Latest fromAuckland Cup

Charles Roberts probably won't feel too bad if his glamour pacing mare Adore Me is beaten in tonight's A$250,000 Auckland Trotting Cup at Alexandra Park.

When Tony Pike began training, one of his greatest incentives to succeed was memories of his parents, Vicky and Wayne Pike, winning the 1981 Auckland Cup with Drum.

Kathy Smith was shocked when she was picked from the crowd at Auckland Cup Day by the Cup Couture judges.

Thanks to people like Gina Schick, visions of former champion horses being trucked off to pet food factories are proving false.

One of New Zealand pacing's great careers hangs in the balance, with Terror To Love a chance of being retired even before Friday's Auckland Trotting Cup.

Peter Hollinshead has an outstanding yardstick to gauge Pondarosa Miss' staying ability and he's confident she can star at the ultimate flat distance.

Trainer Cran Dalgety is hoping a trial today can put Christen Me's Auckland Cup campaign back on track after complications robbed him of three race opportunities this weekend.

Winning $306,059 on a horse punt wasn't "rocket science" for an Auckland couple, who know little about racing and just wanted to have an afternoon break from trimming their hedge

There's a touch of Rod Stewart about the blue-suited, spiky-haired Brent Cooper as he skips along the Ellerslie Racecourse grandstand, fist pumping wildly in celebration.

Traditional and classy won out over the more flamboyant fashion favoured last year in the Hawaiian Airlines Cup Couture competition at Ellerslie yesterday.

In the competitive world of horse racing, one kilogram can make all the difference.

Mark Oulaghan has trained more Grand National Hurdles and Grand National Steeplechase winners than most can count.

Just a day after a rare defeat, Adore Me's season is looking up again after last night's barrier draw for the Auckland Trotting Cup.

Sydney-based trainer Bjorn Baker says relative weight is the key to the chances of Celtic Prince in tomorrow's $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup at Ellerslie.

Rival jockey Leith Innes said it best immediately after Puccini's jaw-dropping $750,000 TV3 NZ Derby on Saturday.

If you asked the question "exactly how good is Puccini?" the sensible answer would be "I'll tell you tomorrow night".

Donna Logan went into last year's NZ Derby with Habibi extremely confident and she was right.

Matt Cameron's knee might be improving enough to ride Spellbinder in tomorrow's $750,000 TV3 NZ Derby at Ellerslie, but don't be surprised if he tells you he's dizzy.

3yo filly Spellbinder takes a step up in class when contesting the Gr.1 TV3 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday. In 7 starts she has never finished out of the first 3 placings and her chance of claiming Derby glory may depend on the weather. Spellbinder loves wet tracks, so connections will be doing a pre-Derby rain dance.

The Peter & Jacob McKay prepared Puccini enters Saturday's Gr.1 TV3 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie as the horse to beat. The bold front-runner has won 3 of his last 4 starts,defeating most of Saturday's rivals and is looking to take the first prize of $450,000 back to Matamata.