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Hopes are high for the Dandos

Bradbury Park owners Casey and Michelle Dando are looking forward to November and with good reason. "It's going to be a big month. In the space of a week, we may have two live chances in group races at Riccarton and a cracking Keeper colt in the Ready to Run Sale. I know it's a pipedream but if we pull off the group double, I'll think I'm better than Sir Patrick Hogan," Casey Dando enthused. The reason for all this enthusiasm is threefold. Guns At Five (Duelled[AUS]-Accidentallyinlove) is head...

Holly's Blog - October 2013

Keeneland September Yearling Sale The Keeneland September Yearling Sale is the biggest yearling sale in the world, selling several thousand yearlings over a three week period. Being part of the Taylor Made team for the sale is definitely an experience with them consigning in excess of 300 horses throughout the duration of the big event. My role for the sale was to be a sales person, a position I volunteered for as a way to meet new people. This position involved organising horses to be shown ...

Innovation is the name of the game for The Oaks

The right track conditions are the key to Innovation (Keeper [AUS]- Miss Grovesnor) according to Rick Williams general manager of The Oaks Stud and Karreman Bloodstock. Innovation notched up her third listed win when she took out the Team Weallens Matamata Cup recently on a rain affected slow nine track. "She is very good under those conditions. If she gets rain on the day she doesn't let you down," said Williams. "She doesn't have the best front legs but is very consistent and if the rain st...

Auspicious start for NZB Insurance Pearl Series

The NZB Insurance Pearl Series got off to an auspicious start at Avondale today when the first race to be run under the new fillies' incentive scheme was won by Way In. The daughter of first season sire Thewayyouare was one of three Pearl Series enrolled runners in the seven-horse field for the NZB Insurance Pearl Series 2YO Bonus. Prepared by Shaune Ritchie and ridden by Sam Spratt, Way In took full advantage of her inside draw to share the early pace and then establish a break on her rivals w...

Dosh comes up with the cash for Davison

Mapperley Stud's Simms Davison knew he was making the right decision when he purchased Dosh (Danske – Heaps) out of the 2011 National Broodmare and Weanling Sale for $20,000, having already purchased her Thorn Park(AUS) weanling colt for $30,000 earlier in the sale. He knew the mare well as she was owned by a client of the stud, Victorian bloodstock company Harvey Digby Bloodstock Ltd. "I purchased her 2009 colt by Thorn Park as a weanling out of the paddock for $30,000 and sold him for $120...

No regrets for Scott Williams

No regrets. That was the philosophical comment from Cambridge breeder Scott Williams when discussing the win by Orovela (Saperavi –Kim's Coup) in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton recently. "Everyone has done well out of this horse except me," he said with a laugh referring to the recent fortunes of the smart filly. Orovela was purchased by Ashburton trainer Danny Champion at the 2011 weanling sales at Karaka for $1200. She was raced by his partner Kezia Murphy when she won her...

Hawke's Bay NZTBA member thriving on Group success

Hawke's Bay NZTBA branch member Ken Browne started racing horses about thirty years ago with big expectations of success. He was finally rewarded when his home-bred mare Thrive (Colombia-Trove by Paris Opera) posted a stylish win in last Saturday's Group Three Merial Ancare Metric Mile. "She is finally putting it all together and living up to the form she had previously shown as a young filly, Jason Bridgman has done a wonderful job with her, as she has been a bit of an enigma. She's won on hea...

Lime Country Thoroughbreds starts the spring with a Bang!

In recent years Jo Griffin and her husband Greg have immersed themselves in the bloodstock industry under the banner of Lime Country Thoroughbreds, and now they are starting to see some results and achieve some success. In the beginning, with a limited budget and a need to generate turnover to stay afloat, they set out to buy older mares from proven families in foal to good stallions. One of their first purchases was Cheeky Veronica (AUS) before she left the group one winner Tell A Tale. But pe...

