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Floods wreak havoc for Hawke’s Bay trainer

Amid the devastation and destruction to her property which has decimated her business, Hawke's Bay trainer Vicki Wilson is counting herself lucky.Wilson's Kahuranaki farm, south of Hastings, suffered extensive damage from flooding resulting from Cyclone Gabrielle but despite the heartbreak she is still looking on the bright side and prioritising the care of 180 horses on the property."We're incredibly lucky. All the people are safe, all the horses are safe," Wilson said."I know there are people ...

39th Asian Racing Conference opens in Melbourne

The 39th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) had its official opening during a ceremony in Melbourne last night (Tuesday, 14 February), marking the fifth time Australia has hosted the event since the first ARC in 1960.Delayed by a year because of the COVID pandemic, the 39th ARC began with a ceremony at Crown Palladium in Melbourne where Asian Racing Federation (ARF) Chairman and Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges welcomed approximately 700 guests from 35 co...

Sharp 'N' Smart is just that

Crack three-year-old Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood [IRE] - Queen Margaret) is certainly living up to his name.Following his impressive win against the older horses in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes he is now a Group One winner on both sides of the Tasman, with earnings in excess of $2million.The son of Redwood has now had 10 starts for five wins. As a two-year-old he ran second on debut before taking out the Listed ATR Champagne Stakes over a mile in April. He ventured to Queensland in June and ran ...

Blog: Alice's first update from the Irish National Stud

Arriving at Dublin airport a month ago on a brisk cold day with a high of -2°C was a shock to the system coming from summer. Then after two days of being here, we had our first small dumping of snow, which was pretty to wake up to. But since then, we have had considerably mild weather with no significant rain as of yet, however, it is meant to come this week.After three days in Ireland, we went on our first day trip to Ballydoyle and Coolmore, which will be a highlight of the trip.We started th...

Prowess displays all her class at Te Rapa

Prowess (Proisir x Donna Marie), who stared the hottest favourite of the day at Te Rapa on Saturday, justified her $1.20 quote when she gave her three-year-old counterparts a complete shellacking in the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2000m).The last start winner of the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), where she defeated horses of the calibre of Wild Night and Legarto, was expected to comfortably account for her rivals despite stepping over 2000m for the first time.In a display ...

Po Kare Kare scores breakthrough Group win

Warwick Farm trainer Bryce Heys has a small but in-form team and the roll continued when four-year-old mare Po Kare Kare (Savabeel x Suadela) scored a comfortable victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.The victory provided Heys with his first Group success, with the New Zealander having previously trained Spieth to a Listed win in 2016 prior to multiple Group One placings.Despite entering the race off a rating of just 74, Heys was keen to run Po Kare Kare third-up i...

Smart three-year-old too sharp in Te Rapa feature

Outstanding three-year-old Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood x Queen Margaret) overcame a wide run in transit against a quality field of middle distance performers to capture the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa in a performance that had to be seen to be believed.Having just his second start since returning from an Australian Spring campaign that saw him win the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick before being narrowly beaten in the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m), the Team Rogerson...

Meet the Breeder - Vivienne Kaye

What made you interested in breeding horses?My Dad always bred horses while I was growing up, he was right into it. He had four or five mares that he used to breed from that were his own breed. Nothing notable as he had more success training horses. (Vivienne’s Dad is former prominent trainer, Alan Kaye)How has your career as a jockey and trainer influenced your breeding decisions?I didn’t really push to be a jockey, Dad said I was at the right age and he pushed for it. I was 15 at the time ...

Sky’s the limit for Sunline Trust International Scholarship recipient

With international travel back on the agenda after a COVID-19 enforced hiatus, this year’s Sunline Trust International Scholarship recipient will be heading offshore to learn from some of the best in the industry.The 2023 recipient is 22-year-old Dorian Kos who will join the likes of Jamie Richards, Bruce Slade, Libby Bleakley, Bevan Smith and Michael Wallace as a graduate of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association-administered scholarship.Born and raised in France, Kos moved to N...

Champion racemare Verry Elleegant for Hall of Fame

The roll of honour for the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame is set to be enhanced by champion racemare Verry Elleegant, who will be on the list of 2023 inductees at the Hall of Fame Dinner in Hamilton on May 7.In common with recently announced inductee Melody Belle, Verry Elleegant easily meets the Hall of Fame standard with a record of 16 wins – 11 at Group One level – and stake-earnings of A$14.8 million. Defining performances included her Melbourne Cup victory under 57kg, her Winx Stakes w...

The next generation relishing the Karaka experience

A desire to find his way in the thoroughbred industry led 21-year-old James Gray to Karaka as a bid spotter, and he was lucky enough to take the bid from David Ellis on the million-dollar Fastnet Rock-Tell The World filly.Gray is just one of a number of young people who were working at Karaka trying to find a career pathway into the various fields in the thoroughbred industry. His sister Katie also worked for NZB and Raceform also caught up with a couple of other passionate youngsters Maria Scot...

McNab magic claims stakes success for Belclare

A piece of Michael McNab magic paved the way for underrated mare Belclare to take out the Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) on Monday.The Lisa Latta-trained five-year-old has been a model of consistency throughout her latest campaign, claiming her first stakes success at Riccarton back in November when successful in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton and being close up in black type company in her last two events.With a red-hot McNab takin...

Honest mare provides Beck with stakes triumph

A textbook ride from in-form jockey Jasmine Fawcett aided eight-year-old mare Honesty (Postponed x Requiem Moss) to land the prize in the Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) at Wingatui on Saturday.The mare provided trainer Leda Beck with a breakthrough flat stakes victory.The Winton horsewoman has previously enjoyed good success with stable stalwart Firoden and Grand National Hurdle (4200m) winner Gargamel.“It was a big thrill,” Beck said. “My previous stakes win was Ga...

