Back to Blog

Meet the Breeder - Mark & Sharon Hardy

This week on Dunstan Horsefeeds’ ‘Meet the Breeder’, we caught up with Mark and Sharon Hardy following Angels Halo (NZ) (Proisir)’s win in the 54th running of the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton. The Wellington couple and their family bred the filly under their Hospitality Rentals Ltd banner.Tell us the story of Angels HaloWe were looking for a quality Mare to go to a quality Sire and  purchased Mongolian Angel (I am Invincible Mare) on Gavel House.My Son ...

Written Tycoon colt takes unusual road into KB Bloodstock’s Ready to Run draft

A yearling colt’s untimely slip before he was set to be auctioned has provided Cambridge horseman Kit Brooks with a potential opportunity for a nice re-sale at Karaka next week.Brooks, who runs KB Bloodstock, produced the sale-topper at last year’s NZB Ready to Run Sale, selling a Zoustar-Hijack Hussy colt for $825,000.He isn’t talking up his chances of repeating the dose this year, but he is very positive about the Written Tycoon-Lost Impact colt catalogued as Lot 353.“He’s a beautifu...

Group One performer Myakkabelle goes under the hammer on Gavelhouse Plus

Gavelhouse Plus is giving breeders the chance to add a Group One performer to their broodmare band with the auction of multiple black-type placegetter Myakkabelle (NZ) (War Decree).The daughter of War Decree has retired from the racetrack after a 19-start career that produced two wins, seven placings and more than $210,000 in stakes.Her strongest performances came during a high-class campaign as a three-year-old, where she started off with a pair of spring victories over 1400m and 1600m before f...

Coulthard takes out TAB Mile

The late money for Coulthard (NZ) (Redwood) in the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) proved astute on Wednesday, with the Central Districts raider dashing home to claim the Riccarton feature.The son of Redwood has been in a purple patch of form this spring, finishing runner-up when first-up over 1400m at Trentham in September before going one better at Hastings a month later over a mile. After missing out on a run in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m), he went to the Foxton trials, where he won his 1200m he...

Kiwi Chronicles - Sunday best

Attending Hastings’ Howden Mile day on September 26, the writer took an amble through the Members’ Lounge. Sitting alone at one of the small round tables was a gentleman who was particularly well dressed, sporting a smart dark blue suit and easily the best dressed in the room.I stopped and made a remark, along the lines of: “Old school and dressed for the occasion? Reminds me of the days when people made an effort and wore their Sunday best on race days.” The gentleman responded: “Yes,...

Angels Halo leads memorable weekend for Proisir

Angels Halo (NZ) (Proisir) provided the headline act in another successful weekend for Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, winning the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.The Hollie Elliot-trained filly became the reigning champion sire’s seventh individual Group One winner, while his daughter Hyperbolic added an Australian stakes success in the Listed Ladies’ Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury.For Angels Halo’s breeders and part-owners Mark and Sharon Hardy, the Gui...

Speed Dragon leads New Zealand-bred double at Sha Tin

New Zealand-bred gallopers Speed Dragon (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Pejibaye (NZ) (Per Incanto) made their mark at Sha Tin on Sunday, with the former claiming Group Three honours and the latter producing a record-breaking performance on the all-weather track.Speed Dragon provided the highlight when storming home to win the HK$4.2 million Gr.3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m), adding another feature success to the record of New Zealand-bred horses in Hong Kong.Bred by The Oaks Stud, the son of ...

Choice Is Mine reigns Supreme in Cup

For a horse who could not even leave his stall in Hong Kong, Choice Is Mine (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) has made remarkable transformation since his arrival in Malaysia.The Turn Me Loose galloper took another big step forward when he overcame rough passages to win the RM100,000 Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup (1400m) at Selangor racecourse on Saturday.The five-year-old started well and stayed in a handy fourth position until the straight where he had to change course twice.At the 400m, jockey Uzair S...

