Rios off the mark

15 February 2014

Former top-class performer Rios has opened his stallion account with the aptly-named Happy Place. The lightly-tried three-year-old was successful at New Plymouth this afternoon to post an overdue win for Matamata trainer and part-owner Danica Guy.

The gelding suffered an interrupted run when beaten on debut and then finished a sound second on his home track last month. In one subsequent appearance, he clipped heels and nearly fell when looking for clear room at Te Rapa.

Happy Place is from a small first crop of the WS-based Rios, a regally-bred son of Hussonet who won six races, including the Gr 2 Wellington Guineas and was placed in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. He is out of the former NZ Broodmare of the Year Gussy Godiva and is a half-brother to the Gr 1 Australian Derby winner Roman Emperor. It is a family that also includes Black Mamba, a Kiwi-bred Group One winner in the United States.

Porcia Catonis powers home as Super Seth’s rise continues

Super Seth’s strong run continues with Porcia Catonis, who delivered a dominant win at Riccarton for Fortuna Racing. The lightly raced filly is now a two-time winner and adds to a stellar season for her sire, who boasts three Group 1 winners and a 4.34% G1 winners-to-runners strike rate.

28 May 2025

Gutsy bebut win for Ardrossan’s Macallan

Ardrossan’s son Macallan impressed on debut in Thursday’s opener at Tauranga, overcoming Heavy10 conditions to win the Tierra Maiden 3YO (1200m) by 1.3 lengths. Trained by Wexford Stables and racing for JML Bloodstock, the gelding showed toughness and class to finish strongly before the meeting was abandoned due to weather.