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Stud stalwart revelling in Te Akau role

The Bloodstock Agents’ Federation of New Zealand (BAFNZ) is the leading professional body representing accredited bloodstock agents across the country.This series takes an in-depth look at the varying backgrounds of BAFNZ members and their work within the thoroughbred industry.Marcus Corban was a spectator when the first chapters of the rich Cambridge Stud story were written before becoming a central character in the nursery’s rise to domination.He was to spend four decades working alongside...

Kirstie Lang

This month’s BetaVet Under The Radar shines a spotlight on someone who helps manage the essential day-to-day workings of New Zealand’s Thoroughbred breeding records — Kirstie Lang. As Assistant Keeper of the Stud Book, Kirstie works alongside industry legend Julie Walker to ensure the integrity, accuracy, and future of New Zealand’s Thoroughbred lineage. With a lifelong passion for horses and more than a decade of experience across studs, racing operations, and the Stud Book itself, Kirs...

Stakes double for Westbury roster

New stakes winners for resident stallions Redwood and Tarzino were celebrated by Westbury Stud at the weekend.The former’s homebred daughter Pulsatilla (Redwood) produced a dominant performance to land the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m) at Ellerslie while Tarzino’s strapping son Tshiebwe romped home in the Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m).The Shaun and Emma Clotworthy-trained Pulsatilla is also owned by stud principal Gerry Harvey and will follow a path toward the Gr...

Ammirati wins dramatic Wellington Stakes

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh won the Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m) for the fifth time at Otaki on Sunday with emerging talent Ammirati (Savabeel), but this was a win unlike any other.Marsh had previously taken out the three-year-old feature with Lucia Valentina (2013), Crown Prosecutor (2018), Scorpz (2019) and Zee Falls (2020).He went into Sunday confident of a bold showing from Ammirati, having commented during the week that the Savabeel gelding had “taken the next step” ...

Favourite salutes in Wanganui Cup

Race favourite Tshiebwe (Tarzino) followed a perfect script as he galloped his way into contention for the Gr.3 NZ Campus of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) in January with a strong performance to take out the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m) on Saturday.The Allan Sharrock-trained stayer was having just the third start of his current campaign having opened with a game win over 1600m on his home track at New Plymouth in October, followed by another good showing fo...

Mary Shan stuns El Vencedor in Challenge Stakes

Black-type success has always seemed to be a matter of when and not if for highly talented mare Mary Shan (Almanzor), but few would have expected it to come at the expense of a $1.50 favourite and reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year.That was exactly what happened in the Gr.3 Bayleys Great Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday as Mary Shan flew out of the pack to bomb El Vencedor right on the finish line and reinforce the fact that there is no such thing as a certainty in ...

Prolific winner Here To Shock snares another

An inch-perfect ride by Mark Zahra has aided warhorse Here To Shock (Shocking) to add another stakes win to his belt as the Group One winner defeated the fast-closing Persian Spirit in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.Prepared by the Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes, the eight-year-old gelding lumped 60kgs as he notched career win number 14.Zahra went straight to the front on the son of Shocking and had most of his rivals gasping rounding the final ...

Circus Dancer upstages rivals in Fillies’ Stakes upset

Unbeaten filly Circus Dancer (Circus Maximus) defied $25 odds to keep her perfect record intact in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui on Saturday.The $80,000 three-year-old fillies’ feature was the second start for the Cody Cole-trained filly, whose only previous appearance produced a maiden win by two and a quarter lengths at New Plymouth on October 24. She was sent out as the eighth favourite in a field of nine on Saturday, overshadowed by much higher-rated riva...

Hustler too strong in Zipping Classic

Five-year-old mare She’s A Hustler (Ace High) continues to meet every challenge, defeating more seasoned rivals at weight-for-age in the Gr.2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.The Grahame Begg-trained mare dug deep under regular rider Jordan Childs to defeat this year’s Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) winner Light Infantry Man as she emphatically ticked the mile and a half box.The New Zealand import has never finished out of the top two in 11 career starts, with seven victori...

Pulsatilla powers to spectacular Ellerslie victory

A rails-hugging ride from Warren Kennedy has provided promising filly Pulsatilla (Redwood) with her first success at stakes level as she captured the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m) at Ellerslie.The Gerry Harvey bred and owned daughter of Redwood had started her career in fine fashion with an eye-catching performance for fifth behind subsequent Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner Well Written before breaking her maiden status at her next start over 1200m at ...

Major Beel back in ATC Cup

Gr.1 Australian Derby winner Major Beel (Savabeel) was back winning at stakes level when landing the Listed ATC Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained son of Savabeel has been a winner at benchmark level since his Derby triumph but hadn’t troubled the scorer for the past 12 months.Sent out a firming $21 chance, Major Beel out-toughed well-fancied stablemate Shangi La Spring to score by a length and a quarter in the hands of Rachel King.“He’s been qui...

David and Karyn Ellis

This week on Dunstan Horse Feeds’ Meet the Breeder, we spoke with David and Karyn Ellis, proud breeders of Qali Al Farrasha, who claimed the Dunstan Horsefeed Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (G2) last Saturday at Pukekohe.Tell us the story of Qali Al FarrashaQali Al Farrasha is a filly who embodies everything I love about breeding thoroughbreds - athletic, tough, and competitive, with real presence from the day she was born. She was bred at Te Akau Stud in partnership with our great f...

Expert eye for young equine talent

The Bloodstock Agents’ Federation of New Zealand (BAFNZ) is the leading professional body representing accredited bloodstock agents across the country.This series takes an in-depth look at the varying backgrounds of BAFNZ members and their work within the thoroughbred industry.Chris Rutten established his bloodstock agency after more than three decades operating a successful breaking-in and pre-training operation.It proved to be a seamless transition and from limited budgets can boast an excel...