Sun Gift upsets in Matriarch Stakes

Saturday 7 November will be a date that lives in the memory of the Chittick family and everyone involved in their Waikato Stud breeding operation as they produced a winning double on the last day of the 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival including longshot prospect Sun Gift (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m).The six-year-old daughter of the Stud’s champion sire Savabeel, who sadly passed away in June this year, wasn’t expected to feature in the finish of the Group Two contest for ...

Angels Halo upsets in NZ 1000 Guineas

Te Akau’s gun filly Asturia (NZ) (Almanzor) was the talk of the town heading into Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, but it was fellow Waikato filly Angels Halo (NZ) (Proisir) who caused an upset to claim the southern Classic.Angels Halo wasn’t in the calculations of many pundits for the 1000 Guineas, having finished eighth in the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa on Labour Day, but trainer Hollie Elliot remained a believe...

Waikato Stud celebrates Flemington double

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick had hoped to have two runners in Saturday’s Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, but a change of plans ultimately delivered a memorable double for the Matamata nursery.Both bred and raced by Waikato Stud, six-year-old Savabeel mare Sun Gift (NZ) (Savabeel) claimed Group Two honours, while fellow homebred Superfabulistic (NZ) (Super Seth), a daughter of Super Seth, made the most of missing the Matriarch field with a dominant three-and-a-half-length v...

Evaporate successful in Five Diamonds

Consistent performer Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) added another gold star to a burgeoning career record when he out-toughed his rivals to win the rich A$2million Gr.3 Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill.The race for five-year-old runners has become a popular target since its inception in the 2022 racing season and Saturday’s contest proved a worthy edition of the contest thanks to a masterful Nash Rawiller ride aboard the winner and a determined pair of relative outsiders chasing home the eventu...

Rotten Tommy causes upset in Legacy Lodge Sprint

Outsider Rotten Tommy (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) upset the applecart as he made every post a winner to register a front-running victory in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.Run during one of several heavy rain showers that saw the track rated a Heavy8 before the first on the card, with no improvement during the day, the Anthony Burton-prepared gelding relished the conditions as he dictated terms in the hands of rider Bridget Grylls.Grylls stayed hard up against the rail whe...

Just Charlie goes back-to-back in Metropolitan Trophy

Just Charlie (NZ) (Zed) continued the theme of the day at Riccarton on Saturday when the Wanganui visitor claimed his second successive Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2590m).The Kevin Myers-trained gelding won last year’s edition under expat Kiwi hoop Logan Bates, and he looked the winner a long way out when defending his crown this year under Lilly Sutherland.The seven-year-old son of Zed was taken straight to the front by Sutherland and dictated terms throughout, eventua...

Hyperbolic (NZ) Hits New Heights in Hawkesbury Feature

Karaka 2023 graduate Hyperbolic (NZ) (Proisir) claimed the sixth and most significant win of her career in the A$200,000 Listed Evergreen Turf Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday.Offered by Rich Hill Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2023, Hyperbolic was bought by trainer Brad Widdup for $240,000. Her 22-race career has now produced six wins, nine placings and A$584,350.Previously a placegetter in the Group Three Fillies and Mares’ Mile (1600m), Group Three Belle Of The Turf Stakes (1600m)...

The Big EV is back

“Watch out, he’s back.” That’s the warning from trainer Stephen Marsh following the return to winning form of former New Zealand Horse of the Year El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Balmerino Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Tuesday.El Vencedor jumped away well and was sent forward from his wide alley by champion jockey Craig Grylls to take up his customary pace-making role. He continued to set terms up front and showed glimpses of his former self when applying pressure an...

All in the family

A lot can happen in the space of five days. On New Zealand’s Labour Day, Monday October 26, Wootton bassett (Iffraaj) colt Coniston raised his hoof as a contender for the upcoming New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).Coniston defeated a quality field in Te Rapa’s James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m), always one of the better indicators regarding the outcome of the Group 1 Guineas. In taking his record to two wins in four starts, he was doing his best work late and will l...

