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Bankers Choice lands deserved Ballarat Cup triumph

Former Kiwi galloper Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan x Signorina) ran out a ready winner of the A$500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday for trainer Michael Moroney. It was just reward for the five-year-old son of Mongolian Khan, who has been around the mark in a host of features since crossing the Tasman and has raced without luck this spring, including a close-up sixth in the Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m) behind Zaaki a fortnight ago. Jumping from an inside barrier, jockey John Allen...

No secret formula to Jeffries success

By Dennis Ryan Warwick Jeffries deflects the suggestion that he has a magic formula when it comes to breeding Group One winners. It’s hardly surprising that more than once lately it’s been put to him that there must something in the water at his Oropi (near Tauranga) farm or that he has some special formula. After all, in the past two months two Jeffries-bred horses have been Group One winners, and all up he is responsible for three elite winners in less than five years. In the autumn of 201...

Sunline Trust Scholarship open for applications

The Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship has been an important steppingstone in the careers of its graduates. Recipients of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (NZTBA) administered education pathway have gone on to shine both domestically and on the international stage in a variety of roles such as successful bloodstock agents, marketing specialists, trainers, agistment farm operators and yearling consignors. The NZTBA have opened applications for the 20...

Kirkland Buoyant after Stewards win

Sabin Kirkland was in a buoyant mood at Riccarton on Monday after his gelding Buoyant (Dalghar x Miss Minogue) comfortably took out the Gr.3 Stewards Stakes (1200m). The Dalghar gelding was fractious in the gates and missed the kick by several lengths, however, jockey Michael McNab didn’t fret and settled in behind the pace. McNab guided his charge to the extreme outside when turning for home where he was able to gather in his rivals and run away to a 3-1/2 length victory. “He’s quite an e...

Double Cup delight for Myers

Kevin Myers’ stable successfully defended its crown in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) with rising staying star Aljay (Rock ‘n’ Pop x Albacora) prevailing in a driving finish at Riccarton dominated by Central Districts raiders. The Wanganui trainer had triumphed in last year’s edition of the Martin Collins-sponsored feature with Mondorani, who was unplaced in his title defence behind his younger barnmate. He was able to celebrate a narrow victory as also a co-owner with great friend Ch...

Pre-race drama no barrier for Legarto in 1000 Guineas

There was drama aplenty around Legarto’s (Proisir x Geordie Girl) triumph in Monday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on Monday – all of it before the field jumped. A hot $1.35 favourite for the three-year-old fillies’ Classic at Riccarton, Legarto proved difficult to load into the starting gates, and she gave her connections and backers an almighty scare when her bridle broke. The other runners were backed out of the gates as Legarto’s bridle was rep...

Share in champion mare Verry Elleegant for sale on Gavelhouse Plus

A significant share in champion racemare Verry Elleegant (Zed x Opluence) is set to be offered through online platform Gavelhouse Plus.With reluctance, Auckland businessman Tim Barry has made the decision to part with his 12.5 percent share in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner and offer it to a global audience due to personal reasons. Barry joined Verry Elleegant’s ownership group following the second of two New Zealand wins that led to her relocation to Australia. Along with childhood fr...

Meet the Breeder - Rodney Schick

This week we talk to Windsor Park Stud’s Rodney Schick. The Waikato farm has had a fantastic few weeks with their home-bred horses doing well in both domestically and across the Tasman. How many mares do you breed from? 120 Do you support any stallions outside of Windsor Park Stud’s roster? Yes, we do support a lot of stallions from other stud farms. We have shares in a lot of stallions who aren’t at Windsor Park, these include Sword of State Derryn, Ocean Park, Hello Youmzain, Savabeel, P...

