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Bonecrusher quinella continues Wexford run

The outstanding form of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott’s three-year-olds continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a one-two finish by Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) and Prosegur (NZ) (Proisir) in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m).It was the second age-group feature within the space of a week for the Wexford Stables team, who saddled Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) for a commanding victory in last Saturday’s Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m) at the same venue. Overall, O’Sullivan and Scott...

Wexford’s roll continues with Cheaha

Impressive debutant Cheaha was the latest of Wexford Stables’ three-year-olds to step into the winner’s circle, and on Saturday at Ellerslie, five of his stablemates will take their place in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m).Cheaha, a son of Alabama Express, made five trial appearances prior to the Rotorua meeting on Wednesday, showing enough promise to close a strong favourite for the maiden contest. Settling back early for jockey Warren Kennedy, Cheaha cruised along while the long-stridi...

Checkmate adds to Wexford record in three-year-old feature

The race now known as the Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m) is becoming a reliable springboard to bigger and better things for Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, and that trend looks likely to continue after a smart win by Checkmate at Ellerslie on Saturday.The three-year-old feature was previously known as the Trevor and Corallie Eagle Memorial. Wexford Stables won the race in 2022 with the subsequent Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) hero Waitak, while they finished second last year with Grail Se...

Smart win for progressive filly

Wexford Stables have unveiled a number of promising three-year-olds over the past fortnight, and the latest to shed her maiden status was Smart Love, who won the Fresh Choice Leamington 3YO (1600m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.Following in the footsteps of stablemates Hankee Alpha (Te Aroha), Texas Hold Em’ (Ellerslie) and Smokotime (Pukekohe), Smart Love entered the mile contest as the top pick at $2.10, a reflection of two second-placed performances in her career to date.The Savabeel filly jumped ...

Lux Libertas continues rapid rise

A four-win horse in a special conditions maiden is a rare sight, and rapidly improving mare Lux Libertas proved to be as dominant on the Te Rapa track in Saturday’s Three Wise Birds (1400m) as she was on paper. The $65,000 race was restricted to horses that were maidens on July 16. At that stage, Lux Libertas had recorded a fifth and a seventh from her only two starts.  She then recorded a stylish maiden win at Te Rapa on July 27, followed by another three straight victories on ...

Tristar Claims First NZB Mega Maiden Bonus

Promising filly Tristar (Exceedance) earned herself a slice of history with a stylish victory in the $18,500 NZB Mega Maiden Series (1200m) at Taupo on Friday.It was the first of 40 maiden races this season in the Mega Maiden Series, which is an exciting new initiative created by NZB in partnership with Entain and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing. The bonus was struck at the first time of asking by Tristar, whose owners earned a $20,000 bonus while $5,000 went to trainers Lanc...

Grail Seeker Strikes Group One Gold

Grail Seeker showed glimpses of something special as a three-year-old last season. She stormed home from third-last to win the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) by almost three lengths at Trentham in March, and she also picked up placings in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial (1500m). The Iffraaj mare was overlooked as a $32 outsider for her first-up tilt at the Tarzino, in which she faced a formidable field fe...

Lux Libertas Scores Hat Trick

Lux Libertas overcame plenty of adversity early in her life, but the four-year-old left unfortunate beginnings behind her when completing a winning hattrick at Matamata on Wednesday. A daughter of Almanzor, Lux Libertas had a pair of starts early in her three-year-old season before being put aside by trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and returned to break maidens in July.  Heading into the new term, the mare continued her upward trajectory, claiming a Rating 65 contest ...

Little Bit Of Love completes Wexford’s trans-Tasman double

Wexford Stables enjoyed a winning afternoon on both sides of the Tasman on Saturday, including a fourth win in a row for breakthrough performer Little Bit Of Love in the Elsdon Park (1400m) at Pukekohe. Little Bit Of Love’s heroics came less than an hour after his three-year-old stablemate Geriatrix took out the A$85,000 HKJC Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in his first Australian start. “It’s been a very special day today, and it’s a credit to all of our team,” said Lance O�...

Geriatrix shines on Australian debut

New Zealand three-year-old Geriatrix made a big impression when making his Australian debut at Eagle Farm on Saturday, albeit not in the race his trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott had hoped for. The Almanzor colt headed across the Tasman as a three-race winner from nine starts, most recently at Rotorua on May 11, and he had also produced strong finishes to be close up behind the placegetters in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m), Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Gr.3 Cambridge...

Little Bit Of Love chasing four-straight at Pukekohe

Progressive galloper Little Bit Of Love will aim to complete his preparation on a high this Saturday at Pukekohe, chasing a fourth-straight victory in the Elsdon Park 1400.The late-developing four-year-old only made his debut in December but has rapidly risen through the grades with four wins from seven appearances, most recently completing a hattrick for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott at Te Rapa.Little Bit Of Love was piloted in that race by apprentice Ngakau Hailey, and his three...

Heavy track delight for Highlighter

A strong tempo and heavy track conditions at Pukekohe Park on Saturday was the perfect winning combination for Highlighter, as the talented mare put her rivals away comfortably in the Barfoot & Thompson 1100.While the daughter of Shamexpress is more than capable on a good surface, she really comes into her own through the soft-track period, as she displayed last year with three consecutive wins through July and August, before capping off her campaign with a runner-up finish behind classy gal...

Plenty of love for rising star

Progressive four-year-old Little Bit Of Love showed he won’t be fazed by a further rise in class when he completed a winning hattrick at Te Rapa on Saturday. No closer than three off the fence in midfield throughout the rating 75 1400m contest, the son of Time Test was still travelling comfortably approaching the home turn for apprentice Ngakau Hailey. Inclined to lay in as he made his run down the outer in the straight, Little Bit Of Love still had plenty up his sleeve as he rounded...

