Back to Blog

NZTBA Central Districts Branch Stallion Parade - Sunday 19th August

The Central Districts Branch of the NZTBA will be holding its annual Stallion Parade on Sunday 19th August. Clickhere for the programme. All welcome - ENQUIRIES TO SECRETARY, HUW TAYLOR (021 544557 OR 06 3293309) - Central Districts Branch...

2011-2012 New Zealand Free Handicaps released

The 2011-2012 New Zealand Free Handicaps, framed by NZTR's Senior Handicapper, Mr Dean Nowell for the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, have been released today. Click here to view ...

High Kin comes up with the goods for breeder

Feilding plumber Mike Kunac has dabbled in racing and breeding horses for the past 12 years or so, but more recently he and his partners have found it pretty painful to their pockets. With Chris and Jack Stone, he owned a mare called Kinzan (Kinjite-Double-Zan) and in 2009, after Jack had moved to the South Island, they decided to quit the High Chaparral filly she had produced as a yearling at the Festival Sale. However, Mike wasn't quite ready to give up on the family. Her first three foals w...

Peter Moody Guest Speaker for Auckland NZTBA Awards

The Auckland branch of the NZTBA are delighted to announce that trainer of the famed Black Caviar, Peter Moody, will be the guest speaker at their annual awards dinner to be held at Ellerslie Racecourse on Friday, 17th August. Sponsored by New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance, the Auckland Branch dinner recognises the success of the Auckland-bred racehorse with the 2011/2012 another successful one for the region including VRC Derby-winner Sangster (NZ) (Savabeel) and, Singapore Derby-winner Chase M...

'Kiwi Bred' starts on Trackside 1st August

A long awaited breeding programme is about to hit the screens on Trackside. Kiwi Bred will commence screening on Wednesday August 1 at 8pm on Trackside and every Wednesday after that for the next 11 weeks. Each programme will be repeated on Thursday and Friday at 11.30am and again on Sunday at 10.30am. According to Tim Aldridge the Senior Producer at Trackside/TAB TV there had been a lot of talk for quite some time about putting together a weekly programme that showed a more expansive look at ...

Chase Me's Singapore Derby gives breeders a timely boost

A shared breeding philosophy developed under the tutelage of Clive Harper in Levin some twenty years ago is responsible for the mating of Chase Me (Storm Creek [USA]-Cartier Gold), the winner of the Singapore Derby. The impressive eight length winner was bred by NZTBA member Noeline Redfern of Masterton, and Peter Jenkins, now based at Arrowfield Stud's office in Sydney. For both it is the first stakes winner they have bred, although Peter has been involved in planning the matings of a number ...

Sunshine Gold comes right for Don and Wendy Pye

As a racehorse Sunshine Gold (Zabeel-Talent Scout) showed a lot of promise but had temperament problems and was retired after only six starts. Owned by NZTBA Auckland branch members Don and Wendy Pye, she ran two placings in those six starts but also demolished the starting gates at Ellerslie on another occasion, and following that incident it was decided her future lay elsewhere. Twelve years on and Sunshine Gold is now the dam of six foals, four to race for four winners including the recent ...

Georgina Bolton graduates with Gold Medal at Irish National Stud

The Irish National Stud Breeding Course has a long and distinguished history of producing graduates who go on to take leading roles in global racing and breeding. Last Friday 21 students from ten different countries graduated after completing six months on the internationally acclaimed course. In his speech to the graduates, family and guests, Irish National Stud boss John Osborne pointed out that, "32 countries have been represented over the years, a service no one else can really match, and th...

NZTBA celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

"One of our best-ever events," is how Chief Executive Michael Martin described the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association's celebration of Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee on Tuesday 26 June. New Zealand's Governor-General, Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae, and Lady Janine Mateparae hosted the dinner at Government House in Auckland. Michael acknowledged the contributions of Government House staff, the NZTBA's Office Manager Sally Cassels-Brown and MC S...

