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Wentwood Grange fillies shining this spring

Last year’s Karaka yearling sale draft is proving to be a vintage crop for Cambridge farm Wentwood Grange, with several of their fillies shining this spring, including Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain), who recorded her maiden stakes success in Saturday’s Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.It was Sweetest Thing’s first start for Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, with the filly joining their barn after being purchased by Glentree Racing out of Roydon Bergersonâ€...

Satono Glow shines in Cap D'Antibes

Promising New Zealand-bred filly Satono Glow (Satono Aladdin) made an immediate impact on her return to racing with victory in the Gr.3 Cap D'Antibes Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.The John O'Shea and Tom Charlton-trained three-year-old headed into her spring campaign with a strong record, having won two of her three starts as a juvenile, including the Gr.3 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1200m) over the Flemington straight.Her only defeat came when fourth in the Gr.2 Percy Syk...

Shockletz books Melbourne Cup berth with Archer triumph

New Zealand-bred mare Shockletz (Shocking) secured her place in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with a decisive victory in the Gr.3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday.The Ciaron Maher-trained five-year-old relished the return to Flemington and the addition of blinkers, defeating Think Giant by two and a quarter lengths, with stablemate Jennivamoose another length away in third.The Archer Stakes carried a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup, giving Shockletz and her con...

Persian Wonder steps up in Ming Dynasty

Persian Wonder (Hello Youmzain) continued his progression towards the Sydney spring middle distance features with a strong victory in the Gr.3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.Trained by David Payne and ridden by Ash Morgan, the New Zealand-bred son of Hello Youmzain relished a strongly-run race to defeat Stormy Marco by half a length, with Tenebaum close up in third.Sent out a $19 chance, Persian Wonder was squeezed shortly after the start before settling back in the fi...

Justin Case claims Sir Colin Meads

An inch-perfect ride from Sam Collett enabled Matamata raider Justin Case (Banquo) to claim the feature event at Hastings on Saturday, the Listed Timberspan Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).The three-year-old son of Banquo had signed off his two-year-old campaign with a gritty fourth place in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie, off the back of a win in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) on his home track.Fitted for Saturday’s contest with a trial placing over 850m at Te Awamutu lat...

Sweet taste of success for Te Akau filly in Canterbury Belle

Promising filly Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain) displayed all her fighting qualities when she held out a determined challenge from Platinum La Danse and stablemate Sword of Stars to win the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton on Saturday.The daughter of Cambridge Stud-based shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain was having her first start for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson after being prepared for her two-year-old campaign by Bergerson’s father, Roydon.The filly finis...

Trainers’ Association baton handed to Wellwood

Group One-winning horseman Robert Wellwood is looking forward to serving his industry colleagues, although keeping them all satisfied will be a challenge.Wellwood has succeeded Shaun Clotworthy as National President of the New Zealand Trainers’ Association and acknowledged you can’t please all of the people all of the time.“It’s a hard role because you can never keep everybody happy, I don’t think people quite realise what happens in the background and how much effort people put in of ...

Multiple Group Three winner retired to broodmare paddock

Tough Cambridge mare Churchillian (Churchill) has run her final race, with the multiple Group Three winner retired ahead of the upcoming breeding season.The Tony Pike-trained daughter of Churchill proved a model of durability and consistency, winning 11 of her 28 startsHer three black-type victories included the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham in 2024, while she enjoyed arguably her best campaign earlier this year with victories in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) and Listed Ta...

Stakes-winning graduate Prioress returns to gavelhouse.com

Two years after securing her stable star Prioress (Proisir) from gavelhouse.com, Foxton trainer Suzy Gordon is putting the multiple black-type performer back on the online platform.Prioress is part of the latest 39 Lot fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com, which is currently open for bidding with the first lot closing at 7pm NZT on Monday 14 September.Gordon paid $7,250 to buy Prioress from the 19 August 2024 auction on gavelhouse.com. At that stage, the daughter of Proisir had won four ti...

Kiwi Chronicles -Pressure cooker

The brightest star of New Zealand racing, Well Written (Written Tycoon), answered a number of questions in her deceptively simple victory in the Proisir Plate (Gr 1, 1400m).Why deceptive? One only had to listen to trainer Stephen Marsh’s comments, both before the race as well as after. The common theme pre and post race was his concern about competing against the older brigade for the first time.Three-year-olds mostly race against their own age group, especially in stakes company. Why tackle t...

Belle Cheval retired

The glittering racing career of Group One winner Belle Cheval (Savabeel) has come to a premature end.The Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) heroine resumed at Caulfield last Saturday in the Gr.3 Courtza Stakes (1200m), where she finished last, and following the race she was found to have a respiratory complaint, and the decision was made to retire her from the track.“She’s been officially retired from racing after pulling up with a respiratory complaint following her fresh-up run last Saturday,...

Further honours for versatile Almanzor

High-profile Cambridge Stud resident Almanzor enjoyed a memorable weekend, both on and off the track.The internationally successful sire son of Wootton Bassett was a major player at Ellerslie where his daughters Pounce and Asturia played starring roles on Saturday, while his son First Five was honoured at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards the following evening.The David Greene-trained First Five was named Champion Sprinter-miler courtesy of his Group One victories in the Telegraph (1200...

