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Entries Open for Karaka 2027

Entries are now open for NZB’s Karaka 2027, with the action-packed week of selling set to take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from Sunday 24 January. The 100th National Yearling Sale marked by Karaka 2026 set a new benchmark for the industry with turnover rising by almost $10 million, validating the strength of the refreshed sales format and depth of demand for New Zealand thoroughbreds. Across a week that celebrated a century of New Zealand’s rich thoroughbred history, Kara...

Duchess threads a new path for Savile Row

Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford has thrown her support behind emerging stallion Savile Row with the Group One performed son of Makfi to relocate to Brighthill Farm this season.The now 12-year-old entire was bred by the late Kevin Hickman and originally retired to stud at his Valachi Downs in Matamata.However, upon Hickman’s passing and subsequent sale of the Matamata property, Savile Row has resided at Mapperley Stud for the past four seasons.Trained by the late Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard, S...

Hailstones hits the ground running for Noverre

Waikato Stud stallion Noverre was represented by his first winner when two-year-old gelding Hailstones ran out a strong winner of a maiden handicap (1300m) at Scone on Tuesday for Annabel and Rob Archibald.Ridden by Braith Nock, Hailstones sat outside the leader before hitting the front soon after straightening and proved too good for his older rivals as he withstood the late challenge of race favourite Leovanni.“He has always shown something from day one, but it was nice to see him put it tog...

War Eternal adds to stud’s carnival success

Cambridge Stud’s winter success in Queensland has continued with the durable War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) adding to his black-type record.The homebred son of Pierro claimed Saturday’s Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1500m) at Eagle Farm for expatriate New Zealand trainer Bjorn Baker off the back of a previous Doomben win in the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m).The Cambridge farm’s colours have also been carried to victory in recent times in Brisbane by the Ciaron Maher-prepared Zous...

Curraghmore Set to Present Another Quality Karaka Weanling Draft

The tradition of presenting a quality selection is set to continue at Karaka on June 25 when Curraghmore offers its annual draft at the NZB Weanling Sale.Farm principal Gordon Cunningham takes genuine pride in the process of preparing Curraghmore’s weanling draft, with this year’s six-strong offering again bound to attract the attention of a discerning buyers’ bench.Colts by Sword of State, Ocean Park and Hilal, along with fillies by Super Seth, Satono Aladdin and Chaldean c...

War Eternal scores gritty stakes win at Eagle Farm

Evergreen galloper War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) took his career stakes earnings over the A$1million threshold with a fighting performance to down the well-favoured Sun God (Fastnet Rock) in a tooth and nail battle to the finish of the Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1500m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.The Cambridge Stud graduate made it back-to-back Queensland black type victories after winning the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m) at Doomben last month, however on this occasion he looked certain to su...

Half to Lion’s Roar Headlines Supplementary Catalogue

Three quality weanlings will further boost NZB’s 2026 National Weanling Sale, with the bonus lots set to be offered immediately following the 140 lots originally catalogued for sale at Karaka on Thursday 25 June.Headlining the three supplementary entries is Lot 141, a son of first season sire Paddington from Minnaleo (Black Minnaloushe). Making this colt a half-brother to Group One ATC Randwick Guineas winner and A$2.3 million earner Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer).A colt by exciting young si...

Ka Ying Rising puts his Kiwi breeders on the map

The phenomenal Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) has been the horse of a lifetime for everyone associated with him, including his New Zealand breeders, Fraser and Erin Auret.Under their Grandmoral Lodge banner, the Aurets bred Ka Ying Rising as the first foal out of their Per Incanto mare Missy Moo.Missy Moo was bought for just $500 as a yearling at Karaka in 2014, and Fraser Auret trained her to win five races and finish fourth in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m). She also contested...

Which sires produce the best wet-track performers?

