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Pinn claims Auckland Cup aboard Uareastar

Apprentice Wiremu Pinn added another highlight to his burgeoning riding career when he produced a daring ride aboard Marton visitor Uareastar (Jakkalberry x Enchanteress) to take out the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie. Pinn, who has had a chequered-start to his apprenticeship and only recently returned from a lengthy suspension, had registered his first Group One victory just last month when guiding Mascarpone to victory in the Gr.1 El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic (1600m) a...

Mascot continues to fly

Trainer Tom Dabernig will play the patient game with in-form mare Flying Mascot (Tavistock x Lucky Mascot) who scored yet another impressive win at Flemington on Saturday. The four-year-old daughter of Tavistock landed her third win at Group Three level when she took out the Matron Stakes (1600m) on Saturday to go with her victory second-up in the Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 26. Given a perfect ride by Blaike McDougall, Flying Mascot scored a widening two length win from G...

Stockman scores Sky High Stakes

While the NZ suffix was dominating the Flemington card on Saturday, Stockman (Tavistock x Crimson) made sure there was plenty of Kiwi flavour at Rosehill when winning the Gr.3 Sky High Stakes (2000m). The widest on the track turning for home, Stockman was able to rally and wear down his rivals and kicked on for a half-length victory over Mount Popa (Maxios), with a further 2-1/4 lengths back to Great House (Galileo) in third. The Heavy9 track conditions suited the wet track specialist down ...

Roch ’N’ Horse stuns in Newmarket triumph

Kiwi raider Roch ’N’ Horse (Per Incanto x Rochfort) made a mockery of those who dismissed the form of New Zealand sprinters, getting under punters’ guards in her stunning 100-1 victory in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday. Sporting the colours of Little Avondale Stud, the lightly-raced daughter of Per Incanto had raced without luck in a pair of recent New Zealand Group One assignments and the trans-Tasman stable of Michael Moroney and Matamata training partner P...

Moroney pleased with Book 2 purchases

International bloodstock agent Paul Moroney was unable to attend last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in the flesh, but he was pleased to be back this year as the border opened up to Kiwis returning home. After purchasing 11 yearlings out of the Book 1 session, Moroney was active again in the Book 2 session on Thursday, securing a handful of yearlings, including two six-figure purchases. Moroney went to $110,000 to purchase lot 690, the Time Test colt out of HGT Bloodstock...

Vadamos popular on opening day of Book 2

Rich Hill Stud stallion Vadamos provided two of the star turns during the opening day of the Book 2 session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales at Karaka on Thursday. With the oldest New Zealand crop of the son of internationally acclaimed sire Monsun just three-year-olds and featuring horses of the calibre of multiple stakes winner and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up La Crique, the progeny of Vadamos are well in demand as evidenced by his results at Karaka so far this...

Breeders hoping for magic result in Oaks

At only her fifth start Bellatrix Black (Redwood [GB]- Dark Arts) took out the Gr.3 McKee Family Sunline Stakes much to the delight of her owner/breeders Dave McKerchar and Janet Alexander. The Catherine Cameron trained filly burst through late to grab the win on the line in the 2100m event, indicating that the extra distance of 300m in the upcoming 2400m Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks will be right up her alley. The daughter of Redwood made her debut in late December with a fas...

Muollo rapt with Staphanos’ reception at Karaka

Novara Park principal Luigi Muollo is over the moon with the debut performance of his stallion Staphanos at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka this week. Muollo offered three fillies by the sire in the Book 1 session of the sale, with two exceeding the $200,000 mark. Lot 32, the half-sister to Group Three performer Explosively, was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $200,000, while trainer Chris Waller purchased lot 234, the half-sister to Derby hero Explosiv...

Pierro colt attracts plenty of attention late

The fireworks continued late on day three at Karaka when returning buyer Kevin Walls fought off the attention of an international audience to secure a Pierro colt that had plenty of admirers keen to secure him. Consigned by Cambridge Stud as Lot 621, the colt is the second foal out of the British-bred mare Subatomic, who is a half-sister to international stakes performers Worldly, Nice Danon and Donativum. The athletic colt strolled around the Karaka ring without a care in the world as a host of...

Emotional James sets the early pace on Day three at Karaka

It took trainer Roger James several moments to compose himself after he set the auction ring alight at Karaka on Wednesday when he went to $900,000 to secure a ‘once in a lifetime’ colt at the National Yearling Sale. One of the most experienced and respected judges of young horseflesh in the country had never before ventured into the rarified air that surrounds a yearling of the calibre of Lot 508, the colt from the first crop of champion Australian three-year-old The Autumn Sun out of the M...

Ellis buys ‘filly of the decade’

Te Akau principal David Ellis has bought plenty of quality fillies at Karaka over the years, so it was a bold statement when he labelled lot 410, the Fastnet Rock full-sister to Group One winner Unforgotten, as the best filly he has seen at New Zealand Bloodstock’s sales venue in a decade. “I have been coming and buying yearlings here since 1988 and definitely in the last five to 10 years I haven’t seen a filly of more quality or athleticism, and we were determined to buy her at any cost,�...

South Island success at Karaka

There were smiles, handshakes and even a few tears of joy on the afternoon of the second day of the National Yearling Sale at Karaka when a pair of South Island breeding operations struck gold with youngsters from their respective drafts. North Canterbury-based Beaufort Downs is an up and comer at Karaka, with this the fourth year they have presented a draft of yearlings and it was Lot 299, a No Nay Never colt from European mare Highly Valued that provided them with the highest price they have a...

Derby victors go back to Karaka well

The pairing that bought last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Asterix went back to the Karaka well on Tuesday to try and replicate their success. Bloodstock agent Bruce Perry went to $450,000 to secure Asterix out of Curraghmore’s 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft for owner Sam Kelt and struck gold in the $1 million feature at Ellerslie on the weekend. Buoyed by that success, the pair went back to Karaka this week to try and find their next Derby contender a...

