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.

Second win for Banquo’s Portland

Sunday, it was the Stephen Marsh-trained three-year-old filly who won with authority. Jumping from barrier four and finding the fence quite nicely under the guidance of apprentice jockey Tayla Mitchell, Banquo‘s three-year-old daughter, Portland (ex …

9 May 2026

Rotorua Cup result highlights Ardrossan’s rising influence

Pacifico delivered Ardrossan his ninth stakes winner with a determined Rotorua Cup victory over Waikato Stud-bred Savoir Faire, continuing the sire’s remarkable 8.4% stakes winners to runners strike rate.