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Racing Industry backs Cancer Society

The New Zealand horse racing industry is continuing its support of the Cancer Society of New Zealand with NZRB Daffodil Racedays 2018. Now in its fifth year, the initiative is proudly supported by the New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB), who this year will be making a substantial cash donation for every winner across every Daffodil raceday across New Zealand. New Daffodil raceday silks have been created and the NZRB will donate $1,000 per winner in the silks on Tarzino Trophy Daffodil Raceday at Ha...

Bargain purchase pays dividends for Taylor family

The last stakes race of the year, the Listed Ryder Stakes, has been run and won by Aternatin(Showcasing[GB]-Fudge). A lightly raced two-year-old, by Showcasing(GB), he became the eighth individual two-year-old winner for that sire and his third two-year-old stakes winner this season. Aternatin began his racing career in December and finished sixth behind the subsequent Group One winner Sword of Osman. He next appeared at the races in late March where he finished fifth, and then did not race aga...

Savabeel sets the standard

It might seem like business as usual but closer examination of champion stallion Savabeel's achievements from the past 12 months reveals just how good his season has been. Such is Savabeel's record, expectation is that he continues to churn out high quality racecourse performers with monotonous regularity. And while that's again been the case for the 2017-18 season, the Waikato Stud sire has continued to forge through old barriers and set a new benchmark of siring success. At next month's New Ze...

Scholarship Blog: Danielle Southey - graduates from the Irish National Stud with Merit

Hello from Ireland one last time Well people said to me that this would be an amazing six months of my life, and they weren’t wrong. My time at the Irish National Stud has been amazing and with a great bunch of people. For the month of June all the yards were starting to quieten down as its coming up to the end of the breeding season for the northern hemisphere. With mares going out from Maddenstown and some mares and foals going home from Blandford and Black Cherry.  With everything ca...

Another strong season for underrated stallion

The progeny of the ever consistent The Oaks Stud stallion Darci Brahma have had another quality season. The son of Danehill will finish second to New Zealand’s all-conquering sire Savabeel in the Centaine Award for global earnings, with his progeny winning in excess of $11 million for the season. Only Savabeel and successful shuttle stallion Iffraaj will have enjoyed better 2017/18 seasons domestically in New Zealand. Progeny of Darci Brahma recorded two Group One victories this season, wit...

Nearco Stud bred Beauty Generation named Hong Kong Horse of the Year

Beauty Generation (claimed the Hong Kong Horse of the Year award on Friday night. A three-time Group One victor this term, Hong Kong’s standout five-year-old was also named Champion Miler. John Moore’s stable star had an outstanding sophomore Hong Kong campaign with five wins from eight starts. The gelding, raced by Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen, improved further this term after placing in two of the three four-year-old Classic Series races last season. Victorious on his seasonal reappearance in th...

Exciting 24 hours for Novara Park

Ill-fated Novara Park stallion Jakklaberry was represented by a strong winner at Geelong on Friday when the Matt Cumani-trained Gelignite Jack saluted at his second race day start.  The two-year-old colt showed good improvement from his fourth placing on debut to score over 1300m and looks like he will be suited over further ground like his breeding would suggest. Ridden by Dean Holland, Gelignite Jack trailed the leaders throughout and was solid to the line. “Dean did an excellent job,...

Nine for Charm Spirit

Windsor Park Stud’s shuttle stallion Charm Spirit recorded his ninth individual winner from his first crop of European two-year-olds when Chicago May won over 1400m at Naas on Saturday. The Henry De Bromhead-trained filly won by two and a-half lengths after distancing her rivals at the 200m mark. “She is a filly we have always liked, but I thought she would need the run as I hadn't done that much with her at home,” De Bromhead said. “I'm delighted with her as she's done it very well in t...

Uninformed article delivers the wrong message in mainstream media

Racing has been getting a bad deal in mainstream media which seems to go hand-in-hand with the media backhanders constantly being dished out to Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Racing Winston Peters. AM Show host Duncan Garner is a regular offender but many of his comments seem to come from sheer ignorance, his ego, and a political bias that places him in the camp firmly opposed to Winston Peters, NZ First and its policies. Then you get the article that appeared on the inside front page of ...

Bostonian's win part of magnificent family journey

After winning the Gr.3 Sunshine Coast Guineas with Bostonian (Jimmy Choux-Keepa Cheval), Auckland based breeder David Archer is the first to admit that he has been very lucky with his horses and they have taken him and his family on quite a journey. Bostonian is the latest star in the family owned by Archer Equine Investments Ltd, which also races the Gr.2 ATC Chairman’s Cup winner Charles Road, and he has been campaigning in Queensland for the last two months. Although dogged by bad luck to b...

NZTBA Breeders' Bulletin Winter Edition

The Winter Edition of our NZTBA Breeders' Bulletin is now available for you to enjoy. Any feedback or news items are welcomed by us for future editions please email Justine@nzthoroughbred.co.nz Click on the file below to read ...

Super Saturday for Shinko King

The progeny of deceased stallion Shinko King had a standout day on Saturday, with Megablast taking out the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m), while Monarch Chimes and Justa Charlie won the two feature jumps races at Hawke’s Bay. Novara Park manager Ray Knight stood Shinko King at Ashwell Farm and is enjoying watching the continued success of his progeny. “He was always a special horse, he was a very good racehorse and he probably didn’t get the patronage at stud we would have liked,” Knight s...

Need Help with Environment Rules?

The landscape is changing. Historically most horse properties have been permitted under regional council rules. However, with the increased focus on water quality all land uses are coming under the spotlight and this includes horse properties. Burying your head in the sand will not make it go away. And these changes are happening around the country, all at various stages and all regions have different rules. So if you are asking any of the following; What is a regional plan? What is a controlle...

