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White Robe Lodge’s stellar weekend

It has been a fairly good couple of weeks for Otago's White Robe Lodge, even by their own stellar standards. Last Friday the stud was the leading vendor by aggregate at the South Island sale selling 12 yearlings for $234,000. At the same time their son of champion sire Sadler's Wells, Raise the Flag topped the sires' list, selling six at an average of $19,833. "It was a pretty good result for us, we did take three fillies to Karaka this year, whereas last year we took our whole draft to the ...

Outstanding galloper Turn Me Loose to stand in New Zealand

Triple Group One winner Turn Me Loose, one of Australasia's fastest and toughest milers, has been secured by Windsor Park Stud to stand at their Cambridge-based nursery this spring. Windsor Park studmaster Rodney Schick is understandably excited to have Turn Me Loose join their stallion roster for 2017. "I loved his outstanding looks and physicality when I first saw him and coupled with his cracking race performance, it just heightened my desire to have him in our stallion lineup". "To have...

High-tech training goggles turning heads

While former New Zealand-trained galloper Werther is the punters elect to take out Sunday's HK$20 million Gr.1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m), it is the Japanese raider Neorealism that has been turning heads at trackwork at Sha Tin. The last start winner of the Gr.2 Nakayama Kinen, has looked well in cantering work and attracted more than the usual attention as track rider Shinjiro Kaneko's goggles were adorned with what appeared to be a camera like device. In fact, it was m...

Zabeel’s son to stand at Long Acres

Verdi will begin his stallion career this year at Long Acres Stud, the Canterbury operation of Myles Gordon and Deborah Clark. The son of Zabeel will stand in association with Joe Smithies, of Monovale Farm who bred and raced the well-related four-year-old. Verdi won three of his eight starts before a tendon injury pre-maturely ended his career just as his trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman were having thoughts of the Gr.1 Auckland Cup for the half-brother to the multiple Group One win...

Major Upgrade to Karaka Million 2018

As part of NZB's newly enhanced Sales Series in 2018, one of the best race days in the country is set to showcase a major upgrade, with two key changes to the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie. New Zealand Bloodstock and the Auckland Racing Club are excited to announce that the 2018 Karaka Million Twilight Meeting will be run on Saturday 27 January*, rather than its traditional Sunday slot. It will continue as a six race twilight meeting, but in addition to two $1million feature ...

Revamped Sales Format for Karaka 2018

A major review of NZB's annual yearling showcase has resulted in a brand new sales format for Karaka 2018. The first session of the 2018 National Yearling Sales Series will now take place on the evening of Sunday 28 January, instead of Monday morning. With around 100 yearlings to be offered, this night session will also kick off the new-look catalogue structure, being the first of 700 horses catalogued together in the new 'Karaka Book I'. NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook says these ...

Five Year Sale Topper for South Island Sale

The 2017 edition of the National Yearling Sales Series: South Island Sale drew to a close at the RDA Building in Christchurch today after an action-packed day of inspections and bidding. A total of sixty-one horses sold for receipts totalling $1,070,000 to a strong domestic and international buying bench. Internationally renowned bloodstock agent John Foote led the buying, purchasing a total of four yearlings for $116,500, including Lot 1 a colt by Jakkalberry out of Ultra Explosive purchase...

The Oaks Stud enjoy a successful Easter weekend

The Oaks Stud general manager Rick Williams is hoping for a few more weekends like Easter weekend after a couple of smart Oaks bred winners and a new stakes winner for Darci Brahma. At Hastings over the weekend, Five To Midnight(AUS) (Domesday[AUS]-Fastnet Lady[AUS]), bred by The Oaks won the listed Hawkes Bay Gold Cup and Bonniegirl (Darci Brahma – Electricity), a daughter of resident stallion Darci Brahma, took out the listed NZB Sprint. In Melbourne Apache Cat lookalike Miss Vista(AUS) (S...

