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Echoes Of Heaven heads south

South Island breeders will welcome the addition of Echoes Of Heaven to their stallion ranks this coming breeding season. The brother to Manhattan Rain and half-brother to the remarkable Redoute's Choice will join Group One winner Jon Snow at Clearview Park near Timaru. Previously standing at Newmarket Stud, a deal was brokered with Aaron Tapper to stand the stallion down South, and the Clearview Park principal is looking forward to the challenge. “I went to have a look at the stallion when I w...

Puntura delivers for his dedicated owners

When promising galloper Puntura (Vespa x Mumzahoney) was heading towards victory at Doomben on Saturday the loudest noise he probably had ringing in his ears were the cheers from his proud owners and breeders John and Carole Lynskey.The New Plymouth couple had made the trip over to Brisbane to support their pride and joy and were rewarded with a dominant performance that saw him dash clear in the home straight to take out the BenchMark 90 1615m contest in the hands of ex-pat Kiwi rider Mark Du P...

Caulfield success for Passione

Kiwi mare Passione (Proisir x Pristino) recorded an impressive victory over 1400m at Caulfield on Saturday for new trainer Nigel Blackiston.  Sporting the colours of Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, the four-year-old mare was transferred across the Tasman, having won one of her 16 starts in the care of Lisa Latta, while also boasting an important Group Three placing in the Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) as a three-year-old. In her second start for Ballarat-based Blackiston, Passio...

Horrifying follows in sire’s Flemington footsteps

At the famous Melbourne racecourse where his sire made his name, talented New Zealand-bred gelding Horrifying (Shocking x Zelt) produced a dominant front-running performance to claim the biggest win of his career to date in Saturday’s A$175,000 Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m). The Mark and Levi Kavanagh-trained four-year-old is a son of Shocking, who won the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington before embarking on his successful stallion career at Rich Hill Stud...

Kiwi-breds contribute to Waller’s big day

Champion expat New Zealand trainer Chris Waller enjoyed a highly successful afternoon at Rosehill on Saturday, saddling four winners and reaching 150 city wins for the season, and two of his victories came with impressive performances from New Zealand-breds Lord Ardmore (Reliable Man x Outshine) and Bold Mac (The Bold One x Mrs Mac).Lord Ardmore headed a Waller trifecta in the A$150,000 Vale Nick Moraitis Handicap (1800m), leading all the way and kicking clear for a commanding two-length vi...

Kiwi-bred juveniles make Grand Impact at Geelong

Grand Impact (Satono Aladdin x Serena Slam) lived up to his name when winning impressively on debut at Geelong on Friday. The son of Satono Aladdin was taken straight to the front from his inside draw by jockey Michael Walker where the pair remained throughout, running away to a comfortable 1-1/4 lengths easing down to the line. Walker was impressed by the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained juvenile and he believes there is a bright future instore for the colt. “He’s a serious horse,”...

Gray still going strong at 85

He may have just turned 85, but leading Central Districts horseman Kevin Gray isn’t going away from the thoroughbred industry any time soon. At an age when many people are living a quieter life, Gray continues to train at his 56 hectare property just out of Palmerston North, breed from some high-quality mares, watch his son Stephen prepare top level winners in Singapore, and run a cattle and sheep farm. “I wish I was dropping about 10 years, to be honest,” he joked about his birthday at th...

Preparing dry mares for the breeding season

During the off season and leading into the breeding season the focus is usually on wet mares however management of dry mares is also important to ensure they start the season in optimum condition, ready to cycle and get in foal early. The New Zealand Thoroughbred breeding industry is unique in comparison to most other major breeding countries in that horses are maintained outside all-year-round on a predominantly pasture-only diet with minimal supplements fed. In New Zealand we have a comparati...

Waihaha Falls stars in Randwick runaway

Exciting New Zealand-bred gelding Waihaha Falls (Sacred Falls x Mink) produced one of the most impressive performances in Australasia on Saturday, outclassing his opposition by almost five lengths in the A$150,000 Bowermans Handicap (1200m) at Randwick. Trained by John O’Shea for owner-breeders Waikato Stud and Guy and Bridget Lowry, the Sacred Falls gelding headed into Saturday’s race as a smart winner of three of his eight career starts, most recently a three-length romp at Randw...

National Broodmare and Stallion Share sale live on Gavelhouse Plus

The 2022 National Broodmare and Stallion Share catalogue is now live on Gavelhouse Plus with 81 Lots. Bidding will open on Monday 18th July and will close from 7pm (NZT) on Wednesday 20th July. The catalogue is comprised of a mix of young and proven mares plus shares in New Zealand-based Group One sires Reliable Man and Shocking. Among the many notable Lots are: Abit Iffey – from a three-time winner and a half to champion mare Zirna, this mare is a half to Tavernelle, a multiple Group winner...

Federated Farmers and New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders saddle up for mutual benefit

A new partnership between Federated Farmers of NZ and the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Association (NZTBA) underlines the commitment of both organisations to helping their members be front-runners in caring for their animals and land. “Farmers who join the Federation have long recognised we’re stronger together,” Feds CEO Terry Copeland says.  “With thoroughbred breeders also joining the fold, we have a bigger pool of resources and greater strength to our voice in our advocacy ...

2021 Stallion Coverings

Leading into the 2022 breeding season we reflect on the volume of mares covered by a stallion with 10+ mares in 2021....

Strong early support for Sword Of State

Cambridge Stud have been buoyed by the early interest in their freshman sire Sword Of State ahead of the coming breeding season. “It (interest) has been very good,” Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre told Bensley. “We are very lucky that we have got some good shareholders in our two horses we have brought in from Europe – Hello Youmzain and Almanzor. A lot of them have taken a share in Sword Of State. “There is quite a bit of Australian interest in the horse, which is fantas...

