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Jamie's Blog - September 2012

Welcome to America I've been in the Blue Grass state of Kentucky for over six weeks now working and living at Taylor Made Farm, and what a busy and brilliant time it has been on the last placement of the NZTBA Sunline Scholarship. Lexington, the horse capital of the world has been very welcoming from my initial implementation into the Taylor Made way of life, to living with Dan James of Double Dan Horsemanship, the Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale in Saratoga and a special day out at Rood and...

Robin Hapi's Belle of Foxton

The win by Dubai Belle (E Dubai[USA]– Shy Dancer) in the group three Merial Ancare Metric Mile has made that mare the "Belle of Foxton". In the small coastal town just south of Palmerston North in the Horowhenua, with a population of around 2500, the mare is a heroine and a welcome diversion for the racing mad community who earlier this year witnessed a number of arson attacks on their race course. "She's a celebrity in town especially at the Foxton Hotel. The racetrack is an iconic part of ...

Racing Te Aroha Stallion Placement Scheme

RACING TE AROHA 2012/2013 STALLION PLACEMENT SCHEME The Stallion Placement Scheme is up and running again. If any owners have mares to mate this season please consider using the Placement Scheme. All money raised by the scheme goes to supporting the GROUP 1 Fillies and Mares Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes in April. If you wish to view stallions to hand please contact Club No. and leave your name & address or fax. No. Click here for details about the stallions or visit the stud and stallio...

Kate gets the spring off to a good start for Don Skelton

The first day of the Rush Munro Hawke's Bay Carnival heralded the start of spring racing in New Zealand and the group one Makfi Hawke's Bay Challenge Stakes lived up to expectation producing a stunning win by Ocean Park (Thorn Park[AUS]- Sayida). However, on the under card, a very smart three-year-old filly in Kate (St Reims – Dutowin) also made her presence felt. Scoring her second win, the big bay filly cleared away from her rivals in the 1200 metre New Zealand Bloodstock 3YO a race which i...

Big weekend for Waikato Branch Stallion Parade

The sun shone brightly for the two days of the NZTBA's Waikato Branch JLT Bloodstock Stallion Parade last weekend. Up to 300 people enjoyed the gorgeous spring weather as they eyed some gorgeous horse flesh in the Waikato region. Many had travelled from outside the region and were not disappointed by what they saw. A changed format saw the parade commence at Cambridge Stud in Cambridge at lunch time on Saturday before heading to Matamata for the afternoon, while on Sunday the tour concentrate...

The Auckland Branch celebrates members' success at Annual Awards dinner

The Auckland branch of the NZTBA held their annual awards dinner on Friday 17th August at the Ellerslie Function Centre. The evening sponsored by New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance was attended by around 130 guests who honoured the award recipients and enjoyed listening to the guest speaker, leading Melbourne trainer Peter Moody. Moody enjoyed a 'fireside chat' with Steve Davis and discussed how, as a boy from the bush in Queensland who wasn't keen on school , had landed a job breaking in yearl...

JLT Bloodstock and Waikato Branch Stallion Weekend - 25 & 26 August

This annual event held on the last weekend in August, is popular with vistors and broodmare owners throughout New Zealand and Australia. See Itinerary here Saturday and Sunday Tour around studs in the Waikato Area Follow the tour around in your own car (see below for map links) All welcome members, breeders, owners, public No charge for this event Win a Free Service to Battle Paint............. Clink on link of our sponsor JLT Insurance www.horseinsurance.co.nz/ - Waikato Branch...

Big sale for Rangiora private breeder

Rangiora's Kaye Sanders is the latest private New Zealand Thoroughbred breeder to prove that big results can be achieved from a modest base. In 2009 Kaye and her daughter Holly decided that they wanted to get involved in the thoroughbred breeding industry. Kaye headed off to the bank to get a loan, before attending the NZ Bloodstock National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed sale at Karaka. Kaye had spent weeks with her eyes glued to the sales catalogue and had picked out what she believed were th...

2012 New Zealand Breeder of the Year finalists announced

Last year's NZ Breeder of the Year Piper Farm is once again a finalist for Breeder of the Year at this year's NZTR Awards to be held in Hamilton on September 12th. The other three finalists are Karreman Bloodstock, Llannehock Trust, and Colin and John Thompson. Karreman Bloodstock has featured as a nominee for this award in the past and this year they have been represented by a host of stakes winners coming from their fine band of broodmares, and by a variety of stallions not just those standi...

2012 New Zealand Broodmare of the Year finalists announced

Three broodmares have been nominated for the prestigious NZ Broodmare of the Year Award. They are Sheila Cheval (Mi Preferido [USA]-Silver Sheila), Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence [USA]- Joie Denise) and Triassic (Tights [USA]- Astral Row). The award is given to the mare whose New Zealand-bred and/or New Zealand-conceived progeny, anywhere in the world most clearly reflect true breeding merit in quality of racing performance in the season under review, Sheila Cheval is amongst the nine mares owned ...

Jamie's Blog - August 2012

As I look back on the last ten weeks in Ireland, there seems no better phrase to sum up my time other than living the dream! Since arriving at the beginning of May after the conclusion of the English Guineas weekend where Coolmore and Aidan O'Brien dominated proceedings taking both the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas with Camelot and Homecoming Queen respectively, Ireland has been very welcoming, the work great and the locals outstanding. Throughout this piece, I will look back and conclude on another i...

Your Choice - Starts Monday 20th August on Trackside

Mondays 8pm Tuesdays 10am Thursdays 12:30am (Friday morning) Your Choice will be hosted by George Simon and Mark McNamara and looks back on some of our favourite racing moments on Trackside since 1992 to celebrate Trackside's 20th anniversary. And it's not just our racing moments that matter; you can have your say too and enter our Your Choice Viewers Competition! To enter the Your Choice Viewers Competition Send us your favourite racing moment since 1992 and not only could your race be...

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...