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Waikato Stud announce 2025 service fees

Waikato Stud have announced the 2025 service fees for their six-strong stallion roster, which is once again headlined by Champion Sire and New Zealand Hall of Fame inductee-in-waiting Savabeel.He will stand alongside Super Seth, Ardrossan, Ocean Park, Noverre, and Banquo.“It’s a lineup we are continually proud of, and it continues to fit with tradition which has, and does, lead to success,” Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick said.“They are stallions that we have put the time and t...

BetaVet Under The Radar - Leigh Phelan

This month’s BetaVet Under The Radar features Leigh Phelan, Marketing Coordinator at NZTR and a lifelong contributor to the racing industry.Explain your role and who you work forI work at New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing as the Marketing Coordinator, with a primary focus on managing our social media channels and content strategies. Before stepping into this role, I spent five years as a content creator for LOVERACING.NZ.What is a typical day for you? I’m still relatively new to this role, hav...

Josh Herd - Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship - Blog One

I touched down in Ireland at around 6am on Saturday, the 22nd of February, and it didn’t take long to jump straight into the thick of things.On the Sunday, I was off to my first point-to-point at Lisronagh — and let’s just say it brought back vivid memories of many racecourses back home in the middle of July. It was well beyond a Heavy 10! Mud everywhere, soaked jackets, and determined horses and riders braving the elements — a true Irish welcome that felt both chaotic and fascinating.&n...

Town Cryer retired

Group One performer Town Cryer (Tavistock) has been retired from racing following her fourth placed effort behind Val Di Zoldo in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa last Saturday, and she already has a date with champion New Zealand sire Proisir.“Joe (Doyle, jockey) said she trotted back a bit lame the other day after the race, so we decided to pull pin,” trainer Roydon Bergerson said.“She was probably a length off being a Group One winner, but she has been a really good mare t...

Kiwi Chronicles - Cup runneth over

Riccarton’s Canterbury Gold Cup (Gr 3, 2000m) winner Riviera Rebel (Pure Champion) is proving to be something of a cups specialist. Two starts back, also at Riccarton, he secured the Hororata Gold Cup (1800m) while on New Year’s Day he bagged the Tapanui Cup (1200m). In 23 starts, the chestnut with the pronounced white blaze has six career wins to his name and Saturday’s black-type breakthrough took his earnings to $219,255.His latest win was due to a masterful ride by Kylie Williams ...

Meet the Breeder - Philip Jeffreys

This week in Dunstan Horse Feeds Meet the Breeder, we catch up with Philip Jefferys who bred Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) winner Riviera Rebel. A breeder of over 51 years, Philip is proud to have bred the winner of both WFA stakes races in the South Island this season - Riviera Rebel and Our Echo.Tell us the story of Riviera Rebel?It goes back a way, and I do matings for people and one was for Terry Archer. It asked me who he should the mare ‘Glam Girl’ too, and I suggested that Jimmy Ch...

Mother and daughter doing Elsdon proud

Talented filly Ardalio (Ardrossan) has already done more than enough to take her place alongside her dam in Elsdon Park’s broodmare band, but there are expectations she can further boost her value next season.Bred and raced by farm principal Lib Petagna, the three-year-old produced a stirring performance to win Saturday’s Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).Ardalio’s Te Rapa success, the third of her six-start career, followed a luckless midfield finish in the $3.5 million NZB K...

Ka Ying Rising sensational in Chairman’s Sprint Prize

Superstar New Zealand-bred sprinter Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) completed a record-equalling season with scintillating victory in the HK$22 million Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.Taking his unbeaten record to 12 consecutive races in defeating a world-class field of 12 rivals in a winning time of 1m 07.88s, Ka Ying Rising completed a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series and collected a HK$5 million bonus, emulating the feats of Mr Vitality (1995/96), Grand ...

