Five horses are in contention for the Champion Jumper title at the 2019 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards.

West Melton trainers Tony and Lyn Prendergast have two runners in Saturday’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 122nd Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.

Sam Spratt is not one for setting goals, but she is making an exception in the new season and also has a realistic opportunity to achieve a very notable milestone within another few seasons.

Group One-winning stayer Glory Days made a pleasing return to the track at the Foxton trials on Tuesday in preparation for a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) campaign this spring

Hastings trainers Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal will take a trio of runners to Riccarton on Saturday, but they are slightly concerned with the heavy track conditions heading into the weekend.

Pukekohe trainer Nigel Tiley picked up an early quinella at Tauranga on Wednesday courtesy of Van Blanc and Hunua Hank in the Gartshore 1600.

Rebecca Scott’s husband may not be a keen racing follower, but he knows what his wife’s win on Verry Flash in Saturday’s Taumarunui Gold Cup (2200m) at Rotorua means to them both.

Group One performer Endless Drama is being set to tackle some early black-type targets in the new season after impressing with his effortless 900m trial win at Te Rapa on Monday.

It was a busy day for Jamie Richards and his Matamata-based team at Te Rapa on Monday, with the Te Akau Racing trainer lining up 48 triallists at the Hamilton track.

The thoroughbred industry has inherited the talents of Sir Mark Todd for the second time this century, with the legendary horseman returning to the training ranks in a full-time capacity after officially retiring from eventing on Monday.

Successful in the first two-year-old race of the season back in September, Cambridge colt Sai Fah proved his durability when he took out the season’s final black-type feature, the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Saturday.

Hastings trainer John Bary will take a trio of runners north to Taumarunui Racing Club’s meeting at Arawa Park on Saturday and he expects a bold showing from each of his runners.

An excited Clayton Chipperfield is preparing for the biggest day of his training career with favourites in both New Zealand features on Saturday.

An excited Clayton Chipperfield is preparing for the biggest day of his training career with favourites in both New Zealand features on Saturday.

Two-year-old filly Gumpert was able to clear maiden company at the second time of asking at Matamata on Wednesday, winning The Meat Co, Robow’s, Two Tones 1200 by 3-1/2 lengths.

Lisa Allpress has achieved a major career goal with an invitation to ride in the World All-Stars Jockeys series in Japan.

Waiuku trainers Grant and Tana Shaw have experienced a fair bit of success campaigning Locally Sauced in Canterbury and they hope to replicate that form when he contests the Race Images (CHCH) 2200 at Phar Lap Raceway on Friday.

This season will live long in the memory for Ardmore trainer Nicholas Bishara.

Weight relief may have been the deciding factor in a short-margin result in the Oamaru Cup (1600m) at Ashburton on Tuesday.

Wanganui conditioner Raymond Connors will take a five-strong team to Awapuni on Thursday and the future paths for a number of his runners will be dictated by their performance at the Palmerston North track.

Murray Baker is pleased with last start winner Vibrato heading into Saturday’s Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at the Levin Racing Club’s race meeting at Otaki.

A son of Deep Impact set a new standard at the JRHA Select Sale earlier this month.

Rock Island Line’s win in the Revital Fertilisers 1400 at New Plymouth on Saturday will live long in the memory of Lisa Latta.

Trainer Graeme Rogerson believes his talented galloper More Wonder is ready for a break-out season in 2019/20.

Despite constant speculation over the past few months, Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is adamant he is no closer to confirming whether he will establish a satellite stable in Australia next season or not.

Danielle Johnson made the best possible return to raceday riding after an injury enforced nine-month break away from the track when she guided talented three-year-old Bobby Dazzler to victory at New Plymouth on Saturday.

Sam Weatherley will head home from Sydney next Sunday, not for a holiday, but to reignite his New Zealand riding career at Riccarton the following Saturday.

Speedy two-year-old Sai Fah booked himself a tilt at next weekend’s Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) with an effortless victory over 1100m at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Free-going seven-year-old Admiral bounced back to winning form with an all-the-way victory in open company at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Progressive galloper Helena Baby took the next step in his burgeoning career in stunning fashion when he simply decimated his rivals in Saturday’s Listed Powerworx Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth.

Comebacks proved rewarding last Saturday for a couple of female apprentice jockeys, Erin Leighton and Mereana Hudson.

A couple of New Zealanders are at the coalface helping develop an exciting new venture in China.

