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NZTBA Members will come together for Group One Day

The Gr.1 Fiber Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) Day at Te Aroha on April 6 represents the perfect opportunity for members of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and their friends and budding breeders to get together. “The Breeders’ Stakes has a great history being the only Group One race restricted to fillies and mares,” Association President John Thompson said. “It always attracts a very good field and has been won by some great mares that have had grea...

Furore extends NZ's record in the Hong Kong Derby

The Frankie Lor-trained Furore continued New Zealand’s stellar record in the HK$18million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) when he took out the Classic race at Sha Tin on Sunday. Bred in New Zealand by Jonathan Munz under his GSA Bloodstock banner, Furore was born and raised at Haunui Farm and stud principal Mark Chitty said it was a great result for the farm and New Zealand. “It was a good result for the farm, but a great result for the industry in New Zealand, extending our record in the race (winn...

Rich Hill bred takes Gr.2 Adelaide Cup

Monday’s Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) winner Surprise Baby has provided a stunning return on investment for connections of the Kiwi stayer, who purchased the son of Shocking for just $5,500 from online auction gavelhouse.com as an unraced three-year-old. The Paul Preusker-trained four-year-old has proved a revelation, winning four of his six starts and becomes the seventh stakes winner for Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking, who also sired last year’s Adelaide Cup winner Fanatic, the Group One wi...

Breeders' Stakes victory a lifetime high for McCarthy

Years of involvement in racing and breeding balanced by significant input to industry administration were rewarded when the Greg McCarthy-owned and bred filly Aretha won last Saturday’s $100,000 J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes. McCarthy approached the Group Two race with an open mind, well aware of the strength of the opposition for New Zealand’s most prestigious race for two-year-old fillies but also daring to hope Aretha was up to the occasion. “You can never be too confi...

Paul’s Princess getting Group rewards

Things haven’t always gone to plan with Princess Kereru (NZ) (Pins) but they seem to be working out just fine now. The recent Gr.3 Waikato Stud Plate (1200m) winner was bred by Paul Humphries and his sons Kevan, Richard and Michael with the intention to sell her at auction as a yearling. “We bred Princess Kereru to sell at Karaka," Humphries said."She was slightly offset in one of her knees and was not a big filly as a yearling. “Wayne (Larsen of Te Runga Stud), who has been a great mento...

G1 ​Breeders’ Stakes set for its 48th running

This year the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) will be run for the 48th time. The Fibre Fresh-sponsored feature, which each year attracts a strong field of quality sprinter/miler female racehorses, will be run at Te Aroha’s April 6 meeting and is an opportunity for members of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Association to get together at the annual Waikato Branch organised event. “The Breeders’ Stakes has a great history being the only Group One race restricte...

Scholarship Blog: Ryan Stacey at the Irish National Stud

As I arrived in Dublin after a surprisingly straightforward 24-hour trip, I was welcomed by Jerry who works at the Irish National Stud. He was there to pick up myself and 2 other students, Jock Ferguson (AUS) and Fabian Puchta (GER). A lovely overcast day and a crisp southerly met us as we walked out of the airport. Lucky I had prepared for it. After a 45-minute drive were at the Irish National Stud. Most people had arrived already, so it was time to do the meet and greet with the other students...

Magic twenty fours hours for Windsor Park

Saturday’s victory by Aretha in the Gr.2 J Swap Contractors Ltd Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) brought double delight for well-known Cambridge-based breeding operation Windsor Park Stud. The victory carried dual significance for Windsor Park as the Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained filly became both the first Southern Hemisphere winner for shuttle stallion, Charm Spirit as well as his first at stakes level in this part of the world. Aretha is from the first New Zealand crop of the son...

Glory Days and the Hunt factor

Over the past month Glory Days (Red Giant[USA]-Bilancia), On The Rocks (Alamosa- Cold Shoulder), and He Kin Fly (Darci Brahma – Shi Kin Fly) have all won black type races, however that’s not all they have in common, their common denominator is the involvement in their breeding by Graeme Hunt. Trading as Cambridge Hunt Limited, Hunt a member of the Wellington branch of the NZTBA, currently owns the dams of Glory Days and On The Rocks, and bred He Kin Fly. Regardless it has been an exciting an...

Beauty Generation - what a star for the New Zealand breeding industry

New Zealand-bred gelding Beauty Generation flattened all-comers again at Sha on Sunday as Hong Kong’s champion bagged a sixth career Group One success in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m). “It’s just a repeat of what he’s been doing all season,” trainer John Moore said. Hong Kong’s equal highest-rated (127) horse of all-time had just taken his season’s tally to an impeccable six from six. “Everyone’s had a go at beating him,” Moore said. “The little bit of hype arou...

Hooked on a yearling

Pinhooking is a notoriously tough game but Windsor Park Stud’s Yearling Manager Alice Berry is doing her best to turn it into a profitable past-time. In 2018 English-born Berry owned a small share in a Shamexpress colt that went through the Inglis Classic Sale in Sydney, the proceeds of which allowed her to select another prospect for the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales. Berry, who had run the Windsor Park Stud Foaling Unit for three seasons before heading the yearling crew in 2018,...

Treasure find for Cambridge Breeder

Cambridge based breeder Sue Westend, was devastated when she lost her mare My Amnesia (AUS) {Elvstroem[AUS]-Attire[AUS]) foaling in 2015, and vowed to get herself another mare from that family. “My Amnesia was a half-sister to the former champion Australian two-year-old Fashions Afield ( Redoute’s Choice[AUS]-Attire[AUS]),” Westend said, “and I said to Peter when we lost her that I would love to get back into that family.” It took a wee while but scrolling through the Gavelhouse websit...

