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Dragon scorches his rivals in Foxbridge

Punters got it spot on in the feature event at Te Rapa on Saturday, as favourite Dragon Leap defeated second elect Skew Wiff in a thrilling finish to the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m).The Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott trained seven-year-old had looked to be peaking nicely after he boomed home to take an Open 1100m contest at Ruakaka earlier in the month, and took plenty of late money to close as the $3 favourite.Jockey Warren Kennedy had him nicely situated in midfield as El Venc...

Dragon Leap locks in Foxbridge Plate

Wexford Stables have locked in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) as Dragon Leap’s next major target following his convincing win at Ruakaka on Saturday.The seven-year-old gelding was first-up in the 9 Sep Alibaba’s Flying Carpets KeriKeri (1100m), with his spring plans resting on the outcome.Despite his 62kg impost, punters backed him into $1.70 favouritism and he did not disappoint, running out a three-length victor.Dragon Leap was returning from a three start Queensland Winter campaign, whi...

Sonofabutcher Provides Perfect Start

Sonofabutcher provided Wexford with the perfect start to the new season, winning at Cambridge Jockey Club on Wednesday. Ridden by Joe Doyle, the pair sat midfield before picking a path through runners to score comfortably in the $17,000 Rating 65 Benchmark* 1550m event.Sonofabutcher was Wexford's first runner for the new season, and sole runner for the opening race meeting....

Wexford End Season on Winning Note

Highlighter produced the perfect end to the 2022/23 season for Wexford Stables, winning at Te Rapa on the final meeting of the season. Ridden by Joe Doyle, Highlighter raced handy throughout the Rating 75 Benchmark 1200m event, before kicking away to score the $30,000 prize.Highlighter ran the quickest last 800m, 600m, 400m and 200m of the race.Wexford finishes the season with 32 domestic wins, 2 Australian victories, 1 Group One triumph and over $1.2 million in stakes won....

Dragon Leap thriving ahead of Wayne Wilson

Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott are hoping to pick up a consolation prize this weekend with their two-pronged attack on the Listed Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.The stable presented quality gallopers Dragon Leap and Dark Destroyer in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben last month, a ballot exempt race for Saturday’s A$3 million Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), with Dragon Leap narrowly beaten into second.As third emergency, Dragon Leap is unlikely to ...

Group One target awaits Dragon Leap

Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were delighted with the efforts of their quality galloper Dragon Leap to finish runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) where the gelding was narrowly beaten by Surf Dancer.It was a good performance from the multiple Group Two winner, who started from barrier 15.Connections are now hoping to gain a start in the A$3 million Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 10 at Eagle Farm, where Dragon Leap is currently 45th in order of entr...

Cours Vite rewards connections with Ipswich win

A punt taken on Cours Vite has paid off with the lightly raced three-year-old opening his Australian account at short notice.The son of Almanzor broke his maiden at his second appearance in Queensland, following up a debut fourth at Ipswich with a return visit there on Saturday resulting in a dominant display to score over 1666m in the hands of Jake Bayliss.He is trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and accompanied stakes winners Dragon Leap and Waitak to Brisbane while the stable’s ...

Group One spoils on the line

Article by NZ Racing Desk.Racing Hall of Famer Lance O'Sullivan will take aim at another Group One prize this weekend but without any great feeling of expectation.The Matamata trainer has talented Myboycharlie mare Karman Line entered for Saturday's Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe, knowing that if the four-year-old brought her best form she would be competitive.However, while happy with Karman Line leading into the race, O'Sullivan isn't convinced she's at the ...

Life After Racing - Treasure State

When did you first meet Treasure State (or Gus as he is now called)?I think it was late January 2023. I remember my daughter riding him and yelling out 'he's the one!'.What does retirement now look like for Gus?Gus is owned by my 15-year-old daughter. He enjoy lots of variety including attending Pony Club, and show jumping events, to one day eventing and hacking over the farm. They have attended their first Gymkana, where he was an absolute star. He has also recently attended a show jumping day,...

Ask Mum Produces Hat Trick

Progressive mare Ask Mum produced the perfect hat trick at Tauranga on Saturday, winning the rating 75 benchmark 1400m ($30,000), and making it three wins in succession. Ridden by Niranjan Parmar, the mare by Ocean Park hit the front at the top of the straight and held off her rivals impressively in the concluding stages. Ask Mum has now had five starts for three wins, one second and a fifth. ...

Life After Racing- Ripslinger

When did you first meet Ripslinger?I first met Ripslinger (Tilly) as a foal. My parents, Jon and Karen Sprague, bred her, so I helped handle and wean her. During her juvenile years, I was not a fan of hers at all! She was constantly pulling ball cocks off troughs and making us run out of water. She still loves getting in the trough but has a trough with a ball cock cover now. Did you follow Ripslinger during her racing career?Yes, I was responsible for her racing career ending earlier than ...

Life After Racing- Charles Road

When did you first meet Charles Road?I first met Charlie when I travelled with him to Australia in 2019. That year I ended up spending 125 days with him in Australia (over 30% of my year). I fell in love with the big quirky boy and I asked his owners, David Archer and Diane Wright, if they would consider retiring Charlie to me when the time came.You were involved with Charles Road during his career. How was that experience?I was involved with Charles Road for a short time while travelling him to...

Life After Racing- Willie Cazals

How did Willie Cazals come into your care?I knew Sarah and Andrew Scott through racing as I used to ride for them. I'd seen William race and asked if I could have him when he retired.What does retirement now look like for William? He's a sweetheart, however he wasn't sound enough for a competitive career. He's made the best grandpa to our young ones and gets spoilt rotten!What do you love most about the thoroughbred? You can't beat a good thoroughbred. They are a lot easier to train as...

