Back to Blog

Back-to-back Group Twos for Waitak

Last year’s Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) winner Waitak has showcased his versatility and class this autumn with a dominant double over 1600m and 2100m.The son of Proisir was a three-length winner of the Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga on March 15, and on Saturday he stepped up over even further and won the Gr.2 City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham with similar ease.Waitak has joined a rare club, becoming only the second horse to win both the Railway and the Awapu...

Checkmate bound for Rosehill feature

Wexford Stables took home the major spoils at Tauranga on Saturday, and this weekend, they will venture further afield with class three-year-old Checkmate contesting the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in Sydney.Checkmate has impressed in his first racing campaign, winning three races including the Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m). The son of Mongolian Khan was selected by trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott to represent Wexford in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), and after settling be...

Tauranga specialist prevails in Owens Plate

Grande Gallo collected her third win from four starts at Tauranga with a narrow victory over three-year-old Yaldi in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m) on Saturday.The daughter of Belardo won the three-year-old race on the undercard of this same Japan Trophy meeting 12 months ago, which has proved to be a strong form reference for the 2025 edition. Grande Gallo won that race by two lengths over You Say D’Orsay, who also returned a year later on Saturday and won the Stu Cundy Bayleys Countr...

Waitak and Elliot a class above in Japan Trophy

The $150,000 feature was a step down in class following a string of high-class summer assignments for Waitak, who has contested 10 Group One races in his 30-start career.The Proisir gelding had gone winless since taking out the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) in January of 2024, but he but has subsequently run fourth in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), fifth in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), third in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m), third in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m), second in the Gr.3 ...

Four NZB Kiwi Runners for Wexford

Wexford Stables’ long-held plan for an all-out assault on The NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie has come to fruition, with a quartet of in-form contenders to do battle on Saturday.Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will be represented by Checkmate, Sought After, Sethito and Hankee Alpha in the inaugural running of the $3.5 million Champions’ Day feature.“It’s certainly been a massive team effort and at the beginning of the season we had a number of three-year-olds that were genetic...

Tomodachi Extends Impressive Record

Rider Masa Hashizume made a quick return to winning action following an injury-enforced stint on the sideline when he guided emerging star Tomodachi to an impressive victory in open company over 1200m at Ellerslie on Saturday. The Auckland-based hoop suffered a broken collarbone in a race fall at Trentham in January but barely a month later he was back at trackwork. Hashizume showed he was back to full fitness with a well-judged effort aboard the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepare...

Sethito sparkles in NZB Kiwi audition

Four confirmed candidates for the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) had their final dress rehearsal in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, and a classy performance by Sethito put a spring in the step of her connections and slot-holders.Bred and raced by Waikato Stud patriarch Garry Chittick, Sethito was selected to represent Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s slot after an impressive run of form that started with a six-length Rotorua mai...

Hankee Alpha joins Wexford Quartet in The NZB Kiwi

Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) will host the inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) in just over a fortnight, and the Club’s Chief Executive Paul Wilcox is excited to announce Hankee Alpha (NZ) will carry the hopes of the locals in the $3.5 million showpiece. Hankee Alpha is a fourth NZB Kiwi runner for Wexford Stables’ Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, alongside Sought After (NZ) (Waikato Stud), Sethito (NZ) (Waikato Thoroughbred Racing) and Checkmate (NZ) (Wexfo...

Wexford filly proves She’s All That

Promising filly She’s All That rewarded the patience of her connections as a fitting winner of the Wexford Stables (1400m) at Te Aroha on Wednesday.Prepared by Wexford trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, She’s All That had come out of a key form race in mid-December, won by Ardalio, finishing fifth behind the subsequent Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) victor, and race-winners Charmrose, Mirabella and Kananaskis.The daughter of Time Test closed at $6.40 in the hands of George Rooke, wi...

Wexford savours milestone day

With a pair of highly promising winners, a milestone for the season and a perfect exhibition gallop by a Group One-bound star, the Wexford Stables team had plenty of reasons to leave Te Rapa on Friday with a spring in their step.Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott went into Friday’s race meeting with 49 wins to their name this season, and they lifted that total to 51 with victories by Sabrina Hall in the NZB Kiwi Preview Evening 6/3 (1400m) and Peerless in the Fairview Motors...

WTR secure Sethito for the NZB Kiwi

Waikato Stud and Wexford Stables have furthered their representation in the NZB Kiwi (1500m), with slot holder Waikato Thoroughbred Racing announcing their filly Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) as their contender for the $3.5 million feature.Bred and raced by leading thoroughbred nursery Waikato Stud, Sethito has made an impact on the track for Wexford trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott this term, winning two and placing in two of her five starts, including victory in the Gr.3 Bone...

Wexford Make Decisive Move On The NZB Kiwi

Wexford Stables’ red-hot form across a stable of talented three-year-olds in recent months has built widespread anticipation over which of their talented stars would emerge to represent the Matamata barn in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m).Training partners Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have ended speculation, making the decisive move to select hugely promising galloper Checkmate (NZ) to fill their slot in the inaugural running of the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year...

Winning Ellerslie rehearsal for NZB Kiwi contender

Sought After took a big step towards the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) with a stylish come-from-behind performance in the Sistema (1200m) at Ellerslie on Sunday.Following a winning debut at Taupo in the spring, Sought After earned himself a place in New Zealand racing history when he was selected by owner-breeders Waikato Stud to represent their slot in the NZB Kiwi. The Tivaci gelding became the first confirmed runner in the inaugural slot race.Sought After’s rise to prominence briefly stutte...

Grail Seeker soars to Telegraph triumph

Within the space of just two starts as a four-year-old, Grail Seeker has announced her arrival as one of the brightest stars in New Zealand racing.A first-up winner of the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings back at the beginning of September, the Iffraaj mare lined up for her first race in 119 days at Trentham on Saturday and blew her rivals away again in the Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m).It was the 40th win of a standout season for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, and one of...

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...