Horses and the environment - understanding the impacts

Waikato Regional Council has recently released a report it commissioned on the equine sector. The primary aim was for Councils to get a better understanding of the equine community in the Waikato and Waipa catchments that are affected by Healthy Rivers Wai Ora: Proposed Plan Change 1. While Council has a good understanding of the dairy, dry stock and horticultural sectors and their impacts on the environment and water quality they acknowledge there is little understanding of the equine sector. T...

Waikato Regional Council Healthy Rivers Wai Ora Plan Change 1

The NZTBA made a submission to Variation 1 of Proposed Plan Change 1 for the Waikato and Waipa River catchments. NZTBA is also aware that some of our members also made a submission. Below is a diagram of the process. If you didn’t make a submission and have concerns on how Plan Change 1 may impact on your business, you will now have to rely on and support the representation on your behalf by NZTBA. The next step is further submissions which is likely to occur late July/August. This is where i...

NZERF Rodmor Trust Lecture Series 2018

The NZERF Rodmor Trust Lecture Series “Rehabilitation of the Performance Horse” , lead speaker is Dr Frances Peat. Dates are 7 July Christchurch 9 July Palmerston North 15 July Hamilton For more information and to register  click below ...

Sunline Scholarship recipient David Morris enjoying Coolmore Ireland experience

Since my last blog where I had only spent a couple of weeks in Ireland, until now where there is less than two weeks remaining, the time in between has flown by. My time at Coolmore has exceeded all my expectations and the lessons I’ve learnt from all the great people I’ve met along the way has been amazing. My next placement was working in the stallion yard and my time there has definitely been a highlight of my trip so far. There are 13 stallions this season, with the new additions of Cara...

30th winner for Reliable Man

Reliable Magic became his Westbury Stud-based sire Reliable Man’s 30th individual winner when victorious in the Racing.com SV Maiden Plate (2200m) at Pakenham on Tuesday. The Richard Laming-trained runner jumped out well from the gates to take an early lead before handing up to a keen Baccarat, who established a lead of several lengths down the back straight. A perfectly judged ride by Jessica Payne had Reliable Magic retake the lead from a tiring Baccarat at the 600m mark, before th...

Annual Waikato NZTBA Quiz Night

The annual Waikato New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association quiz night is being held on Tuesday June 26, 2018, at the Five Stags Bar & Restaurant in Leamington, Cambridge. Open to all current, new, and prospective members in teams of four to six, there are three bar vouchers up for grabs. If you're short of numbers for a team the NZTBA Waikato team will match you up. Entry is free and teams must assemble and register at 6:30pm. Always a fun and competitive night, register your team and t...

Super Easy win for Eddie

Super Easy gelding Easy Eddie highlighted his readiness for loftier targets on Monday when he won the Invictus Sprint (1100m) by nearly four lengths at Randwick’s Kensington track. “It was a good win,” trainer Joe Pride said. “I had the feeling he would be better suited to a softer track and he sort of got that yesterday and we saw him race really well.  “He is a handy horse, he has been honest all throughout his career. I like him, he’s a nice horse.” Pride has a strong link ...

The 2018 NZTBA Waikato Branch Cathay Pacific Group One Awards Dinner

This years 2018 NZTBA Waikato Cathay Pacific Group One Awards Dinner will be held on Friday 27th July at Sky City Hamilton commencing at 6.15pm. Tickets are now on sale at a cost of $150 per person, to purchase click below for your ticket application form or otherwise contact Waikato Branch President Keith Lunn - nztbawaikatob@gmail.com ...

London Express providing plenty of excitement for her breeder's

The winner of the listed John Turkington Forestry Ltd Castletown Stakes London Express was destined for last year’s Ready To Run sale, instead she is providing plenty of excitement for her breeders Kerrin and Mary Brophy and Kevin Landrigan and a syndicate of likely ladies. London Express was making her fourth race day appearance when she won the Castletown Stakes and provided Windsor Park Stud’s first season sire Shamexpress with his first stakes winner. For good measure Qiji Express also b...

Speedy Derryn ideal fit for Grangewilliam

A sprinting specialist who met and matched the best Australian short course performers is bound for New Zealand. Hinchinbrook’s well-performed son Derryn has been secured for duty by Mark and Jane Corcoran’s South Taranaki operation Grangewilliam Stud at Waitotora. “I approached New Zealand Bloodstock to keep an eye out for a new stallion and I was keen on a speed horse,” Mark Corcoran said. “When this one came up I looked at his race videos and I was sold. He was probably unlucky not ...

Breeders dig deep for prime land

Two prominent Waikato thoroughbred operations have signalled a major vote of confidence in the future of the industry. In a multi-million investment, Tony Rider’s Milan Park and the Hawkins family’s Wentwood Grange have paid a record price of $11.1 million for a Cambridge dairy farm. The 92.5-hectare operation, located between Maungatautari Road and the Waikato River, was recently sold at auction and will be split into two properties. “It’s on our boundary and fits in nicely with our far...

Well-bred stakes winner to stud

Group performer Thunder Down Under is preparing for the second stage of his career.“He’s been retired, he damaged the cartilage in his feet and we’re going to stand him at stud at our place at Te Kowhai,” part-owner and trainer Stephen Ralph said.“We’ve been successful at this before and Dad (John) stood Danseur Etoile and Te Puninga, so we know what we’re doing.“He’s a gorgeous animal and we never got to see the best of him. We felt we could have won a Group One with him. He�...