2012-13 NZ Free Handicaps re-issued

The 2012-13 New Zealand Free Handicaps prepared by NZ Thoroughbred Racing Chief Handicapper Brett Scelly have been re-issued, below, including a 2.0 kg fillies' allowance, to ensure consistency with previous Free Handicaps prepared by NZTR: 2YOs Weight kg 3YOs 1200m-1600m Weight kg 3YOs 1601m+ Weight kg RECITE 59.0 SACRED FALLS 61.0 DUNDEEL 62.0 RUUD AWAKENING (AUS) 59.0 DUNDEEL ...

Applictions open for 2014 Sunline Trust Scholarships

Applications for the 2014 Sunline Trust Scholarships are now open. Click here for full details. Applications close on 13 October 2013. - NZTBA...

Survived adds to Don Gordon's pedigree

Survived's (pictured above) win in the group one Makfi Hawke's Bay Challenge Stakes was a great thrill for his owner NZTBA Hawkes Bay branch committeeman Don Gordon. The octogenarian has a soft spot for the Hastings track as he served on the Hawke's Bay Racing Club committee for a number of years and was instrumental in having the Ormond Memorial moved from autumn to spring. "The idea was to give trainers an opportunity to get their horses ready and see if they were good enough to compete in A...

New Zealand Pattern Committee completes 2012-13 Review

The New Zealand Pattern Committee (NZPC) has undertaken its annual review of Group and Listed races run in New Zealand in the 2012-13 season. Click here to read the full report - NZTR...

NZB Insurance 2013 Pearl Series first 2YO bonus races announced

NZTR has released the first of the 2YO Pearl Series bonus races for October. They are: Monday 7 Oct Avondale JC 800m 2yo Thursday 10 Oct Wairarapa RC 1000m 2yo Saturday 26 Oct Canterbury Racing 800m 2yo Each race carries an $8000 Pearl bonus for Pearl-enrolled fillies: $7000 (plus gst if applicable) will be paid to the owner, $700 (plus gst if applicable) to the trainer, and $300 (plus GST if ap...

Date Change - Auckland Branch Breeding and Racing Awards dinner

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Auckland Branch of the NZTBA has had to postpone its inaugural Auckland Breeding & Racing Awards from Saturday 7th September to Saturday 28th September. The stallion parade at Haunui Farm and Westbury Stud on Sunday 8th September, will still take place starting at Haunui at 10.30am. With that in mind, we hope you will be able to join us on the 28th to celebrate a great season of success for the Auckland region. This year for the first time, the Auckland...

High hopes for Cauthen this spring

Cauthen (pictured above) , the recent winner of the Listed Essendon Nissan McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley was named after a superstar – American jockey Steve Cauthen – but according to his breeder Des Hawkins of Wentwood Grange, he has always been one. "He was an absolute cracker of a foal, right the way through to a yearling and now as a racehorse he is still impressive looking and hugely exciting. We had two Darci Brahma colts that year here at Wentwood Grange, and they were paddock mat...

The Taxation of Bloodstock - Would you like to know more?

Carl and Julie of Brandt Segedin, Taxation Specialists, are pleased to be able to offer a Tax Training Webinar that is specifically designed to answer all those questions that are commonly asked by accountants who work in and with the horse breeding and racing industry. This Taxation of Bloodstock Webinar will cover the following matters: − Bloodstock breeding business versus horse traders versus hobbies – pleasure or money − GST registration for horse racing – clearing all the hurdles...

First foals for Jimmy Choux

Rich Hill Stud has been eagerly awaiting the first foals of the former champion performer Jimmy Choux and they haven't been disappointed. The Walton farm on the outskirts of Matamata have welcomed a stunning duo with the recent arrivals of a son and a daughter of the charismatic Thorn Park stallion. "His two foals born so far are remarkably similar," stud principal John Thompson said. "They are both well-balanced bays with quality and a very athletic appearance. It is an exciting time for us as...

