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Almanzor colt stars in Derby

Cambridge Stud’s rising star sire Almanzor has stolen the show on one of Australasian racing’s greatest stages, picking up his first Group One winner with first-crop son Manzoice (ex Choice) in the Gr.1 Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. Heading into Saturday’s A$2 million classic, the New Zealand industry had been confident of making a significant impact through the likes of last week’s Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) hero Sharp ‘N’ Smart and multiple Melbourne stake...

I Wish I Win delivers golden glow for Waikato Stud

Numerous big-race winners have raced in the distinctive colours of Waikato Stud and countless more have been bred by the world-famous nursery, but I Wish I Win (Savabeel x Make A Wish) has earned a unique place on their honour roll by winning a race worth A$10 million. The four-year-old son of iconic Waikato Stud sire Savabeel produced a blockbuster performance in Saturday’s XXXX Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill, following in the footsteps of I’m Thunderstruck to deliver a second consec...

Veteran galloper does all the talking at Awapuni

Hardy nine-year-old Pep Torque (Nadeem x Cosmic Flight) finally got the big win he deserved after producing a gritty performance that saw him dominate the finish to the Listed Mode Technology Feilding Gold Cup (2100m) at Awapuni. The Kirsty Lawrence-trained runner had been off the winner’s list since February 2021 before scoring a fresh-up victory over 1650m at Waverley earlier in the month, although he had managed four runner-up finishes between victories including being narrowly beaten in th...

Meet the Breeder - Richard McKenzie

Hastings-based Richard McKenzie bred, owns and co-trains Estefania (Darci Brahma – Zino Belle) with his partner Jordan Bassett. Estafania won the Nelson Pine/IPL Marketing/Marshall Waterproofing 1550 at Manawatu Racing Club (Awapuni) on Saturday 27th August 2022. Now eight, Estefania took time to mature and could head to Hastings next week if it rains. Richard and Jordan are looking to get some black type success for her if possible as they are looking at breeding later this season.How did you...

Doozy of a win for Dennis brothers

For over fifty years brothers Ray, Tony, Martin and Joe Dennis, have been breeding horses and hardly a year has gone by when they haven’t had a stakes performer. Last season the Dennis brothers were rewarded with two Group One winners, The Chosen One (Savabeel [AUS] - The Glitzy One ) who was also crowned Champion New Zealand Stayer, and The Perfect Pink (Savabeel [AUS] - The Solitaire) who won the prestigious Gr.1 CJC 1000 Guineas. Adding to that record is the Outstanding Contribution to Rac...

Meet the Breeder - Bruce Sherwin

This week we chat to Bruce Sherwin from Raffles Farm, Waikato, NZ who bred Prise de Fer who recently won the Captain Cook Stakes How many mares do you breed from? The COVID crunch saw principal Dato Yap (Raffles Dancers Pty Ltd) sell Raffles Farm last September and divest virtually all of his broodmares - 30 mares down to just 2 at our new property Frontier Farm. Frontier Farm clients and myself have bred 10 broodmares in NZ this season. What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio (youngs...

No Dramas for Latta filly in War Decree Stakes

Talented filly Diss Is Dramatic (Dissident - Our Drahma Queen) displayed all her fighting qualities when she refused to yield to her mainly male rivals in Saturday’s Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton. The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of Dissident relished the addition of blinkers and the step-up to the 1600 journey as she returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in her spring campaign following a two-year-old season that saw her win two of her five starts including the Lis...

Wild Night Wins Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m)

Promising three-year-old Wild Night (Vanbrugh – Supreme) struck gold at Te Rapa on Saturday with a powerful finishing burst that carried him to an impressive victory in the feature event on the day, the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m). In the process, he continued the impressive performance by the stock of his sire Vanbrugh, becoming the third individual stakes winner for the Windsor Park-based stallion in the space of just seven weeks. Successful in two of his first thre...