Adkins answers Wexford’s Derby call

Australian jockey Andrew Adkins has answered the call of trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and will cross the Tasman next week to ride Jaffira in the Gr.1 Auckland Thoroughbred Racing New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Te Rapa.“Andrew Scott approached him during the week and he has accepted the ride on Jaffira,” Lance O’Sullivan said.“We are very pleased to have Andrew, we know he is a good, lightweight jockey in Sydney.”Adkins has had success with Wexford Stables in the past, pla...

Three's a Charm!

The team enjoyed a red letter day at Pukekohe Park yesterday, with three impressive winners in succession. In just her second raceday appearance, Juju Pop took out Badgemakers maiden 1400m ($20,000) stylishly. In the following race Cornwallis got his well deserved maiden victory in the Mount Shop maiden 1400m ($20,000). The perfect three came when Rising Pacific produced an impressive last to first performance in the Ellerslie Event Centre 1600m ($20,000).All three winners were ridden by Ja...

Australia calling Te Rapa Group One contenders

Plans have been made for Asterix and Dragon Leap to cross the Tasman this year, but first the stablemates face ultra-competitive line-ups in their respective Group One engagements at Te Rapa.Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have been more than satisfied with the duo’s most recent performances and both have trained on well ahead of Saturday’s challenges.Asterix will head into unchartered weight-for-age territory in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) with Craig Zackey booked for t...

Derby planning continues at Te Rapa for O’Sullivan and Scott

The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott team will launch a two-pronged attack on Wednesday’s Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) as they finalise their plans to secure a third Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) title in succession. The Matamata stable, who have claimed the blue riband event with Rocket Spade (2021) and Asterix (2022) the last two years, will line-up established performer Waitak and up and comer Devildom in the Te Rapa feature with both looking to cement their Derby cred...

Wexford First Four at Matamata

It's not everyday you get a stable first four! Wexford did just that at Matamata on Wednesday with Ask Mum winning the fourth on the card by an impressive 3.5L, Cornwallis running into second, Rising Pacific third and Cours Vice fourth. Later in the day Neighbourhood stormed home to make it a double for the stable on our home track. The addition of blinkers had the desired outcome, with the Waikato Stud-bred and raced four-year-old finishing determinedly to triumph in a driving finish....

Asterix Admirable at Tauranga

Our 2022 Gr.1 New Zealand Derby winner Asterix returned to the winner's circle at Tauranga on Saturday. Running over a distance well short of his best (1600m), class prevailed with Asterix scoring comfortably in the hands of in form jockey Craig Zackey. Asterix, who races in the colours of Sam Kelt and is part-owned by former Black Caps cricketer Mark Greatbatch, stayed on strongly to beat La Crique and Regal Lion in the New Zealand Derby in what was just his fourth career start. ...

Two from Two for Wexford at Matamata

The team enjoyed the perfect day out at Matamata on Wednesday, picking up two winners from two races. In the hands of Jake Bayliss, Fabulous Gal justified her $2.30 favouritism to win the third on the card over 1600m. Breaking maidens at just her second start, the half sister to Sonofabutcher looks to have a bright future. Just over an hour later, Kingfisher combined with Tayla Mitchell to win race 5 over 1400m.  It was great to have owners Hugh Fletcher and Dame Sian Elias on-cou...

Derby treble on radar for O’Sullivan and Scott

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have saddled the last two winners of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), and a pair of talented three-year-olds are putting a spring in the Matamata trainers’ step as they plot their path towards the 2023 edition. O’Sullivan and Scott won the Derby with Rocket Spade in 2021 and Asterix in 2022, and they have two runners among the top 10 in the TAB’s fixed-odds market for this year’s running at Te Rapa on March 4.Waitak, who was a fast-finishing second ...

Derby winner returns at Te Rapa

Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Asterix returns to the races at Te Rapa on Saturday.The four-year-old will race for the first time since his Derby success in the open 1600m handicap after a long build-up necessitated by remedial work on his feet.Co-trainer Andrew Scott said there were no set plans for Asterix, other than to get him up over ground over late summer and autumn.“We’re just excited to have him back running,” said Scott, who trains Asterix along with Lance O’Sullivan und...

Satisfying victory for talented Dragon Leap

Relief was an over-riding emotion in the Dragon Leap camp following the six-year-old’s stunning performance at Pukekohe Park to end a lengthy winless streak. The son of Pierro put a frustrating barren spell behind him in style on Saturday when he powered home from well back in the field to score over 1200m and confirm plans for tilts at Group One assignments.Dragon Leap posted his first victory since he landed the 2020 Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) with a withering finishing burst to claim the...

Impressive Waitak swoops on Eagle Memorial

A storming late run by powerfully built three-year-old Waitak continued the latest run of success for his sire Proisir as he captured the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial (1500m) at Te Rapa.Placed at Group One level as a two-year-old when prepared by Peter and Dawn Williams, Waitak was having just his second run for the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott team on Saturday.Rider Craig Zackey, who is also enjoying a purple patch of form since relocating to New Zealand from South African at ...

Feature double on Dragon Leap’s radar

Major summer sprint targets lie in wait for the talented Dragon Leap, who will head south this week to kick off a new preparation.The lightly raced six-year-old is making all the right moves ahead of his resuming run in the Gr.3 Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Thursday.Underfoot conditions may not be entirely to the son of Pierro’s liking, but connections are keen for the gelding to take his chances.“We’re really pleased with him and he will run even if the track is wet because we want to...