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Waikato Stud named Breeder of the Year

Following a stellar season from horses carrying the iconic WS brand, Waikato Stud has been announced as the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year for the 2020-21 season. It is the eighth time the Chittick family operation has received this prestigious award and they are once again amazed and humbled by the honour. “Obviously we are very proud to get the award again and we are honoured and very pleased,” Waikato Stud proprietor Mark Chittick said. “To get four Group One wi...

Consultation is open on New Requirements for Importing Horses into New Zealand

MPI have notified the public that they are seeking feedback on their amendments to the import health standard (IHS) for horses with a specific focus on equine piroplasmosis. Their amendment is now available for external consultation. Please see the following weblink on the MPI consultation website: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations/ The direct link is: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/amendment-to-equine-piroplasmosis-measures-for-importing-horses The consul...

International campaign could see Verry Elleegant offered to Northern Hemisphere Market

Jomara Bloodstock partners vow to stick to plan to put ten-time Group 1 winner to auction. A planned European racing campaign next year for reigning Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) champion Verry Elleegant (Zed), possibly culminating in a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m), could open up the door for the brilliant New Zealand-bred mare to be sold at auction in the northern hemisphere.  Jomara Bloodstock’s John Carter, a key figure in the ownership group behind the Chris Wal...

NZB pitches sale bubble proposal to Govt

The completion of the DoubleTree By Hilton Karaka hotel couldn’t come at a better time for New Zealand Bloodstock. Located at their Karaka sales complex, the hotel is set to open in February next year, just weeks before the delayed New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale Series, which will run from March 7-12. While New Zealand citizens will be able to return home for the sale from mid-January after a seven-day home isolation period, fully vaccinated foreigners won’t be able to enter t...

Zola Express wins Wanganui Cup

Underrated New Plymouth mare Zola Express captured the biggest win of her burgeoning career when she claimed the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m). The Janelle Millar-trained five-year-old has struck a purple patch of form since commencing her latest campaign, winning her first two starts this season before not having much luck in her next two races before Saturday’s contest. Millar legged aboard lightweight jockey Chris Dell for his first ride on the mare on Saturday, who ca...

Picket fence continues for exciting Pareanui Bay

Exciting three-year-old Pareanui Bay made it three wins from three starts when he took out the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m) on Saturday at Te Aroha. The Tony Pike-trained Lonhro gelding hadn’t been seen since recording a stunning win in the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa last month and was sent out a dominant $1.90 favourite on the strength of that performance and a strong midweek trial. Rider Michael McNab had the long-striding individual...

Dragon Storm swoops to land Sandown Cup

Kiwi stayer Dragon Storm came from last to land the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday under a well-timed Blaike McDougall ride. The son of Shocking had won last season’s Gr.3 New Zealand Cup for Chris Gibbs and transferred to Mike Moroney’s Flemington stable after an unplaced effort in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m). The seven-year-old gelding’s three runs leading into Saturday’s triumph had been less than inspiring, with Moroney resorting to training the ...

Polly is a Cracker

Seven-year-old mare Polly Grey landed her fourth stakes race when successful in Saturday’s Listed ATC Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday, lumping a clear topweight of 59kgs on the Heavy track. The daughter of Azamour has a liking for rain-affected ground and handled the rise in distance from 1400m fresh-up to 2000m with aplomb, scoring a comfortable win under James McDonald. Prepared by Chris Waller for her New Zealand owners, the champion trainer joked that a pep-talk from a star stablemate...

Savabeel colt impresses in Sandown Guineas triumph

Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr have posted their first Group winner from their new stables at Cranbourne after Blue Army proved too classy for his rivals to win the Gr.2 Sandown Guineas (1600m). The three-year-old feature was contested at Caulfield for the first time, the base Price and Kent had previously called home prior to its closure as a training centre during the week, with plans afoot by the club for a second turf track for racing purposes and a host of commercial developments. ...

Double celebrations for Rose 'N' Power camp

Cambridge trainers Fred and Lindsay Cornege celebrated a personal milestone in style on Thursday when their game mare Rose 'N' Power (Power-Diamond Rose (Danroad)) landed the Listed Courtesy Ford Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. The four-year-old mare has now won four races in succession and ticked the black-type box, giving further cause for celebration for the Corneges who were celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary. Noted on-pacer Rose 'N' Power wasn’t as quickly away as usual but muster...

Favoured family delivers feature win

Time and patience has been a good friend to Reliable Team (Reliable Man [GB] - Stella Doro) and that was rewarded with a stylish win in the Gr.2 HKJC The BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) on Sunday. At six years of age, the lofty grey gelding improved on his last start third in the Gr.3 HKJC Ladies Purse (1800m) to record his seventh win in a career that spans four years. During that time, he has also run second in the Gr.3 HKJC Premier Plate (1800m) and third in the Gr.3 HKJC Queen Mother Memorial ...

NZTR COVID UPDATE

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Levante back in style with Counties Bowl victory

Class galloper Levante once again showed just what a talent she is when she when she made it back-to-back victories in the Listed Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m) on Saturday. Last year the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare had set tongues wagging when she scorched home from last on the turn at Pukekohe to win the Listed race with ease carrying 53kgs. Twelve months on and with two further black-type wins under her belt, along with a Group One placing in the Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie, th...

