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The Oaks strikes with exciting 3YO prospects

A pair of emerging fillies credited The Oaks Stud with a winning double at Pukekohe on Sunday with both homebreds promising to carry the Cambridge nursery’s colours to higher honours.Niagara’s daughter Alaskan added momentum to her Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) with victory in the NZB Karaka 2025 (2100m) at her third appearance.A race later, Cypher went one better in the Trackside.co.nz (1300m) after finishing runner-up on debut at Taupo in late December.“It was a ...

Ballon D'Or delivers on Cup Day

A decade after winning his hometown Cup with Maygrove, prominent Wellington owner Lib Petagna was back in the spotlight again on Trentham’s biggest day of the year on Saturday.Petagna’s JML Bloodstock colours were carried to victory by emerging three-year-old Ballon d’Or, who upstaged a highly rated line-up in the Harcourts (1200m) on the Wellington Cup undercard.The countdown to Saturday’s three-year-old sprint was dominated by Komocean, who had made a big impression winning both of her...

Savaglee brilliant in Levin Classic

Class three-year-old Savaglee stepped out for the first time since his devastating victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November and absolutely destroyed a small but handy field in Saturday’s Gr.2 Top Kat Roofing Levin Classic (1400m) at Trentham.Confidently expected to win despite the eight week absence from race day action, the punters elect at $1.60 never looked in danger of defeat once regular pilot Sam Spratt had him away nicely from a wide barrier and trucking along in...

Savaglee's summer kicking off at Trentham

Glamour colt Savaglee will commence an exciting summer programme at Trentham on Saturday, taking his place in the Gr.2 Top Kat Roofing Levin Classic (1400m).The Oaks Stud galloper was undoubtedly the nation’s top three-year-old through the spring, winning the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m) and his crowning success, the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).Savaglee made his first public appearance since his Riccarton success in a stacked Group and Listed trial...

Stars impress in Matamata trial

Eight Group One performers were put through their paces in a star-studded 1100m trial before the eight-race twilight card at Matamata on Friday, and it was standout three-year-old Savaglee who came out on top.Making his first public appearance since romping to victory by almost three lengths in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 9, the Savabeel colt settled in third through the early stages of Friday’s trial as speedy mare Babylon Berlin opened up a big lead ove...

Trial to kick off Savaglee's Australian campaign

Star colt Savaglee will be given the opportunity to maximise his stallion potential on Australian soil in the autumn and will take his first steps toward that goal on his home track.The Pam Gerard-trained son of Savabeel enjoyed time out at owner Dick Karreman’s The Oaks Stud following his Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) heroics and will be ready to trial at Matamata on Friday week.“He had two weeks back here and he’s back in the stable now,” The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams ...

Sesimbra scores in dramatic fashion

Royally bred filly Sesimbra made it back to back victories to open her three-year-old campaign when she took out the opening event at Wanganui, the Wanganui Function Centre 3YO (1200m) in dramatic fashion.The daughter of US Navy Flag, who was lining up for her second start this month after scoring nicely at New Plymouth a fortnight ago, finished just half a head from Velton after being forced over more ground in the run home by that runner.An inquiry was initiated shortly after horses returned t...

Savaglee supreme in 2000 Guineas

A dream spring for Savaglee, his trainer Pam Gerard and jockey Sam Spratt culminated in something very special in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 52nd New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday.Savaglee began his three-year-old season somewhat below the radar, albeit with two wins to his name from seven starts last season including the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m). But the Savabeel colt has blossomed before our eyes this spring and become a standout of his generation, winning f...

Antrim Coast kicking off big week for The Oaks

The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.A homebred son of resident sire Roc De Cambes, Antrim Coast flourished in the latter stages of his three-year-old term, finishing second to Orchestral in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) before winning the Gr.2 Alistair Clark Stakes (2040m) and finishing fourth in the Gr.1 South ...

Early experience propels Savaglee to dominant Group 2 win

Matamata trainer Pam Gerard believes seven starts as a 2-year-old played an integral part in Savaglee’s stunning G2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial S. victory at Te Aroha on Wednesday.The colt showed great maturity to hold off second and third placegetters Whiskey ’N Roses (Belardo {Ire}) and Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) on the straight to salute by 1.5l.It was Savaglee’s second consecutive triumph, the other also at Group 2 level in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas at Ma...

Savaglee sensational in Sarten

The road to Riccarton Park has not been an easy one for Savaglee, but the colt indicated he is right on track with a stunning performance in Wednesday’s transferred Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Aroha.Savaglee, alongside a number of other runners in the race, has fallen victim to a pair of abandonments, firstly with the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) which was rescheduled to Matamata, then the Sarten, which was set to be run on Monday at Te Rapa.The adaptable colt over...

Road to Riccarton a frustrating path for Gerard

Savaglee’s path to his spring grand final will take another detour this week with Pam Gerard admitting to severe frustration with the disrupted preparation.The Oaks Stud-raced son of Savabeel has the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next week as his main target and it’s been far from plain sailing for the Matamata trainer in the build-up.Monday’s fixture at Te Rapa featuring the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) was the latest upset w...