Elsdon stakes double claim at Pukekohe

Elsdon Park was in the thick of the black-type action at Pukekohe Park on Saturday, with a winning double for the Matamata nursery.De Armas (Ardrossan) set the ball rolling with her stunning strike in the Listed Couties Challenge Stakes (1100m) and Ardalio (Ardrossan) carried farm principal Lib Petagna’s colours to victory in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m).Both are by Waikato Stud’s Ardrossan, with Petagna enjoying a racing share in the stakes-winning son of Redoute’s Choice and has r...

Gringotts goes back-to-back in The Gong

With a successful defence of his title in Saturday’s A$1 million The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange, Kiwi-bred marvel Gringotts (Per Incanto) has now won five races worth $1 million or more within the space of barely a year.The Per Incanto gelding’s back-to-back victories in The Gong sit alongside his dual triumphs in the A$3 million The Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick, plus the most prestigious victory of his career in the A$1 million Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at ...

Ka Ying Rising extends unbeaten streak to 15

New Zealand-bred sprinting sensation Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) continued his dominance on Sunday when defending his crown in the Gr.2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.Fresh off returning back to Hong Kong following his heroics in last month’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick, he wowed his local fans once again when running out an effortless 2-3/4 length victor and extended his unbeaten streak to 15.Jockey Zac Purton was pleased with his charge’s...

Qali Al Farrasha on top in Breeders’ Stakes

Perennial black-type bridesmaid Qali Al Farrasha (Almanzor) shed that unwanted tag in outstanding fashion when she downed a quality line-up of mares in Saturday’s Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe.The five-year-old daughter of Almanzor has been desperately unlucky on several occasions at the highest level, having been stakes-placed six times in her 16-start career, with four of those coming in Group One features.The Mark Walker and Sam Bergers...

Ardalio sets up stakes-winning farewell for Asano

Kozzi Asano signed off his brief New Zealand homecoming with a winning treble at Pukekohe on Saturday, headed by black-type success aboard Ardalio (Ardrossan) in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m).Originally from Japan, Asano arrived in New Zealand in 2017 and became champion apprentice two years later. He racked up a total of 336 wins, 20 of them at stakes level, before departing during the 2023-24 season for a successful stint in South Korea.The 30-year-old returned to his Cambrid...

Nicholas captures Counties Cup with mid-race masterstoke

Comeback jockey Elen Nicholas took her career to its greatest heights yet with a masterful ride aboard Final Return (Reliable Man) to take out the Gr.3 MyRacehorse Counties Cup (2100m) at Pukekohe on Saturday.A horror run of injuries has forced Nicholas to spend more time on the sidelines than in the saddle during her apprenticeship, but she has made a triumphant return this season to sit in eighth place on the national premiership with 21 wins. She ranks second among apprentices behind onl...

De Armas seals Karaka Millions berth with stylish stakes victory

A professional display from speedy Otaki visitor De Armas (Ardrossan) paved the way for a decisive victory in the first stakes race on Saturday’s Pukekohe programme, the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m).Trainer Johno Benner trekked north with the daughter of Ardrossan, who went into the race off the back of an 850m trial victory at Foxton earlier in the month, following a winning debut on her home track in September.Benner had been content to give his charge plenty of time to get ...

Rick Hill

This week in Dunstan Horse Feeds’ Meet the Breeder, we caught up with Rick Hill, the breeder behind Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) heroine Bozo (Satono Aladdin), after her impressive staying triumph at Riccarton last Saturday.Tell us the story of Bozo?Yes, it was extra special for us with Bozo’s big win. She won with plenty in hand, proving that Kevin and his team had her spot on—they did a fantastic job. So Ard was found at the Melbourne sales, and she had just started to show us real ...

Perfect timing launches NZB career

Kane Jones’ timing was on the money when he sounded out employment possibilities with New Zealand Bloodstock.Toward the end of his student days, he contacted the Karaka company who responded positively, and he’s since risen to the senior position of Bloodstock Sales Manager.“I went to Hawera High School and then to Massey University in Palmerston North, I knew my limitations early in the piece and that I didn’t have the capacity to be a vet, so I chose Animal Science and got a degree in ...

Catalogue Launched for Landmark 100th National Yearling Sale

Fresh off the back of another record-breaking Ready to Run Sale, the cream of New Zealand’s yearling crop has been revealed for a landmark Karaka 2026, with a total of 1009 yearlings catalogued.Karaka 2026 will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from 25 - 29 January, the iconic week on the sales calendar marking the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand. Featuring a refreshed format in line with the momentous occasion, Book 1 will be conducted across two days, composed ...

Romanoff hits another high family note

Victory bells have been ringing for Marie Leicester and her family for decades, with Romanoff (Belardo) the latest to hit a Group One note.Leicester bred the Pam Gerard-trained son of Belardo who at Riccarton on Saturday added to an extensive role of honour when he triumphed in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).His pedigree is full of top-quality performers, including the outstanding mare Melody Belle, with all stemming from Belle Star.She is the matriarch of a family line that started w...

Perfect Scenario retired

Group One performer Perfect Scenario (Iffraaj) has been retired following his unplaced run in the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) at Riccarton last week.The eight-year-old son of Iffraaj has been a stable stalwart for Te Akau Racing’s southern base at Riccarton Park over the last couple of seasons and retires the winner of 11 of his 59 starts, with $570,000 in earnings.He was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis out of Woburn Farm’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft f...