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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...

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 - 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...

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...

‘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...