s taking on some very good horses. I know it’s a drop back to 1400m, but there is nothing else for him. I wouldn’t run him over such trips late in the season.”
– NZ Racing Desk