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Kiwi horse the talk of the town

A Kiwi horse with humble breeding is starting to make waves in Australia. Cross Talk, a son of Keano, recorded his fifth win and first at stakes level in the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. “He is an exciting galloper,” Bott told RSN. “He has probably progressed through the grades a little bit quicker than I anticipated. We didn’t originally have him down to run in stakes grade just yet but with the change in the weath...

Chitty recognised for industry contribution

Mark Chitty credits his parents and his biggest veterinarian mentor as key figures in his efforts to improve the lot of New Zealand racing through voluntary work. The head of Haunui Farm was recognised at the weekend for his years of work in the thoroughbred industry by being bestowed the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s Personality of the Year Award to recognise his outstanding contribution to the industry. The list of organisations that Chitty has been part of is a long one...

Stellar season for Almanzor

Almanzor had New Zealand first season sire honours in safe keeping some months ago before he was officially bestowed the prestigious title at the season’s close.He claimed the crown with unsurpassed progeny earnings for a freshman stallion and to cap a sparkling start to his career also earned the Champion Two-Year-Old title.The son of Wootton Bassett enjoyed a multiple Group One-winning career on the racetrack and has quickly turned stallion potential into performance with his first crop of A...

Vadamos crowned champion second season sire

Rich Hill Stud stallion Vadamos saw off a quality line-up to be crowned New Zealand’s Champion Second Season Sire.The Monsun entire was part of a strong intake of stallions to the New Zealand market in 2017 and Rich Hill Stud Managing Director John Thompson has been pleased with the success his shuttle stallion has achieved.“It was such a good intake of stallions that year with the likes of Tarzino, with his couple of Group One winners in Australia (Gypsy Goddess and Jungle Magnate), Tivaci,...

Waikato Stud named Breeder of the Year while Savabeel dominates yet again

Outstanding stallion Savabeel’s dominance has translated into yet another clean sweep of stallion titles for the 2021/22 season, headlined by an eighth consecutive Grosvenor Award as Champion New Zealand Sire.Waikato Stud’s superstar resident also claimed his seventh Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings and sixth Dewar Award for combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings, while the late O’Reilly, also a lynchpin of the Matamata nursery, claimed another Champion Broodmare...

Time Test’s Rocchigiani lands Goodwood Group Three

Little Avondale Stud stallion Time Test enjoyed another good result in the northern hemisphere as German Guineas runner-up Rocchigiani showed his class to land the Gr.3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (1600m) at Goodwood. Last term's Gr. 3 Zukunfts Rennen (1400m) victor, who ran fifth in the Gr. 3 Jersey Stakes (1400m) at Royal Ascot last time, was positioned in second as Norway's Norsk 2000 Guineas hero Hotline Bling established a clear lead through halfway in an international affair.The well-...

2022 Irish National Stud Recipient - George Chittick

George Chittick talks about his time at the Irish National Stud on the Keith and Faith Taylor Family Trust Scholarship....

Early Haunui arrival doing well

Mother Nature works to its own timeframe and Haunui Farm was swiftly in sync to welcome an unexpected arrival this week and lavish the early comer with special treatment. Breeding is an inexact science and the Karaka nursery was ahead of the game to be ready and waiting for the safe delivery of a healthy and happy daughter of young boom sire Almanzor. The filly was the first of up to 150 to be foaled at the farm when she was born on Tuesday afternoon with mother Respect and daughter doing just f...

Breeders backing mental health

Mental health has become a growing concern in New Zealand and the New Zealand breeding industry is doing their bit to try and address the issue. As part of the AGrowQuip National Breeding Awards on Saturday, the Waikato Branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association are holding an auction to raise money for a number of mental health initiatives the association is introducing. “Mental health and wellbeing in our industry is something we think needs to be addressed,” Waikato Br...

Breeders set to celebrate success at national awards

Thoroughbred breeders from around the country will gather at the Sir Don Rowlands Event Centre at Karapiro on Saturday for the much-anticipated National Breeding Awards.For the last two years the awards, sponsored this year by AGrowQuip, have been without a public celebration, now finally the recipients can be honoured by their peers.Amongst the awards to be presented are the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year Award, the Broodmare of the Year Award sponsored by Arion Pedigree...

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)...