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Atishu proves she’s Queen of the Turf

Bonny mare Atishu (Savabeel x Posy) ran out a dominant winner of the Gr.1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) under a perfect Nash Rawiller ride, to land a richly-deserved first Group One victory. The five-year-old daughter of Savabeel had been luckless when second in the Gr.2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) first-up and peaked on Saturday as she embellished an already strong record. The winner of eight of her 30-starts, Atishu, who sports the colours of syndicator Go Racing for trainer Chris Waller, d...

Pennyweka dominant in Australian Oaks

The Jim Wallace-trained Pennyweka (Satono Aladdin x Threepence) stamped herself as a superior stayer when she scored a comfortable 1¾ length victory in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday. The daughter of Satono Aladdin won the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) last month in emphatic fashion and despite sitting three-wide throughout, powered away from her rivals to win the Australian Oaks under Damian Lane. New Zealand bred horses have been the dominant force at The Championshi...

A weekend to celebrate

By Andrew Birch, NZTMNew Zealand-bred horses dominated the first day of The Championships at Randwick in Sydney, winning all four Group One races, giving rise to an outpouring of pride from the New Zealand breeding fraternity. Kiwi-bred two-year-old Militarize (NZ) was first to strike a blow, winning the Gr.1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in a canter under Joao Moreira.Bred by Jonathan Munz’ GSA Bloodstock, the Dundeel colt out of imported mare Amerindia was born and raised at the Chitt...

Curtain set to come down on Levante’s star-studded career

On the eve of her final raceday appearance, it has been announced that four-time Group One winner Levante (Proisir) will go up for auction at next month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare gets her last chance to add an Australian Group One win to her record in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.Her 12 wins from 22 starts include back-to-back wins in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) as well as the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) and t...

Sunline Management Scholarship - Dorian Kos blog

Hello from Coolmore in Ireland!I have now been here for just over a month and it is time for me to update you on my travels and what I have been up to.The first thing I noticed when landing at Dublin Airport was how cold it was. I left 25-degree weather in Auckland and landed in 2-degree weather in Ireland, but at least it was dry. We had some good sunny weather for the first couple of weeks, but then the next few weeks have just been constant rain and even some snow, which was pretty crazy to s...

Filly of firsts rewards Rotorua breeders

Group One winning filly Pignan (Staphanos [JPN] - Hirondelle) came about as a result of a speculative buy on gavelhouse.com and a service nomination donated as part of a race sponsorship.The impressive upset winner of the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes was bred by Rotorua couple Andrew Burton and his wife Linda Hunt.The couple had made the decision to upgrade their broodmares when they purchased a Sepoy (AUS) mare bred by Pencarrow Stud off gavelhouse.com.  The mare was unraced but f...

Press Statement to Novara Park

Group One-winning stallion Press Statement will stand at Novara Park, near Cambridge, this coming breeding season.Trained by Chris Waller, Press Statement was undefeated as a two-year-old, winning all three of his juvenile starts, including the Gr.1 J.J. Atkins Stakes (1600m).Press Statement returned after a brief break in the spring to win the Gr.2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill before stamping his authority over Australia’s best three year-olds in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).His ...

Haunui celebrate juvenile Group One success

Plenty of New Zealand’s thoroughbred nurseries were celebrating the elite-level success of their graduates at Randwick on Saturday and Haunui Farm were firmly in the mix.The South Auckland farm has enjoyed a long association with Jonathan Munz of GSA Bloodstock, with Saturday’s Gr.1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m) winner Militarize being a product of the partnership.“We have got a good relationship with Dean Hawthorne, Johnathan Munz’s bloodstock manager, so we have been fortunate to be the home...

New Group winner for Proisir

Lightly raced stayer Arby (Proisir x Reiveke) continued a purple patch of form for the father and daughter training combination of Darryn and Briar Weatherley when he stormed to victory in the Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (2000m).The son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, Arby had won his maiden over 1600m at Pukekohe two starts back before finishing off strongly for sixth in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham a fortnight ago.Settled near the rear of the field on Saturday by r...

Tavattack provides double for Sharrock and Grylls

A no panic ride from Craig Grylls paved the way for promising galloper Tavattack (Tavistock x Miss Aurora) to claim his first win at stakes level when he took out the Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Handicap (1400m) at Awapuni.The lightly raced six-year-old son of Tavistock has proven a model of consistency with five wins from just 20 starts and made it victory number six in fine style as he dashed through one off the fence in the home straight for Grylls after settling near the rear i...

Explosive Sires’ win for Militarize

Lightly raced New Zealand-bred colt Militarize (Dundeel x Amerindia) stepped up to the big time in spectacular style at Randwick on Saturday with a runaway victory in the A$1 million Gr.1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m).The son of Dundeel had begun his career with a debut win at Canterbury on February 1, which he followed up with a third in the Gr.2 Todman Stakes (1200m) and an unplaced finish after striking severe interference in the Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m).Militarize went to a whole new level in h...

Kiwi breds deliver for Lindsay Park Racing

With another supreme performance at Randwick on Saturday, Mr Brightside (Bullbars x Lilahjay) earned himself a special place in the 157-year history of the A$4 million Gr.1 The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m).The New Zealand-bred son of Bullbars won the famous handicap 12 months ago, and he returned a year later and successfully defended his crown. He became only the eighth back-to-back winner in the history of the race, and the first since fellow Kiwi-bred star Sacred Falls in 2013 and 2014.Mr Brig...

