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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...

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...

Belle Cheval on target for $4 million NZB Kiwi

Belle Cheval (Savabeel) will head into the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) in winning form after taking out the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.Following her convincing win in last month’s Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) on Karaka Millions night, she was meant to head to Matamata last week for her final lead-in run for the Champions Day feature, but inclement conditions forced trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson to delay that final hit-out by a week.T...

Yulong dominates NZ Oaks

Yulong Investments has made a splash in New Zealand this season, buying up the nation’s leading three-year-old filly talent, and they were once again rewarded at Ellerslie on Saturday when sealing the quinella in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m).The burgeoning thoroughbred giant’s silks have been prominent at Ellerslie this season through the deeds of their undefeated Group One winner and $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) favourite Well Written, and they were once again t...

Final Return defies Aussie challenge in Avondale Cup

What a difference three weeks has made in the life of rugged stayer Final Return (Reliable Man).The durable son of the ill-fated Westbury Stud stallion Reliable Man had held the start up for over five minutes at his last run at Ellerslie due to a pre-race issue with the bandages he wears when racing in the right-handed direction.Despite the upset that day, the seven-year-old had gone a top race for trainer Janelle Millar and stripped even fitter on Saturday for his tilt at the time-honoured Gr.3...

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...

Vale Reliable Man

High-class racehorse turned Group One sire Reliable Man has died aged 18.Westbury Stud General Manager Russell Warwick confirmed the striking grey died after complications from surgery to remove melanomas.“Being a grey horse, he was starting to suffer from melanomas, and he had quite a significant one under his tail,” Warwick said.“We did some surgery on Monday, which went really well but then he had some post-surgery complications, sort of 48 hours later and he was going downhill at a rap...

Coolmore purchases Super Seth

Star young stallion Super Seth, sire of four Group One winners from his first two crops, has been purchased by Coolmore from Waikato Stud to stand at its Hunter Valley base.The Caulfield Guineas-winning son of Dundeel will relocate to Coolmore Australia following six seasons at Waikato Stud, where he has developed into one of the most exciting young stallions in Australasia.The young stallion’s first crop included Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner Linebacker, Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m)...

Kazaru (NZ) Captures Tasmanian Oaks

OTI Racing’s $27,500 Karaka yearling purchase Kazaru (NZ) (Embellish) added significant value to her CV with victory in the A$150,000 Listed Kevin Sharkie Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) at Launceston on Friday.Kazaru was offered by Cambria Park in Book 2 of Karaka 2024 and was bought by OTI in partnership with Phill Cataldo Bloodstock. The emerging filly has now had seven starts for two wins, two placings and A$153,150 in stakes.Stakes-placed as a two-year-old in the Listed Oaklands Plate (1...

Waters awarded 2026 Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship

Niamh Waters has been announced as the 2026 recipient of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship and will depart on Saturday to begin her 30-week international experience, one of New Zealand thoroughbred breeding and racing’s most prestigious development opportunities.Funded by the Sunline Education Trust and administered by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, the scholarship provides an all-expenses-paid, bonded international experience designed to expose emer...

Kiwi Chronicles - Weather Gods strike again

The fact that weather is out of our control does not disguise our sheer disappointment when it ruins a popular event and the latest victim is the Matamata Racing Club’s Breeders’ Stakes Day, last Saturday.Last spring, a number of New Zealand race meetings were either abandoned or postponed due to weather. Last month Matamata pushed their January 21 meeting back two days due to rains which caused a landslide and subsequent deaths at Mt Maunganui. So much for stable summer weather.New Zealand�...

Partnership still going strong after nearly three decades

A long and successful Waikato breeding partnership was to the fore again at Matamata on Saturday where My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High) doubled her stakes tally.The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained mare made all the running in the hands of Rory Hutchings for a comfortable resuming victory in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m).My Lips Are Sealed was bred by Rich Hill Stud, who stand her sire Ace High, and Scott Williams’ Bloodstock Resources, and was sold through the forme...

