Back to Blog

Satono Aladdin’s star continues to rise

It’s been a fantastic fortnight for Rich Hill Stud shuttle stallion Satono Aladdin.He is cementing himself in the top echelon of New Zealand’s stallion ranks with a series of Group One wins, highlighted by Pennyweka’s dominant three-length victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on Saturday.The Classic victory came just seven days after Satono Aladdin won his first Group One as a sire, courtesy of the Mark Walker-trained Tokyo Tycoon in the Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Pukeko...

Lucky Sweynesse stars with Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup success

Star New Zealand-bred sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse x Madonna Mia) collected his second Group One crown in as many starts at Sha Tin on Sunday as he reeled in a brave California Spangle to lift the HK$12 million Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).Ridden by fly-in rider James McDonald for trainer Manfred Man, Lucky Sweynesse broke cleanly against four rivals to settle second in the running behind California Spangle.Lucky Sweynesse stalked California Spangle throughout the contes...

Unbeaten Pearl Of Alsace lands Cuddle Stakes

Talented mare Pearl Of Alsace (Tavistock x Irion) extended her unbeaten run to five when she stepped up to stakes company with a narrow victory in the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) a Trentham.The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained four-year-old went into the Group Three feature off the back of four straight victories to open her career and took things to a new level with a performance that underlined just how strong her will to win is.Given a lovely run in midfield by Ashvin Goi...

Mr Brightside claims All-Star Mile

New Zealand-bred star Mr Brightside (Bullbars x Lilahjay) has plundered further riches for his owners when taking the lion’s share of the A$5 million prize following a comfortable victory in the All-Star Mile (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.The ultra-consistent son of Bullbars has won 10 of his 22 career starts, including last season’s Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) for trainers Ben and JD Hayes, and following the All-Star triumph he has career prizemoney exceeding A$5.8 million.Ridden by top...

Gin Martini claims Group Three

Smart four-year-old mare Gin Martini (Rip Van Winkle x Tanqueray)  claimed a deserved Group Three victory when successful in the Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill on Saturday.The New Zealand-bred daughter of Rip Van Winkle travelled three-wide throughout under Damian Lane and after presenting widest at the top of the straight, pulled out too many stops to defy Thalassophile by a long neck, with Douceur three-quarters of a length away in third.Prepared by John Sargent, Gin Martini is proven o...

Jubilant scenes after special Oaks victory

Members of the Galloping Wekas Jazweka Syndicate threatened to tear down the Trentham grandstand after they witnessed their pride and joy Pennyweka (Satono Aladdin x Threepence) stride clear in the final stages of the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m).More than 70 people associated with the three-year-old daughter of Satono Aladdin let out a united roar as rider Ryan Elliot found clear galloping room shortly after straightening, with Pennyweka proving much the best stayer as...

Te Akau dominates Levin Classic again

The decision to move the Gr.1 Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Levin Classic (1600m) to March has worked wonders for Te Akau Racing, who dominated the race for the second year in a row at Trentham on Saturday – headed by an off-the-canvas victory by Romancing The Moon (El Roca x Underthemoonlight).Staged in November until 2012, the Levin Classic then spent a decade in a midsummer slot as part of Trentham’s Wellington Cup Carnival in January. But it was shifted to March last year to provid...

Maria Farina provides Weatherley family with stakes double

A weaving run from near last on the home turn by enigmatic mare Maria Farina (Contributer x La Vitesse) to claim the Listed Jennian Homes Wellington Lightning Handicap (1200m), provided the Weatherley family with a stunning stakes double on a day of high drama for their small team.Earlier on the card they had taken out the Listed Barneswood Farm New Zealand St Leger (2600m) with progressive stayer Ess Vee Are, however the rugged four-year-old put himself squarely in the naughty corner after he l...

