Stable plotting Derby coup with maiden

23 February 2016

Splendido’s connections have designs on making the three-year-old O’Reilly gelding’s first victory a memorable one.

He has yet to break his duck in seven starts this season, but he is a stakes performer and will be making his second appearance at the elite level when he takes his place in the BMW New Zealand Derby on Saturday week.

“He’s perfect, right on target,” said trainer Bruce Wallace’s foreman Allan Peard.

Runner-up in the Listed BMW Salver, Splendido was then sixth when beaten four lengths by Kawi in the Zabeel Classic and he has finished runner-up at his last two outings.

“He was three wide the whole trip without cover last Saturday and only just got run down and his worst performance was in the Group One,” Peard said.

Currently a $31 hope in the Derby market, Splendido is raced by Wallace with Mark Wyborn, who is also a part-owner of the $8 chance Provocative.

– NZ Racing Desk.

New winner for Noverre

Noverre has another winner on the board after Platinum La Danse produced a dazzling last-to-first run to break her maiden at just her fourth career start.

14 August 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

The two of you will be aware of my ongoing concern as to the future of our sport. You could argue I have a vested interest; well, I did have, but my interest now is to give the future generations the opportunity my generation had. Now I can tell you, hand on heart, there were many financial thin times. 1975 was my fledgling start with five mares on 130 acres that occasionally flooded with the well-bred, non-race-winning Super Gray.