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Windsor Park’s Circus Maximus takes centre stage

Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus) crowned a momentous week for Windsor Park Stud when he provided the farm’s resident sire Circus Maximus with his first elite level success on Champions’ Day at Ellerslie.The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained representative triumphed in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in the hands of Geroge Rooke for Queensland breeder-owners Ron and Judi Wanless.His victory came hard on the heels of Windsor Park, with Mapperley Stud and Lion Rock Racing, sign...

Sweynesday wins sensational King’s Plate

Promising sprinter Sweynesday (Sweynesse) claimed victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie in sensational circumstances after race favourite Alabama Lass crashed into the inside running rail when looking set for victory at the 100m mark.The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained son of Novara Park stallion Sweynesse jumped nicely from an outside barrier draw and went forward to sit outside Alabama Lass as she set up a steady speed in front.Rider Masa Has...

Campaldino stakes Sydney Cup claim in Randwick City Stakes

Last season’s Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (3200m) winner Campaldino (Ghibellines) has another big two-mile feature on his radar and took a big step in that direction in Saturday’s A$200,000 Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are working backwards from the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) on April 11 with the Ghibellines gelding, who had resumed with an eye-catching fifth in the Gr.3 Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on February 21.Campaldino was even b...

Elle Sourit impresses in Pearl Series Final

In a thrilling conclusion to New Zealand’s richest raceday, Champions Day at Ellerslie, promising mare Elle Sourit (Ocean Park) retained her unbeaten record as she powered home to take out the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Final (1400m).Racing during the day had been of the highest calibre and the last race on the card didn’t disappoint as the Andrew Forsman-prepared daughter of Ocean Park came from well back in the running with an undeniable run that took her to her fourth win from...

Legarto salutes in Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes

In what could be her swansong in New Zealand, class mare Legarto (Proisir) put in her best performance at Ellerslie when she stormed home to collar a game Waitak and claim the Gr. 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.It made for a welcome change of luck for trainers Ken and Bev Kelso who had to endure the nightmare scenario of their sprinter Alabama Lass crashing through the running rail when set for victory in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) two races earlier.Bi...

Road to Paris leads to Derby Gold

The name Roger James is synonymous with the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and the Cambridge conditioner has done it once again when he and training partner Roger Wellwood produced the quinella in this year’s HKJC World Pool-sponsored Classic with Road To Paris (Circus Maximus) and Autumn Glory.James had won the feature three-year-old staying contest on six prior occasions, starting with freakish filly Tidal Light in partnership with Jim Giibs in 1986, and 40 years later he made it win nu...

Savaglee finds new home

Less than a week after the announcement of his retirement from racing, Group One-winning stallion Savaglee (Savabeel) has found a new home as he enters the next chapter of his career at stud.A syndicate headed by Windsor Park Stud, Mapperley Stud and Lion Rock Bloodstock have secured the son of Savabeel following his 17-start career for Matamata trainer Pam Gerard, which netted seven wins, with five at Group level, including the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), and a runner-up perform...

Meet the Breeder -Karen Stewart

This week on Dunstan Horse Feeds’ Meet the Breeder, we also caught up with Karen Stewart, the breeder behind Noble Knight, who claimed victory in the Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) last Saturday.Tell us the story of Noble KnightGrowing up in Wingatui, my favourite horse in my father’s racing team was a liver chestnut mare called Tranquil Flight. She was one of a few horses Dad trained for the late Mr W.G. Jefferies, and I instantly became a fan of the Flight bree...

Zania Slabber -Blog 1

Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship recipient Zania Slabber gives an update on her time at the Irish National Stud.We arrived in Ireland just over two months ago, which was quite an adjustment, coming straight from the New Zealand summer into the cold and wet Irish winter.During my first week, I joined the stallion trail and visited studs such as Ballylinch Stud, Castlehyde Stud, and Coolmore Stud. It was a great opportunity to see some of Ireland’s top stallions up close, including Lo...

Joe Moore -Blog 1

Six weeks into my journey through the breeding course at the Irish National Stud, Zania and I finally made it to Ireland after a long couple of flights. Welcomed by a major temperature change — and one of the stud staff — we were taken 45 minutes up the motorway to the stud in Kildare.After being introduced to a great group of 23 other students from all around the world, we decided to break the ice by heading to the local pub — somewhere we have since spent plenty of time.Over my time so f...

Meet the Breeder -Michael Stokes

This week on Dunstan Horse Feeds’ Meet the Breeder, we speak with Michael Stokes, who together with his friend Alister McCann bred Cluedo Lane, the impressive winner of the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) at Wingatui last Saturday. Tell us the story of Cluedo Lane I bred Cluedo Lane with my friend Alister McCann. We purchased his dam, Treat Me, at the Karaka Mixed Bloodstock Sale. She won two races for us and showed exceptional speed before an accident in the starting gates unfort...

NZ Derby hero returning home

Last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) hero Willydoit (Tarzino) is returning home.The son of Tarzino was a standout three-year-old last term for trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, winning four of his six starts, including the New Zealand Derby.MyRacehorse Australia bought 50 percent of the gelding mid-season, with the Clotworthys and Bryan Black retaining the remainder of the ownership.He crossed the Tasman to run fourth in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) before joining the stable ...

Kiwi Chronicles -Spotlight on the south

South Island racing lives in the shadow of that in the North. November and the two Group 1 New Zealand Guineas races is when Riccarton gets to shine. Late February or early March is Wingatui’s turn to be in the spotlight. The weather gods smiled and the ten race card offered stakes worth $1 million, a first for the country’s southernmost metropolitan track.The day’s feature was the White Robe Lodge Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) which, at weight-for-age, makes it the most prestigious race south of R...