Familiar colours to the fore in St Leger

RBC Racing’s blue, gold and black colours were carried to Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) glory by Miss Mossman in 2014, and on Saturday they struck black-type gold again at the same Trentham meeting – this time with up-and-coming stayer Ess Vee Are (Shocking x Reiveke)  in the Listed Barneswood Farm New Zealand St Leger (2600m).The Clothier family bred and race Ess Vee Are, and they have entrusted his racing career to fellow Matamata family the Weatherleys – trainers Darryn and Briar, ...

Irish National Stud Blog - Morgan Wilks

Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship recipient Morgan Wilks gives an update on her time at the Irish National Stud.My second month at the Irish National Stud kicked off with a bang, beginning with night watch, where I was watching the mares who were due to foal and also helping foal the mares. I have now done two lots of night watch and have now foaled a total of seventeen mares.I have been really enjoying the nights and have been learning so much. I have been able to deal with a NI mare ...

Cool Change captures breeder's heart

Octogenarian Rodney Doidge has a new love in his life thanks to Busted Love (AUS), the dam of the recent Royal Descent Stakes (1600m) winner Cool Change (by Showcasing [GB]).Doidge along with his son Kelvin, bred and race Cool Change, a mare he fell in love with soon after she was born.A retired chicken farmer from Pukekohe, Doidge enjoyed a bet on a Saturday with his old mates from his rugby playing days, and as a younger man had the odd share in a racehorse and always had a few horses on his P...

Meet the Breeder - Robyn Milliken and Chris Stewart

In this week's Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet the Breeder, we catch up with Robyn and Chris, breeders of Gr.2 Auckland Cup winner Platinum Invador (Redwood x Atomic Dancer). Both Robyn and Chris now work for Haunui Farming with Chris managing the stallion barn and Robyn holding a vital role in the broodmare and foaling unit.How many mares do you breed from?We have had up to four or five but when Platinum Invador was born we had two.Do you make your own breeding decisions or seek advice from others?We m...

Profondo to Windsor Park Stud

Leading thoroughbred breeding nurseries Windsor Park Stud and Mapperley Stud have joined forces once again to secure the services of regally-bred Group One winner Profondo for stud duties.Raced by Ottavio Galletta, the striking son of champion sire Deep Impact was prepared by Sydney trainer Richard Litt.He burst onto the scene when winning at Randwick in September of his three-year-old season, and a fortnight later was narrowly beaten in the Gr.3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) by Head Of State, with Gr...

Platinum Invador upsets in Auckland Cup

It was the case of third time lucky for the Lisa Latta-trained stayer Platinum Invador (NZ) (Redwood x Atomic Dancer) ($22.80), who upset calculations in Saturday’s Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) to register a deserved big race success.The seven-year-old son of Redwood had previously placed fourth in the race in 2021 behind Ocean Billy (NZ) (Ocean Park) after filling third place behind Saturday’s race rival, Roger That (NZ) (Shinko King) a year earlier.Sent to Queensland du...

Prowess downs older rivals in dramatic New Zealand Stakes

Three-year-old filly Prowess (NZ) (Proisir x Donna Marie) showed a combination of class and guts to upstage her older rivals in Saturday’s Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2050m) at Pukekohe.After racing handy to the speed set by veteran galloper The Mayor (NZ) (Roc ‘N’ Pop), Prowess cruised to the front at the top of the straight. Despite laying out significantly under pressure, Prowess dug deep to cross the line with a neck advantage over runner-up Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer).Winn...

Group One success for undefeated Tokyo Tycoon

Leading rider Opie Bosson brought up a special milestone at Pukekohe on Saturday when outstanding juvenile Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin x All About The Coin) provided him with his tenth win in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).Most jockeys strive to capture one win at the highest echelon during their careers but Bosson, who now has 90 Group One wins to his name, has made this race his own and provided another masterclass on the striking son of boom young Deep Impact stallion Satono Aladdin.Tr...

Meet the Breeder - Soliloquy Lodge

In this week's Dunstan Meet the Breeder, we catch up with Angenita Moore who is just one third of the trio that make up Soliloquy Lodge.What is Soliloquy Lodges core focus and who is it made up of?Soliloquy Lodge is my father-in-law Richard Moore, myself (Angenita Moore) and my husband David, who works as a full-time Science teacher so Richard and I do the bulk of it.Together we run 8 – 10 mares. We breed some horses for the commercial yearling market and then there are some that we take furth...

