Racing and Sports highlight our standout plays at Australian TAB meetings for December 19.

Tony Pike is confident Golden Century can realise his full potential over ground and his opinion has been endorsed by a major international player.

High-class three-year-old Damask Rose has powered her way to the top of the markets for New Zealand’s biggest pots of gold.

Top mare Snazzytavi is ready to kick off her summer campaign, which will revolve around further Group One weight-for-age opportunities.

Star colt Savaglee will be given the opportunity to maximise his stallion potential on Australian soil in the autumn and will take his first steps toward that goal on his home track.

Quality filly Sethito produced a timely and satisfying victory for Waikato Stud when she impressively bridged the gap to black type company at Ellerslie.

The outstanding form of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott’s three-year-olds continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a one-two finish by Sethito and Prosegur in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m).

Hunter Durrant has been rewarded for his commitment to leading Te Akau Racing’s Riccarton barn with promotion to assistant trainer for the trans-Tasman operation.

A new face will launch her New Zealand riding career this week, with apprentice Nichola Yuen set to ride at the Pukekohe trials on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s meeting at Ellerslie.

A strong late run carried consistent juvenile Toretto to his maiden victory when he took out the Mondiale VGL (1100m) at Ellerslie.

Midnight Blue has proven to be an astute purchase by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, and the eight-year-old gelding is looking to continue to prove his worth in New Zealand.

Kelvin Tyler’s annual working holiday rolls around like clockwork with the Cromwell Racing Carnival, a weekend he is looking forward to with nearly a dozen horses engaged across the two days later this week.

In any other year Group One-winning mare Skew Wiff would likely be on her way to the breeding barn, however, with the level of prizemoney now on offer, owner-breeder Mark Chittick of Waikato Stud has decided to continue with her as a racing proposition.

Return To Conquer headed into his raceday debut in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) with a big price tag, big reputation and big expectations, and the million-dollar colt produced a Pukekohe performance worthy of the hype.