Back to Blog

First season sires to the fore at Ruakaka

A couple of first season sires made an immediate impact with their progeny at the Ruakaka trials on Tuesday. The Oaks Stud stallion U S Navy Flag recorded his first New Zealand trial win courtesy of an unnamed filly out of Pins mare Stitch, who was victorious in her 750m heat for local trainer Michelle Bradley. The filly was purchased by Bradley as a yearling for $43,000 out of Valachi Downs’ dispersal sale on plus.gavelhouse.com and she has been rapt with her buy. “I was pretty impressed wi...

Group One winner Entriviere has been retired

Group One winner Entriviere will be offered on plusgavelhouse.com later this week following her retirement from racing. Following her sub-par first-up run in the Kerikeri Cup (1100m) earlier this month, the daughter of Tavistock underwent a veterinary examination and the decision was made to retire the six-year-old from racing. “We had not been entirely happy with Entriviere following her resuming run and a nuclear bone scan has revealed fetlock issues that would see her side-lined from racing...

Minimum stakes boost for Auckland racing

Auckland Thoroughbred Racing has confirmed that a $20,000 stake minimum will apply across all its race meetings in the 2022/23 season as part of its annual stakes announcement. The amount is up $5,000 on ATR’s minimum of last season and is the highest minimum to have been offered by the club. As part of its announcement, ATR has also confirmed it will be contributing $1.4 million of its own monies into stakes for the season, bringing the total stakes on offer for the Club’s season at Pukeko...

Major Addition To Victorian Stallion Ranks Announced

New Zealand’s multiple Group One performer, Wyndspelle, will transfer to Australia at the end of the current season to stand at historic Cornwall Park Stud at Toolern Vale, just outside Melbourne. Wyndspelle (2013) - Ifrraaj x Western Star (High Chaparral) is currently beginning his third season at GrangeWilliam Stud, South Taranaki, where he stands alongside champion Verry Elleegant’s sire, Zed. At the completion of the season Wyndspelle will transfer to Cornwall Park where he wil...

Showmanship shines in Sydney

Comeback gelding Showmanship (Showcasing [GB]-Khales) rewarded his connections for their patience when he won the Gr.3 ATC Show County Quality recently. It was also a big thrill for Tom Lane and Campbell Crisp who own his dam Khales. “It was good to see him back racing after that tendon injury a few years ago,” Lane said. The lightly raced son of Showcasing suffered a tendon injury in 2022 and was off the scene for some time, making his return to racing in May at Warrnambool with a third in ...

NZTR AGM & Members Council Appointments

...

Vale Peter Setchell

Peter Setchell, founder and former proprietor of Millfield Stud, passed away peacefully at his home in Cambridge this week after battling cancer. Setchell, his late brother Graeme and sister Jan Mullane, came to New Zealand from New Guinea in 1940 when Peter was just two-years-old. Their father, an English Copra Plantation Planter, sent his wife and children to New Zealand to avoid the conflict with the Japanese. Sadly, he was never able to follow his family. They lived in Auckland where the chi...

Ominous return for Virtuous Circle

Three-year-old colt Virtuous Circle (Alamanzor - She is Stryking) narrowly prevailed in the Hugh Wallace-Smith Handicap (1500m) at The Valley on Saturday, to make the perfect start to his classic season. Prepared by Kyneton trainer Liam Howley, the Alamanzor colt rocked punters when scoring at $61 in the Mornington Sires’ (1500m) back in March, and again got the better of the betting public when saluting at $26 to extend his record to two victories from three starts. A Group One winning train...

Showmanship continues winning ways

Victorian trainer Danny O’Brien pulled the right rein with comeback galloper Showmanship (Showcasing / Khales - Don Eduardo), who ventured to Sydney and landed the Gr.3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. The seven-year-old gelding had also been an acceptor for the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at The Valley but connections decided to run at Randwick on a drier Soft 5 surface than the Heavy 9 conditions in Melbourne. Showmanship notched his eighth win from ten starts under a ...

First winner for What’s The Story

Novara Park stallion What’s The Story recorded his first victory as a sire when Big Story won his Australian debut over 1400m on the Ballarat synthetic on Friday. Jockey Damian Lane settled Big Story just behind the pace and produced the three-year-old three-wide turning for home, where the gelding was able to put a distance on his rivals and score a comfortable one length victory. Lane was impressed with the New Zealand-bred youngster and believes he is in for a big future over further ground...

Smyth steps down from Foster Foal role

After 15 years and 100’s of success stories, Philip Smyth is giving up his role as North Island coordinator of the NZTBA Foster Foal Service. Known for his calm demeanor and how efficiently he handled a difficult situation, Smyth will be missed by breeders in the area. Among his success stories are Self Obsession, the soon to be crowned winner of the New Zealand Bloodstock 3YO Filly of the Year. Cambridge couple Derval and Roy Latimer will take over the service this season. Originally from Ire...

Taranaki farmer looking on the Brightside in retirement

After more than half a century of milking cows, Edwin Sheather decided he needed to pick-up a hobby to keep him occupied outside of tending to his beef cattle on his 58-acre property. The Taranaki farmer happened across one that could prove to be nearly as lucrative as slicing up his Taranaki farm – breeding thoroughbreds. “I have given up milking cows after 50 years of doing that. I have only got 58 acres left as I am one of those mongrels that have cut their farm up and sold lifestyle bloc...