Innovation tops off a great season for The Oaks

Innovation (Keeper [AUS]-Miss Grosvenor), the winner of the listed Wealleans Tauranga Classic, is the fourth female to carry the famous Oaks blue and white colours to black type victory this season. She joins the group one New Zealand Oaks winner Artistic (Darci Brahma- Artless [AUS]), her runner-up, the group two Cambridge Stud Fillies Classic Zurella (Zabeel-Doneze Girl), and Single Minded who won the group two City of Auckland Cup and the Avondale Cup as stakes winners this season. Like Art...

NZTBA Annual General Meeting well attended

The Association's Annual General Meeting was held last Wednesday, 20th June in the Cuvee Room, Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland. The meeting was attended by approximately 50 members and chaired by President Peter Francis. Vice President/Treasurer, John Fokerd presented the Annual Financial Statement which was adopted by the members. The NZTBA Council has 11 members and is comprised of five representing the Northern Region, three from the Central Region, two from the South Island and one Studmaste...

Royal Ascot live coverage from Tuesday 19th - Saturday 23th June on TAB TV CH 35.

Day One – Tuesday Night 1.30am The Queen Anne Stakes (Group One) 2.05am The King's Stand Stakes (Group One) 2.45am The St James's Palace Stakes (Group One) Day Two – Wednesday Night 1.30am The Jersey Stakes (Group Three) 2.05am The Windsor Forest Stakes (Group Two) 2.45am 150th Anniversary Prince Of Wales Stakes (Group One) Day Three – Thursday Night 1.30am The Norfolk Stakes (Group Three) 2.05am The Ribblesdale Stakes (Group Two) 2.45am The Gold Cup (Group One) Day Four – Friday Ni...

Judi Wanless - Breeder and Owner of "Lights of Heaven"

"She's all grown up and not a filly anymore, she's a top class mare." That is the apt description of the group two Brisbane Cup winner Lights of Heaven (Zabeel-I'm In Heaven) according to Judi Wanless. "I can't believe she has turned her form from the spring right around and done so well over the Queensland Carnival." Wanless was referring to the mare's somewhat disappointing spring campaign, following on from her group one winning form as an autumn three-year-old. Last year's South Australian...

NZTBA to celebrate Patron’s Diamond Jubilee

The NZTBA has been invited to celebrate 60 years of The Queen's reign. The Queen has been the Association's Patron since 1990 when she opened the new office at Ellerslie Racecourse, and has had a lifetime passion in all horses, especially thoroughbreds. In recent correspondence to the NZTBA, Mr John Warren, the Queen's Racing Manager, commented "Her Majesty derives tremendous pleasure from any winner, however great or small. Her deep interest has no boundaries, from which mare or filly is intro...

Thoroughbred Breeding Course

In response to interest from Stud Masters, we are seeking expressions of interest from Employers to send current Stud employees to a block course working towards the Level 3 National Certificate in Thoroughbred Breeding. This will be run in the Auckland Area in two block sessions – the first on 3-5 July and the second on 17-19 July 2012. The courses will run from 9-5pm each day and students would be expected to attend all days and both block courses. Click here to find out more about the cou...

Queensland Oaks success for Greg Tomlinson

The group one Queensland Oaks is a race oftn targeted by New Zealanders and their record in the event is quite extraordinary with nine winners since 2000. This year's event was no different with the first four horses home all New Zealand bred, with three of the four being by colonial stallions standing at Waikato Stud. The winner was Quintessential (Fast 'N' Famous[AUS]-Florette [USA]), from Eliza Blues (O'Reilly – Censibelle), Vittoria (Postponed [USA]-Eurotec) and Dowager Queen (Savabeel[AU...

Jimmy Choux to stand at Rich Hill

In the face of widespread competition, Rich Hill Stud has won the race to sign multiple Group One winner and reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year Jimmy Choux. In an agreement reached by the farm and Nearco Stud principal Greg Tomlinson with the former outstanding galloper's owner-breeders Richard and Liz Wood, the popular bay will begin his career at the Walton operation on the outskirts of Matamata. "We weren't originally planning to have a new stallion, but the decision by Sir Percy's Engli...

