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Midnight Edition chasing stakes redemption after Te Rapa success

Midnight Edition narrowly missed out on a feature three-year-old crown in December and he’ll have a shot at redemption in a fortnight after defeating a quality field at Te Rapa on Sunday. Midnight Edition caused a major market upset when dead-heating the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day, but was relegated to second position after an enquiry by the connections of Yaldi. The son of Wrote has been tested at a range of difference distances this campaign, but has found his sweet spo...

Wrote To Arataki back on her game at Flemington

Multiple black-type winner Wrote To Arataki made a welcome return to top form in Saturday’s A$200,000 Gr.3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.The New Zealand-bred mare had previously won the Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1300m) in February of 2023 and the Gr.2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) the following October, but had gone winless in seven starts through the 16 months since then.Wrote To Arataki showed a glimpse of her best form with a last-star...

Santos Filly Wins Tasmanian Guineas

Lightly raced Santos filly Moorlands Miss overcame a wide run to score a brave first stakes win at just her fourth start in Friday’s Tasmanian Guineas (LR).Ridden by Codi Jordan, the Glenn Stevenson trained daughter of Santos was forced to race three wide without cover throughout before maintaining a determined effort to defeat Magnaprime (Magnus) by 1.5 lengths with Azonto (Stratosphere) third.The win takes her record to two wins and a third from just 4 four starts with earnings of $94,2...

Wrote now the sire of 100% winners in Hong Kong

Progeny of Highview-based stallion Wrote bookended the card on LONGINES International Jockeys Championship (IJC) night at Happy Valley on Wednesday.Chill Chibi was successful in the Class 2 Japan Handicap (1800m) while The Azure broke maiden ranks in the Australia Handicap (1650m), and became his sire’s sixth winner from six runners in Hong Kong.“He has a 100-percent record in Hong Kong which is quite remarkable,” Highview’s Brent Gillovic said. “All six winners have been bred at Highv...

Weekend treble for Santos

Santos was represented by a trio of winners over the weekend. On Saturday the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Victory Win picked up the fifth win of his career, and second in succession at Doomben. The John Manzelmann trained, Karakaroo took his career tally to three wins at Prairie on Saturday and Grand Sage made it win number four at Bendigo on Sunday for Cranbourne trainers Tent Busuttin and Natalie Young. Santos is off to a great start at stud with G1 Sistema Stakes ...

Wrote 5 from 6 in Hong Kong

The G1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winning son of High Chaparral, Wrote continues to go from strength to strength.He has produced five winners from six runners in Hong Kong, including Chill chibi, a four time winner and fourth in the HK Derby recording 2.00.Fast Network (Wrote) looks to be another promising runner for Wrote in Hong Kong. Unbeaten in two starts, he was one of four winners for Jockey Zac Purton on the opening night of the new Hong Kong racing season on Sunday. Purton...

Wrote a firm favourite with breeders and buyers

By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskWrote continues to find favour with breeders and the tried horse market also remains strong for the progeny of High Chaparral’s Group One-winning son.The Highview resident’s flagbearer has been his daughter and Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous while his son Read About It gives every indication he will be a major player at the elite level this season.Trainer Robbie Patterson...

Read About It makes headlines at Wanganui

By Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskExciting three-year-old prospect Read About It made all the headlines in the feature event at Wanganui, the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).The Robbie Patterson-prepared galloper was having just his third start on Saturday but had created plenty of buzz around his chances and future prospects after closing off his two-year-old campaign with a scintillating victory in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.Patterso...

Heavenly start to campaign

Richard and Chantelle Jolly’s See You In Heaven (Divine Prohet) has made the best possible start to her campaign, dominating the Gr.3 Behemoth Stakes (1200m) first-up at Morphettville on Saturday.A strong field of mostly locals assembled for the A$150,000 contest, and while the Group Two-winning mare started favourite ($3.30), a 10-month gap between runs and a recent lacklustre trial saw plenty of money head elsewhere.But even off this break, See You In Heaven proved a class above, s...

Read About It makes headlines winning the Listed Ryder Stakes

Robbie Patterson is excited about what the future might hold for Read About It (Wrote) after the lightly raced two-year-old outclassed his opposition in Saturday’s Listed Phil’s Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.The season-ending juvenile feature was only the second career start for Read About It, who made his debut with a strong-finishing second after an interrupted run at Riccarton on June 22. He had previously won all of his three trials.Read About It was stron...

More Hong Kong success for Highview Stud’s Wrote

Highview Stud stallion Wrote continues to show his versatility with a pair of notable winners in Hong Kong this week.The sire of Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous was represented by impressive three-year-old debutant Fast Network, who won the Class 4 Chai Wai Road Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin last Saturday for Dennis Yip.The gelding was the well supported favourite on the strength of strong trial performances and his easy length and a half victory came as no surprise to his tra...

Mr Mozart to stand at Highview

Highview Stud has added another touch of Australian flavour to its stallion roster with the recruitment of Mr Mozart, a Group Two-winning son of the champion sire Snitzel.The impeccably-bred entire was prepared by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes to win five of his 16 starts, placing in another three and earning A$796,900.A Sydney debut winner at two, Mr Mozart’s highlight victory came in the Gr.2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m), beating Group One winners Never Been Kissed and Fangirl.He also won the Gr...