Holt keen on Proisir share

Proisir’s emergence as a source of Group One success hasn’t escaped the attention of prominent Australian owner Carl Holt.A strong supporter of the New Zealand thoroughbred industry, the Sydney-based Holt secured a share in the Rich Hill Stud stallion for an auction-topping A$265,000 when it was offered at the Inglis Digital March (Early) Sale.“I’m not really a horse man in the sense of conformation and all the rest of it, I’m a data guy and watch very closely all the trends with stall...

Favourite wins New Zealand Derby

Raging hot favourite Sharp ‘N’ Smart made good on the promise of co-trainer Graeme Rogerson as he showed all the star qualities he possesses with a superlative performance to take out the Gr.1 Auckland Thoroughbred Racing New Zealand Derby (2400m).Raced at Te Rapa this year due to the current track renovations at traditional home Ellerslie, the Derby looked to be at the mercy of the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) runner-up after the son of Redwood stunned many with a victory in the Gr.1 Herbie ...

Last-gasp Guineas triumph for Legarto (NZ)

Exceptional filly Legarto overcame a nightmare run down the Flemington straight to deliver a first New Zealand triumph in Saturday’s A$1 million Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m).No New Zealand-trained horse had won Melbourne’s autumn three-year-old feature since its inception in 1986, but the outstanding daughter of Proisir rose to the occasion with an unforgettable performance.In her first start since losing her unbeaten record with a luckless fourth in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m)...

Romancing The Moon shines at Wingatui

A confidence-boosting first stakes victory in Saturday’s Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui has laid the platform for proven black-type performer Romancing The Moon to embark on a Group One mission later this month.Saturday’s three-year-old fillies’ feature was the sixth time in the El Roca filly’s 10-start career that she has taken on black-type company, having previously run second in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1200m), second in the Group Three Soliloquy Stak...

Sakura Girl hands Foote a winning double

Sakura Girl hands Foote a winning doubleExciting galloper Sakura Girl presented her trainer Ben Foote and rider Kozzi Asano with the second leg of a winning stakes double at Te Rapa on Saturday when she cruised to victory in the Gr.3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m).The three-year-old daughter of Iffraaj couldn’t have been more impressive as she went straight to the front and never gave her age-group rivals a look in throughout the Group Three contest.Asano had her in a beautiful rhythm in fr...

Meet the Breeder - David Wallace

Last week in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet The Breeder segment, we caught up with David Wallace following Little Brose's success in the Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes.What made you interested in breeding horses and how did you get into it?My family-owned Ardsley Stud so I was brought up with horses, brought up in the game. My Grandfather started Ardsley Stud in 1970 (I think!).How many mares do you breed from:About nine, across both New Zealand and Australia.How did Mohegan Sky end up in your broodmare ...

Cross Talk leads all the way in Newcastle Stakes

Usually more at home on a wetter track, the firmer going at Newcastle proved to be no obstacle to Cross Talk (NZ) (Keano) winning the Gr.3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) on Friday.Formerly run as the Newcastle Newmarket, the five-year-old led all the way to register a fifth win in the race for co-trainer Gai Waterhouse.With his record now at six wins and five placings in 12 career outings, Cross Talk will aim to become the third horse to complete the Newcastle Stakes/Doncaster Mile...

Six broodmare packages first up in Cambridge Stud’s annual reduction

Cambridge Stud’s annual reduction process has started with a quality line up in the latest 74 Lot gavelhouse.com auction.“Every year we reduce our broodmare numbers to make way for the fillies coming in from our racing team,” said the farm’s Sales and Nominations Manager Scott Calder.“This year we are offering several mares with foals at foot including two with colts by our headline sire Almanzor.”“The mare and foal packages are a great opportunity to not only buy a well credential...