Thompson predicts big year for Ace High

Exciting three-year-old Blind Raise’s (Ace High) dominant win in Saturday’s McKenzie Stakes (Listed, 1300m) not only stamped him a potential star of the spring but a leading light in what could be a boom time for his sire.That’s the opinion of John Thompson of New Zealand’s Rich Hill Stud, who says Ace High (High Chaparral) is starting to build some highly impressive momentum.The 12-year-old dual Group 1 winner had experienced something of a lull last year, with his book of mares droppin...

Zania Slabber -Final Blog

After an unforgettable six months in Ireland, 2026 Irish National Stud Scholarship recipient Zania Slabber reflects on the foals, friendships and invaluable experiences that shaped her time at the Irish National Stud—and shares why anyone considering the opportunity should take the leap and apply.Six months ago I was pulling on three layers just to face a frosty Irish morning. Now I'm settling into the Southern Hemisphere season at Trelawney, and the whole Irish National Stud course already fe...

Ka Ying Rising makes statement ahead of Everest defence

The world’s premier sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) has turned in possibly his greatest performance to date when he smashed the Sha Tin 1200-metre course record on Sunday by almost a full second to record his 21st consecutive victory.Ka Ying Rising easily beat his own track record when he ran a head-shaking 1.06.11s to destroy his previous mark of 1.07.12s in the Group 3 Chief Executive’s Cup.Jockey Zac Purton gave an ominous warning to those with hopes of beating Ka Ying Rising i...

Blind Raise strikes in McKenzie Stakes

Expat New Zealand trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young considered scratching Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High) from Saturday’s A$175,000 Listed McMahon’s Dairy McKenzie Stakes (1300m) at Sandown, but their decision to run paid off and put the Kiwi-bred gelding on target for bigger and better things.Blind Raise won two of his three starts as a juvenile including the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes (1400m), and Busuttin and Young came into the spring of his three-year-old season with their ey...

Wexford filly pounces to victory in Sunline Vase

Wexford Stables came out of their winter hibernation in the best possible fashion at Ellerslie on Saturday when Pounce (NZ) (Almanzor) posted their first win of the season in the Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (1200m).The daughter of Almanzor jumped away well and secured the coveted one-one position early behind Miss Janet (Home Affairs), who ensured Summer Schemer (Dirty Work) kept an honest tempo upfront. Jockey Craig Grylls presented Pounce three-wide at the turn and she...

Niamh Waters -Blog 3

This week, we caught up with our 2026 Sunline Trust Scholarship recipient, Niamh Waters, as she reflects on an exciting few months of yearling inspections, sales and world-class racing across England and France, before beginning her next chapter in Hong Kong.The past couple of months have been incredibly busy, but also some of the most exciting of my Sunline Trust Scholarship so far, taking me from yearling inspections around England and France to Royal Ascot, Newmarket, Deauville, Doncaster and...

Where are the boys?

Fillies are two and zero over their male counterparts in the two early races specifically for the sophomores. Ruakaka’s Northland Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), staged on August 15, fell to She’s No Saint (Prague). That day the boys never had a look in as the first six home in the nine horse field were all fillies.Ten runners fronted for Saturday’s Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1200m) and the boys fared a little better, but the fairer sex formed a Stephen Marsh stable quinella. Five of the ...

Under the Radar - Bella Illston

This month on Betavet Under the Radar, we caught up with Bella Illston, Assistant Yearling Manager at Cambridge Stud, who combines hands-on work in the yearling yard with office support across the operation. Bella shares her passion for developing young horses and staff, the importance of creating a positive working environment, and why showcasing the many career pathways within the thoroughbred industry is key to attracting the next generation.Explain your role in the industry and who you work ...

Joe Moore -Final Blog

This week, we caught up with our 2026 Irish National Stud Scholarship Gold Medal winner, Joe Moore, as he shares one final update from his time in Ireland, reflecting on his final few weeks, favourite experiences and advice for anyone considering the course.Just like that my time at the national stud has come to a close and I get to begin another chapter in my career.Over the coming 6 months I will be spending the season working for Trelawney stud, who kindly give young people like Zania and I t...

NZB Unveil Unrivalled Ready to Run Sale Catalogue

The catalogue for the world’s leading two-year-old sale is now online, with New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2026 Ready to Run Sale set to take place at Karaka on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November.Peerless by every measure, NZB’s Ready to Run Sale graduates have won 33 Group One races and 115 stakes races in the last five seasons.Last season alone, Ready to Run graduates won 26 black-type races, while graduates of both Australian 2YO sales combined claimed only 12 in the same period.Hong Kong ...

The Oaks broodmare makes early stakes mark

Kali has made a fast and successful start to the second stage of her career after being denied the opportunity to show her true worth on the track.The Darci Brahma mare’s first foal to race is The Oaks Stud-bred and sold Perfect Chaos (Hello Youmzain), with the daughter of Hello Youmzain shedding her maiden tag in style with victory in Saturday’s Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m).She had placed in all four of her juvenile appearances for trainer Stephen Marsh before breaking through to add mom...

Perfect result for Marsh at Wanganui

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh went one better in the first three-year-old stakes race of the season when race favourite Perfect Chaos (Hello Youmzain) chose the ideal time to shed her maiden status with a comprehensive victory in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).Marsh runners Churmatt and Swiss Prince had finished in the minor placings in the 2025 edition of the race, however, this year he upped the ante with Perfect Chaos, a daughter of Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Yo...

Sales meeting major career boost

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.Successful Auckland bloodstock agent Paul Willetts cited a chance meeting with an Auckland owner as a turning point in his career.After breaking into the thoroughbred world on leaving school, Willetts subsequently ventur...