Mapperley Stud Open Day

Mapperley Stud, in conjunction with Windsor Park Stud, are holding an open day this Friday at 2.30pm for the public to view their exciting new stallion Armory.  A precocious two-year-old, Armory won three of his first four starts including the Gr.2 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 Tyros Stakes (1400m).  He was then tested at the highest level in the Gr.1 National Stakes (1400m) where he finished second to Champion Two Year-Old Pinatubo who stands his first season at Darley, Kelvinside ...

Vespa and Savile Row to Mapperley Stud

Mapperley Stud will welcome the addition of three new stallions to their roster this upcoming breeding season, with former Valachi Downs residents Vespa and Savile Row joining the Matamata farm’s earlier acquisition of Armory.   Vespa, a winner of seven races including the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), has added a further three stakes winners to his name in the last 12 months, most recently with Carolina Reaper taking out the Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m)...

Kiwi-breds dominate Warrnambool jumping features

Amy McDonald, Lee Horner and their banner horse Flying Agent gained compensation for last year’s Thackeray Steeplechase (3450m) defeat by winning the latest edition of the 3450m race at Warrnambool on Sunday.The nine-year-old son of Raise The Flag defeated five rivals in the A$125,000 event, the small field allowing Horner to position the quality jumper closer to the pace than usual, before striding clear for an eight-length win over Yulong Place.The victory provided Flying Agent with his seco...

Breeding success brings further thrills for Ellis

Although leading New Zealand racehorse syndicator David Ellis has plenty to celebrate through the success of his Te Akau Racing operation during the 2021/2022 season, one of the lesser known strings to his bow are the numerous achievements he and wife Karyn have secured on the thoroughbred breeding front over the past twelve months.The pair will head off to Hawaii on Tuesday for a well-deserved mid-winter break with the prospect of returning in August as a strong contender for the New Zealand Th...

Ribchester 3YO looks a French star

Three-year-old gelding Facteur Cheval, a son of Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Ribchester, oozed class when defeating a quality field to land Saturday’s Listed Tattersalls Prix de Saint-Patrick (1600m) at Chantilly.Facteur Cheval is unbeaten in four career starts for star young trainer Jerome Reynier.He carried the colours of Team Valor International to an impressive two-length success from GroupThree winner Dreamflight and the gelding has stamped himself as one of the leading milers in France.H...

Baggy Green the headline act again in Valachi Downs dispersal

As the Valachi Downs dispersal process drew to a close with turnover nudging $10 million, Friday night’s Unreserved Young and Racing Stock Dispersal on Gavelhouse Plus shone a spotlight on exceptional broodmare Baggy Green for the second week in succession – and once again it was Yulong’s Written Tycoon Syndicate who provided the sale-topping bid.The powerful Australian-based operation had gone to $1.75 million to buy Baggy Green herself in the broodmare session last Friday, and ...

Anton Koolman left a proud legacy

Three decades have passed since Anton Koolman resided in New Zealand, however, the highly respected horseman’s death at age 82 in Sydney last weekend still resonated with many on the other side of the Tasman. From lowly beginnings and in partnership with Marg, his wife of 50 years, Koolman forged a place in the racing industry, initially as a trainer and studmaster, and then as a bloodstock agent trading throughout Australasia and establishing a strong Hong Kong clientele. Koolman’s Estonia...

Breeders set to celebrate National Awards

After a two year COVID enforced hiatus, the New Zealand National Breeding Awards are back on the calendar. Sponsored by AGrowQuip John Deere, the dinner and awards will held on Saturday 30th July and will be the first ‘live’ event combining the celebration of the New Zealand Breeding Awards as well as the breeders of Group One winners during the racing season. “It is really exciting to be able to actually get together to have the awards,” Waikato Branch President Dave Duley said. “It i...

Sclater makes most of chance to represent NZTBA in UK

By Dennis Ryan, RaceformRepresenting the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association in the United Kingdom earlier this month had many dimensions for the organisation’s CEO Justine Sclater. Pivotal to Sclater’s two-week sojourn was the International Thoroughbred Breeders’ Federation (ITBF) conference, staged over four days in Newmarket and attended by representatives from 23 of the 25 member states. Between times she was treated to raceday attendances at Epsom for the English Derby an...

Government firmly behind racing, says new Minister

The Labour Government’s support of the racing industry was firmly signalled after its landslide election victory in 2020 and its commitment is ongoing, new Minister for Racing Kieran McAnulty has emphasised. McAnulty achieved a personal goal when he recently took over the role and dismissed any concern that racing had a lesser seat at the table after succeeding Deputy Prime Minster Grant Robertson. “I think the signal from the Government was pretty clear after the last election when it kept ...

Savabeel filly impresses at first start for Golan

Three-year-old filly Tilianam (NZ) (Savabeel x Spending) provided an instant return on her recent purchase price when she made a winning debut from her new quarters in Queensland on Saturday. The Waikato Stud-bred and sold daughter of Savabeel was making her first appearance from Tony Gollan’s yard and proved too slick for her age group rivals over 1200m at Eagle Farm. Tilianam had won twice, including success in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1000m) at her second start, when prepared by G...

Inundation oozes class at Caulfield

Kiwi acquisition Inundation (Headwater x Flippity Lass) has made the step to city company in stunning fashion with an impressive win at Caulfield to remain unbeaten this campaign.  The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper headed to Saturday’s Lamaro’s Hotel Handicap (1000m) off the back of victories at Mornington and on the Pakenham Synthetic.  Inundation had scored by 3-½ lengths and 3-¼ lengths respectively on the country circ...