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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...

Sir Patrick reacts to Zabeel’s record

Sir Patrick Hogan has expressed his elation in seeing champion sire Zabeel claim a New Zealand record for his own this week. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Lizzie L'Amour was successful in Thursday's Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie to become Zabeel's 46th individual Group One winner. That elevated Zabeel to one ahead of his own champion sire Sir Tristram, who also stood at Cambridge Stud and with whom he had been tied on 45 Group One winners since Provocative's Gr.1...

Australian Cup victory a sweet result for Carter family

The achievement of a well executed plan is certainly cause to celebrate so there was little wonder that Aucklander John Carter was feeling a little worse for wear less than 24 hours after enjoying his first Group One win on Australian soil. Carter, who along with brother Mark and sister Rachael comprise the Jomara Bloodstock team, was on hand at Flemington on Saturday to cheer home Humidor, the horse they bred and still share in the ownership of, as he stormed to victory in the Gr. 1 Australia...

Cameron Ring- February Blog - Breeding Commences at the Irish National Stud

The season has well and truly kicked into gear. Foals are dropping faster than Winx round Royal Randwick and the lads in the stallion barn are well into their work. Interestingly enough there isn't really a start date to the breeding season over here unlike our 1st of September kick off. They use 14th of February as a guideline to ensure there won't be foals being born before their birthday (January 1st) to avoid foals that are technically classed as yearlings. Below is a picture of the first fo...

Waikato Stud moves for Group One contender

Matamata powerhouse Waikato Stud have delved back into the stallion market with their latest purchase having the potential for a bumper early return. Farm principal Mark Chittick has secured a major interest in the Michael Moroney-trained Tivaci, who on Saturday will chase his first Group One victory in the $A1.25 million Newmarket Handicap at Flemington. The four-year-old is the dual Group Three winner of the C.S. Hayes Stakes and the Sunshine Coast Guineas and he was also Group One-placed...

NZTROF March 2017 Edition

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Taranaki breeders do it again!

In 2014 Taranaki businessman Chris Thompson, decided to invest in a couple of broodmares to boost his thoroughbred interests. He had already been involved with thoroughbreds for about 30 years, breeding and racing a few and on selling them out of Alan Sharrock's stable in New Plymouth, trading under the banner of Kaipikari Thoroughbreds from his 11 acre Urenui property. But with the desire to breed a few more, he purchased four broodmares and as it has turned out two of those mares have sons...

Werther seals Dubai trip

A group of New Zealanders have an important focus on the Dubai World Cup meeting next month after Werther recaptured his best form at Sha Tin on Sunday night. Werther, Hong Kong's reigning Horse Of The Year, remains unbeaten over the Sha Tin 2000 metres after giving John Moore his fifth win in the Gr.1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup on Sunday and now the son of Tavistock will head to Dubai for the US$6 million Dubai Turf (1800m) on March 25. Andrew Campbell, who originally trained Werther at Opaki ...

Excellent results for Goodwood Stud's William Fell

With graduates like Gingernuts (Iffraaj[GB]-Double Elle) a hot prospect in the Vodafone New Zealand Derby, and Nicoletta (Savabeel[AUS]-Celtic Crown[USA]) second favourite in the Wellfield New Zealand Oaks, the team at Goodwood Stud are looking forward to the month of March. Gingernuts bounced into Derby contention after a smart win in the Group Two Avondale Guineas, scoring by an impressive one and a quarter lengths after missing the start in the 2100 metre event. Whereas Nicoletta set a dete...

NZTR Chief Executive Stepping Down

Greg Purcell, Chief Executive for the past six years of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, has given notice to the NZTR Board of his intention to step down by the end of the current racing season. Having commenced his role at the helm of the thoroughbred code's management team in early 2011, Purcell believes the time is now right for the transition to a new Chief Executive. "Greg has worked with total dedication over the last six years and deserves acknowledgement forthe significant improvements ...

Oaks favourite carrying historic colours

There is more than a hint of history around the colours carried to Group Two success in the Sir Tristram Classic by Bonneval. The blue and green combo topped with a red cap has been associated with part-owner John Rattray's family for over 100 years. "They were the colours of the Irish Fusiliers, which was my grandfather's regiment and he registered them in 1915. We lost them for a period when my father let them lapse and someone else picked them up, then we got them back," Rattray said. Duri...

Start Wondering hits Group One glory again

This season's sprinting star Start Wondering (Eighth Wonder- Roseanbar) once again proved his class when he recently won the Waikato Racing Club's Group One NRM Sprint. The six-year-old gelding has clocked up three wins including the Group One Sistema Railway and the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint. He was also beaten a nose in the Group One Telegraph Handicap at Trentham in late January, making him a strong contender for sprinter of the year. Start Wondering is raced by Steve Gudsell, a member ...