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Hardline's breeder Bill Hurlstone ecstatic with Karaka Million win

Taranaki based breeder Bill Hurlstone was lucky enough to be on hand to see Hardline (Showcasing[GB]- Midnight Breaker), blitz his rivals to win the restricted listed Karaka Million at Ellerslie on the eve of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales. "It was just an absolute pleasure to be sitting there in the grandstand with a horse I had bred in the race, and what a thrill I got when I saw number three flash past the line first," Hurlstone recounted. Hurlstone is the breeder of Har...

NZ Equine Industries Sign Bio-Security Deal With Government

The equine sector is the latest to sign a biosecurity agreement with the Government, joining the kiwifruit, pipfruit and pork industries. The agreement commits horse racing, recreational and breeding organisations to work in a partnership with the Primary Industries Ministry to manage and respond to disease threats. The New Zealand Equine Health Association representing all horse interests, signed the agreement at the Karaka yearling sales yesterday. The association's chairman Ivan Bridge sai...

Gaultier shows his class at Trentham

"He is the best horse we have bred by miles, and it's a great pedigree update for his half-brother in the NZB Festival Sale," enthused a very delighted Peter Rattray when discussing the Group One win of Gaultier (Rios-Playacting[AUS]) in the Levin Classic at Trentham. Although he was a maiden going into the race, and almost the rank outsider in the field, Gaultier had shown some ability in his previous four starts. Two weeks before the Group One event his part-owner and trainer Danica Guy reali...

NZB Insurance Pearl Bonus Scheme sees big results

In the past two months seven lucky filly owners and trainers have each taken home up to an extra $11,500 in bonus prize money thanks to the Pearl Series Bonus Scheme. Instigated by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association prior to the Karaka sales in 2013 to add to the attraction of racing fillies, the scheme is sponsored by NZB Insurance. It features bonuses for fillies and mares of almost $2.6 million and prizemoney of nearly $2.8 million across 215 individual races for each crop of...

Champion stallion O'Reilly sadly dies

Champion stallion O'Reilly has died. Waikato Stud staff awoke on Wednesday to find the stallion dead in his paddock, most likely from a heart attack. Bred and raced by Waikato Stud, O'Reilly forged a career as a brilliant sprinter-miler, winning four of his six starts, including the Gr.1 Bayer Classic and the Gr.1 Telegraph in four unbeaten starts in New Zealand. Retired to stud with a career-ending suspensory ligament injury, O'Reilly was quick to make his mark as a sire, leaving Gr.1 1000 G...

NZTBA mourns past President Peter Francis

It is with great sorrow that the NZTBA learned of the death on Wednesday afternoon of Immediate Past President Peter Francis. Michael Martin, Chief Executive of the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Association says, "Peter made a really significant and valuable contribution to the New Zealand thoroughbred industry as an owner & breeder, committee member & councillor, and through his publishing companies. "He was motivated always by the best interests of his fellow breeders and owners, and wor...

NZTBA member Stephanie Hole makes the right Choice

A decision made in 2008 to upgrade to a commercial breeder is paying dividends for Blenheim based breeder Stephanie Hole, after Choice (Mastercraftsman[IRE]-Femme Britannica[ASU]) won the Group Three Eulogy Stakes recently. And with a half-sister in the New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale next month the timing couldn't be better. A member of the Canterbury/Marlborough/Westland Branch of the NZTBA Hole sought the advice of Wairarapa bloodstock agent Bruce Perry and headed to Sydney to buy a comm...

Showcasing stamps his mark

One of the leading first season sire's of Europe in 2014, young Haunui Farm stallion Showcasing (GB) (Oasis Dream) has gone a long way to stamping his mark on the New Zealand stallion ranks landing his first winner last Friday, and his first stakes winner on Saturday. Last Friday saw Showcasing's first winner in the Southern Hemisphere when the Liam Birchley-trained Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing) was an impressive winner on debut at Doomben. Sold for $43,000 by Haunui Farm as a weanling, he was pur...

