Tobouggie Nights and Volkswagin give trainer John Wheeler a strong hand in the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase after finishing first and second in the Koral Steeplechase on Saturday.
Tobouggie Nights won with authority and Volkswagin was running on well.
Tobouggie Nights was having his fourth steeplechase. He won a maiden steeples first up at Ellerslie in June following a maiden hurdles win in May.
Wheeler won the 2009 NZ Grand National Steeplechase with Bennyosler, ridden by Richard Eynon, who rode Tobouggie Nights. Wheeler won the 2007 NZ Two Thousand Guineas at Riccarton with The Pooka, by Tobougg, the sire of Tobouggie Nights.
• Borrack advanced his claim for the NZ Grand National Hurdles on Wednesday with an all-the-way win in the Sydenham Hurdles.
Borrack, trained at Hunterville by Adrian Bull, is unbeaten in four starts over hurdles since he was switched to jumping two months ago.
Rand was unbeaten in four starts over hurdles before he won the National 2000. Mister Divinsky was unbeaten in five starts leading up to his win the 1990 National. Joint Effort won the Sydenham Hurdles (3200m)-National Hurdles (4200m) double last year.
• Riccarton has proved a happy hunting ground for Greg Lambert. who combines breeding and training at Palmerston North. He is the trainer of Superturf, winner of the $100,000 group three Winter Cup on Saturday.
Lambert had his other major win in the group three Challenge Stakes at Riccarton in 1996 with Eros. Lambert owns 50% of Superturf and has the other 50% leased to friends. Lambert bred Superturf at his Lambourn Stud.
Superturf was ridden by Masa Tanaka (27), who emigrated to the southern hemisphere from Japan to advance his career as a rider.
• The broodmare Naturo topped the New Zealand Bloodstock winter sale at Karaka on Friday at $200,000. The dam of the stakes placed Orutan, Naturo was in foal to Sir Percy. She was bought by Sam Munro, who operates the Jamieson Park stud at Mercer. Naturo won the Matamata Breeders' Stakes. There were 49 lots sold for $507,650 an average of $10,360, up 32% on the 2010 average.
