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McNab dominates at Pukekohe

Defending New Zealand Champion Jockey titleholder Michael McNab, who currently sits atop the National premiership ladder with 124 victories for the season, showed all his undoubted class when he dominated the three feature events at Pukekohe on Saturday.After earlier taking out the Listed Staphanos At Novara Park Champagne Stakes (1600m) aboard Loch Katrine followed by the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) on Cheval D’Or, McNab made it three from three in the black type races on ...

Champagne all around for Loch Katrine

Lightly raced filly Loch Katrine lived up to her breeding when she scampered through the heavy conditions at Pukekohe to break her maiden status in the Lised Staphanos at Novara Park Champagne Stakes (1600m).Having been placed at her first two starts the Daniel Miller-trained daughter of Ardrossan went into the race as one of the well fancied candidates and when the rain came overnight, which saw a resulting Heavy10 surface for the day, the deeds of her well-performed dam Cong’er helped sway p...

Cheval D’Or takes out three-year-old feature at Pukekohe

In a race affected by the late scratching of pre-post favourite Desert Lightning due to the downgrade of the track to a Heavy 10 earlier in the day, it was consistent filly Cheval D’Or who mastered the testing conditions to take out the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Pukekohe.The half-sister to multiple Group One winning sprinter Bostonian, who had finished in the first four in all of her previous five starts without notching up a win, came in for some inspired late support...

MacGregor and Times Ticking at it again at Riccarton

The combination of trainer Alby MacGregor, jockey Jacob Lowry and warhorse Times Ticking proved once again that Riccarton is their happy hunting ground when they combined to win the feature race of the day, the Gr.3 Coca Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m).The trio had taken out the main lead-up event to the weight-for-age contest seven days earlier when successful in the Listed Avon City Ford Easter Cup (1600m), although MacGregor wasn’t on course to cheer his champ home, preferring to do that f...

Sir Patrick Hogan Unreserved Dispersal live

The unreserved dispersal of the late Sir Patrick Hogan’s bloodstock is now live on Gavelhouse Plus with weanlings, yearlings, racing propositions and broodmares making up the 31 Lot catalogue.The stock on offer represents carefully curated matings that span across multiple generations of Sir Patrick’s legacy with opportunities aplenty for both pinhookers and end users looking to strengthen their broodmare bands.They have been meticulously raised and cared for by the Monarch Farm team with pa...

Proisir filly tops NZB National Online Sale

Buyer demand for local proven and freshman sires was evident throughout New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2023 National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, which closed on Wednesday night.Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir’s star continued to shine, topping the sale when lot 39, a filly by the sire out of Khaseeb, was secured by trainer Johno Benner for $110,000 on behalf of Gary Harding.“She is a quality filly, Proisir can do no wrong and we wanted her, and that was that,” said Benner, who tra...

Port Adelaide Guineas winner for Ainsley Downs

A text message from Bloodstock Agent Paul Willetts was the first inkling that Ainsley Downs Stud owners Courtney and Mandy Howells that Affaire A Suivre (Astern [AUS] – Laurelling [USA]), a filly they had bred, had won the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) at Morphettville.“I have to admit that I hadn’t picked up that she was racing until I got a text from Paul Willetts congratulating us,” said a delighted Courtney Howells. “I had to go and have a look at the race, it was quite emph...

Meet the Breeder - Joan Egan

This week in Dunstan Meet The Breeder we talk to Joan Egan. As well as being a Group One breeder, Joan is a big supporter of the New Zealand breeding and racing industry.How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?It was quite by accident. We will living at Clevedon at the time and Brian and Sandra Townsend lived down the road from us and I had a riding horse, I was still doing dressage at that stage but having awful trouble with artificial hips and things like that which are not good for riding ...