Tenzing secures first stakes success

New Zealand-bred gelding Tenzing (Contributer) took his career to new heights with a first black-type win in Saturday’s A$300,000 Listed Jones & Co IGA Brisbane Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm.The Tony Gollan-trained six-year-old has now won seven of his 29 starts, along with three seconds and nine thirds. He has earned A$443,221 for an Australian Bloodstock syndicate.Tenzing got into Saturday’s Brisbane Mile on the minimum weight of 53kg and jumped from gate one. He was given a perfect ...

Travis Stakes redemption for Val Di Zoldo

Val Di Zoldo’s (War Decree) victory in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on Saturday showed what a difference a year can make.The $150,000 fillies and mares’ feature capped an autumn black-type double for the War Decree mare, who was a last-start winner of the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) at Wanganui on April 5.It could hardly be a more different story to what happened in those same two races 12 months ago. Val Di Zoldo ran fourth in the 2024 edition of the Manawatu Breed...

Gold Cup hero delivers another milestone for Kincaid

Riviera Rebel (Pure Champion) has been a special horse for rookie trainer Brooke Kincaid, who had her first taste of black-type success in Saturday’s Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton.Kincaid went into partnership with Riverton trainer Graham Eade at the beginning of this season. Riviera Rebel quickly became her first winner with a Rating 75 victory at Riccarton on August 10, and on Saturday the talented gelding was in the spotlight again as he provided her sixth and...

Loose Sally too strong in Warstep Stakes

Statuesque three-year-old filly Loose Sally (Turn Me Loose) once again showed her liking for tracks with plenty of give in them as she monstered her rivals in the home straight to claim victory in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton.Trainer Shankar Muniandy brought her north from his Wingatui base for her second crack at a Riccarton three-year-old fillies feature after she finished an unlucky fifth in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) a fort...

Ardalio completes winning treble for Marsh at Te Rapa

While trainer Stephen Marsh may be away in Hong Kong putting the finishing touches on El Vencedor (Shocking) in his bid to win the Gr.1 QE II Cup (2000m) on Sunday, he enjoyed a red-letter day at Te Rapa on Saturday as promising filly Ardalio (Ardrossan) claimed the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) to bring up a winning treble for the stable.The three-year-old daughter of Waikato Stud stallion Ardrossan had demonstrated her class when winning the Gr.3 Almanzo...

Royal welcome for record-breaker Auguste Rodin

Multiple Group One winner Auguste Rodin made history during his racing career and Australasian breeders haven’t wasted any time in flocking to the Windsor Park Stud newcomer.His haul of top-flight victories included the English Derby (2400m) and the Irish Derby (2400m) and beat the older horses in the Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (2400m).The Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Deep Impact became the only three-year-old to secure these four championship races in his Cla...

2025 Service Fees announced for Rich Hill’s Four Group One sires

Rich Hill Stud’s Group One stallion roster has enjoyed another stellar year and the farm’s 2025 service fees will reflect that success while also being mindful of the uncertain economic times.Champion sire Proisir will stand at $70,000 + GST, Satono Aladdin at $45,000 + GST, Ace High will be offered at $15,000 + GST and Shocking at $10,000 + GST.“Breeders who have supported Rich Hill stallions over recent seasons have reaped substantial rewards,” Rich Hill Managing Director John Thompson...

Bankers Choice stars with Mornington Cup victory

Versatile Kiwi-bred galloper Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan) has provided himself with a shot at one of the biggest prizes on the Victorian spring racing calendar with victory in Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup (2400m).The seven-year-old son of Mongolian Khan provided trainer Glen Thompson with his first solo victory since the shock passing of his co-trainer Mike Moroney when he won his last start at Caulfield.Bankers Choice has often looked a capable stayer and Saturday’s victory was ...

