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Charm Spirit heads exciting Windsor Park roster

With Charm Spirit in stellar form and a new wave of stallions approaching their yearling debuts, the festive period has some extra shine this year for the team at Windsor Park Stud. Multiple Group One winner Charm Spirit has been shuttling to Windsor Park since 2015, and his oldest southern hemisphere progeny are now three years old. The son of Invincible Spirit has already sired 20 individual winners from just 50 runners in the southern hemisphere, with a flurry of black-type successes through ...

RITA Welcomes Significant Milestone for Racing Industry Reform

The Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) welcomed the Government’s introduction of the Racing Industry Bill  - a major package of reforms to replace the Racing Act 2003. The Bill, which was introduced last week, had its first reading on Tuesday. RITA Chairman Dean McKenzie said the introduction of the Racing Industry Bill is a significant milestone for racing and will help achieve the ambitious goals set by John Messara to ensure the sustainability of the racing industry.  ...

Cook comes full-circle with Preferment

Eminent Australian owner Francis Cook has returned to New Zealand this week, the source of one of his standout racetrack performers. Cook and his wife Christine have enjoyed sensational success over the last few seasons. Their tally of Group One victories has soared into double digits thanks to the likes of Lasqueti Spirit, Foreteller, Moriarty and this season’s Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and Cantala Stakes (1600m) hero Fierce Impact. They have become renowned not only for their success, but...

Charismatic Riodini retained by his breeders

Right from the time he was a foal Riodini(Proisir[AUS]-Giardini) the winner of the recent Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes, was a horse with charisma. “He was one of those foals with a personality a bit different from the rest, he always looked for you when you went in the paddock and would come over and say hello,” recalled Alan Galbraith who bred and races the horse with his wife Liz, daughter Cecilia and her husband Mike Lewis. “We all liked him as an individual, but Liz particularly liked him ...

Luptons savour stakes successes

Matamata owners Mark and Cath Lupton are hoping their dream run will continue in Saturday’s Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa. The Luptons’ quality mare Yearn will chase back-to-back stakes wins in the fillies and mares’ feature, having claimed a career-best victory in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe on November 23. In between times, the Luptons, who are members of the Waikato branch of the NZTBA, celebrated a victory in Saturday’s A$300,000 P...

Exciting weekend for Haunui Farm

Wyndspelle’s breakthrough Group One win topped off a big day at Trentham on Saturday for Haunui Farm. In winning the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m), Wyndspelle became the 10th individual Group One winner for the Haunui Farm-based sire Iffraaj. Three races earlier on the programme Haunui Farm, as part-owners, shared in the success of exciting two-year-old Not An Option in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and on the same day at Ellerslie Orakei Overlord, a son of Iffraaj, notched hi...

Rock ‘N’ Pop now standing at Okawa Stud

Okawa Stud, once one of the famous thoroughbred nurseries in Hawke’s Bay, is undergoing a revival with the property now standing the well-bred stallion Rock ‘N’ Pop. The son of champion Australian sire Fastnet Rock took up residence at Okawa last month, having transferred from Waikato Stud where he has stood since 2013. Tom Lowry, who is the third generation to take over Okawa Stud, said this week he was delighted to stand Rock ‘N’ Pop and hopes that it will give Hawke’s Bay thorough...

Burgundy sadly put down

Cambridge Stud stallion Burgundy was put down at the Waikato farm on Friday, having contracted acute laminitis in his front feet. His condition had deteriorated over the past 72 hours and the decision was made between the major partners that he should not suffer further.  Burgundy was a $1.3 million yearling when sold by his breeders Philip and Sir Peter Vela, the owners of Pencarrow Stud. Out of Group One winner Grand Echezeaux, he was a three-quarter brother in blood to Darci Brahma, cha...

Lisa Chittick to be remembered with new Matamata race

Leading thoroughbred nursery Waikato Stud has strengthened its relationship with the Matamata Racing Club in the creation of a fillies and mares’ race with special meaning. Appropriately, the race is named in honour of the late Lisa Chittick and will be contested at the MRC’s annual Premier meeting, Matamata Breeders’ Stakes day. The Lisa Chittick Plate will be an open 1400-metre race run under set weight and penalty conditions with a stake of $40,000. The inaugural running is scheduled f...

NZTBA scholarship winner launches new venture

Respected industry player Bruce Slade is diversifying his involvement in the thoroughbred world, launching new venture Kestrel Thoroughbreds alongside an ongoing role with Newgate Farm. New Zealand-born Slade, who was awarded the 2008 Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship administered by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, has amassed tremendous experience through a number of roles in the Australasian industry, from racing manager of the Gai Waterhouse stable to gene...

Scorpz salutes in Group Three for Jomara

A colt who failed to meet his reserve at Karaka in 2018 is rewarding his breeders Jomara Bloodstock Limited with a bit of excitement and a group of their mates with a load of fun. The colt Scorpz (Charm Spirit[IRE]-Forbetterforworse[AUS]) is the latest stakes winner bred by Jomara after winning the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m), and now they are glad he didn’t reach his reserve. “He was a cracking foal, and a nice yearling we were surprised that he didn’t sell,” recalled John Carter, w...

White Robe celebrates Jericho Cup quinella

Sunday’s A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) delivered a dream result for White Robe Lodge, but the iconic farm’s proprietor Brian Anderton was left lamenting the one that got away. In an entirely Kiwi-bred finish to the ANZAC-themed Warrnambool feature for Australian and New Zealand-bred stayers, Ablaze edged out Golden Flag by three-quarters of a length. The Shaune Ritchie-trained Where Are You finished another 10 lengths away in third. Both Ablaze and Golden Flag were co-bred by Brian Anderton,...

