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Star mare Seachange still making her mark

Rising age group star Blind Raise (Ace High) continues to add further honours to his already decorated family.The Oaks Stud-bred and sold three-year-old landed top honours in Saturday’s Gr.3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) to now share favouritism for the upcoming Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).Prepared by expatriate New Zealanders Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, he is a grandson of the Cambridge nursery’s former two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year Seachange.The daughter of Cape ...

Blind Raise makes statement in Caulfield Guineas Prelude

The New Zealand-bred Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High) stamped himself as one of the horses to beat in next month’s Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) with a dominant performance in the A$300,000 Gr.3 Sportsbet Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on Saturday.Now a four-time winner from only five career starts, and a perfect two-from-two this season, Blind Raise has risen to $4 equal favouritism alongside Tron Bolt in the TAB’s fixed-odds market for the Caulfield Guineas on October 10.The Trent Busuttin ...

Wanganui gelding Knocks Off stakes win at Trentham

Rejuvenated galloper Knock Off (Fabulous) proved too tough for his rivals in the Trentham mud as he dominated proceedings from the front to capture the Gr.3 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) on Saturday.Trainer Gerard Cvitanovich has played the patient game with the seven-year-old and is now reaping the rewards, with the son of Fabulous finally living up to the promise he showed earlier in his career.Rider Leah Hemi took the bull by the horns from barrier rise and set up a steady pace in ...

Cambridge Stud Backing Karaka 2027 100%

Leading thoroughbred nursery Cambridge Stud has again committed its full support to NZB’s 2027 National Yearling Sale, with the announcement they will be selling 100% of their yearling stock at Karaka.Karaka 2027, which marks the next century of yearling sales in New Zealand as the 101st National Yearling Sale, will be selling from 24 – 28 January at Karaka.Cambridge Stud has a long and rich history of selling yearlings, dating back to their debut at Trentham during the 1978 National Yearlin...

NZ Oaks heroine retired

Taranaki couple Peter and Heather Crofskey have enjoyed a fairytale ride with their Group One winner Leica Lucy (Derryn), but that journey has now come to an end following her recent retirement from racing.Bred by the Crofskeys, Leica Lucy is by Grangewilliam Stud stallion Derryn and out of winning Sir Percy mare Dynamite Lucy, a half-sister to Group Two performer Endowment and stakes performer Airlie House.She was entrusted to the care of New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson, for whom she won ...

Perfumist makes her mark in NZB Tibbie Stakes

New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale graduate Perfumist (NZ) (El Roca) made an emphatic return to racing at Newcastle on Friday, powering clear to claim the Gr.3 NZB Tibbie Stakes (1400m).The Bjorn Baker-trained daughter of El Roca had shown she was ready to fire with a series of strong gallops leading into her resumption and delivered on that promise with a dominant 2.6-length victory under Rachel King.King gave Perfumist an economical run in fifth before angling into the clear approaching ...

South African interests purchase showpiece property Fayette Park

Another chapter is set to be written in the history of one of New Zealand’s most admired thoroughbred properties, Fayette Park, following its purchase by South African interests.The change in ownership of the South Waikato farm has been confirmed by South African expatriate and now New Zealand-based Craig Ramsay. Acting on behalf of the principal of South Africa’s leading wagering operator Hollywoodbets, Ramsay has completed negotiations to secure the property established in the late 1980s b...

Vale Jo Wilding

A stalwart of the thoroughbred industry and a much-admired personality, Jo (Josephine) Wilding passed away recently in Christchurch.Jo was the breeder of four Derby winners including the Champion Three-Year-Old Zonda(Zabeel- Gone With The Wind) and his half-brother Man of Honour (by Noble Bijou), So Casual and Analie. As well she bred three other group one winners the Champion Two-Year-Old Joker’s Wild(Black Minnaloushe -Miss Rory), Wall Street (Montjeu- Villa Wanda), and Surprize Surprize (Pr...

Perfect timing, for the auctioneers.....

As Saturdays go, last Saturday proved highly successful for thoroughbreds foaled on the eastern side of the Tasman. Results mean stallion bookings and hopefully fuller books and both Cambridge Stud and Rich Hill Stud enjoyed a very good day.However, there was another establishment, namely New Zealand Bloodstock, which might literally be rubbing their hands together, such were the results of stakes successes, not only in Sydney and Melbourne but also locally.Flemington saw three NZ-breds salute. ...

New Zealand bred and sourced horses dominate at Hong Kong meeting

Zac Purton’s quest for a 10th Hong Kong jockeys’ championship – and a sixth title in succession continues to gather early momentum after the Australian snared a double at Sha Tin on Sunday (13 September).Purton continued metronomic progress towards a 10th jockeys’ crown with a third double from the first three meetings of the 2026/27 season.Successful on New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run graduate Ruby Thrive (Anders) in the Class 4 Hing Wah Handicap (1000m), Purton closed the...

Group One Australian aspirations for Kiwi-breds

Top-flight hopes are held for a trio of New Zealand-bred representatives who posted stakes victories across the Tasman at the weekend.Shockletz (Hello Youmzain) and Satono Glow (Satono Aladdin) were successful at Flemington, while Persian Wonder scored at Rosehill to press their claims for higher honours.Last season’s champion New Zealand juvenile Lara Antipova also rebounded from an unplaced resuming effort to land the Listed Michael Moroney (1400m) for Cranbourne-based trainer Mark Walk...

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€...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...