Breeding can often provide a clue to help sway your opinion one way or another. Some sires are known to produce horses that handle wet ground while others seem to produce horses that struggle in the wet.I asked Daniel O'Sullivan from The Rating Bureau to dive into their TopRate database to help understand the best wet track sires.Below is a table that highlights which New Zealand sires see the biggest improvement in performance on heavy (wet) tracks compared to their overall strike rate. Th...

The Western Front digs in to win Sandown Cup

The Western Front (NZ) (War Decree) picked up his first stakes victory on Sunday, holding tough to win the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) in a three-way thriller.A rapid improver this time in, the son of War Decree has now won four of eight starts in his elongated campaign and taken his rating from 69 to 84, a number that will rise again after Sunday’s success.Luke Currie gave The Western Front ($2.80) every chance in the one-out one-back spot, and he travelled superbly into the race, but Taj...

Western Empire too tough in home straight stoush

Classy galloper Western Empire (Iffraaj) had to call on all his fighting qualities to pick up his latest stakes victory as he thrust his head in front in the very last stride to claim the Gr.3 PKF Perth – Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Belmont on Saturday.The rugged eight-year-old son of Iffraaj had returned to racing in style when he took out his second Gr.3 Drummond Golf Belmont Sprint (1400m) fresh up a fortnight ago.With superstar West Australian jockey Willie Pike in the saddle again, Western...

Electron upsets in Wanganui feature

Underrated mare Electron (Turn Me Loose) turned some indifferent form of late upside down when she clung on by the barest of margins to take out the Listed AGC Training Stakes WFA (1600m) at Wanganui on Saturday.The Sam Mynott-prepared daughter of Turn Me Loose had raced in stakes company at her last four starts and showed she was ready to strike her best form when a handy fifth in the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) at her most recent run.A noted pacemaker, the five-year-old was content...

Under the Radar - Rebecca Johnston

This week on Betavet Under the Radar, we caught up with Rebecca Johnston, Office Manager at Stable Books, who plays a key behind-the-scenes role supporting clients across the racing and breeding industry. From accounts and compliance to client liaison and office operations, Rebecca brings organisation, enthusiasm and a genuine passion for the industry to the Stable Books team.Explain your role and who you work for.I work at Stable Books as the Office Manager. Stable Books provides administrative...

Niamh Waters -Blog 2

This week we caught up with our 2026 Sunline Scholarship recipient, Niamh Waters, to hear about her experiences over the past month during her time in Ireland and Scotland.From working in the foaling units at Coolmore Stud and visiting iconic racecourses such as The Curragh, to touring Ballydoyle and gaining hands-on experience at the Goffs UK sales, Niamh has immersed herself in all aspects of the thoroughbred industry.'The past month has been incredibly busy, and it is hard to believe how quic...

Yulong secures Legarto for $2.8 million

Five-time Group One winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) has been purchased by Yulong Investments for A$2.8 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.By Proisir, out of the Towkay mare Geordie Girl, Legarto was sold as a yearling by Highline Thoroughbreds at Karaka for $90,000 and raced under the care of Ken and Bev Kelso.Legarto has been one of New Zealand's best-performed gallopers in recent seasons, winning Group Ones on either side of the Tasman for trainers Ken and...

HK winners keep flowing for Highview sire

The hot run of form from Wrote’s progeny has continued in Hong Kong with the Highview stallion represented by a winning double at Sha Tin on Sunday.He sired the first two winners on the program with the David Hall-trained Flying Amani and Jimmy Ting’s Come Fast Fay Fay scoring respectively over 1600 and 1400m, with Zac Purton guiding both to victory.“Flying Amani is a new individual winner for Wrote and that brought his tally for the month of May to six individual winners from seven runner...

Vale Colin Thompson

The New Zealand thoroughbred industry is mourning the loss of highly respected Waikato identity Colin Thompson who passed away at the weekend aged 97.Thompson was a leading veterinarian for decades, breeder and owner and with late wife Irene, their son John and his wife Colleen and Alan Galbraith established premier nursery Rich Hill Stud in the early 1990s.“He didn’t suffer and passed away peacefully early on Sunday morning,” John Thompson said.“Back in his day, there were no vet school...

New Zealand buyers to the fore in May Premium Broodmare Sale on Gavelhouse Plus

The buying power of major Australian-based players has been an almost unstoppable force in securing well-bred and stakes-performed New Zealand mares in recent seasons, but this week’s May Premium Broodmare Sale on Gavelhouse Plus bucked that trend.Five mares were offered on the online platform on Wednesday night and all five have been sold for a total of $1.73 million and an average price of $346,000. Four of the five mares were snapped up by New Zealand buyers.The two top lots were black-type...

Novara Park release service fees

Novara Park has announced its 2026 service fees, with owner Luigi Muollo reinforcing the stud’s commitment to offering breeders quality bloodlines and genuine value across its stallion roster.Sweynesse continues to build momentum following another strong season headlined by Wigmore’s Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) victory.The stallion has also been represented by consistent filly Miss Starlight, now crowned NZB Southern Filly of the Year, while Group-performed sprinter Sweynesday will s...

Advantage Jenni in Saturday's Doomben Cup

Saturday’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) was reduced to just seven runners at final acceptances on Tuesday in a scenario that might best suit the thrilling front-running mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai).The first four home in Pride Of Jenni’s Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) win all accepted, including the Cups champion Half Yours, but there were only a handful of new players on the scene for Saturday’s $1 million race at final acceptance after 39 horses were originally nominated fo...

Per Incanto youngsters continue to shine

Little Avondale Stud’s resident stallion Per Incanto (Street Cry) has turned back the clock this season with the farm stalwart’s younger offspring doing him proud.The Masterton nursery enjoyed further juvenile success on Saturday when homebred youngster Incandescent triumphed in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie.“Per Incanto has had four black-type two-year-olds this year, as we know he’s never really been known as a sire of two-year-olds except for his first crop,”...

Bernborough breakthrough for War Eternal

Previously a triple black-type placegetter and fourth at Group One level, War Eternal (Pierro) broke through for a deserved feature-race success in Saturday’s A$200,000 Listed Sky Racing Bernborough Handicap (1600m) at Doomben.The New Zealand-bred gelding is a seven-year-old now and has been competing at a high level since his three-year-old days, when he finished second in the Gr.3 Spring Stakes (1600m), third in the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) and fourth in Converge’s Gr.1 Randw...

Incandescent claims stakes honours at Ellerslie

Incandescent (Per Incanto) bookended his two-year-old season with winning results for his army of owners after claiming top honours in the Listed Cloudsoft Accounting Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.Raced by MyRacehorse and Ridgeport Holdings, the son of Per Incanto started his career in winning fashion when victorious over 1100m at Ellerslie in November, and he followed that with a series of minor placings, including a runner-up performance behind stablemate Excite in the...

Riverplate too tough in Rangitikei Gold Cup

Consistent performer Riverplate (Flying Artie) showed his rivals no mercy as he ran them into the dust when taking out the Listed James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) at Otaki on Saturday.The Andrew Campbell-prepared galloper has been in a purple patch of form of late and that continued in the hands of red-hot apprentice Toni Davies who claimed a winning treble with a heady frontrunning ride.After jumping well from barrier two, Riverplate held out Cambridge galloper Khafre for the early p...

Kiwi-bred Kilman adds to Waller’s Rough Habit run

Champion trainer Chris Waller claimed a fourth straight win in A$250,000 Gr.3 HKJC World Pool Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday, with three of those winners being New Zealand-breds.Kilman (Super Seth) led all the way for a $25 upset in the 2026 edition of the key Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) trial, following on from the 2025 winner Imperialist, 2024 winner Tannhauser and 2023 winner Special Swey. Kilman, Imperialist and Special Swey all carry the (NZ) suffix.Saturday’s Rough Ha...