Kiwi Bred 2019 Episode 4

Kiwi Bred takes a look at the rise of the online auction in NZ, spend 60 seconds with Te Akau’s David Ellis, pay tribute to Sacred Falls, follow the origin story of Surprise Baby and introduce Case 2 at WEVC....

Waikato Stud mourn the loss of Sacred Falls

The Chittick family and the team at Waikato Stud are in mourning after the shock loss of their best mate and emerging young stallion, Sacred Falls. The Waikato Stud veterinary team identified an issue with the stallion’s liver just on a fortnight ago and despite receiving world-class treatment at both the Stud and then at Matamata Veterinary Services equine hospital, his condition deteriorated overnight and he passed away early on Sunday morning. The son of Waikato Stud’s champion sire O’...

Buckinghams add another Group winner to their book

Clyde and Pat Buckingham know what it feels like to breed a Group Winner. Operating under their Emblem Ltd banner they have bred the likes of three time Group One winner Sangster (Savabeel x Quinta Special), Group Two winner Lasarla (Rip Van Winkle x Imco Main), Group Three winner Adorabeel (Savabeel x Plaza Doree) and were also part of the partnership that bred Group One winner Kaaptan (Kaapstad x Fanny Black). The Karaka-based couple, who are members of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand...

Yearn - just the tonic for the Lupton's

The after effect of some vigorous celebrations the night before had Matamata resident Mark Lupton feeling a little weary on Sunday morning but still in a state of elation after Yearn, the bonny mare he owns with wife Cath, took out the Gr.2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe on Saturday. It was the first black type victory for the Savabeel six-year-old that the pair were essentially gifted by her breeders Clyde and Pat Buckingham under their Emblem Ltd. ba...

Per Incanto in demand at Karaka

Cambridge Bloodstock agent Garry Carvell has had plenty of success with progeny of Per Incanto he has acquired from Karaka, and he went back to the same well on Thursday. He purchased two sons by the Little Avondale Stud stallion for Hong Kong-based clients on the second day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale of 2YOs. He went to $325,000 to secure lot 340, the colt by Danasinga mare Demerara for Hong Kong trainer Peter Ho, while he purchased lot 352, the colt out of Zabeel mare Drea...

Fantastic sale result for Fairdale's Duncan Fell

It was a red-letter day for Fairdale Stud principal Duncan Fell at Karaka on Wednesday. The Palmerston North breeder offered lot 162, the Savabeel colt out of Iffraaj mare Saoirse, through Sam Beatson’s Riversley Park draft and he was thrilled with the $500,000 result. Purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis, Fell had offered the colt as a yearling at Karaka earlier this year where he failed to meet his $200,000 reserve. Fell thought a lot of the colt and decided to target him towards New Z...

Kiwi Bred- 2019 Episode 2

Kiwi Bred travel to Surrey Farm to meet Christopher and Susanna Grace, catch up with the successful pinhooking trio of Sam Beatson, Finbarr Leahy and Ben Foote and our WEVC segment continues...

Homebred mare building dream record

Celtic Dream (Casual Lies – Glocca Morra) is developing into a valuable broodmare. Bred by long-serving Waikato NZTBA members Lloyd and Heather Monehan, Celtic Dream is now the dam of two runners for two stakes winners after La Romanee (Burgundy) overcame a slow start to win the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton on Saturday. Celtic Dream is also the dam of Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) winner Won Won Too (Tavistock). “It’s a good feeling to breed another stakes winner,” Ll...

Loire - intuition proves correct for her breeder's

The decision to withdraw a nomination for their royally bred Redoute’s Choice filly from the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale paid off in spades for Cambridge couple Brent and Cherry Taylor on Saturday when she took out the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. Subsequently named Loire, the now three-year-old, who is a half-sister to Group One winner A Touch Of Ruby, also provided close friend Kate Plaw with her biggest moment in racing after the ...

Kiwi Bred 2019- Episode One

Kiwi Bred returns with an overview of the newest additions to the New Zealand Stallion Roster and the introduction of a new vet segment filmed at Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre....

Carnival success massive boost for Milan Park

Milan Park Stud celebrated a golden Melbourne spring carnival result with homebred Oceanex (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) that will have significant benefits in both the short and long term for the Cambridge farm.Oceanex’s victory in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes at Flemington provided a massive pedigree boost for her dam Danex (NZ) (Danasinga), who remains in the ownership of stud principal Tony Rider.Caulfield trainer Mick Price, who operates in partnership with Michael Kent junior, purchased ...

Dunstan Horsefeeds- Under The Radar

This is a short Q & A with an industry person to gain a little more insight into who they are….in this Bulletin  “Under the Radar” catches up with the man behind the lens - Race Images photographer Peter Rubery. Race Images is one of New Zealand’s leading racing photography companies based in Feilding, covering racing right across the North Island as well as reciprocal arrangements for South Island meetings.  What is your industry involvement and how did you become involv...

Fasttrack Insurance Breeder of the Month- The Oaks Stud

The Oaks Stud is no stranger to success having bred and raced the likes of seven-time Group One winner and dual New Zealand Horse of the Year Seachange, dual Group One winner Recite, and Group One winners Artistic, Risque, Keepa Crusin and Devise. This season the farm has enjoyed a series of stellar results from the progeny of their flagship stallion Darci Brahma. Heading the list of performers are Catalyst, Darci’s Tune and Double Impact, four homebred geldings Dick Karreman, proprietor of Th...