Tavy wins the Trevor Eagle Memorial

There is something special about Tavy (Tavistock-The Cat's Whiskers), the recent winner of the listed Trevor Eagle Memorial, in more ways than one. Tavy was bred by Henriette the Dowager Duchess of Bedford and is raced by her in partnership with former NZTBA councillor Peter Hutt and Filiberto Rayon-Villela. She also bred her sire Tavistock which was named after her late husband Robin. "She is a very special filly to me and it's so exciting to see her doing so well and nominated for the Derby,...

Racing loses a true gentleman

A widely-respected champion jockey who continued his involvement with the industry for many years after his retirement has passed away. Norman (Norm) Bannerman Holland, OBE, died on Sunday at the age of 90. Holland's family moved from Lancashire, England, to New Zealand when he was four and settled in Taranaki. He left school as a 13-year-old and served his apprenticeship with Oney Cox at Hawera and began race riding in 1940. Holland graduated to win three jockeys' premierships in 1945-46, 1...

'Kelly O'Reilly' adds some Black Type for the Pikes

Waikato Branch members Vicki and Wayne Pike had plenty of cause for celebration when Kelly O'Reilly (O'Reilly – Grace) won the Group Two NRM/Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes over 1400 metres recently giving her some well-deserved black type. Despite the fact that the five-year-old mare has won seven races, this was only her fourth attempt at black type and her win was quite emphatic. Though the margin was only a head, with three-quarters of a length back to the third horse, she showed g...

Looking to Re-Home and Provide a Second Career for your Thoroughbred?

As part of the NZTR/ESNZ (Equestrian Sports New Zealand) joint welfare initiative TiES (Thoroughbreds in Equestrian Sports) ESNZ has established a database of equestrian sportsmen and women throughout New Zealand who are interested in receiving information on Thoroughbreds who have finished their racing careers and are looking for new homes/second careers. There are currently over 60 people from equestrian sports registered on this ESNZ database looking for ex-racehorses to re-home and provide ...

Where Champions Are Born

Where Champions Are Born is a monumental publication, chronicling a snapshot of the present studfarm landscape in New Zealand. Well-known racing journalist and broadcaster Aidan Rodley has profiled 16 of our finest breeding establishments in his seminal book 'Where Champions Are Born - New Zealand's Most Influential Studfarms'. With magnificent photography from the renowned equine photographer Trish Dunell and the foreword from current Black Caps cricket captain Brendon McCullum, Where Champio...

Addictive Habit does it for his Uncle, Rough Habit

The win by Addictive Habit (Columbia-Chasing the Habit) in the Group Two Coupland's Mile recently was rather fitting given it came less than a week after his famous "uncle" and sometime paddock mate Rough Habit (Roughcast[USA]- Certain Habit) had passed away. What makes it even more special is that Hawkes Bay branch stalwart and secretary Isabell Roddick who bred "Roughie" also bred and races Addictive Habit. Rough Habit passed away at the grand old age of 28, at his "retirement home" at Cambr...

NZTR Members' Council appoints new Director to the Board

The Members' Council of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has appointed Rick Williams to the vacant seat on the NZTR Board following Joe Walls's retirement at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting held yesterday in Wellington. Wayne Guppy, Chairman of the Council, stated: "The Council reviewed all applications and agreed to appoint Rick Williams to the vacant seat on the Board and retain the skills of the three directors retiring by rotation, Greg McCarthy, Ben Nettleton and Victori...

A Great Start to the Spring for White Robe Lodge

After two commanding distance wins in Melbourne this spring Who Shot Thebarman (Yamanin Vital – Ears Carol) is shaping up as another staying star graduate from that fine South Island nursery White Robe Lodge. For nearly six decades the Anderton Family have been producing quality stayers. They have produced Derby and Oaks winners on both sides of the Tasman, a Wellington Cup winner, an Auckland Cup winner and five New Zealand Cup winners. Their stallions have produced Melbourne and Caulfield C...