De Armas shows class in Wakeful Stakes

Second and fourth in 1600m Group One races in her two previous starts, De Armas (Ardrossan) stepped up in distance at Flemington on Saturday and opened her Australian account in style in the A$300,000 Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Wakeful Stakes (2000m).The New Zealand-bred Ardrossan filly was bought for only $16,000 by Benner Racing from Elsdon Park during the 2025 NZB National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. From seven starts, De Armas has now recorded three wins and a placing and has ear...

Group One Contenders Boost Ready to Run Excitement for Ohukia Lodge

Ohukia Lodge has a proud record and a well-earned reputation as one of the NZB Ready to Run Sale’s top vendors, so they don’t need much in the way of extra publicity – but a pair of Group One contenders over the next two weeks won’t hurt.As they prepare to offer 21 two-year-olds at Karaka on 18 and 19 November, Ohukia will be represented by Cignetti (NZ) (Super Seth) in this Saturday’s A$3m Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington, then System Of Play (Ole Kirk) in the $700,000 Al Bas...

Cosmic Crusader adds to Windsor Park’s Cox Plate legacy

Many stud farms dream of seeing just one horse foaled on their property go on to triumph in a race like the Gr.1 Cox Plate, but the Windsor Park Stud team has now had that euphoric feeling four times.Three horses foaled at the Cambridge nursery have etched their name on the honour roll of the race dubbed the weight-for-age championship of Australasia – Might And Power in 1998, So You Think in 2009 and 2010, and now Cosmic Crusader in last Saturday’s unique one-off running at Flemington.“It...

Prima Park Poised To Make Ready to Run Sale Impact

During more than a decade as a vendor at the annual NZB Ready to Run Sale, Prima Park has risen through the ranks to become one of the go-to sources at the Karaka two-year-old auction.The Matamata prep farm was amongst the headlines at last year’s Ready to Run Sale with second place on the aggregates table after selling 18 lots for a total of $3.66 million. The Prima Park draft was led by the second top lot, a Written Tycoon colt at $775,000, while an average price of just over $200,000 was fi...

Meet the Breeder - Graham Bax

This week on Dunstan Horsefeeds’ ‘Meet the Breeder’, we caught up with Graham Bax, who bred and races Coniston with his wife Helen-Gaye under their Blandford Lodge banner. Following his Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) victory, Coniston now heads towards the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) as favourite.1. Tell us the story of Coniston.Coniston is in my racing portfolio because I have always wanted to breed and race a colt who could one day be go...

Five lots to watch at the NZB Ready To Run sale

The world’s premier sale of two-year-olds returns to Karaka on November 18 and 19 with what could well be another record-breaking edition on the horizon.The 2026 catalogue features 460 lots across two days, with the most sires in the sale’s history represented at 119, and the breeze-up footage is already online from the October sessions at Te Rapa for those doing their homework early.The graduate list looks as strong as any sale anywhere in the world with the Hong Kong Champion Golden Sixty ...

Unfavourable x-rays prove a blessing in disguise for Baxes

Exciting colt Coniston (NZ) (Wootton Bassett) was destined for the sales ring as a yearling, however, unfavourable x-rays curtailed those plans, which has proven to be a blessing in disguise for owner-breeders Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax of Blandford Lodge, who now have a Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) favourite on their hands.The son of Wootton Bassett jumped to the top of the market of the southern Classic, alongside Excite, following his victory in the Gr.2 James...

Kiwi Chronicles – Two peas

Do the owners of Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Proxima Dea (Tarzino) own a crystal ball? It would seem so – how could they know that the filly, whose name in Portuguese translates to “Next Goddess”, would not only live up to her name, but exceed its meaning which is directly associated with her older sister, Gypsy Goddess?There is a certain mystique attached to any horse which builds an unbeaten sequence because it is so difficult to maintain. Eerily, the records of Gypsy God...