Karman Line Wins Rotorua Stakes

Red-hot rider Masa Hashizume added further plaudits to an already outstanding season when he piloted Karman Line to a deserved victory in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.Hashizume allowed the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepared daughter of Myboycharlie to find her feet near the rear before sneaking runs near the rail approaching the home bend.As the field fanned across the track, Karman Line found clear air three off the rail and charged to the lead before holding out th...

Geriatrix Brisbane bound

Wexford Stables' Queensland contingent will receive some reinforcements in the coming weeks following Geriatrix’s win in the Van Dyk’s 3YO 1400 at Arawa Park on Saturday.The three-year-old son of Almanzor was on trial to join stablemates Molly Bloom and Tomodachi across the Tasman, and secured his plane ticket with a comfortable 1-3/4 length triumph.He was taken back early to settle third last for jockey Sam Spratt, who bided her time before asking her charge to improve four-wide from the 50...

Dual Wexford attack for Rotorua Stakes

Wexford Stables will have a mix of experience and emerging talent contesting Saturday’s Listed Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) with Karman Line and I’munstoppable.One of three fillies entered in the feature, I’munstoppable was an impressive winner of the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa a fortnight ago, earning herself a place against the older horses at Arawa Park.“We were so pleased with her performance at Te Rapa, she really relaxed well and kicked well,” said co-trai...

Wexford readies for Australian attack

Two of Wexford Stables’ star gallopers have taken the next step towards respective Australian features in the coming weeks.Glamour filly Molly Bloom appeared at the Pukekohe trials on Tuesday ahead of a tilt at the upcoming Queensland Carnival, and was under a strong hold by Masa Hashizume throughout the 1300m heat, finishing a narrow second.“We were really pleased with her. She was a bit above herself in the parade, being away from the races for a while, but a very quiet trial will bring he...

Grande Gallo back on top at Tauranga

Grande Gallo has competed among the best of the country’s three-year-olds this season, and the talented filly proved too strong when stepping out of stakes company at Tauranga on Saturday.The daughter of Belardo broke maiden status stylishly at the Bay Of Plenty course in November, earning a trip south for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), where glamour stablemate Molly Bloom triumphed.Grande Gallo returned to the winner’s circle in MAAT company on New Year’s Day, taking a clear s...

Major prize for Grail Seeker at Trentham

Australian hoop Kyle Wilson-Taylor has made his first visit to New Zealand a memorable one by guiding promising filly Grail Seeker to a hollow victory in the Gr.2 Life Direct Wellington Guineas (1400m) at Trentham. The Queensland-based rider struck up a friendship with trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott when he rode trackwork for the pair during the Queensland winter carnival last year, and was quick to take up an invitation to ride members of their team at Trentham including the ...

Wexford heading out west with Waitak

Wexford Stables will break new ground next month with their Group One-winning sprinter Waitak heading to Western Australia.The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained son of Proisir has been confirmed as the slot runner for New Zealand’s Trackside Media and host club Perth Racing in the A$5 million The Quokka (1200m) in Perth.Trackside is the media and broadcast arm of the TAB, which Entain Australia and New Zealand operates under a 25-year strategic partnering agreement.The inaugural 2023...

Wexford Secures Slot in The NZB Kiwi

Wexford Stables have secured their slot in the Southern Hemisphere's richest 3YO race for the next three years - The NZB Kiwi. Set to the place on Saturday 8 March 2025 at Ellerslie Racecourse, the inaugural running will see $3.5 million in stakes up for grabs, before increasing to $4 million in 2026 and $4.5 million in 2027. There is also an additional $1 million in bonuses for the first three place getters, should they win one of the bonus qualifying lead-up races. “Andrew, Pa...

Sentimental victory for Karman Line in Lisa Chittick Plate

It was hard to think of a more fitting victory on Saturday than when Karman Line dashed home out wide to take out the Lisa Chittick Plate (1400m).The race is named in honour of the late Lisa Chittick (nee O’Sullivan), the sister of former champion jockey Lance O’Sullivan who now trains in partnership with Andrew Scott, with the pair producing the five-year-old daughter of Myboycharlie from their Matamata-based Wexford Stables operation.Carrying the well-known yellow and blue Wexford colours,...

Fromer Derby winner claims Avondale Cup

Talented stayer Asterix returned to the scene of his greatest triumph when he stormed home to take out the Gr.2 Eagle Technology Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie.The injury-plagued son of Tavistock took out the 2022 edition of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) but a string issues had hampered his progress since then.Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and his ownership group, that includes former New Zealand cricketer Mark Greatbatch, have shown infinite patience with the now five-yea...

Kingfisher swoops to victory at Te Rapa

Progressive intermediate galloper Kingfisher bounced back to winning form with an impressive victory in Rating75 company over 1200m at Te Rapa on Saturday.Sporting the famous Fletcher tartan colours carried with distinction by horses of the calibre of triple Gr.1 Railway Handicap (1200m) winner Mr Tiz, the four-year-old son of Savabeel was having his third run in a summer campaign following an initial preparation that yielded three wins from just eight starts.Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andr...

Molly Bloom signs off on a high

If Saturday’s Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa was the final New Zealand appearance for Molly Bloom, the Group One-winning filly farewelled her homeland on a high.The daughter of Ace High established herself as one of the standouts of her generation in the late spring, scoring scintillating victories in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m).Molly Bloom’s winning sequence was interrupted in last month’s Karaka Mi...