Legarto cruises home in the Gr.3 Super Seth Soliloquy Stakes (1400m)

Unbeaten three-year-old filly Legarto (Proisir - Geordie Girl) made it a one act affair at Te Rapa on Saturday when she cruised home in the Gr.3 Super Seth Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained daughter of Proisir went into the race off the back of an impressive fresh-up victory over 1200m at the track in late September after winning her only start as a two-year-old back in June. Racing in the same colours as illustrious stablemate Levante, who had impressed during an exhibitio...

Sharp 'N' Smart bidding to join exclusive club

The Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained three-year-old Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood - Queen Margaret ) is bidding to join an exclusive club when he backs up in Saturday’s Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) following his gutsy victory in the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). Despite racing three-wide throughout, the son of Redwood fought gamely to nail Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) runner-up Elliptical right on the line. Only four horses have completed the Spring Champion Stakes-VRC Derby double in St...

He's A Doozy an impressive winner of the Gr.3 Gee Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m)

The Lisa Latta-trained He’s A Doozy (Zacinto - The Dewdrop) ran out an impressive winner of the Gr.3 Gee Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on Sunday under a peach of a ride from Kozzi Asano. The five-year-old son of Zacinto recorded his sixth career victory from 19 starts when coming from off the pace under a no-panic ground-saving ride by Asano, who tracked race favourite Secret Amour for much of the contest. Gaining a split inside the final furlong of the roo...

Meet the Breeder - Tony Forlong

This week we chat to Tony Forlong breeder of I’m Thunderstruck (Shocking – Primadonna Girl) who came 2nd in the Cox Plate over the weekend. How many mares do you breed from? Six at present What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio (youngstock, racehorses etc) We have got a horse down with Robbie Patterson, by Contributor out of our Shammie mare, and a filly out of our Tavistock mare La Quinta by Burgundy, who we’re bringing on slowly as well. Also have three more going to yearlin...

Meet the Breeder - Mark Chittick

This week we chat to Mark Chittick breeder of Icebath and I Wish I Win who were both success over the weekend in Australia. How many broodmares are there under the Waikato Stud banner? 200 approximately When selecting broodmares what do you think is more important - pedigree, race performance or conformation? We’ve produced good horses out of really good mares that were good types, and produced good racehorses out of mares that aren’t good types. But at the end of the day if you’re going t...

‘Hobby’ trainer strikes stakes win

The rising costs of training horses and the need for a hobby prompted Otautau dairy farmer Bruce Tapper to take out his trainer’s license in 2014. Fast forward to 2022 and Tapper experienced his biggest thrill as a trainer when Specialty (Rip Van Winkle [IRE]- Rio Tennelle) and Redmond (Ghibillines [AUS]- Ruby Red) provided the quinella in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes at Ashburton. Tapper is no stranger to horses, his father Hec was a successful trainer in Matamata, training a number of Gr...

Mustang Valley Caps huge day for Forsman

Trainer Andrew Forsman capped a successful day on both sides of the Tasman when progressive mare Mustang Valley (Vanburgh – Cream of the Crop) bolted away with the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings. Forsman, who has had his team firing on all cylinders this season, had earlier captured back-to-back victories at Caulfield with Saint Bathans in a Benchmark 80 (1700m) contest and the Gr.3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) with current Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) favourite Mr Maestro. Having finish...

Renaissance Woman shows Oaks talent

Renaissance Woman (Reliable Man - Mrs Kennedy) rocketed to the top of the market for the Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) with a gutsy win in Saturday's Gr.3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield. The Bjorn Baker-trained filly came from near-last and over-came a bumping duel with the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained runner-up Foxy Cleopatra at the top of the straight, before registering the second win of her six-start career. Renaissance Woman, who started $5 second favourite, had three-quarters-of-...

Aegon caps stellar day for Forsman

Five-year-old gelding Aegon (Sacred Falls – Toss Up) capped a stellar day for Andrew Forsman with a dogged victory in the Gr.3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. The Cambridge conditioner saddled three runners at Caulfield on Saturday, and all three saluted, with Aegon’s victory following earlier wins by Mr Maestro in the Gr.3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) and Saint Bathans in the Lamaro's Hotel Grand Handicap (1700m). Forsman also notched his first Group One victory in a solo training capacit...