Yulong add another Guineas heroine to Kiwi portfolio

Impressive Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) winner Autumn Glory (Ocean Park) has had an ownership change ahead of her tilt at the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, with the daughter of Ocean Park to sport the colours of Yulong Investments.The late bloomer has been patiently handled by Roger James and Robert Wellwood and the filly dominated her male rivals at Te Rapa last week to advance her record to two wins from three starts, having broken maiden...

Vale Martin Dennis

One of New Zealand racing’s most famous families has lost another member, with the recent passing of Martin Dennis, aged 82.Martin was the youngest member of the Dennis Brothers quartet, with the family facing a particularly tough last six months, with the passing of brother Tony in September.The brothers have been a pillar of South Island thoroughbred racing for more than 60 years, with a plethora of elite equine athletes coming off their Woodlands property.Dennis’ nephew, respected Southla...

Double duty pays winning dividend for Price

Trainer Sophie Price put aside her regular Clerk of the Course duties at Invercargill on Saturday to watch her promising three-year-old filly Hello Hayley (Hello Youmzain) take out the Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1400m) at Ascot Park on Saturday.Price, who prepares a small team from her Winton stable, has had the daughter of Hello Youmzain in her team since late last year after she had one run for Karaka-based trainer Lance Noble.Successful second up at Ascot Park, Hello ...

Diamond Jak shines brightly in Matamata gloom

With the weather closing in again towards the tail end of a memorable Matamata Breeders’ Stakes day, it was left to durable stayer Diamond Jak (Jakkalberry) to add some further sparkle to proceedings as he bolted away with the Listed Matamata Veterinary Services Kaimai Stakes (2000m).The enigmatic seven-year-old has proven a head scratcher at times for trainer Mark Brosnan, often ruining his chances with a tardy getaway from the starting gates.On his day however he is a force to be reckon...

Daring tactics secure second stakes win for My Lips Are Sealed

A heady front-running ride from Rory Hutchings helped underrated mare My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High) bounce back to winning form in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m) on her home track at Matamata on Saturday.Heavy rain in the previous 24 hours had a major effect on proceedings as runners on the day were faced with a testing Heavy9 surface that had many struggling to make ground in the final stages of their races.Hutchings took the bull by the horns to put the Mark Walker and ...

First stakes winner for Banquo

Waikato Stud stallion Banquo recorded his first stakes win as a sire on Saturday and fittingly achieved it with a son carrying the farm’s colours, on their home track for their private trainer Kris Shailer.Bred by the Matamata farm, Justin Case (Banquo) is out of Group Two-winning mare Do Ra Mi, and is a half-brother to Group Three performer Hanger.The two-year-old gelding was being prepared for last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale by Ohukia Lodge, but was withdrawn, and...

Unbeaten Sistema winner Return To Conquer to stand at Waikato Stud

Te Akau’s unbeaten Group 1 winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel) will be an exciting new addition to the Chittick family’s Waikato Stud roster for 2026.The son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) will begin his career in the breeding shed at a fee of NZ$15,000 (plus GST).The three-year-old colt was recently retired by Te Akau principal David Ellis after sustaining an injury.“We thought he was the best Snitzel colt in the Magic Millions' sale when we bought him and could not fault him in any way,�...

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

Group 1 winner Wyndspelle (Iffraaj) has died suddenly following a freak accident at Victoria’s Wyndholm Park Stud.His breeder and long-time syndicate manager Jen Campin confirmed the news, while stud owner Kim McKellar explained the stallion succumbed to injuries sustained after taking fright from a kangaroo.The son of Iffraaj (Zafonic) had begun to build momentum at stud after launching his stallion career at Cornwall Park Stud.He was among the standout performers of his generation in New Zea...

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 ...

Kiwi Chronicles - Following up

While the Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) story continues to grow, courtesy of First Five’s stunning BCD Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m) win, Te Papa’s “Legends Day” belonged to Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park (Thorn Park). Two of his daughters, Ohope Wins and Autumn Glory, not only nabbed the two 3YO features, they also became the top two favourites for the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), set for February 21. Ohope Wins heads the market for the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).Meanwhile, down at Wingatui, W...

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...