The ill-fated Atlante sired his first winner at Hastings on Thursday when Callsign Mav took out the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (800m).

The Matamata training partnership of Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard secured an early double with a pair of debutants at Hastings on Saturday.

New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock will have a strong hand at his local meeting on Saturday, led by a trio of fillies in the Seaton Park 3YO (1400m).

Cambridge trainer Chris Wood has four runners engaged at the Waikato Racing Club’s meeting at Te Rapa on Saturday, headlined by nine-time race winner Parcorus. 

Horowhenua horseman Chris Rutten has confirmed the sale of dual Group One winning two-year-old, Yourdeel, to Hong Kong.

Promising galloper Helena Baby has won four of his six career starts and will get his first opportunity at stakes level at New Plymouth on Saturday when he contests the Listed Powerworx Opunake Cup (1400m).

Top jumper Jackfrost’s racing career has come to an abrupt end after suffering an injury in Australia.

New Zealand racing is set to farewell another member of the Skelton family with the sudden death of Errol Bryan Skelton.

Leading hoop Matthew Cameron will finish the season as the highest earning jockey in New Zealand this term, and he put the cherry on his season with victory aboard Mac Attacka at Ruakaka on Saturday.

Reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year, Melody Belle, resumed at the Te Rapa trials on Monday with a close-up third over 900m behind stablemate Ritzy Sparkle for trainer Jamie Richards.

Cameron Lammas is in the final stages of his most successful season as a jockey, but it could have been even better.

While he may have recently celebrated his eighty-second birthday, there is no suggestion that well-respected Central Districts horseman Kevin Gray is showing any signs of slowing down.

It may be a far cry from the sunshine and 35-degree heat he is currently enjoying on a well-deserved Hawaiian holiday, but you can be sure that Te Akau Racing’s Jamie Richards will have an eye on Monday’s Te Rapa trials where the first of the spring horses go through their paces.

Offshore interest in promising galloper Mac Attacka was piqued yet again on Saturday after the impressive three-year-old produced a powerful closing burst to take out the last race on the card at Ruakaka.

Tough as teak ten-year-old Gagarin proved the best stayer when he came from last in the early running to win the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) at Trentham.

Fresh from securing a feature jumping double on their home track at Hastings last month, the training partnership of Paul Nelson and Corinna McDougal were at it again at Trentham on Saturday when No Tip took out the Anuka Smoker Wellington Hurdle (3400m).

Local two-year-old Annie’s Song indicated she could be a filly with a big future after she made a winning debut over 1000m at Ruakaka on Saturday.

It has been a week of sunshine and beaches for Catherine Cameron.

New Zealand Bloodstock are set to add another service to their burgeoning bloodstock business with the construction of a hotel, The DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka, on their Karaka property.

New Zealand trainer Tony Pike ended a memorable Australian winter campaign on a winning note when Sacred Day (NZ) (Azamour) landed the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday.

The Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) holds some great memories for Hastings trainer Paul Nelson and he hopes to add another victory in the race at Trentham on Saturday.

An increase in political action will provide policy and regulatory framework to remedy the declining water quality throughout New Zealand.

The Richard Collett-trained My Callisto showed his determined spirit when taking out the West Brook Wines 1600 at Avondale on Wednesday.

Consistent galloper Dolcetto is jumping out of his skin ahead of the El Cheapo Cars Whyte Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.

The upcoming return of a stable star has put a spring into the step of Wayne Hillis, who has been happy to put a few kilometres on the clock this winter.

Wise Men Say won last year’s Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) at Trentham and he will return to the Wellington track on Saturday in a bid to defend his title.

Waikato Stud resident Ocean Park has brought his century of winners up in style and in good time.

The connections of North Canterbury jumper Delacroix have heeded the advice of Cambridge jumps jockey Shaun Phelan in his build-up to a couple of major missions this winter.

Wellfield Lodge is encouraging broodmare owners to ‘breed with confidence’ this year after announcing their stallion fees for the upcoming season.

Riccarton trainers Pam and Kevin Hughes are looking forward to welcoming stable star Emily Margaret back into the team next month after her bone-chip operation.

Trainer Peter Lock has resisted the temptation to bring talented galloper Hiflyer back into work.

Byerley Park trainers Peter and Dawn Williams had a memorable season with several quality fillies and they are hoping they can continue that form into the new season.