Vale Don McLaren

Don McLaren has been a long-time client, associate and more importantly friend of the Chitty Family and the staff of Haunui Farm. His business acumen saw him inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame but it was horses that was his passion and for many years, he ran his own boutique stud, Northfields. Earlier this week, Don passed away and our thoughts are with his family at this time. Don was a constant visitor to Haunui Farm, stopping in not only to discuss his bloodstock and, indus...

NZTBA announce the Sunline Scholarship Winners

A couple of mates from Cambridge are the lucky recipients of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Sunline scholarships this year. Benji King has been awarded the Sunline Education Trust International Management Scholarship, and Dylan Treweek the scholarship to the Irish National Stud, sponsored by the Taylor family of Trelawney Stud. In announcing the winners this week, NZTBA CEO Michael Martin stated that from a very competitive line up of applicants, he was sure that both Be...

Dramatist picks up second Pearl Series Bonus

3yo filly Dramatist picked up her second NZB Insurance Pearl Bonus prize in a month. A stylish win at Banks Peninsula Racing Club in the Racing 75 Benchmark Fillies and Mares over 1400m saw connections scoop the bonus prize. She was nominated into the NZB Insurance Pearl Series in 2012. See our website for information on how to register your 2014 yearling. - Nicola Griffiths...

Vale Nelson Bunker Hunt

American Nelson Bunker Hunt, who died in Dallas earlier this week, was by any measurement a big, big man. The rotund Texan, along with brother W. Herbert Hunt, inherited multi-billions from their father, the legendary Texas oilman H. L. Hunt. Bunker added to the fortune and at one time was considered the richest man in the world. With a seemingly bottomless pit to his wealth, he became the world's most influential racehorse owner, winning America's prestige Eclipse Award four times and racing ...

Owen Tomlinson breeds Group Three winner "Ginner Hart"

"He is a good old horse, and it's great to see him winning," quipped Owen Tomlinson, the man behind Hobby Horse Hall Racing Limited the breeders of the Group Three Lion Red Plate winner Ginner Hart (Volksraad[IRE]-Lyford Cay). "The family has been good to me and it's good to see this horse going on. I haven't got too many left out of the family now, my son Ben is more involved than me but we are still going," Tomlinson told the NZTBA from his home on the Gold Coast. "I tried to watch the race ...

The Filly ..... third time lucky!

There is a long held philosophy in breeding that you should breed your mare to the same stallion three times to give it the best chance of throwing a good horse. The Filly, the recent winner of the group three Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders Stakes is testament to that theory, as she is the product of the third mating of her dam Bayline Beauty (GB) (Soviet Star[USA]- Bottom Line[GB])with Ishiguru (USA)(Danzig[USA]-Strategic Maneuver[USA]). A tough little race mare her win in the Group Three e...

LETMEGO wins NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden

An impressive win at Taupo today in the 1300m NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden saw connections of 3YO filly LETMEGO (No Excuse Needed (GB)/Embargo) win bonus prizemoney following her nomination into the NZB Insurance Pearl Series in 2012. She is the third 3YO filly nominated for the Pearl Series to win to date. Earlybird nominations for yearlings are now being taken. See our website for further details. - Nicola Griffiths...

Michael Wallace spends up in Ireland

Working in his role as the Racing and Bloodstock Manager for the China Horse Club, Michael Wallace purchased the second highest priced lot at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale on Tuesday when he went to €850,000 to secure Lot 227 a colt by Sea The Stars (IRE)/Evensong (GER). Michael Wallace Bloodstock/China Horse Club purchased two further lots on Monday; Lot 81, a colt by Dream Ahead (USA))/Tiger Spice (GB) for €110,000 and Lot 170 a colt by Windsor Park shuttler Rip Van Winkle (IRE)/Cawett (IRE...

Robert's Blog – September 2014

Robert's Final Blog from Kentucky Hi there everyone, welcome to my final update on my Sunline Scholarship experience. It's been a whirlwind 30 weeks that has gone much faster than I ever thought it would. It has definitely been a great experience where I have had plenty of opportunity to learn off some of the best in the business and I am looking forward to putting my new knowledge and skills into practise back in NZ. My final blog will cover my final weeks at Taylor Made in the states inclu...