3YO Feature awaits Raziah

Tony Pike will have his two talented fillies, Raziah and Archaic Smile, chasing age-group crowns within 10 minutes of each other this Saturday at Riccarton Park and Ellerslie.In the South Island, The Oaks Stud-owned Raziah takes her place in the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m), looking to complete a stakes-level hattrick that commenced in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) in mid-September.The daughter of Niagara overcame a rocky run in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) to go back-t...

So Naive to continue purple patch of form

So Naive hasn’t put a foot wrong in his three-year-old campaign so far, and trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley are hoping his purple patch of form continues at Te Rapa on Monday.The U S Navy Flag colt was a handy two-year-old, winning two his four juvenile starts, but he blossomed into a three-year-old where he won the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) first-up before finishing runner-up to Savaglee in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).So Naive is on a path towards the Gr.1...

Raziah brilliant in Ashburton feature

North Island raider Raziah produced a brilliant burst of speed to make it back-to-back victories at stakes level when she took out the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton on Saturday.Fresh off success in a slogging finish to the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton last month, the Tony Pike-prepared filly looked to be in a power of trouble when back on the fence and a conservative six lengths off the leaders rounding the home turn.Despite collecting a bump from the ti...

Raziah Riccarton bound

Niagara filly Raziah will take another step toward the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton when she bids to remain unbeaten this preparation in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton on Saturday, after winning last month’s Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m).“She probably won’t have the gate speed to get herself handy at Ashburton, she’ll probably sit midfield and hopefully they go quickly and she’ll be strong late as she always is,” Pike said.“That should set her up nicely ...

Savaglee takes out drama filled Hawke's Bay Guineas

There was plenty of drama with the abandonment of last Saturday’s feature meeting at Hawke’s Bay, and that drama continued at the transferred meeting at Matamata on Wednesday in the running of the Gr.2 AHD Animal Health Direct – Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).Short-priced favourite Captured By Love reared up as the gates were released, losing six lengths at the start, and what looked to be all chance in the three-year-old feature.So Naïve took up the pace making role up front, while second...

To Catch A Thief on the board

Group One performer To Catch A Thief is a maiden no longer after taking out the Betta Inspect It Premier (1300m) at Matamata on Wednesday.The four-year-old gelding was having his first start for Joanne Surgenor, having previously been trained by Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, for whom he placed in 10 of his 14 starts for the Matamata conditioners.The son of U S Navy Flag was a standout juvenile, running third in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m)...

Savaglee set for Guineas challange

Some of the country’s most promising three-year-olds have taken out the Gr.2 AHD – Animal Health Direct Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) in recent years, and Pam Gerard is hoping Savaglee can join that esteemed group in Saturday’s contest at Hastings.Last season’s Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) winner, Savaglee, has returned as a furnished three-year-old who blew away his rivals first-up at Taupo before storming into second behind Poetic Champion in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Tro...

Exciting Spring instore for The Oaks Stud

New Zealand Cup week at Riccarton Park in November could prove to be an exciting one for The Oaks Stud.Farm principal Dick Karreman’s blue and white silks were already favoured to feature prominently in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), but now they may also be a major contender in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) seven days later.Homebred filly Raziah has put her hand up for the three-year-old feature following her win in Saturday’s...

Matsu Victor opens season for Francis Lui

U S Navy Flag - sire of Hong Kong winner Matsu Victor...

Pike and Cartwright combine for another three-year-old feature

A hard-fought victory by Raziah in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton Park provided trainer Tony Pike and jockey Matt Cartwright with a second feature three-year-old success within the space of a week.Pike and Cartwright teamed up seven days earlier at Hastings to take out the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) with all-the-way winner Poetic Champion. Saturday’s Canterbury Belle brought a different style of win by Raziah, but it w...

Savaglee strong as Group assignments loom

While top honours did not go the way of Savaglee in Saturday’s Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m), Pam Gerard took plenty of positives from the performance of her colt as he heads towards loftier targets.The impressive colt was a Group Three-winning juvenile and has flourished early in his three-year-old campaign, winning the 3YO Colts and Geldings contest at Taupo before a storming run into second behind Poetic Champion in the Hastings three-year-old feature.  In a leader-...

Big targets beckon for impressive Storm Boy

Multi-million dollar future sire Storm Boy (Justify) put his career firmly back on track with a dominant victory in his first three-year-old appearance in Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill.And such was the nature of his win, co-trainer Adrian Bott said a vast range of races were possibilities for him this spring – from three-year-old stallion makers the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), to the $20 million The Everest (1200m) and the Cox Plate (G...

Northern Raider Scores At Cambridge

Brucey Lee made the seven-hour round trip from Ruakaka worthwhile for trainer Kim Knight on Wednesday when taking out the TAB 2000 at Cambridge Synthetic.The son of U S Navy Flag had placed in his previous start over 2100m on his home track earlier this month and Knight was confident of an improved result despite his topweight of 60kg.Punters shared her thoughts and backed him into $4.40 favouritism, and he didn’t disappoint, running out a one-length victor over fellow Northland raider Richie�...