O’Sullivan and Scott in the thick of the day two action at Karaka

Fresh from their stunning Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) triumph at Ellerslie on Saturday, Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were back in the limelight at Karaka on Tuesday. The pair purchased three individuals on the first day of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale and midway through the second day of selling had added two more youngsters to their haul including Lot 303, the US Navy Flag colt out of Fastnet Rock mare Honfleur from the Valachi Downs draft. The colt comes from a s...

The King reigns supreme at Karaka

Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis continued his domination of the auction ring at Karaka once again on the first day of the 2022 edition of the National Yearling Sale. Ellis, who has been crowned leading buyer at Karaka for more than a decade, struck early in proceedings picking up 12 of the first 100 lots offered including Lot 10, the Savabeel colt out of O’Reilly mare Thee Achiever offered through the Milan Park draft for $575,000 along with Lot 67, the Tavistock colt from Zabeel mare Ziffel fo...

Forsman invests in his future at Karaka

After a frustrating day of being an underbidder, Andrew Forsman finally got the filly he wanted at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale. The Cambridge trainer had put a $600,000 price on lot 217, the Snitzel filly out of Group One performer Eleonora, when inspecting Blandford Lodge’s draft, and that is exactly what he paid for the regally-bred filly at Karaka on Monday. Forsman trained her dam in partnership with Murray Baker, which gave added sentiment to the purchase. “She is ...

Waikato Stud hit million-dollar milestone at Karaka

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick was beaming after reaching the $1 million mark for a Waikato Stud bred and consigned yearling for the second time at Karaka. Chittick had just seen the full-brother to Group One winner Mo’unga knocked down to the $1 million bid of Kacy Fogden who came out on top of a spirited bidding duel with Te Akau principal David Ellis, for the Savabeel colt, Lot 161 from the Waikato Stud draft. “That is our second $1 million sale after the Savabeel ex Make A Wish col...

Mo’unga’s brother tops Day One at Karaka

There was a big smile on the face of the team at Waikato Stud as they watched the full-brother to Group One winner Mo’unga hit seven figures at Karaka on Monday. The Savabeel colt, lot 161, was expected to attract plenty of interest after the deeds of his Group One winning sibling on the track, with the level of interest being realised in the ring. Kacy Fogden went toe-to-toe with Te Akau principal David Ellis, but it was the representative of Tony Fung who came out on top with her final bid o...

Australian interest high early on Day One at Karaka

Australian interest in the quality New Zealand horseflesh on offer during the New Zealand National Yearling Sale was high early on the first day of selling with many familiar names featuring on the results page. Agents representing trainers such as Chris Waller, Danny O’Brien, Henry Dwyer and John O’Shea were all part of the early buying action, however, it was Tony Fung who headed the pack under his TFI banner as his on-site representative Kacy Fogden went to $425,000 to secure Lot 18, a Lo...

Excitement building at Karaka for Koru Thoroughbreds

Koru Thoroughbreds are gearing up for a busy week at Karaka where they will offer 13 yearlings at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales. Farm principals Kevin and Julie Taylor are heading to the South Auckland sales venue for the fifth time under their Koru Thoroughbreds banner and they are looking forward to seeing how the sale unfolds. “As a breeder we have been coming for about 25 years, but in our own right we have been coming for five years,” Kevin Taylor said. “Our draft...

Huge week looms for head of Haunui

With Karaka 2022 sandwiched between two stellar days of racing at Ellerslie, Mark Chitty is set to be a very busy man over the next 10 days. Chitty is the managing director of Haunui Farm, who will offer another quality consignment of 27 yearlings in Book 1 and 35 in Book 2. But he is also the deputy chairman of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, who are staging the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Saturday and the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) the following Sunday. “It’s...

Savabeel at the peak of his powers in Karaka countdown

Waikato Stud’s seven leading vendor titles at Karaka since 2014 have been underpinned by relentless demand for the progeny of Savabeel, and the all-conquering sire’s remarkable run of racetrack results this season has the respected nursery confident of another big sale in 2022. A permanent fixture at the top of Karaka’s leading sires by aggregate since 2014, Savabeel continues to go from strength to strength and boasts statistics this season that tower over all others on both sides of the ...

Karaka 2022 ready to kick into action

A steady influx of ex-pat Kiwi trainers and Bloodstock Agents that have arrived at the Karaka sales complex in the past 24 hours has put a bigger smile on the face of New Zealand Bloodstock Director of Sales, Danny Rolston. The easing of border restrictions that allow offshore-based Kiwi’s to return home without having to undergo a COVID isolation period has provided a timely boost to the prospects of another bumper edition of the National Yearling Sale that kicks off at Karaka at 11am on Mond...

Japanese Encephalitis

Japanese Encephalitis is endemic throughout SE Asia but in Australia, usually found only in northern Queensland (Torres Strait) and potentially due to wet summer conditions, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has been detected in piggeries in NSW, southern Queensland and northern Victoria.  JE is transmissible to horses and humans, via certain genus of mosquito.  While chronic illness from infection is rare, the disease is potentially fatal and is therefore a concern.   Australia’s...

Syndication a winner for Little Avondale

Syndication is proving an invaluable tool in aiding Little Avondale Stud’s ongoing commitment to build on the quality of its broodmare band. The Bjorn Baker-trained Belluci Babe is the latest success story for the Masterton farm following the dependable five-year-old’s victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m) at Randwick. Belluci Babe never saw an auction ring and was syndicated with the aim of adding race performance to her pedigree, as was Roch ‘N’ Horse, also by stud r...