Campionessa contributes to family's black-type record

Mapperley Stud proprietor Simms Davison is eagerly awaiting Bella Carolina’s (O’Reilly x Kelly Flinn) return home to New Zealand. The mare will arrive with her Contributer (IRE) filly foal, a full-sister to the recent Listed CJC Metropolitan Handicap winner Campionessa. “She leaves lovely horses,” said Davison of the mare who from six named foals, has had five winners with three of them now stakes winners. “I bought her for $6,000 from the New Zealand Bloodstock Broodmare sale in 2013...

Lisa Latta’s golden run of form continues at the New Zealand Cup carnival

A double dose of stakes delight at Riccarton on Wednesday continued Lisa Latta’s golden run of form at the New Zealand Cup carnival. The Awapuni trainer claimed top honours in the Gr.3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) with Belclare and her winning lead was followed two races later by He’s A Doozy (Zacanto x The Dewdrop) in the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m). Latta had also savoured black type success on the first day of the meeting with Lincoln’s Kruz successful...

McNab and Belclare win the Gr.3 Valachi Downs Canturbury Breeders Stakes

In-form jockey Michael McNab’s plan with Belclare (Per Incanto x Miss Rhythmic) was executed to perfection at Riccarton this afternoon with an emphatic victory in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m). McNab had offered his pre-race analysis of the Valachi Downs-sponsored contest to Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta and it played out smoothly on the big stage with the daughter of Per Incanto streaking clear to the first black-type victory of her career. “Michael thought if she jumped well ...

Meet the Breeder - George Simon

This week we chatted to George Simon, breeder-owner of promising galloper Denby Road (Shamexpress / Dwandaofu). Denby Road won his first race at Tauranga on the weekend in emphatic style, George chats below about Denby Road, his mares and how he and his wife Maryanne started out. George says for a big horse Denby Road is an anomaly, he stands over 17hh at just 3 years old. The horse has had just two trials to date and one race start. He won the trials easily, in much the same fashion as his race...

Champions victory a welcome family boost - Roch 'N' Horse

Little Avondale Stud toasted another Group One victory on Saturday from their crack sprinter Roch ‘N’ Horse (Per Incanto x Rochfort) at Flemington and for one member of the Williams family it provided a timely tonic. Nursery principals Sam and Catriona Williams were trackside to cheer home their star mare in the Champions Sprint (1200m), but thoughts were also very much at home as Sam’s father Buzz had earlier been involved in a mishap with a horse on the farm. “He got knocked out and is...

Deserved Group Two win for Atishu

Former Kiwi mare Atishu (Savabeel x Posy) relished the good tempo in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) to take out the feature mares’ race on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. Sporting the silks of syndicators Go Racing, the five-year-old daughter of Savabeel had put the writing on the wall when finding the line well when fifth in last week’s Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). On the back of that performance, the Chris Waller-trained mare was sent out $2.50 favourite...

Family affair as Pier claims Group One glory

Emotional scenes played out around the Riccarton birdcage on Saturday afternoon following a desperate finish to the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) that saw Matamata visitor Pier (Proisir x La Vitesse) justify his favourite’s tag by the barest of margins The three-year-old son of Proisir went into the race off the back of a stylish victory in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) with his many supporters confident he could prove even more effective at his first ...

Parr and Walker combine for stakes success at Riccarton

Visiting Australian rider Josh Parr picked up his first New Zealand victory at Riccarton on Saturday when he combined with trainer Mark Walker and the Te Akau Racing team to guide Campionessa (Contributor x Bella Carolina) to victory in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2500m). The Sydney-based jockey has taken the opportunity to ride in New Zealand for the first time, where he will compete on all three days at Riccarton during New Zealand Cup Week, riding mainly for the Te...

Vale trailblazer Starcraft

History-making New Zealand bred galloper Starcraft (Soviet Star x Flying Floozie) has passed away aged 22. A five-time winner at the elite level and a member of New Zealand’s Racing Hall of Fame, the chestnut was bred by Waikato Stud and sold by the Matamata nursery at Karaka in 2002 for $80,000 to the bid of Robt Dawe. He was a son of Soviet Star and three-time Broodmare of the Year Flying Floozie and was raced by the late Paul Makin. During the mid-2000s, Starcraft gained fame in both Hem...

