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Long Acres Stud breeds the Taranaki Cup winner Capone

A remarkable coincidence went largely unnoticed recently when two New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Association Council Members swept the black type races at Taranaki Racing's premier meeting at New Plymouth on the 16th of February. Just eighty minutes after Girl of My Dreams (Gold Centre [Aus]) scored in the Gr. 3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic to the delight of her breeder and Central Districts council member John O'Brien, Canterbury and districts branch president Myles Gordon and his partner Debbi...

John O’Brien reflects as gift horse scores Group Three triumph

The dashing win of Girl Of My Dreams (Gold Centre [Aus]) in last weekend's Gr. 3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic (1200m) at New Plymouth produced a somewhat bittersweet moment for the man who bred the promising filly at his Newmarket Lodge property where he stands her unheralded sire Gold Centre (Aus) (Danehill [USA]). Popular Central Districts-based veterinarian and NZTBA Councillor John O'Brien continues to cement his family reputation for breeding quality thoroughbred performers that was establishe...

"Fix" is a wonderful advertisement for her dam

Achieving the optimum price for a yearling at the sales is all about timing, just ask Haunui Farm and Frantic Bloodstock, the vendors of the Zabeel – Destined (GB) filly the highest priced yearling filly at Karaka this year. "It's absolutely all about timing. The filly's half sister Fix (by Iffraaj (GB) achieved Group 2 black type performance one month out from the sales and that made all the difference," according to Haunui Farm's general manager Mark Chitty. "She was always a marketable fi...

Castlzeberg's impressive win has him in contention for the New Zealand Derby

An impressive win in the recent group two H S Dyke Waikato Guineas by Castlzeberg (ex Stylish Cent) has propelled the Castledale (IRE) gelding into contention for the New Zealand Derby next month. Castlzeberg has only raced on six occasions and the Waikato Guineas was his second win. He was soon in front in the 2000 metre event, and was tackled as they turned for home. However, he kicked clear at the 250 and went on to win easily by three and three-quarter lengths. He won his first trial in Oc...

NZTBA instigates new NZB Insurance Pearl series

Racing a filly or mare will be a lot more rewarding in the 2013-14 season thanks to the NZB Insurance NZB Insurance Pearl Series a new $2.6million bonus scheme instigated by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Association. The NZB Insurance Pearl Series will commence in the new racing season. The first fillies eligible for the series are the current crop of yearlings and in their two-year-old season there will be 15 bonus races available. As three and four-year-olds there will be bonuses on 1...

Heather and Peter's dream comes true!!

Taranaki Branch members Heather and Peter Crofskey feel like they have been catapulted into another universe following the deeds of their unbeaten filly Habibi (Ekraar[USA]-Danny Holiday). "She has turned our lives around. It was totally unexpected and it's wonderful," Heather Crofskey enthused. "It's a journey that as little people in the racing and breeding game you dream about, you occasionally see someone like yourself having a lot of success and you dream about it but you never really bel...

Australian court upholds international ban on thoroughbred artificial insemination

In a landmark decision, the Federal Court of Australia today dismissed a challenge to the international rule prohibiting the use of artificial insemination in the production of thoroughbred horses. As the rule applies internationally, the Australian decision is an important test case globally. Proceedings were commenced by an Australian breeder to challenge the rule as an unreasonable restraint of trade and unlawful under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. The case was heard in September/O...

Blue Ribbon day for Denise Howell

Soriana's (3f Savabeel[AUS] – Call Me Lily) win in the group three Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni in Palmerston North was a big thrill for Waikato branch NZTBA member Denise Howell for more reasons than one. "You wait a long time to get a good horse and winning a group race is a big thrill but winning a group race in the Central Districts makes it more special as racing in the CD is where it all started for me," said the owner and breeder of the classy Savabeel filly. "I never get nervous before a...

Unbeaten Mosse impresses in Group 3 Concorde

The early spring racing was dominated by a very smart young unbeaten colt by O'Reilly in Sacred Falls, and the summer looks like it will be dominated by another unbeaten son of that fabulous progenitor Mosse (O'Reilly – Golden Sparkle). From five starts Mosse has won five races with the most recent being the group three The Aussie Butcher Concorde Handicap over 1200 metres, and the manner in which he won that race indicates that there is a lot more to come from this lightly raced four-year-ol...

Holly Ross wins the Sunline Trust Management Scholarship

The 2013 Sunline Trust's International Management Scholarship has been awarded to Holly Ross. Holly is currently employed at Arrowfield Stud in the Hunter Valley, and will head to England at the end of February to work at Cheveley Park in Newmarket, for the first stage of her scholarship. The Sunline Trust's International Management Scholarship aims to identify existing and potential managers within the New Zealand thoroughbred industry, offer them an opportunity to broaden their knowledge and...

Yeah Nah finally fronts up for Nicole Smythe

Ask any thoroughbred breeder and they will tell you that patience and perseverance are probably the two most vitally important characteristics required to be involved in the business. The win by Viadana (Towkay[AUS]- Yeah Nah) in the group three Eagle Technology Stakes at Ellerslie recently is a testament to this. According to her trainer Lance Noble she has always shown ability but until now has lacked the maturity to fulfill her potential. He and the mare's owners have shown great patience an...

New Zealand Cup Week 2012 Wrap-up

Final Touch was in great touch for the Parsons' over Cup Week It's not often someone can claim to have bred, owned and co-trained a listed winner, but that's exactly what South Island horsewoman Karen Parsons did over New Zealand Cup week. The 5yo brown daughter of Kashani (USA) was a close up second in the Pegasus Stakes (Listed) over the 1000m trip on the first-day of the New Zealand Cup carnival and went one better on the Wednesday, when taking out the Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders Stake...

