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Blue hen broodmare Bohemian Blues continues to deliver

A recent mid-week meeting at Counties produced two smart three-year-old maiden winners, Musical Blues and Vernanme. They look certain to go on to bigger and better things, much to the delight of their breeders Auckland NZTBA branch members Vern and Margaret Trillo, who were on course to celebrate both victories. Making his third race day appearance Vernanme (O’Reilly- Bohemian Blues) improved on his last start third to easily win over 1600 going to the line an impressive one and three-quarter ...

Vance keen to be home for Christmas

Maija Vance hopes to be leaving the Otara Spinal Unit before Christmas. The Cambridge jockey has been there since late September after spending 10 days in Middlemore Hospital, where she was treated for the extensive injuries she suffered after her mount Zedsational crashed at the second-last fence at Rotorua on September 16. Two of her vertebrae in her spine were fractured with another three out of line and she underwent a four-hour operation to have rods and a metal plate inserted. She also su...

Eight Carat legacy continues

Around April this year Don Goodwin, a retired businessman with a passion for horses, decided he and his wife Christine would go on another Melbourne Cup tour this year. They have been before with popular broadcaster Des Coppins and enjoyed the tour and opted to go on his tour again this year. As a throwaway line he said to Nick Bishara who he had a couple of horses in work with, that he had better get his act together and get one ready for Melbourne this November as he was going to be there. �...

Our Spring Bulletin is now available to read here

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Scholarship Blog: David Morris from Taylor Made Kentucky

After an amazing 9 months on the Sunline Scholarship, it’s time to head home. Looking back on my time I can’t believe how quickly it has gone but I’m also looking forward to implementing the lessons I’ve learnt back home. The whole trip has been an absolute blast and the final 6 weeks has not been any different. The weeks leading up to the Keeneland September sale were extremely busy with parades most days. It was clear to me that the management that goes behind the massive amount of hor...

Ryan Stacey is awarded Irish National Stud Scholarship

The NZTBA is pleased to announce that Ryan Stacey has been awarded the Keith and Faith Taylor Family scholarship to study at the Irish National Stud in 2019. Stacey will leave New Zealand in January to undertake the world renowned Thoroughbred Breeding Course at the famous nursery. “We had a number of very strong applicants this year, the calibre of the applicants was excellent and anyone of them could have represented us in Ireland,” said Justine Sclater NZTBA Business Development and ...

Moss'n'Dale delights Larsen with Craven Plate Win

In the shadow of The Everest at Randwick last week was a group three race worth around A$500,000 the weight-for-age Craven Plate over 2000 metres. It was a supporting race on the day, but on any other race day could well have been the feature event. It attracted a field of 14 runners, four of whom were Group One winners with another five placed at Group One level, every horse in the race had black type form including the winner Moss’N’Dale (Castledale[IRE]-Hot’N’Moss). A six-year-old ge...

Bonneval secured by Waikato Stud

Waikato Stud has won the race to purchase the two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year and multiple Group One winner Bonneval. The Matamata nursery acted quickly when her retirement was announced last week and dug deep to secure the daughter of Makfi. “She is on her way to Yarraman Park to be covered by I Am Invincible,” stud principal Mark Chittick said. “She’s a beautifully-bred mare and while one mare won’t turn it around, it is a bit of a reversal of our top mares going overseas. “...

The thoroughbred industry lost a Group One performer this week with the passing of Steve Brem

Brem at the young age of 69, died in Sydney after tenaciously battling cancer for a number of years. Throughout that time he never wavered from his love of the thoroughbred industry, and we were still blessed with his acerbic wit, incredible pedigree knowledge, excellent copy, and his eye for a good yearling. Personally I have known Brem since the mid 1970’s when as a rookie working on the INL Print stable of publications the Friday Flash, Racing Calendar and Turf Digest, I would often phone t...

Special win for Patrick Erin taking the G1 Metropolitan at Randwick

Outstanding Kiwi galloper Patrick Erin sat atop the Sydney staying ranks on Saturday afternoon after he produced a devastating sprint to capture the Gr.1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick. It was the type of performance that his former mentor, legendary trainer Brian Anderton, knew he was capable of from the day he galloped him for the first time at his Wingatui base. Bred and raised at Anderton’s White Robe Lodge, the seven-year-old son of resident stallion Gallant Guru caught Andert...

Windsor Park bred Debt Collector shines in Singapore

Following a five month spell in Australia, former Singapore Horse of the Year, Debt Collector (Thorn Park[AUS]-Prompt Payment[IRE]) returned to Singapore to take care of unfinished business. And he did just that when he recently took out the Listed Raffles Cup over 1600 metres, at his second start back in the country. This year the race was moved to September and shortened in distance by 200 metres, and is the first leg of the Singapore Triple Crown, whereas it was previously the second leg. The...

Puccini's eye catching first foals

The first foals by Puccini have arrived this spring and the early signs are promising for the son of Encosta De Lago with his foals showing real quality, great size and a good amount of bone. “Puccini has eye-catching looks, great size and regal blood running through his veins, there is no surprise that he is leaving these high-quality foals in his first crop” Mapperley's studmaster Simms Davison. A 3-time Guineas winner and dominant Derby Champion, Puccini was crowned Champion 3y...

