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New Zealand Racing Briefs - August 20

3 minute read

Promising 3YO Wins On Debut

Matamata trainer Danica Guy unveiled a smart three-year-old prospect at Taupo on Wednesday when the well-related High Council won on debut.

“That was a good, tough effort and he’s got great barrier speed – it’s exciting,” she said.

A son of High Chaparral and a grand-son of the Gr.1 Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes winner Sophisticat, High Council was a $220,000 Karaka yearling and had placed in both his trials.

He rallied strongly under pressure in the straight to win narrowly, but well, at Taupo and Guy will now look to take on age group company with the colt, who has the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas as a long-term aim.

So It Goes Staying Put

Promising four-year-old So It Goes, the winner of two of his three starts, returned to work this week.

He was given a break after his Te Rapa success in July and has since been targeted by Hong Kong buyers and inspected on numerous occasions.

“I’ve had a pretty good year selling to be honest and I’m over the moon to still have him,” trainer and part-owner Ben Foote said.

“I’ve cut the numbers back so it’s nice to keep a really good horse. He’s come back bigger and stronger and he’s about eight weeks away and we’ll set some targets closer to the time.”

Top-Flight Contenders For Classic

Seven Group One winners feature among the 41 nominations for the newly-named Gr.1 Livamol Classic at Hastings on October 4.

Nashville, Puccini, Recite, Ransomed, Sangster, Shuka and Survived are among the entries for the final leg of the Triple Crown series, which will this year be sponsored by the Australian-based company International Animal Health.

First withdrawals for the $250,000 weight-for-age feature will be taken on September 3.