Muollo strongly invested in Lucky Sweynesse family

Luigi Muollo has gone all-in to make sure he benefits from the success of the outstanding sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse x Madonna Mia) in Hong Kong.Lucky Sweynesse broke through for his first top-level success on Sunday, putting a very unlucky sixth in December’s Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) behind him as he won the Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) by 1 1/2 lengths from Hong Kong Sprint winner Wellington.Muollo not only bred Lucky Sweynesse (along with Allan Sharrock and Paul Dombroski...

Guineas winner back on track for Group One test

Specialty (Rip Van Winkle x Rio Tennille) returned to winning ways at Wingatui on Saturday with a dominant performance in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m) to revive future Group One hopes.The son of Rip Van Winkle had finished a beaten favourite at his previous appearance in Rating 75 company at Gore after racing three wide and laying in under pressure, but he turned his form around in fine style in the Nellies Bar & Restaurant-sponsored age group feature.The addition of blinkers and a fir...

Ulanova dominates in New Plymouth juvenile feature

Speedy filly Ulanova (Santos x The Fairy's Kiss) gave her rivals a good old-fashioned beating as she led all the way to take out the Gr.3 Platinum Homes New Plymouth Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) in effortless fashion.Fresh off a solid effort for fourth in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Pukekohe, where she also led and was only claimed in the final 100m, the Stephen Marsh-trained daughter of Santos never looked like being caught on this occasion.Cuddled up in front by rider Craig Grylls, Ulano...

Perfect result in Dunedin feature for Te Akau Racing

Mark Walker and the Te Akau Racing team brought up an inter-island stakes double in the space of 15 minutes as Perfect Scenario (Iffraaj x Rosetti Bay) took out the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge (1600m) at Wingatui hot on the heels of Family Ties (Contributer x Glamazon) scoring in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth.Walker had been well represented at both meetings but had to wait until late in the day before adding to his outstanding tally of 21 stakes wins for the seaso...

Colorado Star upsets in Taranaki Cup

A cagey ride by Ryan Elliot and a never-say-die attitude from his mount Colorado Star (Alamosa x Elegant Emerald) saw the pair upset the applecart at odds of $32 as they combined for victory in the Gr.3 Denis Wheeler Earthmoving Taranaki Cup (1800m) at New Plymouth.The Mike Breslin-trained seven-year-old son of Alamosa had always looked to have the ability to take out a feature race and that moment came on Saturday as he led throughout in the Group Three.Elliot took the initiative from the outsi...

Group Three success for Wrote To Arataki

Talented four-year-old Wrote To Arataki has continued her winning ways, following up a New Year’s Day victory at Flemington with a game victory in the Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on Saturday.The daughter of Wrote was again ridden forward by jockey Jamie Kah, who has forged a successful association with the mare in her past two outings.Once nursed through the home-straight dip, Wrote To Arataki staved off her rivals to defeat Belle Et Riche and Forbidden City and claim her...

Double Te Rapa delight for Foote

Ben Foote’s upcoming feature race prospects were given significant boosts on Friday at Te Rapa where his lightly tried three-year-old Loosespender and top sprinter Babylon Berlin delivered everything expected of them.Foote trains and part-owns Loosespender, whose rapid progression continued when he claimed the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) at just his third race day appearance.Stablemate Babylon Berlin will chase a richly deserved victory in Saturday week’s Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint ...

Hong Kong active on second day of Book 2

Hong Kong buyers were active on day two of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 2 yearling sale, with four of the five top lots sold earmarked for the Asian racing jurisdiction.Topping the list was lot 922, the Sweynesse colt out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft, who was purchased by bloodstock agent John Foote on behalf of Hong Kong clients for $140,000.“He is by Sweynesse who is a very popular horse in Hong Kong and he is very good-looking, black horse, so he really looked the part,” Foote said.“...

Meet the Breeder - Nigel and Adaire Auret

We caught up with Nigel Auret, who in conjuction with his wife Adaire, bred the Per Incanto x Petite en Jeu colt who was sold at this week's NZB Karaka Yearling Sale for 400k. They also operate Letham Stud in Wanganui.How many mares do you breed from:We have cut down a lot recently and have a bout 10.  Rohaise is a family favourite who will be around for a long time.What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio (youngstock, racehorses etc)We have all their yearlings, 2yos, 3yos and a f...

Blog: Morgan's first update from the National Irish Stud

Keith and Faith Taylor Family Trust Scholarship recipient Morgan Wilks gives an update after her first few weeks since arriving at the Irish National Stud.We started off this course with the exciting opportunity to go for a tour around Ballydoyle and Coolmore Stud. We got to see an insight of how Aiden O’Brien trains his horses and shown around the incredible facilities that Ballydoyle have.We were shown the swimming pool and the track where the horses work. The most interesting thing I found ...

Marsh duo chasing highest age group honours

A pair of Classic-bound contenders for Stephen Marsh will bid to add further momentum to their Group One campaigns at Te Rapa on Friday.The Cambridge trainer’s stable will mount a strong two-pronged attack on the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) with the very much in-form duo of Cruz Missile and Sedaka.Marsh, who was active during New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 National Yearling Sale at Karaka, is looking toward loftier age group targets for his three-year-olds.Savabeel’s son Cru...

Under The Radar - Angelique Bridson

In this edition of BetaVet Under The Radar we catch up with Angelique Bridson - marketing extraordinaire and co-breeder of eye catching grey Riot and Rose. She is also a big contributor to the NZTBA and our operations, just another reason she is an unsung hero.What is your role and how did you get into it?Freelance Marketer/Photographer. I have always loved horses and studied marketing at Uni. I brought the two worlds together with my first real job which was at New Zealand Thoroughbre...