Breeder Andrew Fowler can not believe his luck

Pukekohe based breeder Andrew Fowler is struggling to believe his luck after his smashing Iffraaj(GB) filly Melt (ex Ticklish), demolished her rivals in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders Stakes recently. He can’t help but enthuse about his filly, her trainer and her jockey, and the way things have fallen into place. “It was a big step up in that race, and she handled it well,” he said, “Sam knew just where to put her in the race. It was a tough race and she is in the paddock fo...

Scholarship Taylor made to produce success

In a time when many are lamenting the lack of skilled workers in the thoroughbred industry, Faith Taylor is doing her bit to solve the problem. Taylor sponsors one of two scholarships that the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association award each year, the Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship that supports the successful candidate to attend the five-month Diploma Course at the Irish National Stud. A keen traveller herself, it is easy to see why Taylor is an advocate of the travel-to-l...

A successful day for the Auckland Branch Awards and Stallion Parade

Following the parade of stallions at Westbury Stud and Haunui Farm last Sunday around 80 people attended an awards luncheon hosted by the Auckland Branch of the NZTBA . Held at the Karaka Sales Centre, the lunch was to honour the achievements of its members’ in the last season and to announce the winner of the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Award for Outstanding Contribution. That award was given to the ex NZTBA CEO and Auckland branch member Michael Martin for his contribution to the branch...

Rios settles in to his new home

Group One-producing sire Rios has settled in well at Upstage Bloodstock, Danica Guy’s Matamata property where he will serve a handful of quality mares in his first season at the boutique operation. Rios sired the winner of the new racing seasons first two year old race at the Wanganui Jockey Clubs meeting on Saturday - the Waikato Stud bred Sai Fah (Rios x Rongonui by Fast n Famous) . Previously standing at Waikato Stud, Rios was purchased by Guy off gavelhouse.com earlier this year and the Ma...

Obituary Des Fleming

Former NZTBA Councillor and respected breeder Desmond Patrick Fleming aged 77 passed away at his home in Opunake this week. A good farmer, and a great family man who loved his horses, was how he was described by family friend Ron Bassett.  “I can’t say a bad word about him,” said Bassett. “Our families were great friends from our farming days in Taranaki, right through from when the kids were in pony club. He loved his horses and loved being involved in the thoroughbred industry, he...

Passion for Eight Carat family stands the Carters in good stead

The impact of the mighty Blue Hen mare Eight Carat in the Southern Hemisphere, is well documented and her achievements way to extensive to list here, however her influence did have some bearing on two brothers and two recent stakes winners Humidor(Teofilo[IRE]- Zalika) and Cyber Attack (Shamexpress-Marechal). John and Mark Carter bred Humidor who won the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, along with his half-sister Marechal who is the dam of the Listed El Roca –Colin Meads Trophy winner Cyber At...

Michael Martin recognised with lifetime NZTBA membership

At the Annual General Meeting of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association last week, Michael Martin the former long-term Chief Executive of the Association was honoured with Life Membership. Martin had a long tenure at NZTBA, working for the association for 23 years, 21 of those as chief executive. “It is the first time they have awarded the lifetime membership to a former employee,” Martin said. “I feel particularly honoured and I am joining a list of very eminent people in th...

NZTBA shows full support for Messara Report recommendations

The much anticipated Messara Report into the state of the New Zealand racing industry has been released and the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Association (NZTBA) fully supports the changes recommended. The Minister of Racing Winston Peters presented the report in Hamilton last night to a large audience of industry participants and supporters, and it outlined 17 key recommendations for change. He recognised that the industry was in a precarious state and it was “reform or die”. “Mr Mes...

Waikato Stud and Garry Chittick named 2018 New Zealand Breeder of the Year

For the sixth time Waikato Stud and Garry Chittick have won the title of Breeder of The Year at the NZTR New Zealand Horse of the Year Awards. As well the Waikato Stud Stallion Savabeel made a clean sweep of the stallion awards winning the Grosvenor Award (Champion New Zealand Sire), Dewar Award (Champion New Zealand Sire for Australasian stakes money) and  the Centaine Award (Champion New Zealand Sire for global earnings). In a stellar year for the stud, they produced three Group One winne...

Belardo's first NZ foals have arrived

The first southern hemisphere crop of Champion 2YO Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega) are hitting the ground in 2018 with a handful of arrivals at Haunui Farm so far this month. Mark Chitty says, “It’s an exciting time at Haunui as we welcome the arrival of Belardo’s first crop of southern hemisphere foals.  We’re more than happy with what we are seeing so far and welcome anyone on to the farm to inspect them – I’m sure breeders will be impressed.” A G1 winner at 2YO & 4YO, Belardo...

Cambridge Careers Day - a great success

NZTR put the educational opportunities and qualifications it offers in front of a large group of school students attending the Careers Expo held at Cambridge Raceway, on Wednesday 8 August. The main organiser - NZTR Training Adviser Kay Hogan, with assistance from Vicki Pascoe, Matthew Barnsley and Sally Waters who assembled an attractive booth on site, and were on hand to talk to prospective students and their parents. Chris Watson and Wendy Cooper also made themselves available over the day to...

Messara report release date

Finally the much awaited John Messara report has a release date,  it would be appreciated as an  industry participant that you could attend to show your support to our Racing Minister  To rsvp please email rsvp@dia.govt.nz...

Seminar - new treatment options for endometriosis in mares

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