In-form Latta sprinter attacks at Trentham

By Jess de Lautour, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskThe rise of promising sprinter Platinum Attack (Santos) continued at Trentham on Saturday, claiming his fourth win on the bounce in The Oaks Stud Premier (1200m). First appearing on race-day in mid-December, Platinum Attack showed ability on debut, and two starts later, commenced an impressive winning hat-trick that earned the son of Santos second favouritism ($4.80) for the opener at the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes raceday. With Johnatha...

NZ Oaks heroine joins Australian powerhouse

Impressive last-start Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous (NZ) (Wrote) will continue her racing career in Australia following her sale this week.The Chad Ormsby-trained filly has been the subject of interest from prospective buyers from around the globe, care of her commanding Oaks victory, which came just eight days after a strong win in the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2000m).The daughter of Wrote will join the stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott after a deal was brokered by bloo...

Hong Kong Derby tilt for Nicola Chu-bred

When classy four-year-old Chill Chibi takes his place in Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m), it will mark a significant achievement for breeder Nicola Chu.Chu, who breeds under the banner of the Hong Kong Breeders Club, is achieving exactly what she set out to do, by producing horses good enough to compete in Hong Kong’s most coveted race.Bred and raised at Highview Stud in New Zealand, of which Chu is a part-owner, the son of Wrote was a winner at his second Hong Kong start when successfu...

Group One winner for Wrote

By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskAlmost two decades after riding Creil to victory in the Gr.1 Avondale Cup (2200m) as an apprentice jockey, multi-talented horseman Chad Ormsby climbed the same mountain in a different way when Pulchritudinous won the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on Saturday.Ormsby now trains a small team at Cambridge, saddling eight winners so far this season including Pulchritudinous in the Oaks and Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2000m), alo...

Lowland winner for Wrote

Resident Highview sire Wrote was represented by Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2000m) winner Pulchritudinous at Taupō on Friday.Pulchritudinous stepped up to 2000m for the first time in Friday’s Lowland, which was rescheduled from last week’s abandoned meeting at Hastings. Ridden by Joe Doyle, Pulchritudinous settled in sixth place behind a solid pace set by Harlow Rocks and Leave A Light On. She was cruising along beside the rail, with warm favourite Sudbina ...

Chill Chibi sweeps into BMW Hong Kong Derby calculations

Chill Chibi took another significant step towards the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March after Danny Shum’s talented young stayer overpowered older rivals to win the Class 3 Dunnottar Castle Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.With four wins and a narrow second from five starts, Chill Chibi has emerged as a leading contender for the lucrative 2024 Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which features the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 4 February, the Hong Kong Cl...

Highview proud to have another Cup contender

By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskHighview will continue its proud history with the Gr.1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) when proven distance performer Daqiansweet Junior makes his second appearance in the Flemington feature on Tuesday.While delighted to have another farm graduate in the line-up, the Waikato nursery’s expectations of further success in the time-honoured event are being kept in check.Trained by Phillip Stokes, Daqiansweet Junior is currently an $80 chance and will be partnere...

Mr Charismatic provides Valley redemption

Less than a week after Mr Brightside’s gallant effort when beaten a nose into second in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley, connections were back at the inner-city venue to watch another New Zealand bred son of Bullbars. On debut, Mr Charismatic sat just off the speed under jockey Damien Oliver and made his challenge when rounding the home bend to go on to score narrowly from the fast-finishing Elba in the BoozeBud Plate (1200m). Prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Mr Charismat...

Tristarc victory for smart Wrote mare

Talented five-year-old mare Wrote To Arataki has added further black-type to her record when leading throughout to land the Gr.2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.The daughter of Wrote was ridden with good intent by comeback jockey Dean Yendall, and once the mare found the front she was rated to perfection to prevail from Shuffle Dancer and Call Di.There was less than two lengths over the first eight runners home, with trainer Matthew Williams delighted to see the honest galloper ...

‘Incredible’ Mr Brightside dominant in Makybe Diva

Mr Brightside notched his fourth Group One victory in comfortable fashion when landing the MakybeDiva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday. In a small field of seven that always looked a tactical affair, winning jockey Craig Williams took luck out of the equation as he settled one-out one-back on the unassuming son of Bullbars. With his great rival Alligator Blood setting a sedate tempo and giving a strong kick turning for home, Mr Brightside...

Mr Brightside superb in Memsie

Mr Brightside has delivered plenty of highlights throughout his blockbuster career, but his performance in Saturday’s Gr.1 Stow Storage Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield suggested that the superstar six-year-old is still raising the bar.A two-time winner of the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in Sydney, the gelding by former Highview sire Bullbars added a Melbourne major to his trophy cabinet with a tenacious and top-class Memsie victory.Mr Brightside went ...

Draw only concern with Imprevu

By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskCambridge trainer Janenne Dalley is looking forward to heading to her local synthetic meeting on Wednesday where Imprevu will resume in the Horse Transport Services 1300.The daughter of Wrote had put together an impressive form line this preparation, winning one and placing in two of her four starts, and gave Dalley a great thrill when fourth behind some handy opposition at Ruakaka last start, including last Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) placeg...

Mr Brightside lands second P.B. Lawrence

Star galloper Mr Brightside has returned in imperious fashion when successful in Saturday’s Gr.2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, a race the son of Former Highview-based stallion Bullbars won last year.Prepared by Ben, Will & JD Hayes, the multiple Group One winner covered the 1400m in a slick 1.21.71s as he went on to score by just under two lengths from Pinstriped, with fellow New Zealand-bred runner Aegon charging home into third.  With regular jockey Craig Williams ...