Mr Brightside in for bumper spring

New Zealand-bred galloper Mr Brightside (Bullbars – Lilahjay (Tavistock) has started his new campaign in winning style, with the five-year-old gelding pulling out too many stops to land the Gr.2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The son of Bullbars has been a winning machine since crossing the Tasman and joining the stable of Ben and JD Hayes, with eight wins from 13 starts for the brothers and A$2.6 million in prizemoney, highlighted by his win in the Gr.1 Doncaster Handi...

BLOG | George Chittick

Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Trust Scholarship recipient George Chittick gives an update on his time in Ireland.We have now entered the final 6 weeks of the Irish National Stud Course of 2022, and I'm confident in saying we did not waste any time or miss any opportunities in the last month. The season slowing down meant that we were able to go on more trips and experience other thoroughbred businesses throughout Ireland. Some places we visited were Tally Ho Stud, Kildangan Stud, Giltown...

Meeting McAnulty- A conversation with the new Minister for Racing

Michelle Saba recently caught up with Kieran McAnulty, who has been in his new role as Minister for Racing since June. As a politician with a lifelong exposure to racing, it was a portfolio he has always hoped to hold and he is delighted to be in the role. He is loquacious as a politician should be, seems to have a dry sense of humour and is quick to share a laugh and a joke. Regardless, he does come across as very genuine in his enthusiasm and his understanding of the industry he is representin...

Stallion Parade Schedule

Click below to get the schedule for the Stallion Parade...

Cheers Brothers

Another Derby win, Cheers Brothers Cheers Brothers (Deep Field - Balmoral Baby) added himself to New Zealand Bloodstock’s growing honour role of Derby winners when taking out the M$2.3m Macau Derby (1800m) on Sunday. The son of Deep Field was purchased out of Kilgravin Lodge’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale by trainer Glenn Old and his brother Mark for $150,000. He did his early education under Glenn Old and was sold to Macau after several trial placings.&nbs...

Wilsons celebrate thrilling win

Winning a group race is a great thrill for any owner, but when that owner also bred and trained the horse in question, that thrill is even more exhilarating. No one knows this better than Ashburton-based Bevan Wilson and his wife Robyn who bred, train and race Lord Darci (Darci Brahma – Madam Victoria), winner of the Gr.3 CJC Winter Cup. “It really was a great thrill for us,” Wilson enthused. “I held my breath a wee bit as he came down the straight, it’s been a bit of a trick of his to...

Proposed drinking water regulations seminar on Wednesday

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is inviting industry members to join Federated Farmers for an exclusive presentation on the proposed human drinking water regulations. Federated Farmers Regional Policy Group Manager Dr Paul Le Miere will present the facts linked to legislation for those providing consumable water to others. Proposed changes to the National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water will affect most land owners and users, including fa...

Lord Darci breaks Canterbury hoodoo in Winter Cup

A rails-hugging ride by Terry Moseley paved the way for local runner Lord Darci to break a 22-year hoodoo for local Canterbury stables when he took out the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 125th Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday. Bred, raced and trained by former All Black Bevan Wilson and his wife Robyn, the five-year-old son of Darci Brahma turned the tables on his last-start conqueror Summer Festival as he out-finished the former Italian Derby winner to win going away by two lengths ...

Waikato branch stallion parade

The annual Waikato stallion tour, organised by the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and sponsored by gavelhouse.com, will take place on Saturday August 20 and Sunday August 21, with all welcome. Saturday August 20th 10.00amStud: Mapperley StudAddress: 107 Matai Road, MatamataStallions: Armory, Complacent, Contributer, Savile Row, Vespa and Puccini 11.15amStud: Waikato Stud (lunch provided)Address: 521 Tower Road, MatamataStallions: Ardrossan, Banquo, Noverre...

Vale Alan Burnet

Alan Burnet was an extraordinary man who lived an extraordinary life according to many who crossed his path both professionally and socially during his long life. A great man who was highly respected in every field he was in, Burnet died peacefully in Whanganui in late July at the grand old age of 101. Born in Whanganui in 1921 and educated at Whanganui Collegiate before taking a job at the Whanganui Hospital as a clerk and training to be an accountant in the late 1930’s. World War II saw him ...

Tittletattle adds to Frizzell’s season of highlights

Jovial Hawkes Bay racing identity Johnny Frizzell has always been a fan of jumps horses, right from the time he was a youngster competing in the show ring. It’s therefore no surprise that racing and breeding Tittletattle, the upset winner of last Saturday’s Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase, was a great thrill.   “She’s a little beauty isn’t she?” enthused Frizzell, who bred the Faltaat mare with his late wife Jan and is now a small shareholder in the Chase A Fox Racing Syn...

Miss Chrissie crosses the Tasman

Promising Per Incanto 3-year-old filly Mrs Chrissie has transferred to Melbourne trainer Ciaron Maher for her future racing following two gallant runs at Caulfield this month. After nearly 4 months between races, at her second start Mrs Chrissie ran a fresh up 4th at Caufield on 9 July in the Neds Bet Live 3yold fillies Handicap over 1100m. Back on 11th March, when on debut for Mornington trainer Paul Rocke, Mrs Chrissie put on an emphatic display of speed at Cranbourne, winning on a good ...

Goodwin in the spotlight as Verry Elleegant honoured at Breeders’ Awards

It’s fair to say Auckland-based breeder Don Goodwin has loved every minute of breeding and owning a champion racehorse. The octogenarian stole the show at Saturday night’s National Breeding Awards, sponsored by AGrowQuip, where his star mare Verry Elleegant was named the Seton Otway Horse of the Year, while her dam Opulence shared the honours for Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year with Galileo mare Baggy Green. For good measure, Goodwin was also named New Zealand Small Breeder of the Year. A...