NZTR announces stake increases

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has announced prize money increases from January 1, 2014. Minimum stakes for all races at the country's top five meetings, to be known as Iconic meetings, will be increased to $40,000 per race. They are Wellington Cup day, New Zealand Derby day, Spring Classic day, New Zealand Cup day and Boxing Day at Ellerslie. In addition, minimum prize money for all races at a further 15 Premier meetings, to be titled 'Premier 1' meetings, will be increased to $30,000...

Holly's Blog - August 2013

Hola! Buenos dias, Como Estas? It's been awhile since my last blog due to travel and work commitments I haven't had a lot of spare time but I will do my best to fill in the past few weeks. My last few weeks in Ireland were very enjoyable with the weather attempting to resemble some sort of summer. The last two weeks I spent at Primus, the marketing and advertising company designated to Coolmore's multinational operation. With so many stallions and in different countries it is quite a task to ...

Trelawney Stud wins the 2013 New Zealand Breeder of the Year title

The euphoria of winning the Breeder of the Year title is slowing waning and its business as usual at Trelawney Stud according to Brent Taylor. "We are back to the mundane things like foaling, organizing mares and getting our yearlings sorted. We are back down to earth now. "It was very gratifying winning the Breeder of the Year title. We have seen some wonderful people get the award in the past and always strived to be there ourselves. It took a little while for our plans to come to fruition, ...

Azamour (IRE) has Royal connections

In the stud season about to start, the former champion racehorse and proven sire Azamour (IRE) [Nightshift- Asmara] will commence stud duties at Brighthill Farm in Cambridge. Azamour was the winner of five races in the famous green and red colours of His Highness the Aga Khan. At two he had one start and won the group two Beresford Stakes at the Curragh. As a three-year-old he won the group one Royal Ascot St James's Palace Stakes and the group one Irish Champion Stakes, while at four he added ...

Breeders benefit from expert advice at NZTBA Winter Seminar Series

Almost 200 people enjoyed this year's excellent NZTBA Winter Seminar Series presented last week in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North and Christchurch. The 2013 Series was free of charge for all attendees, thanks to the generous support of the NZTBA's commercial partners, the BNZ, Dunstan Horsefeeds, Fertco, Magnum Industries & Goldpine, in association with Caledonian Holdings. Alec Jorgensen (NZ Equine Veterinary Association), Gretel Webber (Dunstan Nutrition) & Dr Peter Pulford (V...

NZTBA Members' Bloodstock Taxation Update, August 2013

BLOODSTOCK TAX CASE - DECISION IN FAVOUR OF THE COMMISSIONER HIGH COURT FINDS THAT THERE WAS NO BREEDING BUSINESS By John Aubrey: jcaubrey@xtra.co.nz The decision delivered on 15 July could well prove to be a major blow to the bloodstock industry coming as it does at a time of diminishing returns and a grave loss of confidence in the future. In addition, there will inevitably be a substantial expansion in the Revenue's investigation of bloodstock syndicates. The case, DRUMMOND & ORS v TH...

Changing of guard at Hall of Fame

Founding director Chris Luoni has succeeded Gerald Fell as chairman of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Fell has remained as a director and has been joined by newcomers Cherry Taylor, of Trelawney Stud, and Haunui Farm's Mark Chitty. "Gerald was an inspirational chairman during our first nine years of operation and we thank him for his leadership and commitment," Luoni said. "Both Cherry and Mark have leadership positions in our industry and are looking forward to their involvement in this ...

Holly's Blog - July 2013

Coolmore Ireland The second part of my scholarship has begun and I am now based at the reputable Coolmore Stud in Fethard, Ireland. The short journey over from England was hindered only by the size of my suitcase and all the extra belongings I had acquired from Newmarket. I was excited and slightly apprehensive to be arriving at the place known worldwide as the home of champions. I was very impressed upon arrival, the farm is beautiful, and with lots of green grass and trees, the environment sh...