After a decade in New Zealand, Canterbury racecaller Mark McNamara has decided to move back to his homeland of Australia in the new season.

Matamata trainer Alan Tait may give Southern Icon another crack at the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa next month.

John and Karen Parsons were caught by surprise with the latest milestone in their training careers.

Former top hurdler Just Got Home made a welcome and well received return to the winner’s circle at Te Aroha on Sunday when he prevailed in a thrilling finish to the Frank & Annie Matijasevich Memorial Open Steeplechase (3500m).

A potential spring campaign in Sydney awaits class mare Volpe Veloce as she eases her way back to racing trim for the new season.

With a strong performance at Awapuni on Saturday, emerging wet-track performer Herengawe produced a bold audition for next month’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 122nd Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.

Lord Bouzeron’s victory in the Rayner Building 2YO (1200m) at Awapuni has earned him the chance to add to a proud family record in a Listed spring feature.

The connections of impressive two-year-old debut winners at Te Rapa and Awapuni on Saturday are eyeing bigger things in the new season.

Te Rapa specialist Sultan Of Swing struck again at the Hamilton track on Saturday, providing a poignant result in the U S Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate 17 Aug (1600m).

Avantage continued her strong juvenile form into her three-year-old season, winning two of her three starts, and her connections are hoping for her run of form to continue into the new season.

Opaki-based owner-trainer Kylie Little was over the moon when her gavelhouse.com debutant Easy Habit made light work of the Wanganui Jockey Club 1200m course yesterday.

A tilt at next month's Hospitality New Zealand Canterbury Grand National Hurdles (4200m) at Riccarton is beckoning El Corby if he can regain is best form at Te Aroha on Sunday.

Te Akau took out the trifecta in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) earlier this year with Probabeel, Aotea Lad, and Yourdeel dead-heating for third with Appellant, and trainer Jamie Richards said the rising three-year-olds are coming to hand nicely ahead of their spring campaigns.

The darling of the New Zealand turf is nearing a return to the track after a favourable winter preparation.

Riccarton-based owner-trainer Taylor Burnett couldn’t be happier with his $2,500 gavelhouse.com purchase Gifted.

Lisa Latta is poised to become a $20 million woman this weekend.

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has experienced a successful Queensland winter campaign, headlined by The Bostonian’s Group One double, and he is hoping to cap it off in style at Doomben on Saturday.

Te Awamutu horseman Stephen Ralph has experienced one of his biggest seasons-to-date and he can now call himself a Group One-winning trainer after the deeds of Santa Monica in the Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Talented four-year-old Comeback remains on track for a trio of black-type assignments this winter.

Simply Optimistic will be vying to make it back-to-back wins in Sydney on Saturday when he contests the Kensington Handicap (1300m) at Randwick.

Auckland Cup-placed Blue Breeze will race in the Cambridge Stud colours this spring as the stayer attempts to qualify for this year's $A8 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.

While on face value three-year-old gelding Mighty Connor didn’t have an overly successful three-year-old campaign, trainer Jacob McKay believes the son of Sebring can breakthrough at stakes level in the coming season.

Shaune Ritchie hasn’t given up faith in Excalibur’s ability to win a feature staying race despite being off the winner’s list for 16 months.

Gobstopper made an impressive start to his jumping career, winning his maiden hurdle at Te Aroha by 13 lengths last month, and his connections have elected to test his talents across the Tasman.

Despite fighting the after-effects of a 30-hour travel schedule during his return to New Zealand from the United Kingdom, leading South Island trainer Michael Pitman is still buzzing about his experiences over the past two months.

With stakes wins on both sides of the Tasman, imported European mare Igraine has earned herself a special place in Brent and Cherry Taylor’s broodmare band and hearts.

Harvey Wilson after It’s A Wonder’s win at Hastings on Saturday.

Corrina McDougal who co-trained Perry Mason and No Change to win the feature jumps races at Hastings on Saturday.

Alysha Collett after her comeback winning ride at Ruakaka on Saturday.

Matamata trainers Peter and Jess Brosnan bypassed last Saturday’s Hastings meeting with their capable chaser Old Countess, but the mare is still on a Great Northern path.

Katrina Alexander has been given the greatest incentive ever to return to the racehorse training ranks.

Animator made the perfect start to his jumping career at Hastings on Saturday where he took out the Hawke’s Bay Hunt Maiden Hurdle (2500m).