Zennista gives Budgie a thrill

NZTBA Auckland Branch member John Berger, or Budgie as he is often known, is a self professed bit of a battler when it comes to his horses, so was rapt recently with the win of Zennista (Zenno Rob Roy [JAP]- Zarnitsa) in the listed James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup. "It was an awesome great result - she is the first stakes winner I have bred. I was pretty excited when she ran second in the Oaks and that certainly helped her pedigree and upgraded her from Festival to Select. That helped at sales ti...

Celia adds to the family Honour Roll

When it comes to bloodstock matters its not often that Celia Crawshaw ignores the advice of her father Garry or younger brother Mark Chittick, but in May last year she did just that. "We had Prickle (Pins[AUS]-Snobbish) and her weanling in the May sale, and thank God I changed my mind and withdrew Prickle. I would be feeling pretty sick right now if I hadn't," she told the NZTBA this week. Prickle is the dam of Brambles (by Savabeel) the recent winner of the group three Grand Prix and the grou...

Warren Pegg strikes "Gold" with Bonnie Mac

The winner of the listed SAJC Proud Miss Stakes, Bonnie Mac (Thorn Park[AUS]-Gold Class), also the winner of five out of her six career starts, nearly didn't make it to the race track. As a two-year-old in the Moroney stable in Matamata, the filly underwent her first preparation but was put aside after a small paddock accident left her very sore in behind. According to Paul Moroney, who selected the filly from the 2009 Select Fillies Sale, the vet prescribed rest for the filly. She then came ba...

Trevor Delroy loves his stayers

West Australian breeder Trevor Delroy is passionate about staying pedigrees and that, combined with patience and good fortune, has attributed to him being the breeder of two derby winners this year. Delroy, the owner of Wyadup Farm near Yallingup in the Margaret River region south of Perth, is the breeder of the ATC Derby winner Ethiopia(Helenus [AUS]- Shona[AUS]) and the South Australian Derby winner Zabeelionaire (NZ) (Zabeel- Kisumu[AUS]). He races Ethiopia out of Pat Carey's stable in Flem...

Pencarrow's top family have a golden weekend

There is plenty to smile about down on the farm at Pencarrow Stud right now, following the amazing double stakes winning feat of the full blood relations Dolmabache (Redoute's Choice – Our Echezeaux) and Burgundy (Redoute's Choice- Grand Echezeaux) at the Cambridge Jockey Club's recent meeting. Dolmabache, raced by her breeders Peter and Phillip Vela of Pencarrow fame, was an upset winner of the group two Travis Stakes, a weight-for-age event for fillies and mares over 2000 metres. The four-y...

Jamie's Blog - April 2012

How time flies when you're having fun the old saying goes and nothing is more fitting to explain my time here at Cheveley. With only a couple of weeks until the Guineas weekend, then the Sunline Scholarship takes me to Coolmore Ireland, it is hard to comprehend that I have been here for the best part of two months. With everything going on, mares foaling, lectures and coverings in the evenings and trying to ride out as often as possible, it really doesn't take long for the days to blend together...

Jamie's Last Blog From Cheveley Park

Click here to read Jamies latest and last blog from Cheveley Park - Jamie Richards ...

Oysters and Horses - a great mix for Willie and Karen Calder

Southland branch NZTBA member Willie Calder makes his living as an oysterman and doesn't often take time out in the oyster season but last weekend was the exception as he wanted to go to Riccarton to see his filly Asavant (Zabeel-Pins'n'Needles) take out the Listed Warstep Stakes. "On Friday I was up at 4 a.m to go fishing, I put the catch in the chiller, and at 5.30 in the afternoon headed to Dunedin with my daughter Anna to watch the Highlanders play rugby. Early the next morning we drove up t...