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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...

Kiwi-bred makes Grand Impact at Caulfield

New Zealand-bred colt Grand Impact (Santono Aladdin – Serena Slam) has put himself right in contention for next month’s stallion-making race the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) after his dominant win in the Gr.3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Wednesday. The son of Satono Aladdin pinged out of the gates for jockey Ben Melham to settle outside leader Daumier. Turning for home the pack shifted to the middle of the heavy track where Grand Impact quickly found the lead and ran out...

Gunstock holds too much firepower at Caulfield

New Zealand-bred Gunstock (Tavistock – Zeranti) proved to be too good for his opposition in the Gr.3 Coongy Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on Wednesday. Jockey Jamie Kah settled Gunstock in behind pacemaker Johnny Get Angry. Kah sent the Tavistock four-year-old to the front at the 600m mark when the leader started to tire and quickly distanced his rivals, running away to a three-length victory. Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have had plenty of time for the gelding and they said things work...

Pier a hometrack hero

Friends and family are important to the Weatherley family and they were all out in force to celebrate the win of Pier (Proisir [AUS] - La Vitesse) in the Gr.2 AHD Hawkes Bay Guineas last Saturday. The talented three-year-old is trained by Darren Weatherley and his daughter Briar, and is raced by Darren, his wife Lou, old family friend Barry Wright, and Ozzi Kheir. Due to the large amount of rain in the Hawke’s Bay and the races being abandoned the previous week, the race along with the Gr.1 A...

Vadamos shines with first Group One

Rich Hill Stud principal John Thompson has a spring in his step after two members of his exciting stallion roster posted Group victories at Matamata on Saturday. Resident stallion Proisir (Choisir – Prophet Jewel) added another Group victor to his resume when his son Pier (Proisir – La Vitesse) took out the Gr.2 Hawkes’ Bay Guineas (1400m), while Vadamos (Monsun – Celebre Vadala) recorded his first Group One win as a sire courtesy of La Crique’s (Vadamos – Destiny Cove) dominant per...

Pier dominant in Hawke’s Bay Guineas

Local runner Pier (Proisir x La Vitesse) dominated his three-year-old rivals in the closing stages of the AHD Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), dashing away to win the Group Two feature in fine style. With the race transferred to Saturday’s Matamata meeting after Hastings was abandoned due to inclement weather last weekend, the strapping son of Proisir was in his element on his home surface for trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley. A last start second to race favourite Dynastic on the first day ...

Paisley Park takes out Matamata Cup

Local runner Paisley Park (Azamour x Musical Magic) showed he had taken plenty of improvement from his first-up performance at Te Rapa last month when he came with a withering late burst to score in the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m). The Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained eight-year-old had given plenty of cheek over 1200m in his campaign opener before weakening late in the piece and stripped in better nick for his home track feature. A well-judged ride by Wiremu Pinn, who ...

Darci La Bella adds stakes victory to burgeoning record

Progressive mare Darci La Bella (Darci Brahma x Bellaroof) added a valuable black-type victory to an already outstanding race record when she strode clear to win the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera. The winner of eight of her 14 starts before contesting Saturday’s Group Three feature, the daughter of Darci Brahma went into the race as a warm favourite after finishing fourth to outstanding mare Imperatriz at Group Two level two starts back before winning co...

La Crique tastes sweet Group One success

It may have taken an extra seven days to come to fruition but Matamata mare La Crique (Vadamos x Destiny Cove) got a deserved success at the highest level when she took out the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Matamata on Saturday. The four-year-old daughter of Vadamos had been a heavily backed favourite to take the race at Hastings last weekend but with heavy rain forcing the abandonment of that meeting, connections had to wait an extra week before lining up in the Group One feature on the...

Meet the Breeder - Sam Williams

This week we chat to Sam Williams from Little Avondale Stud, breeder of Roch ‘N’ Horse (Per Incanto x Rochfort) who won the Gr.1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on the weekend. How many broodmares are there under the Little Avondale Stud banner? 62 in total When selecting broodmares what do you think is more important - pedigree, race performance or conformation? Pedigree is the key thing for us, then type, then race performance. What are your criteria when looking for new sires to ad...

Meet the Breeder - Marie Leicester

This week we chat to Marie Leicester breeder of La Flora Belle, who won the Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup -Listed (2040m) last week. Marie also has the Belle Family of mares that have been very successful over the years. How many mares do you breed from? I’ve cut down a bit, currently have six, I have retired two older mares this year. I have just retired dam of La Flora Belle, she’s had another filly this year so I will retain that filly, and retire her dam. What else do you have in ...

The New Zealand Pattern Committee Report explained

In the middle of September, the New Zealand Pattern Committee released their Report which lists the schedule of the Group and Listed winners for the 2022/23 season following its review of the 2021/22 season. It made for pretty grim reading for the future of our classic three-year-old races the Derby and the 2000 Guineas, which have both been issued with warnings. In total, seven races were given warnings compared to two last year, and 20 races were put on alert compared to 10 last year. During t...

Kiwis fly high in Australia

The season is only two months old and already New Zealand-bred horses have claimed four Group One events in Australia. Last weekend was a bonza, with not only two Group One winners, but six stakes winners in total (and a Group Two placing thrown in the mix for good measure). Like the 55 individual New Zealand-bred stakes winners in Australia last season, this term these horses cover a range of ages, distances and sires. The two Group One winners were six-year-old middle-distance geldings, while ...

Call for scholarship applications

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, in partnership with the Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship Trust, are offering the opportunity of the lifetime for one young industry participant. Applications are now open for the Irish National Stud Scholarship which supports the successful candidate to attend the renowned establishment to complete the internationally recognised National Stud Diploma course, beginning in January 2023. The recipient then returns to New Zealand to com...

Smokin’ Romans snatches Group One gold in Turnbull

A dream spring for Smokin’ Romans (Ghibellines / Inferno) went to another all-new high at Flemington on Saturday, scoring his first Group One victory in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m). The Ghibellines gelding won his first stakes race only 10 months ago, capturing the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) in December of last year. He has continued on that upward trajectory this spring, heading to Caulfield last start and collecting his first Group win in the Gr.3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) on September 17....

Lost And Running on song for second shot at Everest

A year after an up-and-down spring culminated with a bold fourth in the A$15 million The Everest (1200m), Saturday’s Gr.2 Bisley Workwear Premiere Stakes (1200m) has given Lost And Running (Per Incanto / Dreamlife) a very different build-up to the world’s richest turf race. The New Zealand-bred son of Per Incanto prevailed in a thrilling finish to Saturday’s A$1 million feature at Randwick, which was the final dress rehearsal for The Everest on October 15. The lucrative sprint showpiece wi...