Dream week for Canterbury breeders

Canterbury based breeder Cheryl Wilson is this week trying to catch her breath after a whirl wind week of racing and yearling sales. Wilson and her partner Bruce Sheat, members of the Canterbury, Westland, Marlborough and Otago branch of the NZTBA, have just had a week that breeders often dream about. Successfully selling yearlings and breeding stakes performers. And it all stems from their Hussonet (USA) mare Steel Stilettos (AUS), who produced Air Max the winner of the Listed Dunedin Guineas,...

NZTR Venue Plan Consultation

The NZTR Venue Plan consultation document was released on 29 January 2019 and is available for viewing here Feedback on this document is due by 19 March 2019 and can be sent to venues@nztr.co.nz or via post toc/o Office of CEO, 106-110 Jackson Street, Petone, Wellington 5012. NZTR CEO Bernard Saundry will be meeting with clubs at the following times and venues over the coming weeks and NZTBA members are welcome to attend:• Tuesday 12 February, Christchurch 9am-12noon; Dunedin, 3pm-5.30pm• Fr...

Mare delivers Kind Return

As the dust settles on the Book 1 action at Karaka the Drought family are reflecting on a sale that completes a plan instigated by their mother two years ago. Lot 134, a Tavistock colt out of the Group One placed Zabeel mare Kind Return was consigned by Woburn Farm on behalf of Nigel Drought and his sisters Casey and Sarah. Their mother Gail Drought, who was an important part of the racing fraternity in Taranaki for many years, passed away in 2016 after a long battle with cancer. “Kind Return ...

Haunui Farm initiative reaps reward for staff

There were shrieks of delight, gasps of disbelief and tears of joy from some of the staff at Haunui Farm as Lot 854 a colt by Showcasing (GB) from Party Lights went through the ring late on the first session of Book Two at the NZB sale at Karaka. The reason being that eleven full time staff members who have been employees of the stud for the last 18 months or so were the shareholders in the well sought after colt, who was knocked down to Liam Birchley for $160,000. The staff members ranging from...

NZTBA Breeders Bulletin Summer Edition

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Gorbachev Wellington Cup win a great thrill for breeder and part-owner

Days after the Gr.3 Wellington Cup win by Gorbachev (Gorky Park – Gimmeawink[AUS]) the enormity of it all is starting to sink in for his breeder and part-owner Kevin O’Donnell. “It was a great thrill, it wasn’t until I thought about it when I got home, that it started to sink in,” O’Donnell a member of the Central Districts branch of the NZTBA said. “Everything happens so quickly at the time, I was worried about having to make a speech, and I didn’t want to make a fool of myself....

Will 2019 be a watershed year for our industry?

This time last year industry stakeholders were looking forward to the Minister for Racing Winston Peters opening the Karaka Sales Series and delivering a good news speech. It didn’t happen in January, but in late April he announced that John Messara would conduct a review of the industry and in September we were presented with his findings and recommendations. The review certainly ruffled feathers and the fallout resulted in some 1600 submissions being presented to the Department of Internal A...

Garry Chittick bred Madison County takes second Group One

Tough-as-teak three-year-old Madison County became a dual Group One winner when he overcame some home-straight difficulties to take out the Gr.1 Fusion Electrical Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Pins gelding had been unsighted on a race-track since his barn-storming finish to claim the Gr.1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton back in November. Carrying the familiar colours of owner, the China Horse Club, Madison County was sent out...

Probabeel wins Pearl Bonus and races to Karaka Million Favoritism

The intrigue around the upcoming Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) took another twist at Ellerslie on Sunday where exciting filly Probabeel laid claim to the favourite’s tag for the rich two-year-old dash on January 26. The Brendan and Jo Lindsay-owned Savabeel youngster launched a devastating late sprint to take out the NZB Insurance Pearl Series sponsored 1200m contest, in the process downing stablemate Yourdeel, also a Karaka Million candidate. Trained by Jamie Richards from his Matamata base, Pro...

Vale John Costello

A true gentleman of the turf, is how New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame’s chairman Chris Luoni described eminent racing journalist John Costello who passed away this week. That is a sentiment shared by probably everyone who crossed the path of John Bernard Costello, who for the past 60 years has written about his passion the thoroughbred, and with such tremendous passion. Perhaps never more so than the last column he penned for The Informant the week he died, signing off with his career highlight...

Auckland Branch NZTBA Maija Vance Fundraiser

Earlier in the week injured jockey Maija Vance and her faithful dog Toro visited Haunui Farm, where the Auckland branch of the NZTBA presented her with a cheque for just over $7800. It was wonderful to see a determined Maija who suffered a broken back in a fall at Rotorua in September managing on a walker not in a wheel chair when she arrived at for her presentation. She has had two rods and a number of plates inserted in her back to support the five vertebrae she damaged in her spine and preven...

Yearling Parades Auckland and Waikato

Stuart Hale's annual Auckland/Waikato Yearling Inspection Tour will take place from Sunday 6th January to Friday 11th January. The tour enables prospective purchasers to inspect yearlings catalogued for the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series, which commences on Sunday 27th January. All are welcome for this free tour, with a bus departing from the Cambridge BP (98 Victoria Street, Cambridge) on a daily basis. To confirm your attendance and for further enquiries contact Stuart H...

Beauty Generation - the best miler in the world

Beauty Generation is being hailed as the best miler in the world, following his outstanding victory in the Gr.1 HKJC Longines Hong Kong Mile recently. In Twittersphere he is being touted as the best miler to come out of New Zealand since the mighty Sunline! The six-year-old Road To Rock (AUS) gelding has now won 13 races, eight of which have been over 1600 metres, three of which have been at group one level, and two at group two. He has also won twice over 1400 metres at group three level. He wa...