Racing stakes set for big financial boost

Racing stakes are set for a $12million annual boost with the promise of much more to come. The New Zealand Racing Board shocked the chiefs of all three racing codes tonight by informing them $24million more dollars will be returned to the industry over the next two years to be used exclusively for stakes. Starting August 1, thoroughbred racing will receive at extra $6.5million annually than it did for this season, harness racing $3.55million and the greyhound industry will have an extra ...

Cameron Ring Blog - Irish National Stud, March 2017

Another busy month rolls on by with plenty going on both in and out of the stud. Spring is here well and truly, only requiring one jacket now to venture outdoors. All the stock on the property are enjoying the lush growth of grass this quality land can provide due to its exceptional soil fertility. It makes our job easier having to feed less and let nature run its course. Like New Zealand, Ireland's climate can change at a blink of an eye. Sunny one day with snow the next. We were treated to o...

Mangaroa Flo Jo runs to victory for owner-breeder John Wood

Around thirty years ago Northland based breeder John Wood, a young farmer with a desire to own a broodmare was given a mare to try his luck with, and three generations on Mangaroa Flo Jo(High Chaparrall[IRE]-No Fibs) has become has become the latest stakes winner from the family. The six-year-old mare, who is trained at Cambridge by Graham Thomas and Nick Smith, for Wood, was recently successful in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders Stakes over 2000 metres, and is now being aimed for a tilt at the Gr...

Lance Forbes - 2017 Sunline Scholarship winner - arrives at Cheveley Park Stud

After a very successful yearling sale for Cambridge Stud it was time to get on the big bird and start my adventure on the Sunline Scholarship 2017. After a 22 hour long flight with almost missing my connecting flight in America I had arrived to England. With multiple layers on it was time to make my way to Newmarket. I was very excited to start work at Cheveley Park Stud as it is the home of the champion sire Pivotal who has sired 114 individual Stakes winners, that include 26 individual Grou...

Owner happy to have a problem like Charmont

Successful owner-breeder Bob Emery was pondering a serious question on Monday. Should he retire his Group One-winning mare Charmont now, or race her for another season? The daughter of High Chaparral and the stakes winning Danehill mare Martique broke through for a well-earned Group One win in Saturday's Fiber Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes at Te Rapa. To add further gloss, barely 10 minutes later close relation Bonneval added the Gr.1 ATC Oaks to her Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks success. T...

CHAMPION 2YO TO JOIN HAUNUI ROSTER

Haunui Farm is delighted to announce that Champion European 2YO, Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega) will join our stallion roster in 2017. A multiple Group One winner, Belardo was an outstanding two-year-old whose juvenile season culminated in an explosive victory in the Newmarket Dewhurst Stakes (7f) which saw him crowned Champion 2YO of Europe in 2014. However, it was arguably last season's victory in the Group One Lockinge Stakes at four, that was his finest moment leaving no less than eight Gro...

Jon Snow - Lord Commander of the Derby

When Jon Snow(Iffraaj[IRE}-Orinda) won the $A2milllion ATC Derby he became the fourth New Zealand trained horse to win the race in the last five years. He joined the elite company of Tavago, Mongolian Khan, and Dundeel. He became the tenth New Zealand bred winner in the last 20 years putting his name alongside horses like, Shamrocker, Starcraft, Don Eduardo and Sky Heights. He also gave Cambridge master trainer Murray Baker his fourth win in the prestigious event. And for the second year i...

Group One meeting to Te Rapa

Saturday's premier meeting at Te Aroha has been transferred to Te Rapa. The highlight of the fixture will be the Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes. Concerns over the Te Aroha course following the abandonment of a meeting there on March 17 resulted in a track inspection and gallops on Monday morning. Six horses from the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards stable worked together and spread out in the home straight to enable a comprehensive assessment of the likely tra...

Chitty keen on a winning weekend

With the first leg of Sydney's major racing carnival, The Championships, set to kick off this weekend, the eyes of the New Zealand breeding community will be glued to the performance of the select number of runners who carry the "NZ" moniker in to battle. Success in the white-hot Australian racing environment plays a critical role in the fortunes of Kiwi breeders with victory at the elite level carrying benefits that flow through the entire industry. Haunui Farm principal Mark Chitty knows t...