The tale of Dancer's Tale

A two-year-old stakes winner in only the second two-year-old stakes race of the season is almost a perfect start for the Challenge No 1 Syndicate, the first syndicate of Adrian Clark's Challenge Syndications Ltd launched earlier this year. Dancer's Tale (Tale Of The Cat [USA]- Pineau) provided that win for the syndicate when winning the listed Welcome Stakes at Riccarton. The first filly to race from the four filly syndicate has now had three starts for two wins and a third placing in the liste...

Lady Kipling adds another group two victory to her tally

The group two NRM Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes run at Counties is one of the most coveted races for fillies and mares in the country. Each year it attracts a capacity field of the best sprinting fillies and mares in the country, and this year was no exception with 10 stakes performers in the field of 14 runners. This year's winner Lady Kipling (Savabeel- Akela) recorded her second group two victory, and her ninth career win, when she fought like a tiger to take out the event from a l...

Blyth Tait - successful breeder of Nashville

International equestrian Blyth Tait is no stranger to success. He has won four medals including a gold at the Olympics and won four World Championships and now he is enjoying success as the breeder of Canterbury Racing's Coupland's Mile(Gr 2) winner Nashville (Darci Brahma – Royal Kiss [IRE]). "I am thrilled to bits - it was a great result," said Tait who is back in New Zealand for the summer to hold riding clinics and prepare a couple of yearlings for Karaka. "He was a lovely foal, and grew...

Pero wins the Thompson for breeders Des and Kay Fleming

Just over 30 years ago Taranaki dairy farmers Des and Kay Fleming, extended their livestock interests into the thoroughbred game. They were like a lot of farmers, especially in Taranaki who had grown up around horses, rode them as kids, and used them for shifting stock and buying a racehorse or a broodmare seemed like a natural progression. They outlaid $5,000 for a non-winning Sovereign Edition(Ire) mare Paraonui Princess and embarked on the satisfying journey of breeding racehorses and becam...

Jamie's Blog - October 2012

Farewell to the Sunline Scholarship Amazingly, I find myself at the end of the Sunline Scholarship, which has seen me visit some of the most astonishing thoroughbred centers in the world. It's hard to believe that I have been away from home for the best part of eight months working as part of the remarkable teams that together run three of the worlds leading thoroughbred boutiques in England, Ireland and America. Continually the industry evolves and the international aspect of the Sunline Schol...

NZTBA Canterbury Branch to hold auction for "First Girl Home" bonus scheme

The Canterbury/Marlborough/Westland Branch of the NZTBA, supported by the Canterburey Jockey Club, is planning to hold an auction on Tuesday 13th November to raise funds for the 'First Girl Home' stakes bonus scheme. The auction will be conducted by the team from 'OFF THE RAILS' and items to be auctioned include a mounted, gold plated Zabeel shoe, a signed photo of Zabeel, a book, video and caps, all donated by Sir Patrick Hogan, 12 original watercolour cartoons by Lynnley Driver and the coffee ...

The Spring Edition of the Wellington Branch's "WellBred" Newsletter is out now

Click here to read the Wellington Branch "WellBred" newsletter - Wellington Branch...

Is it such a long way from Louis Vuitton pumps to Red Band gumboots?

There is an old saying about taking the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy – or in this case the girl, and the girl in question is Angela Williams. Following a successful career in communications and marketing and with a new husband in tow, Angela returned home to the famous Te Parae Stud just out of Masterton last year. Simon Irving, her husband and a police sergeant, had taken a position locally and Angela swapped her glamorous corporate life to establish t...

D’Cash Man, is it a case of "like father, like son"?

The Vince & Joyce Roberts bred 3yo D'Cash Man looks in fine fettle for upcoming feature races, including the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (Group one) in which he holds a nomination for, after Saturday's highly impressive victory at Riccarton Park. D'Cash Man was dropping back in class from his last start fourth in the 1200m listed Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes at Ruakaka, where he led and was only caught late by some classy horses including the unbeaten Hawke's Bay Guineas winner, Sac...

Jamie Richards' photo blog

Got to http://sunlinescholarship.blogspot.co.uk/#!/2012/10/double-dan-horsemanship.html to read about Jamie's experience with Double Dan Horsemanship. - NZTBA...

Sacred Falls' breeder has the highest praise of all

Following his sensational win in the Gr 2 DHL Hawke's Bay Guineas, Sacred Falls has been getting huge accolades from his trainers, his rider, from those who witnessed the race and from the media, but perhaps the biggest compliment comes from Waikato Stud's Mark Chittick who likens the colt to his illustrious father. "He is the closest I've seen to his father racing wise. As a three-year-old at his first start O'Reilly did exactly the same thing - lost four lengths at the start of his race and c...

Josie Hines continues her mother's passion

Fifty odd years ago when Cambridge octogenarian Gladys Hodgson, was asked by her husband Geoff what she would like for her birthday, she asked him if she could keep a filly he had bred that was unable to race and he was considering selling. That filly, Gabadee (Gabador[FR]-Chickadee),went on to leave a couple of smart stakes winners in Urupukapuka and Dee Dee and a dynasty to follow that is still giving Gladys a huge thrill and something to bet on today. The most recent stakes winner from this ...

Jamie Richards latest blog

Jamie Richards has spent the last eight weeks at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky, preparing yearlings for the Saratoga and Keeneland Yearling Sales. Click here to read the latest blog from America - Jamie Richards...