Derby favourite ruled out through injury

Breednet - Tuesday February 6
Injury has ruled Demonetization out of the Gr1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) with the leading colt unlikely to run again this season.

Demonetization"I galloped him with Brighton before Brighton won at the Counties meeting and I wasn't 100 per cent happy how he pulled up," trainer Nigel Tiley said.

"I got him checked out and they couldn't find anything wrong so I galloped him again last week and Derek Nolan, who rides him every day, said there was something wrong.

"We sent the horse down to Matamata and scintigraphy tests showed a hot spot in his fetlock. We had him x-rayed yesterday, you have to wait two or three days to do that, and it showed a stress fracture.

"He'll have box rest for two or three weeks and then a couple of months off to let everything settle down.

"That's racing and it happens, but we've still got the horse and we'll look forward to his four-year-old season."

Demonetization has won three of his four starts, including the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

Meanwhile, the news around his unbeaten stablemate Melt is all positive.

"She's been back in work for two weeks and she'll probably have a quiet trial at Avondale on February 27 and then on to the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes," Tiley said.

Melt won the Listed Ashford Lodge 2YO Stakes (1100m) at Pukekohe on debut before she beat Saturday's Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic (1200m) winner Bit Lippy in the Gr.3 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. – NZ Racing Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
New SW Ocean Park - Ohope Wins Takes G2 Sir Patrick Hogan
Closely related to NZ Horse of the Year Jimmy Choux, promising staying filly Ohope Wins chose the best possible moment to break her maiden status when she powered home to take out the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.
Unraced First Season Sire Trial Report
It’s the first day of a brand new year and the first season sires list looks like this with Home Affairs on top from a pair of Extreme Choice sons in Extreme Warrior and Stay Inside, but what’s in the pipeline in terms of unraced talent for this cohort of sires?
One To Watch - Mornington
A narrow third in the G3 Quezette Stakes in August, the Mark and Levi Kavanagh-trained Peltzer filly Thanks Gorgeous was a class above her rivals at Mornington on New Year’s Day, pulling clear to break her maiden in impressive fashion.
Future History Wins Last Aussie Stakes of 2025
The Listed VRC Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on New Year’s Eve was the last stakes race in Australia for 2025 and the cream rose to the top with race favourite Future History (GB) carrying 60kg to a popular victory.
Private Eye Half-Brother King's Secret Records First Stakes Win
While he may forever race in the shadow of his half-brother and $12.8m earner Private Eye, the Joe Pride trained Shalaa gelding King’s Secret stepped up to black type racing for the first time in his career, winning the Listed Canterbury Sprint (1200m) on New Year’s day.
New SW for Zoustar to Kick off 2026
The leading sire by worldwide winners in 2025, Widden Stud’s flagship sire Zoustar kicked off on New Year’s Day with a brand new stakes-winner when Queen Zou captured the Group II Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie and her full sister is headed to Inglis Premier.
Australia's Best Maiden Gains $3million Sunlight Slot
Yarraman-bred and -raced filly Sylph will carry the green and white of Yulong in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight on Saturday, 10 January.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday December 31
Here is the full list of 62 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G2 Quinella for Home Affairs
Home Affairs posted his first stakes-winner on New Year's Day and for good measure made it a quinella with his two strapping bay youngsters Kinnaird and Harvey Wallbanger fighting out the finish of the Group II Skycity Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in New Zealand.
Ange Jones Wins G3 on Santa Catalina
It may not have been on the horse she crossed the Tasman for, but premiership-winning Queensland hoop Angela Jones got her Group victory at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.