Specialty upsets in Ashburton feature

Trainers Bruce Tapper and Varma Ramhit set the cat among the pigeons at Ashburton on Saturday when they produced lightly raced three-year-old Specialty (Rip Van Winkle – Rio Tinnelle) to win the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m). For good measure the combination also provided the quinella with stablemate Redmond however it was Specialty, a son of Rip Van Winkle, who claimed the major spoils at outside odds ($23) as he produced a powerful home straight burst to down a host of well performed c...

Times Ticking takes out the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint at Hastings

A sustained closing burst carried veteran galloper Times Ticking (Tavistock – Laoghaire) to a fresh-up victory in an incident packed finish to the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings. The Alby MacGregor-trained seven-year-old hadn’t been seen since finishing third at the venue back in early July, however MacGregor had him in peak condition off the back of an easy trial win over 1000m at Foxton earlier in the month. In a race where numerous runners wanted to take advantage of bei...

Mr Maestro Lands Caulfield Classic

Andrew Forsman sent out an early race to race double at Caulfield on Saturday as Mr Maestro (Savabeel – Let Me Roar) reinforced his Derby credentials by landing the Gr.3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) a race after stablemate Saint Bathans had scored in BenchMark 80 company. A son of Savabeel, Mr Maestro made it three wins in succession with a dogged victory over the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Muramasa. Ridden by Harry Coffey, Mr Maestro dropped back to the rear of the field from the ...

Roger That lands Staphanos Classic

Veteran stayer Roger That (Skinko King – Heather Lyn) took out the Listed Staphanos Classic (1950m) at Rotorua on Sunday under a perfect ride by Lynsey Satherley. The ten-year-old son of Shinko King was an impressive winner of the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in 2020 for Tauranga trainer Antony Fuller, with Sunday’s success the second stakes victory of the gelding’s career. Fresh-up off the back of a Waipa trial in which he finished second, Roger That lumped topweight of 60kg and got under ...

Bonny Lass takes out the Gr. 3 Sweynesse Stakes

Graham Richardson will follow a proven formula with his leading sprinter Bonny Lass (Super Easy – Posh Bec) through to her grand final at Te Rapa on New Year’s Day. With training partner Rogan Norvall, he produced the daughter of Super Easy to successfully open her campaign with a dashing first-up victory in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Rotorua on Sunday. She also completed a winning double for the stable, who had earlier produced the highly regarded Snazzytavi to make a perfect star...

Meet the Breeder - Dean Hawkins

This week we chat to Dean Hawkins from Wentwood Grange breeder of High Emocean who was third in the Melbourne Cup, we chat about that as well as their other successes so far this year. How many broodmares are there under the Wentwood Stud banner? 50 or 60 of our own When selecting broodmares what do you think is more important - pedigree, race performance or conformation? I believe conformation is key, you’ve got to have a good-looking horse. Pedigree and the race performance do come into it a...

Boutique breeders making a grand impact

Ross and Corrine Kearney took an instant shine to Satono Aladdin and first impressions have resulted in the South Waikato couple adding Australian stakes success to their domestic achievements. Relative newcomers to the thoroughbred game, their homebred Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan x Signorina) set the ball rolling at Trentham earlier this year when he won the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) while his half-sister Jodelin Gal (Swiss Ace x Signorina) is a black-type placegetter. They also bred th...

Sharp ‘N’ Smart too tough in Gloaming

With Group One goals in both Sydney and Melbourne looming large on his horizon, New Zealand three-year-old Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood – Queen Margaret) kicked off his Australian spring campaign with a tenacious victory in the Gr. 3 Gloaming Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. The son of Redwood had shown his class on both sides of the Tasman as a two-year-old, winning the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe before finishing second in the Listed The Phoenix (1500m) and a luck...