Meet the Breeder - John Thompson

This week we talk to Rich Hill Stud’s John Thompson. The Waikato farm has had a fantastic few weeks with their home-bred horses doing well in both domestically and across the Tasman. How many mares do you breed from? Our broodmare band between various partnerships is around 50 Do you support any stallions outside of Rich Hill Stud’s roster? We have previously had shares in outside stallions, but at the moment we don’t have much, as we have invested in our own stallions in last five years l...

Irish National Stud Scholarship recipients announced

The New Year will bring new opportunities for two young thoroughbred breeding industry participants. Morgan Wilks (22) and Alice Jeffries (21) have been named as the recipients of the 2023 Irish National Stud Scholarship, supported by the Keith and Faith Taylor Family Trust. The pair will fly to Ireland in January next year to complete the internationally recognised Irish National Stud Breeding Diploma before completing a six-month tenure at Trelawney Stud in Cambridge. “We had an outstanding ...

Conformation key to breeding success

Surreal. Unbelievable. They are just two of the adjectives breeder Stephanie Hole used to describe the feeling following Manzoice’s (Almanzor x Choice) win in the G.1 Victoria Derby. “He was gorgeous from day one and richly deserved to win the Derby,” enthused Hole, a former Sport Horse judge whose philosophy on breeding is all about conformation. “When I first went to see him at Wentwood Grange as a foal I just said wow, and then wow again and again. The boys at Wentwood all had big smi...

Ribchester colt lands Group Three at Flemington

Krakarib (Ribchester / Skagarrak) became his sire Ribchester’s second Group winner when he took out the Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Tuesday. From the inside draw, the Simon Zahra-trained juvenile set the tempo under Damien Thornton down the Flemington straight course. Well-rated by Thornton the youngster raced centre-track and the pair never relinquished their advantage, running out a three-quarter of a length victor over Per Incanto colt Little Brose. It was just the second st...

Defibrillate does Richardson proud again

Defibrillate (Shocking/Our Chickaroonie) is very much a stable favourite of Graham Richardson and he provided his co-breeder, part-owner and co-trainer with a hugely satisfying victory at Pukekohe Park on Tuesday. The son of Shocking added to his record with a second-up success in the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2050m) to become a black-type winner on both sides of the Tasman. The sprightly eight-year-old has an impressive strike rate of 11 wins from 29 appearances and his will to win was well-emphas...

Dream Derby result for Cambridge Stud

Those associated with Cambridge Stud were in full voice during the closing stages of the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) on Saturday as Manzoice (Almanzor / Choice (NZ)) became his sire Almanzor’s first Group One winner. “It is a dream result,” Cambridge Stud Chief Executive Henry Plumptre said. “It is one that you hope for but it doesn’t happen very often - a Group One in your first crop. “We have had half a dozen nice colts (by Almanzor) including Dynastic in New Zealand and Manzoice in Au...

2022 Melbourne Cup draw

A full field of 24 runners have accepted for the A$7.75 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with mixed fortunes for visiting fancies at the top of the betting. Favourite Deauville Legend (Sea The Stars) drew barrier nine, maintaining his market position at $3.80, being the only horse priced under double figures "I'm pleased," trainer James Ferguson said. "I didn't want a high draw and I didn't want a low draw. This is absolutely spot on for us. Drawn less favourably was second favourite and fello...

Icebath breaks through in Empire Rose

So often a big-race bridesmaid, quality New Zealand-bred mare Icebath (Sacred Falls x Fabulist) finally had her day in the sun with a richly deserved win in Saturday’s Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. The six-year-old daughter of Sacred Falls had never won a black-type race before Saturday’s prestigious fillies and mares’ feature, but she still arrived at Flemington with almost A$4.5 million in stakes to her name. Brad Widdup’s stable star had placed in a dozen stakes races...