Staphanos success celebrated in US

Luigi Muollo wasn’t able to be trackside at Awapuni to celebrate the victory of Pignan, instead keeping a close watch on his sire Staphanos’ poster girl from afar.The Novara Park principal is in the United States with family and tuned in to view the major first crop success for the stallion when the filly bagged top honours in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).“I’ve got four sons and my eldest one Antonio, who’s 16, is at a high level at soccer and been scouted to come ...

Group race treble for Savabeel

The progeny of champion sire Savabeel were firing on both sides of the Tasman on Saturday with the Waikato Stud stallion credited with a Group race treble.First to salute was rejuvenated galloper Brando (ex Saoirse) who demonstrated all his fighting qualities when he outlasted his rivals in a desperate finish to the Gr.2 City Of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m).Considered one of the most promising three-year-olds of his season after winning three of his first four starts before finishin...

Meet the Breeder - Ian Taplin

In this week's edition of Dunstan Meet the Breeder, we catch up with Ian Taplin who, along with his wife Kerry, relocated to the Sunshine Coast 12 months ago and has had some great success since, including Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes winner, Tapildoodledo.How many mares do you breed from?I bought seven or eight mares over from NZ and had a couple of mares that we had in the stables and for various reasons haven’t made the racetrack while over here so they have also gone into the breeding barn, so...

Scholarship to support study

Hannah Airey (26) has been awarded the Valachi Downs Young Achiever Award, administered by the New Zealand Equine Research Foundation (NZERF).The annual scholarship, worth $15,000 is awarded to an individual under the age of 35 years to assist with their career in the equine industry.Airey is currently balancing working at Trelawney Stud with her studies as she completes a Bachelors degree in Agricultural Science at Massey University.Also the recipient of the 2022 Sunline Education Trust Scholar...

Ghibellines rules the roost at Riccarton

White Robe Lodge celebrated a red-letter day for their resident sire Ghibellines on Saturday.The son of Shamardal was credited with two quinellas, including one in the Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, and a win in the Hororata Gold Cup at Riccarton.Live Drama (ex Sheeza Drama [AUS] and Burgie (ex Norah), both bred by Lorraine and Brian Anderton ONZM, were first and second respectively in the Group Three feature for fillies and mares, while Second Thoughts (ex Wellsey), bred by ...

Entain announced as TAB NZ preferred partner

TAB NZ have announced Entain as the preferred partner for a 25-year strategic arrangement subject to Ministerial approval.The statutory entity and sole holder of a betting licence in New Zealand, TAB NZ has faced increasing competition, rising costs, capital constraints as well as other challenges, which have impacted its ability to deliver adequate funding to racing and sports, with no sign of those challenges abating.The Board and management of TAB NZ considered that it was in the best interes...

Goldman helps boost profile of young stallion

Joe Smithies is hoping the rise to prominence of leading Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hope Goldman can be a boost for his young South Island-based sire Verdi.Smithies is one of the principals of Monovale Holdings, which bred Goldman and co-owns Verdi with Long Acres Stud near Christchurch, where Verdi stands.Monovale raced Goldman in New Zealand, where he won two of his four starts for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike, before he was sold to Darby Racing in a deal brokered by bloodstock agent Phill Cata...

Ready Teddy Award 2023 - Brittany Fowler and Game Keeper

The annual NZTBA-sponsored Ready Teddy Award was held at the Matamata Horse Trials over the weekend.The Ready Teddy Award is presented to the highest performing thoroughbred at the event where horses and riders must compete in three disciplines - dressage, showjumping and cross-country.Seven thoroughbreds competed in the 4* star class for the coveted prize with Brittany Fowler and Game Keeper, an Australian-bred gelding by Beautiful Crown, taking home the top honours.Brittany, an accomplished ri...

No drama for leading southern mare

Live Drama gave a flawless performance on the main stage at Riccarton on Saturday to post the second black type victory of her career.With 55.5kg, the mare was ideally suited to the set weights and penalties conditions of the Gr.3 Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and duly added the feature to her Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m) title.Rider Kavish Chowdhoory kept the leaders within his sights and, when the field fanned out at the top of the straight, they came...

Brando in the spotlight at Tauranga

Good-looking gelding Brando notched his eighth career victory when proving a class above his rivals in the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga on SaturdayThe five-year-old son of Savabeel has previously competed at the highest level, placing in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at three and the Gr.1 Otaki WFA last year.Ridden perfectly by Wiremu Pinn, Brando tracked up nicely behind the leaders rounding the bend and once a gap presented he dashed away to an easy two-length victory ...

Goldman earns golden Melbourne Cup ticket

Untapped former New Zealand galloper Goldman has earned himself a start in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with a dominant all-the-way win at Flemington.Success in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) on Saturday has provided the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper with a ballot exemption into November's great race.After four starts in New Zealand, Goldman made his way to the Waterhouse and Bott stable at the start of this campaign with Saturday's victory following wins at Kembla Grange and...

Tapildoodledo crows loudest in Tulloch

Former Southlanders Ian and Kerry Taplin plundered the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday with improving staying three-year-old Tapildoodledo.Sent south from their new Sunshine Coast base, Tapildoodledo turned in the perfect trial for next week’s Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) and collected a good prize along the way.A son of boom Rich Hill Stud sire Proisir, Tapildoodledo had found the line well when third over 1820m at Eagle Farm at the beginning of March.Ridden by Reece Jone...

Prowess purrs in Vinery romp

New Zealand-trained three-year-old Prowess demolished her rivals when winning the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained daughter of Proisir has been in imperious form in her homeland and that form more than translated when crossing the Tasman Sea.With Mark Zahra in the saddle, Prowess was sent out a $2.15 favourite with Gr.1 VRC Oaks runner-up Pavitra ($3.40) considered her only genuine rival.However, Prowess made the Vinery Stud Stak...