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Promising stayer the Belle of the Ball at Wanganui

Progressive staying mare La Flora Belle (Iffraaj x Tsarina Belle) set the scene for further success over the summer months with a determined effort to take out the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m) on Saturday. The Mark Walker-trained five-year-old had picked up her first career victory back in February and added a second before being set aside for a decent winter break. Off the back of her third victory two starts ago and a last start second in the Waipukurau Cup (1600m), Walk...

Gin Martini triumphs for father of the bride

Trainer John Sargent had a good reason not to be trackside on Saturday to saddle smart staying mare Gin Martini (Rip Van Winkle x Tanqueray). While the four-year-old mare notched her maiden stakes success with a hard-fought victory in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m), Sargent was walking daughter Lucy down the aisle. The flashy chestnut, who is raced by James Moss’ Tricolours Syndications, was placed in the Gr.1 ATC Oaks (2400m) back in autumn, to go with multiple Group Three placings. A daugh...

Prise De Fer captured his tenth career victory in winning the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m).

Fresh off winning the first feature race on the card at Te Rapa on Saturday aboard Waitak in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial (1500m), South African jockey Craig Zackey added the main event of the day when he guided Prise De Fer (Savabeel x Foiled) to a narrow victory in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m). Zackey used similar tactics to those he employed aboard Waitak as he allowed the seven-year-old Savabeel gelding to settle last before improving to join the leaders inside...

Impressive Waitak swoops on Eagle Memorial

A storming late run by powerfully built three-year-old Waitak (Proisir x Repo Bay) continued the latest run of success for his sire Proisir as he captured the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial (1500m) at Te Rapa. Placed at Group One level as a two-year-old when prepared by Peter and Dawn Williams, Waitak was having just his second run for the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott team on Saturday. Rider Craig Zackey, who is also enjoying a purple patch of form since relocating to New Zea...

Devastate snares Wellington Stakes

Devastate (Vadamos x Passion Cut) continued his rapid progression with a successful return to Otaki on Thursday to add the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Wellington Stakes (1600m) to his record and continue a dream run for trainer Andrew Forsman. The son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Vadamos completed a double for the stable following the earlier debut victory of Bella Regazza (Tivaci x Ramazzotti) in the Foxton Fish & Chippie 2YO (1100m). Forsman posted his eighth stakes victory this season with the win of ...

Meet the Breeder - Brian Anderton

This week we speak Brian Anderton from White Robe Lodge who bred Smokin’ Romans (Ghibellines – Inferno) who won the Gr.3 Foundation Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday. How many mares do you breed from? 60 mares currently, we own 60 across the whole family my daughter and her husband run the stud now, and I’m more of an observer these days What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio (youngstock, racehorses etc)? Just put 19 youngters through their 2 and 3 year old training programs...

Gong winner Riodini another fine advert for boom sire

Were it not for a badly-timed injury, Alan Galbraith believes Proisir would probably never have found his way to Rich Hill Stud.But the accident which halted Proisir’s racing career reaching its full potential gave the farm near Matamata a chance to secure him, and the success of his progeny has been so widespread in the past few months in particular that he’s going to have his book restricted next year.Galbraith, one of the main partners in Rich Hill Stud along with on-site principals John ...

Darci La Bella displays her class at Pukekohe

What a difference 30 minutes made for jockey Jonathan Riddell on Saturday. Fresh from being dumped at the start aboard the well-favoured Babylon Berlin in the previous race, the Cambridge hoop came out and produced a picture-perfect ride aboard class mare Darci La Bella (Darci Brahma x Bellaroof) to take out the Gr.2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m). The Allan Sharrock-trained daughter of Darci Brahma had seen conditions fall in her favour as 48 hours of persistent ...

Heavenly victory for Ethereal Star at Pukekohe

The winning roll by runners from the Andrew Forsman stable continued at Pukekohe on Saturday when promising filly Ethereal Star (Snitzel x Eleonora) collected the first feature race on the day, the Listed Barfoot & Thompson Challenge Stakes (1100m). The daughter of Snitzel and Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) placegetter Eleonora had caught the eye on debut at Te Rapa earlier in the month when making up good ground to finish second over 1000m. The extra 100m of Saturday’s contest suited her down to t...

Walker quinellas Counties Cup

On a day where Auckland’s enigmatic weather produced plenty of sunshine combined with heavy showers, stablemates Aromatic (Sacred Falls x Vickezzchardonnay) and Self Obsession (Shocking x Mawaakib) fought out a thrilling finish in trying conditions to the Gr.3 Pukekohe Traders Counties Cup (2100m). A sharp downpour before the race saw all riders splattered with mud midway through proceedings, with those in contention for the lion’s share of the prize heading to the outside of the track ...

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 ...