Jimmysstar brilliant in All Aged triumph

Former Kiwi galloper Jimmysstar (Per Incanto) has stamped himself as one of the most exciting sprinters in Australia with a brilliant victory in the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.The Ciaron Maher-trained five-year-old was given a masterful ride by Ethan Brown, tracking Broadsiding midfield on the fence throughout before patiently waiting for the gaps to appear.When the son of Per Incanto found clear air, the acceleration was instant as he ran out a ready winner from J...

Doctor Askar adds Easter to stunning sequence

Saturday’s Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie capped a rapid and popular rise to stardom for Waverley visitor Doctor Askar (Derryn).The time-honoured $150,000 feature was the fifth win in a row for the Derryn gelding, who has now earned $271,145 from a 15-start, six-win career. Doctor Askar is trained by his owner-breeder Joanne Moss, who named him after a Waikato Hospital doctor who she credits with saving her son’s life.The equine Doctor Askar took nine starts to win his first...

Marsh reaches milestone in Championship Stakes thriller

Kiwi Skyhawk’s (Contributer) last-gasp thriller in the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday delivered a milestone result for his trainer Stephen Marsh.Having also won the Listed Skycity Star Way Stakes (1200m) with unbeaten two-year-old Little Black Dress earlier on the Ellerslie card, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing statistics now credit Marsh with 97 wins at Group or Listed level in New Zealand.He has also won three in Australia – the Gr.1 Australia...

LA announces fees for newcomer and stud stalwart

Little Avondale Stud created a slice of New Zealand racing history when they successfully brokered a deal to stand Little Brose at their Wairarapa farm.Principals Sam and Catriona Wiliams pulled off a breeding coup with the high-class colt, the first ever Australian Group One-winning two-year-old over 1200m to debut at stud in this country.He will stand his first season in 2025 at $15,000 + GST alongside his sire and stud stalwart Per Incanto, who off the back of a stellar season will serve a li...

Mature Mehzebeen adds to stakes collection

Time was always going to benefit Mehzebeen (Almanzor) and the Almanzor mare continues to emphasise that in her five-year-old season.She was bred and sold by Pencarrow Stud and at Trentham furthered her black-type record with victory in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson.Mehzebeen had also completed the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) and Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) double in the spring to realise the earlier staying potential she showed when runne...

Mehzebeen takes Hawke’s Bay Cup

A brilliant rails hugging ride by apprentice Lily Sutherland combined with the never-say-die attitude of progressive stayer Mehzebeen (Almanzor) proved the key to the finish of a thrilling running of the Listed Valley D’Vine Restaurant Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) at Trentham.The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared five-year-old mare certainly enjoys the scenery at Trentham having placed at her only two appearances there prior to Saturday including finishing second to Pennyweka in the 202...

Sergeant Major strikes winning blow at Randwick

Former Kiwi Sergeant Major (Proisir) recorded a strong victory in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday as the three-year-old son of Proisir made a deserved Australian breakthrough.Racing for a syndicate headed by Ozzie Kheir, the Ciaron Maher trained galloper raced prominently throughout and defeated ownership-mate Nostringsattached by just under a half-length.Ridden by Ethan Brown, Sergeant Major sat to the inside of the leader a half-length adrift throughout in...

LA Stud colt delivers spectacular anniversary present

The stars in Sydney were all in alignment for Little Avondale Stud to celebrate a record auction result during the second session of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.Sam and Catriona Williams’ Masterton nursery had high hopes on Monday for their son of Zoustar and Belluci Babe, a daughter of resident sire Per Incanto, and he surpassed all expectations.The dam is a three-quarter sister to Little Avondale graduate Evaporate whose timely emergence further boosted the profile of her firs...

Trelawney trio shine at Inglis Easter

Trelawney Stud were quietly confident they had taken the right trio of yearlings across to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney this week and that was reflected with some outstanding results. The Cambridge nursery were in the spotlight early in the first session, with Lot 20, their regally-bred colt by Per Incanto, reaching $650,000 to the bid of Yulong Investments. The result was the highest-priced yearling by Little Avondale Stud’s star sire, with the pedigree of the col...