Newcomer Among South Island Sale Vendors

The yearlings at New Zealand Bloodstock's upcoming South Island Sale will be presented by a host of respected and skilled vendors, including a newcomer to the vendor ranks. The 2017 South Island Sale is the debut appearance for Robert Dennis under the Ravelston Stud banner. Robert Dennis is a son of Tony Dennis, who alongside his brothers Joe, Martin and Ray has entered New Zealand breeding and racing folklore. Breeders and owners of such legendary names as The Phantom, The Phantom Chanc...

St John Training Courses – Licensed Thoroughbred Industry Participants

NZTR has scheduled a series of St John First Aid workshops for licensed industry participants to whom it might be relevant. Each workshop will be limited to a maximum of 20 attendees. The workshops will take place as follows: Riccarton Park Racecourse: Monday 1 May 11.00am – 3.30pm Awapuni Racecourse: Friday 5 May 11.00am – 3.30pm Matamata Racecourse: Monday 8 May 11.00am – 3.30pm Pukekohe Park Racecourse: Monday 15 May 11.00am – 3.30pm The intention of the workshops is...

Big Day Out for All NZTBA Members

Members of the NZTBA have the opportunity to win a nomination to the super stallion Pins at the upcoming Gr.1 Fiber Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders's Stakes at Te Aroha on April 8. Thanks to the generosity of Waikato Stud, the Waikato Branch of the NZTBA have been donated a service nomination for the 2017 to the versatile son of Snippets to offer as prize on race day. "Anyone who is a financial member of the Association from any branch is eligible to enter in the draw on the day, and have...

Dunlop all smiles with unexpected result

Janine Dunlop was celebrating after the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes, despite the Group One feature not delivering the result the Phoenix Park principal had been expecting. "One of my clients, Terry Archer, had La Bella Diosa in so I was principally watching her," she said. The New Zealand-trained filly floundered in the Rosehill mud on Saturday and it was instead left to two graduates of Phoenix Park's 2015 NZB Premier Yearling Sale draft to fight out the finish. In a race marred by interferenc...

All Blacks legend joins racing syndicate

Her ownership ranks might include All Blacks legend Stephen Donald, but the naming of social racing's latest filly will not be left to Beaver. Stephen Donald, best known by his nickname Beaver, has joined the ownership of a two-year-old Darci Brahma filly out of Evana, raced on a shared lease between her breeder The Oaks Stud and the Social Racing No 3 Syndicate. The filly will be trained at Cambridge by Brendon Hawtin. "I'm very excited about it and I can't wait for it all to happen. It's s...

National sponsorship for Jockey’s Association announced

The New Zealand Jockey's Association has secured a significant five-year national sponsorship deal. Dave Taylor, President of the New Zealand Jockey's Association, announced that they have entered into a new and exciting partnership with Dubai based, Al Basti Equiworld to sponsor all New Zealand Jockeys. The sponsorship supports all licensed jockeys and apprentices providing them with race day breeches and provides significant financial support to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing General...

South Island Sale Offers Sensational Value For Money

New Zealand Bloodstock's South Island Sale, which will be held in Christchurch on April 21, is developing a reputation for offering incredible value for money, with a number of high-quality racetrack performers bought for relatively low prices. Few horses fit that description better than one of this season's star New Zealand sprinters, Signify (NZ) (Perfectly Ready), who has earned more than 60 times his purchase price for Alex and Tracey Cowan. Purchased for $5,500 at the 2013 Sale, Signify h...

It's rocking on for Wellfield Lodge

As sponsors of the New Zealand Oaks, the team at Wellfield Lodge in the Manawatu always look forward to that event at Trentham. This year it proved to be a very special race meeting and eventful weekend when Rock On(Road To Rock[AUS]-St Jessie), bred by the stud's proprietors and in their colours, won the Listed St Leger Stakes. "Actually it was a great day for us," said Bill Gleeson a Director of the farm and co-breeder of Rock On. "Bronsteel by Handsome Ransom (AUS) won the first race...