Rich Hill releases 2023 service fees

Two of Australasia’s most anticipated stallion service fees have been announced with 2023 prices locked in for Champion Sire in waiting Proisir and his high-profile barn mate Satono Aladdin along with associate sires Ace High, Shocking and Vadamos.It has been an outstanding 2022/23 for the Rich Hill roster as Proisir, Satono Aladdin, Shocking and Vadamos have between them sired 10 individual Group One winners of 14 elite level races on the major racetracks of Australasia.Headline act Proisir c...

Affaire A Suivre comes of age in Port Adelaide Guineas

Just 15 days after scoring a maiden win at Cranbourne, talented New Zealand-bred filly Affaire A Suivre (Astern x Laurelling) stepped into the black-type spotlight in Saturday’s Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) at Morphettville.The daughter of Astern is trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, who backed off her in the spring after she was unplaced in her first two starts.Affaire A Suivre has looked a different horse since returning to action in the autumn, finishing third at Pakenham be...

MacGregor off the couch cheering his pride and joy at Riccarton.

While he may not have been on-course to cheer home his pride and joy Times Ticking (Tavistock x Laoghaire) at Riccarton, trainer Alby MacGregor still made plenty of noise in his lounge at home in Opaki.MacGregor sent versatile galloper Times Ticking south with son Dean and the pair covered themselves in glory as the seven-year-old gelding produced a timely finish to take out the Listed Avon City Ford Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.Times Ticking enjoyed a comfortable trip in transit for rider Ja...

Back-to-back Group Ones for mighty Militarize

Two weeks after his explosive arrival on the Group One stage, Militarize (NZ) returned to Randwick on Saturday and went back-to-back – this time with a very different kind of performance in the Gr.1 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m).Unplaced after striking severe interference in last month’s Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m), the New Zealand-bred colt stepped up to the big time with a powerhouse three-length win in the Gr.1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on the opening day of Randwick�...

Pure joy for Hercock and Millar in Hastings sprint

New Plymouth trainer Janelle Millar and red-hot rider Kate Hercock combined with underrated mare Pure Incanto (Per Incanto x Rites of Spring) to take out the first feature on the card at Hastings, the Listed Power Turf Sprint (1200m).The six-year-old daughter of Per Incanto had finished fourth in a blanket finish to the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham at her last start to narrowly miss adding some valuable black-type to her career record, but more than made amends on Saturday with ...

Osipenko picks up Frank Packer Plate consolation

An easy win in Saturday’s Gr.3 Toyota Forklifts Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick has gone some way towards turning the autumn around for Osipenko (Pierro x Raskova), whose connections are still wondering what might have been in last month’s Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).The classy son of Pierro placed in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in the spring, and a superb win in the Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) in February hinted at even bigger and better things to come over the following...

Miss Layla upsets favourites in Airfreight Stakes

Lightly raced filly Miss Layla (Burgundy x La Etoile) produced a dogged performance to upstage the pre-post favourites when she claimed the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton at just her third lifetime start.The three-year-old daughter of Burgundy and former top racemare La Etoile had looked good winning in maiden company at Ashburton over 1400m earlier in the month but wasn’t expected to trouble some of the more fancied fillies in her first start in stakes company.Nobody told M...

Taimate, diversification at its finest

Since 1905, the Hickman family have farmed a 168-ha parcel of land known as Taimate on State Highway 1 just outside of Blenheim.Renowned for producing high quality Angus cattle stud stock and premium Sauvignon Blanc grapes, a chance meeting with well-known thoroughbred enthusiast, and driving force behind the establishment of the NZ Racing Hall of Fame, the late-Chris Luoni, saw brothers John, Paul, and David and the ‘Taimate’ brand expand into thoroughbred breeding. Thoroughbred racing is n...

Potent combination lands another winning blow with Aromatic

Ideal placement by Mark Walker and a perfect ride from Opie Bosson at Awapuni on Friday paved the way for Aromatic (Sacred Falls x Vickezzchardonnay) to comfortably add further stakes success to her record.The Matamata trainer sent the six-year-old south for the Gr.3 Martin Collins NZ Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) and in the skilled hands of Bosson the mare proved a class above her rivals.It completed another successful day for the Te Akau stable, who had earlier triumphed with Accidental ...