Ballarat Cup triumph for in-form Zayydani

Five-year-old mare Zayydani has been one of the flagbearers for the training talents of Ben and JD Hayes, and the daughter of Savabeel continued her winning ways when a gritty winner of the A$500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday. The Hayes brothers, who are forging a career in their own right after their father David relocated to Hong Kong and former training partner Tom Dabernig went solo, have a soft spot for the mare, who was the first winner for the partnership and also the first ...

Bosson magic secures stakes victory for Showoroses

Another magical ride by Opie Bosson saw gritty mare Showoroses secure her third career stakes victory when she held out all challengers to win the Gr.2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa. The Joanne Surgenor-trained five-year-old had enjoyed a purple patch of form at this time of the season last year, finishing second in the 2020 edition of the race before going on to win the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) and Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at her next two star...

Western Empire reigns supreme in Railway

The combination of trainers Grant and Alana Williams, jockey William Pike and leviathan owners Bob and Sandra Peters were to the fore again in this year’s Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m) when Western Empire became the fourth successive winner of the famed Perth race for the unstoppable partnership. The classy New Zealand bred four-year-old stalked the speed and enjoyed a trouble-free passage under Pike and blew his rivals away when asked for an effort, cruising to the line a four-length winner fro...

Western Empire another Australian star for Iffraaj

With his final southern hemisphere yearlings set to go through sale rings in early 2022, former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Iffraaj is back in the Group One spotlight in Australia. His exciting son Western Empire was sent out as a $1.60 favourite for Saturday’s Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot – the shortest price in the 134-year history of the Perth showpiece. He lived right up to those big expectations, exploding out of midfield and streaking away to win by four lengths. Trained by Gr...

Unique Ready to Run Sale Defies Odds

Momentum continued on the final day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2021 Ready to Run Sale off the back of a positive first day, with a strong market demanding quality juveniles that fetched significant price tags. NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was jubilant over the efforts of the auction house, consignors and agents. “This is a culmination of a huge effort from all industry participants.” “The consignors provided an exceptional level of service this year, not only with the sta...

Australian big hitters land their pick at Te Rapa

Prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir is hoping he has landed another Group One star after he shelled out $640,000 for what his judges deemed the best colt at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale. Group 1 Bloodstock’s Mathew Becker identified lot 195, the Pierro colt out of Group Three performer Mary Lou, as his pick of the sale and after submitting his finding to Kheir, the Australian property magnate was eager to acquire him from the draft of Riversley Park. “We thought he was the...

Sacred Falls colt headed to Baker’s Sydney stable

A son of the late Sacred Falls will be chasing the lucrative prizemoney on offer in Sydney following his sale to Australian interests on the closing day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale on Thursday afternoon. The colt drew an opening bid of $200,000 and fierce competition followed before he was knocked down for $600,000 to the New South Wales pairing of Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker and Group 1 Bloodstock. Presented as Lot 218, the youngster boasts a deep and successful pedigre...

Yiu digs deep for quality colts

Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu and New Zealand-based bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne have teamed up once again to secure a couple of colts at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa this week. On Wednesday, the opening day of the sale, the pair went to $320,000 to secure lot 103, the Capitalist colt out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft, while a day later they went to $400,000 to purchase lot 238, the Deep Field colt out of Riversley Park’s draft. Hawthorne said he has done a fair amou...

McEvoy makes successful play for Almanzor colt

Multiple Group One-winning Australian trainer Tony McEvoy made an early impact on the opening day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa on Wednesday when he secured a handsome son of Almanzor. McEvoy combined with bloodstock agent Bevan Smith, who was on site, to purchase Lot 12 from the draft of Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park for $330,000. He had breezed up in 10.68s. The son of the Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion is out of the winning Guillotine mare Tricoteuse, whose dam ...

Deep Field colt Hong Kong bound

There was a flurry of action at Te Rapa on Wednesday when lot 44 came into the virtual sales ring at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale. Offered through Riversley Park’s draft, the Deep Field colt had breezed in a time of 10.80 seconds, gaining the interest of a number of prospective buyers. When the dust settled it was Hong Kong trainer Jimmy Ting who came out on top, with his bid of $470,000 securing the sought-after colt. The colt is out of Pins mare Bang On, whose dam is Group On...

Rich Etiquette at Te Rapa

David Ellis is no stranger to the top end of the buyers sheet at a New Zealand Bloodstock sale, and he found himself there once again on Wednesday when purchasing the top lot on day one of their Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa. Caught in a bidding duel with bloodstock agent Bryce Tankard and an online bidder, Ellis was adamant he was going to secure lot 107, the Savabeel colt out of Etiquette, a full-sister to multiple Group One winner and ill-fated Waikato Stud stallion Sacred Falls. The bids quic...

First winner for Puccini

Mapperley Stud stallion Puccini sired his first winner at Rotorua on Tuesday when Giacomo won the Lance Lawson (1560m) for trainer Peter McKay. It was fitting that Puccini’s first winner was trained by McKay, with the Matamata horseman overseeing his racing career, where he won eight races including the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m). It was Giacomo’s third raceday start on Tuesday and he relished the step up in distance and the firmer track on offer at Rotorua...