Further posthumous stakes honours for Ghibellines

The loss of Ghibellines (Shamardal) was further emphasised at Wingatui where the late resident of White Robe Lodge was the dominant force.The son of Shamardal was represented by two new stakes winners at the weekend and sired a trifecta on Saturday’s undercard.His son Cluedo Lane claimed top honours in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age (1600m) for trainer Joseph Waldron while Noble Knight and Capo Dell Impero quinellaed the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m).The Sandy Cunningham-prepa...

Group One winner Savaglee retired

Group One winner Savaglee (Savabeel) has been retired from racing and a new home is being sought for the four-year-old entire as he transitions to a career at stud.Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee is by their Champion Stallion Savabeel and out of Glee, a full-sister to Group Three performer Symphonic, the dam of dual Group One winner Orchestral.They offered him through their 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he attracted the eye of The Oaks Stud’s General Manager Rick ...

Noble Knight wins Dunedin Gold Cup

A peach of a ride and a superior staying effort combined to produce a stirring Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) victory for Canterbury raider Noble Knight (Ghibellines) at Wingatui.The Sandy-Cunningham trained and part-owned eight-year-old went into the contest off the back of a victory over 2000m at Riccarton before rounding out his preparation for the feature staying event with a close up second behind race rival Smooth Operator in the Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m) t...

Southern Guineas double for Hello Hayley

Hello Hayley (Hello  Youmzain) secured a Southern Guineas double when taking out the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Dunedin Guineas (1600m) at Wingatui on Saturday, and trainer Sophie Price is now eyeing the triple crown with her filly.The daughter of Hello Youmzain was eye-catching when coming from last to win the Listed Southland Guineas (1400m) at Ascot Park a fortnight ago, and despite that effort she jumped a $12.30 sixth elect on Saturday, and jockey Donovan Cooper made fav...

Cluedo Lane runs them ragged in Dunedin feature

Underrated miler Cluedo Lane (Ghibellines) provided trainer Joseph Waldron with his biggest victory since returning from a stint in Australia last year as he ran a quality field ragged over the concluding stages of the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) at Wingatui.Waldron, who left New Zealand shores just over six years ago, made the decision to return to his home region of Otago in in the middle of 2025 and commenced training from Wingatui at the start of the season.Things have ...

Catalogue Online for Highview Unreserved Deplenishing Sale

The catalogue for Highview’s Unreserved Deplenishing Sale, set to take place on Sunday 15 March, is now available to view online.Consisting of 43 lots, NZB will conduct the auction on-farm which will offer yearlings, two-year-olds, unraced stock, broodmares, and mares with a foal at foot.Yearlings by sires Armory, Divine Phophet, Embellish, Xtravagant, Hello Youmzain, Santos, Sweynesse, Wrote and more will be up for sale, while two-year-olds and unraced stock by Shocking, Sword of State to nam...

Meet the Breeder -The Drought Family

This week on Dunstan Horse Feeds’ Meet the Breeder, we speak with Nigel Drought, son of the late Gail Drought. Gail bred Final Return, who delivered a memorable victory in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie last Saturday. This week, Nigel reflects on the journey and shares the story on behalf of his family.Photo note: The image above was taken at Ellerslie Racecourse, likely prior to Cassini contesting the Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day 2012. Nigel notes it was one of th...

Asva wins locally dominated Gr.3 Launceston Cup

Asva (NZ) (Capitalist) has produced a sharp form reversal from a Hobart Cup failure to victory in the Group 3 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup on Wednesday afternoon."I knew I had a fair horse, I put a line through the last run," winning trainer Glenn Stevenson said."If he can get put to sleep in his chance."He's always shown the ability, it's just been a matter of actually getting mature. It's a maturity thing that's been with him, and he's finally grown into the horse he is."Settled worse than mi...

Oaks Triumph Clinches NZB Filly of the Year Title for Ohope Wins (NZ)

Saturday’s $1m Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie crowned Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) as a spectacular winner of the 2025-26 NZB Filly of the Year Series.On December 31, Ohope Wins was a three-start maiden who had played no part in the first six legs of the prestigious series. But stunning come-from-behind victories in three of the last five races propelled her to a title-winning total of 28 points.Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scot...

Oaks quinella caps landmark period for Waikato Stud

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick has barely had time to draw breath just lately, but on Monday he found a brief window to reflect on what has been a landmark period for his family’s Matamata nursery.That all began 10 days ago with the announcement that unbeaten Group One winner Return To Conquer will take up duties at Waikato this spring, followed a day later by a first stakes success for resident sire Banquo when his son Justin Case won the Gr.3 Fairview Matamata Slipper (1200m), and in o...

Ka Ying Rising surges into Hong Kong racing history with 18th straight win

David Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress) extraordinary dominance can continue indefinitely after the world’s premier sprinter demolished quality opposition to post a Hong Kong record 18th successive victory in course record time in the HK$13 million Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.Stretching his unbeaten sequence beyond Silent Witness’ longstanding mark of 17 wins, slotted between 2002 and 2005, Ka Ying Rising imperiously steamr...

Jaarffi gets deserved Group One victory

Acknowledged as one of the unluckiest horses going around in New Zealand, Jaarffi (Iffraaj) finally got the good fortune she deserved and her first Group One victory when she stormed home to take out the Sport Nation Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie.The six-year-old daughter of Iffraaj, who carries the colours of Cambridge Stud principals Sir Brendan Lindsay and Lady Jo Lindsay, has been amongst the top echelon of gallopers in New Zealand for the past two years but had been deni...