Group One-winning mare Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) will be vying for more topline honours this preparation for Te Akau Racing.

Ayrton’s (NZ) (Iffraaj) love affair with Caulfield is set to be pushed to the limit, with Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr set to nominate the John Dillon Stakes winner for the A$750,000 Gr.1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) next Saturday (February 10).

Trainer Matt Williams is banking on the fresh ability of his class mare Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote) to take her to victory for the second year in a row in Saturday’s Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Mike Moroney has his sights set on a first Australian Guineas success after confirming his New Zealand-based gelding Pendragon (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) is poised to make the trip to Melbourne this autumn.

The legacy of the late I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) lived on at Benalla on Tuesday when his half-brother Primal Spirit (NZ) (Charm Spirit) saluted on debut for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.

Up-and-comer Akrotiri passed his first staying test with flying colours at The Valley on Saturday, heading a New Zealand-bred trifecta in the A$130,000 Chandler Macleod Handicap (2040m).

Queensland raider Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) is enjoying the lush green paddocks of Waikato Stud for the next month before returning to Australia where he will be aimed at a Group One target over the winter carnival.

Ciaron Maher is wary of getting ahead of the game with emerging former Kiwi galloper Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto), but the country’s leading trainer admitted he, too, was looking forward to the horse’s return at Caulfield this Saturday.

It might’ve been a Sunday meeting at Geelong, but it seems a smart horse has emerged in the form of United Kingdom (NZ) (Almanzor), who caught the eye winning on debut.

New Zealand-bred mare Eternal Flame (NZ) (Sacred Falls) passed a crucial test at Caulfield on Friday and is now on a path towards bigger and better things.

Ayrton added even more shine to his outstanding record at Caulfield with a thrilling win in a photo finish to Friday’s A$175,000 Listed Evergreen Turf John Dillon Stakes (1400m).

A few short weeks after throwing everything away in a similar race, talented Kiwi-bred gelding Piaggio returned to The Valley on Saturday and turned things around in emphatic style.

Mitchell Freedman had already crossed the Tasman in search of new recruits for his Ballarat stable, and a win with Ceerseven at The Valley on the eve of the Karaka 2024 yearling sale added to his affinity with New Zealand-breds.

Imported New Zealand mare Miss Take took her promising career to a new level in Saturday’s A$80,000 Happy 50^th Jeff Waters Handicap (1200m) at The Valley.

The pathway back to the races for sprinting star Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) is right on track according to assistant trainer Ben Gleeson.

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is banking on a return to Caulfield being a winning formula for Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj).

Superstar milers Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) and Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) have both been handed All-Star Mile wildcards by Racing Victoria.

Talented horse names making their return to the racebook happens from time to time and should Pendragon (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) find his way to taking on the Australian Guineas at Flemington in March, many punters will quickly recall the Bart Cummings-trained galloper of the mid 2000s.

Super sprinter Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) will step up her autumn preparation this week with a planned trip away from home to jump out at Mornington.

The Mike Moroney-trained Bermadez (NZ) (Tavistock) was back in the winner’s circle for the first time since May 2022 with a hard-fought victory in the Howden Australian Guineas Day, 2 March (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Talented apprentice jockey Celine Gaudrey picked up a winning double at Flemington on Saturday that featured plenty of connections with the New Zealand racing and breeding industry.

The early part of the New Year is invariably about getting two-year-olds ready for the upcoming Group One races like the Blue Diamond Stakes and Golden Slipper.

Mr Brightside’s (NZ) (Bullbars) first four runs this autumn have all but been locked in, with Lindsay Park’s superstar galloper to ramp up his preparations on Friday morning.

Talented three-year-old gelding Otago (NZ) (Ocean Park) remains undefeated after a narrow victory at Flemington on Saturday in the Victorian Jockeys Association Trophy (1400m).

Trainer Patrick Payne will hold bragging rights over brother Andrew, as the siblings supplied the first two runners home in The Stud and Stable Staff Awards (2000m) at Flemington when Bold Soul (NZ) (Embellish) held sway over Crossoverkid (Alpine Eagle) on Saturday.

Talented galloper Louisville (NZ) (Redwood) notched his third career victory when successful over 1800m at Rosehill on Saturday, much to the delight of favourite backers.

He may only be a 77-rater but the former Kiwi galloper Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) goes into 2024 with a deal of expectation after an encouraging return from a short spell.

Interlinked (NZ) will have to concede weight to his fellow three-year-olds over 2000m at Flemington on Saturday as the unbeaten son of Savabeel aims to make it three wins from three starts.

Mick Price knows exactly what horse is takes to win the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and is hopeful that Otago (NZ) (Ocean Park) can win on Saturday and put his hand up as a possible contender.

Ainsley Downs Stud’s policy of purchasing older mares in Australia has been rewarded with another feature race contender across the Tasman.

Champion mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) has ticked the first box of her next campaign, galloping smartly at Cranbourne under the watchful eye of trainer Mark Walker on Thursday morning.

The highly talented Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor) is in line for a return to the country of his birth after scoring an effortless win in the A$300,000 Coastal Classic (1700m) at Geelong on Saturday.

A gear change and a favourable race tempo helped to unlock the potential of Lyrical Gangster (NZ) (Proisir) with an impressive win in Saturday’s A$160,000 Climate Roofing Handicap (2000m) at Randwick.

Mike Moroney’s classy filly Coeur Volante (NZ) (Proisir) will miss the early part of the autumn carnival as she takes time to recover from a busy schedule in 2023.

Almanzor four-year-old Holymanz will be vying to secure his ticket back to New Zealand later this month when he heads to Geelong on Saturday to contest the A$300,000 Coastal Classic (1700m).

A long drought was emphatically broken at Geelong on Saturday as Wertheimer (NZ) (Tavistock) overpowered his opposition and landed a $51 upset in the A$100,000 Canadian Club Handicap (2400m).

Exciting New Zealand import Carbonados (NZ) (Belardo) kept his unblemished career record intact with an impressive Australian debut in Saturday’s A$175,000 SCAADA Group 3YO Handicap (1100m) at Geelong.

Melbourne Cup winning trainer Mike Moroney believes Saturday’s A$300,000 Coastal Classic at Geelong presents as the ideal race for stable stalwart, Bermadez (NZ) (Tavistock).

Summer racing might have seemed like the off season in the past but between the two and three-year-olds, the time is coming for new and emerging talent to raise their profiles.

Promising New Zealand-bred filly Krementz (NZ) (El Roca) collected the second win of her four-start career with a determined performance in the Australian Trainers’ Association Plate (1400m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day.

A stirring win by Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) in the A$175,000 Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) at Flemington was the icing on the cake of a spectacular New Year’s Day for his part-owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay.