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Hezashocka returns home

Group One performer Hezashocka (Shocking) has gone full-circle, returning to where his racing career began, with part-owners Shaun and Emma Clotworthy at Byerley Park.The now eight-year-old was purchased by Shaun Clotworthy out of Grangewilliam Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 3 Yearling Sale draft for $18,000 and went on to have three starts as a three-year-old for the Clotworthys, culminating in his victory in the Gr.2 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m).Trans-Tasman syndi...

Tragic Loss of Group One Winner Wyndspelle

Jen Campin Bloodstock confirms the passing of Group One winner Wyndspelle.The son of Iffraaj was best known for his victory in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) and multiple elite G1 level performances that established him as one of New Zealand’s toughest and most genuine milers of his generation.Following his racing career, Wyndspelle commenced stud duties, where he was building momentum as a sire....

Meet the Breeder - The Gartshore Brothers

This week on Dunstan Horse Feeds’ Meet the Breeder, we caught up with Bill Gartshore, proud breeder of Ohope Wins, who claimed the Group 2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic at Te Rapa last Saturday.Tell us the story of Ohope WinsOhope Wins is a three year old filly by Ocean Park out of Choux ManiaHow did you get into thoroughbred breeding?It was about 15 years ago when Jim (my brother) and I had been in business most of our working life. Our businesses were construction and joinery manuf...

Ghaiyyath colt fetches $625,000 as Inglis Classic ends on a high

Tony and Calvin McEvoy lodged a ringing vote of confidence in Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) as the Darley shuttler took another great leap in his burgeoning career by emerging with the auction topper as the third most successful Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in history wrapped on Tuesday.Team McEvoy paired with regular partner Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock to pay $625,000 for the imposing colt, offered as Lot 668 by New Zealand’s Wentwood Grange stud, making him Classic’s highest-priced lot ...

One more race for Legarto before going to auction

After returning to her best form with a fourth Group One win in Saturday’s Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, Legarto (Proisir) is likely to have just one more start before going to auction as a broodmare.The six-year-old daughter of Proisir had gone winless for almost a year when she repeated her 2024 Herbie Dyke Stakes win with a dogged victory over Victorian raider Kingswood, crediting her jockey Opie Bosson with his 100th elite win and trainers Ken and Bev Kelso with their 15th.Th...

Oaks hopeful rewarding patient approach

Late bloomer Autumn Glory (Ocean Park) has shown the benefit of careful handling with her emergence as a serious Classic contender.Bred and raced by the Smithies family under their Monovale Holdings banner, the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained daughter of Ocean Park rounded off powerfully at Te Rapa on Saturday to claim the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m).Autumn Glory started at nearly 50 to one and her upset victory has resulted in her promoted to a $4 second favourite for the Gr.1 Al ...

Tasmanian Double for Dad And Dave (NZ)

Karaka graduate Dad And Dave (NZ) (Time Test) added Friday’s A$150,000 Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) at Hobart to his victory in last month’s A$125,000 Listed Launceston Guineas (2000m), becoming only the seventh horse to complete that Tasmanian feature double.Dad And Dave was bred by Windsor Park Stud and offered by Ohukia Lodge at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale, where Ciaron Maher Bloodstock bought him for $55,000. He has now had five starts for three wins and A$190,935 in stakes.Th...

Numbers emerges for 4yo Series after Centenary Vase romp

Numbers (NZ) (Tivaci) firmly advanced his credentials for the remainder of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a commanding victory in Sunday’s Gr.3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin.The Frankie Lor-trained galloper dominated his six rivals, each with a Group-level winning profile, as he led from start-to-finish on his way to a two-length victory in the HK$4.2 million contest.The Tivaci gelding went off a strong $1.7 favourite on the strength of an eye-catching front-...

Bosson gets his Group One century

It was apt for Opie Bosson to bring up his 100th Group One win on Legends Day at Te Rapa.The 45-year-old became just the third Kiwi jockey, and first New Zealand-based hoop, to bring up the milestone when piloting the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto (Proisir) to victory in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.He joins Sydney-based Kiwi James McDonald (124) and former jockey Jim Cassidy (104), and Bosson was rapt to reach the mark after returning from retirement just over six mo...

First black-type success for Oak Hill

New Zealand-bred gelding Oak Hill (Per Incanto) lifted his ever-improving career to another new level with his first black-type victory in the A$300,000 Gr.2 Here For The Horses Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.The five-year-old son of Per Incanto has now had 19 starts for eight wins, four placings and A$717,140 in stakes.The Rubiton was the fifth start at stakes level for Oak Hill, who had resumed with a last-start second in the Listed W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m), and earlier in th...

Witz End claims Hazlett Stakes

Former northern galloper Witz End (Savabeel) made his presence felt for new trainer Terri Rae when he scored the second win from just four starts from Rae’s Canterbury base when taking out the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Hazlett Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Saturday.The five-year-old gelding commenced his career for Tony Pike at his Cambridge stable before transferring to Rae late last year, finishing unplaced first-up in November before winning on the synthetic track at Riccarton th...

Guineas glory for Monovale filly

Autumn Glory (Ocean Park) came off the bench to secure her future broodmare career when taking out the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.The daughter of Ocean Park was first on the ballot for the Guineas and was set to contest the Gr.3 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) later on the card, however, she gained a berth against the boys when Single Red was withdrawn from the Guineas in favour of the fillies feature, and trainers Roger James and Robert...

First Five slots another Group One

Te Rapa trainer David Greene is riding the crest of a wave after he doubled his Group One tally when First Five (Almanzor) took out the BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at his home track on Saturday.Greene recorded his first elite-level success when the Almanzor five-year-old won last month’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, and he was confident he would go close to keeping his undefeated record over 1400m intact on Saturday.Despite his last-start heroics, First Five jumped a $7.40 fourth favo...

Ohope Wins cements Oaks favouritism with outstanding Te Rapa victory

Progressive filly Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) completed the perfect dress rehearsal for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in a fortnight when she stormed home out wide from last on the corner to take out the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa.Carrying the colours of leviathan breeding and racing operation, Yulong Thoroughbreds, who purchased her in late January after she had won the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on New Year’s Day, ...

Nigella Lane gets Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes revenge

Cambridge mare Nigella Lane (Niagara) was runner-up in last year’s Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and she was able to go one better in this year’s edition at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day.The last-start winner settled three back on the fence in the hands of in-form hoop Bruno Queiroz, while the Sam Mynott-trained Electron set the tempo up front and race favourite Khanshe was ridden quietly at the back of the pack.Taranaki galloper Sindee began to serve ...

King of Karaka counts down to one of his favourite racedays

Fresh from claiming the title of leading buyer at Karaka for the 18th time, Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis is turning his attention to one of his highlights of the racing calendar at Te Rapa this Saturday.Both Ellis and his wife Karyn Fenton-Ellis are former chairs of the Waikato Racing Club, and Te Rapa’s Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) raceday features a prestigious race named in honour of their contributions – the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillie...

Kiwi Chronicles - A week to remember

Not too long ago (2019) the scene at Cambridge Stud was somewhat bleak, the stud having lost three stallions: Tavistock (Montjeu), Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) and Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice), within months of each other.At the time it was difficult to imagine how the legacy of Sir Patrick Hogan might recover from such devastating blows but recover they have and it is a testament to the drive of Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, in combination with great guidance from Henry Plumptre, that Camb...

Liguria adds another chapter to family story

Another chapter in the career of one of Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay’s most treasured broodmares was written at Ellerslie on Saturday when Liguria (Snitzel) won the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m).The Lance Noble-trained filly is a grand-daughter of Zonza, who was bred by the Lindsays nearly 20 years ago and has since established her own dynasty.In 2007 they sent their Gold Brose mare Sonet to champion Cambridge Stud stallion Zabeel, producing the filly who was to become Zonza....

Explosive family continues to produce for Muollo

Luigi Muollo has been involved with the family of his foundation mare Explosive for more than two decades, and it continues to produce for the Novara Park principal.On Saturday, Special Sakura (Staphanos), a fourth generation of a branch of that family, secured black-type when taking care of a handy field to win the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie.Bred and raced by Muollo, Special Sakura’s victory was a great result for his Waikato farm, with the four-year-old mare becomi...

Special Sakura causes upset at Ellerslie

Taranaki visitor Special Sakura (Staphanos) upset the applecart when she led from go to whoa to bring up just her third career victory, and first at black-type level, when winning the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie.The four-year-old daughter of Novara Park stallion Staphanos had finished close up in second behind Romilly in a rating 75 contest at the course when brought north by trainer Janelle Millar on New Year’s Day.Millar produced stable star Final Return to run a ga...

Manzor Blue upsets in Wellington Cup

Palmerton North mare Manzor Blue (Almanzor) caused a major upset when taking out the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday.The five-year-old daughter of Almanzor had previously only raced up to rating 75 grade and was taking a massive jump up to Group company on Saturday, a step punters thought was too far and they let her drift out to an 86-1 outsider.From her outside draw she was taken straight to the back to settle at the rear of the fiel...

Liguria takes out Ellerslie juvenile feature

Exciting filly Liguria (Snitzel) opened her winning account in fine style with a courageous victory at stakes level when she claimed the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie.The impeccably bred daughter of Snitzel didn’t disgrace herself when finishing fourth on debut at the venue on Boxing Day and that experience stood her in good stead for Saturday’s juvenile feature that carries the name of the late New Zealand training legend Colin Jillings.Bearing the colours of Cam...

Wrote To Arataki claims second Geoffrey Bellmaine

Seven-year-old mare Wrote To Arataki (Wrote) landed her second Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) three years after her first, with a strong front-running success under Dean Yendall at Caulfield on Saturday.The Matthew Williams trained daughter of Wrote has competed in the race in four consecutive years, with fourth and third placings in the mare’s feature between her 2023 and 2026 victories.Wrote To Arataki had a length to spare over fellow Kiwi bred mare Damask Rose, with Bossy Beni...

Patterson goes back-to-back in Lowland

Robbie Patterson looks to have another serious Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) contender on his hands following Ultimate Habit’s (Embellish) victory at Trentham on Saturday.The promising daughter of Embellish broke through for her maiden win in the Gr.2 Jennian Homes Lowland Stakes (2100m), a race Patterson won last year with Leicy Lucy before she won the Oaks, and he is looking forward to shooting for back-to-back wins in the Classic at its new home of Ellerslie ne...

Stellar Summer Sale Closes out Karaka 2026

The final session of NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale took place at Karaka on Thursday, with a strong inaugural Karaka Summer Sale.112 yearlings sold for a total aggregate of more than $3.4 million at an average of $30,612. Six lots sold for $100,000 or more which added to a solid clearance rate of 81%.NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was elated for all those involved in the historic week.“To sum it up, this week we’ve turned over $9.6 million more than last year, with 79 less ...