Lightly-tried seven-year-old Kissinger (NZ) (Tavistock) rewarded his connections’ patience with a dogged victory at the Cranbourne stand-alone meeting on Saturday when landing the Reed Cranes & Transport Marathon Handicap (2540m).
Five-year-old gelding Redwood Shadow (NZ) (Redwood) made it successive victories when he came from midfield to score in the NZB Jack Newton Legend Mile Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m), heading home a New Zealand bred trifecta in the final event on the Newcastle stand-alone meeting on Saturday.
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou believe Preferment filly Prefer To Smile has a bright future instore after her two length maiden victory over 2000m at Canberra on Sunday.
Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) now has some stiff competition for Jamie Mott’s favourite horse of the spring, but he gets the chance to cement his position at Cranbourne this Saturday.
Trainer John O’Shea is sweating on talented galloper Waihaha Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls) gaining a start in the A$1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle on Saturday.
Former Kiwi mare Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) relished the good tempo in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) to take out the feature mares’ race on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.
The Michael Moroney-trained Roch ‘N’ Horse has reiterated her class with a second Group One victory at Flemington when defeating Nature Strip in the A$3 million Darley Champions Sprint (1200m).
Kiwi mare Short Shorts (NZ) (Iffraaj) recorded her first metropolitan Saturday victory when landing the Ranvet Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Five-year-old gelding Snapper (NZ) (Power) capped a bumper day for Trans-Tasman trainer Michael Moroney when winning the $A150,000 World Horse Racing Grand Handicap (1100m), the final race of the Flemington carnival.
Little Avondale Stud toasted another Group One victory on Saturday from their crack sprinter Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto) at Flemington and for one member of the Williams family it provided a timely tonic.