Sir Patrick Hogan Unreserved Dispersal Sale launches next week

Sir Patrick Hogan Unreserved Dispersal Sale launches next weekBuyers will have the opportunity to continue the legacy of iconic breeder Sir Patrick Hogan with the unreserved dispersal of the Cambridge Stud founder’s stock on Gavelhouse Plus.Weanlings, yearlings, some racing propositions and broodmares comprise the 31 strong catalogue that will launch at the conclusion of the NZB National Online Yearling Sale, which closes from 6pm (NZT) on Wednesday 19 April.Among the young stock are opportuni...

Belclare gives breeder first Group One win

Right now in Opaki a small settlement just north of Masterton, there are two recent Group One winners enjoying some fresh autumn grass.The dual Oaks winner Pennyweka (Satono Aladdin x Threepence) arrived home to Ardsley Stud on Monday and on Tuesday Belclare (Per Incanto x Miss Rhythmic), the winner of the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, returned to the property of her breeder and part-owner David Woodhouse.Opaki is a relatively small area of around 33 square kilometres which f...

Divine Prophet to stand at Highview Stud

Highview Stud has welcomed a further addition to their stallion ranks, with Divine Prophet set to stand at the Waikato farm this coming breeding season.The Group One-winning son of Choisir is a full-brother to in vogue sire Proisir and Highview Stud principal Brent Gillovic believes he will prove popular with New Zealand breeders.Divine Prophet won three of his 10 starts for trainers Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, including the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Gr.3 Up & Coming Stakes (130...

Santos to stand at Highview Stud

Exciting Group producing first season sire, Santos, will relocate from Aquis Farm in Queensland to Highview Stud in New Zealand.A son of Champion Sire I Am Invincible, Santos is already the sire of high-class New Zealand two-year-old filly Ulanova. A brilliant winner on debut before dominating the Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) – by a massive 7 lengths. The Stephen Marsh-trained filly then rounded out her preparation finishing runner-up in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) last month, and is ...

Memorable winning double for Devcich

Patience is a virtue Tony Devcich has in spades and the Cambridge-based horseman’s approach was handsomely rewarded at Pukekohe Park.He only has two horses in work and his lightly raced six-year-olds Singing Sun and Pow Wow came up trumps on Saturday with their respective victories in the Barfoot & Thompson Handicap (1200m) and the Mount Shop Handicap (1600m).A former international polo player who rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, Devcich also had the added satisfaction of breedin...

Asathought goes one better in Riverton Cup

Last year’s runner-up Asathought (So You Think x Asavant) avenged her narrow defeat in the Listed Carriers Arms Hotel Riverton Cup (2147m) when she produced a dogged finish to claim the 2023 version of the traditional Riverton Easter weekend feature.Unsighted since finishing amongst the back markers in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) in January, the Lisa Vaughan-trained six-year-old thrived on the Heavy8 rated surface in the hands of regular pilot Corey Campbell.Campbell bided his time in midf...

Belclare signs off summer campaign with stunning Group One win

Underrated mare Belclare (Per Incanto x Miss Rhythmic) will head to the paddock with the title of Group One winner now firmly attached to her career record after blitzing her rivals in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe.The Lisa Latta-trained runner had finished well back in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham last start, but Latta put that down to the tricky Slow 7 track that day.Back on a Good 4 surface for the last Group One event of the New Zealan...

Jack explodes in Sydney Cup

Five-year-old gelding Explosive Jack (Jakkalberry x Extra Explosive) lived up to his name as the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained stayer unleashed a devastating turn of foot to land the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on Saturday.The son of Jakkalberry won a trio of Derbys in his three-year-old season, with victory in the Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) a pre-cursor to triumphs in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m).The smart stayer had gone nine ra...