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Royal Flight - a pedigree study

DESCENDANT ROYAL FLIGHT WINS FRANCOLIN STAKES The Riverton Racing Club's Francolin Stakes on Easter Saturday was a triumph for a descendant of Francolin. Royal Flight is by Danzighill - Capital Flight, by Noble Bijou - Flight Judge (Aus), by The Judge (Aus) - Jane Flight, by Mellay - Atlantic Flight, by Agricola - Antarctic Flight, by Neptune - Special Flight, by Salmagundi - Francolin. Royal Flight has started 25 times for 8 wins, 3 seconds, 5 thirds and 2 fourths for $113,263 in prize money....

Matt's Blog - May 2011

Made It To Coolmore Ireland 22 April 2011 – 13 May 2011 The second leg of my very own fantastic journey through three magnificent countries has begun. I am still as excited as when I left New Zealand in February. Over the past ten weeks at Cheveley Park I have learnt a lot off some of the best in the thoroughbred industry, and now the amazing Sunline Scholarship has taken me to the beautiful green grass of Ireland where the world wide known stud, Coolmore is hosting me for the next ten weeks....

NZTBA member Neil Mackie breeds the Group 3 Windsor Park Stud Breeders' Stakes Hammer Down

On September 27th 2007 Our Prized Rose foaled a striking O'Reilly colt at Windsor Park Stud. Ironically, some three and half years later, that colt named Hammer Down won the group three Windsor Park Stud Breeders' Stakes. "I thought it was rather fitting that Hammer Down should win that race especially after he was born there when his mother was visiting Volksraad" said Waikato branch member Neil Mackie who bred Hammer Down. "He was a cracking foal and I always thought he was going to be a goo...

Sworn To Secrecy's win great boost for her breeders

Sworn to Secrecy's win in Sydney in the group two Emancipation Stakes could not have come at a better time for Te Hoi couple Casey and Michelle Dando of Bradbury Park. "To breed our first major group winner in Australia on the eve of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling and Broodmare Sale is pretty significant," enthused Casey Dando who bred the Keeper-Heartache filly along with his wife Michelle and his mother Glenice. "Richard Callendar gave us a big wrap on Trackside after Sworn to ...

Matt'e final blog from Cheveley Park Stud, England

Read Matthew Scown's latest blog from Cheveley Park Stud here - Matthew Scown...

Matt's Blog - April (wk 4) 2011

Matt's Final Blog from Cheveley Park One week to go here at Cheveley Park Stud. It feels like only a week ago I was leaving New Zealand full of excitement and ready to increase my knowledge into managing a successful stud farm, and over my time here Chris Richardson has made that happen. They say you learn something new every day. At Cheveley Park I have at least learnt ten things per day. The last few weeks have been very busy as all the flat racing is well and truly underway. I was countin...

Veyron Breeders' Still on Cloud 9

When the NZTBA caught up with Isabel Barker, the owner breeder of the group one Landmark Easter Handicap winner Veyron, a couple of days after the Thorn Park gelding had won that event, she was still struggling to believe he had won a Group One race. "It's so exciting it was a super win, it was great for everyone, great for Linda, and great for Rogan, it was through our association with Linda that we bought into this family. It's taking a little while to sink in that we have bred a Group One win...

Big Plans for Barinka this Spring

As a youngster at school in Wanganui in the 1970's Wellington Branch member Graeme Hunt developed a keen interest in thoroughbreds, and one family in particular had him awestruck – and that was the family of the mighty Eulogy. Forty something years on and Hunt's faith in that family was rewarded when a descendant of Eulogy, Barinka, bred by Hunt, won the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes, the only group one race for fillies and mares in New Zealand. "It was a very exciting win and ...

The Moore family of Soliloquy Lodge breed another stakes winner

If you think that changing a horse's name is bad luck, then Do You Think has put paid to that theory. The winner of the group three ATC Bailleu Stakes at Rosehill recently, Do You Think (Starcraft-Chickens) was originally named Ingham and won his first barrier trial under that moniker but subsequently his high profile owners Dato Tan Chin Nam and Tunku Ahmad Yahaya of So You Think fame changed it to Do You Think. The Bart Cummings-trained Starcraft juvenile has now won two from two and his gro...

Matt's Blog - April 2011

Cheveley Broodmares, the Gallops and History How time really does fly by, already over the half way point at this magnificent stud farm and historical town. I am having a brilliant and eventful time here at Cheveley Park Stud. Everyone from the vets, managers and the staff members have been more than happy to answer my never ending questions to learn more how the top studs in the Northern Hemisphere successfully breed their champion thoroughbreds. Since the year 1975 David and Patricia Thomps...

Trelawney puts the 'Icing on the Cake' for NZTBA member Judi Wanless

Expat New Zealander Judi Wanless may live in Queensland but she still thinks New Zealand is the best place to breed horses, and why wouldn't she, as Judi is the breeder of the group one South Australian Oaks winner Lights of Heaven (Zabeel-I'm In Heaven). Lights of Heaven is the 11th individual New Zealand bred group one winner in Australia this season and is the 41stgroup one winner for her stallion Zabeel.The Peter Moody trained filly strode to success in the South Australian Oaks at Morphetvi...

Auckland and Waikato branch members enjoy Gavelhouse presentation

The Waikato and Auckland branches held their first 2011 social event after a busy yearling sale series in January. Gavelhouse's Director Gary Moore flew in from Australia to give an interesting presentation on the processes of selling thoroughbreds online. Gavelhouse is a website dedicated to assisting thoroughbred breeders and owners to sell their horses globally. Following on from a successful evening in the Auckland region, over twenty five branch members - all owners, breeders and trainers...

Andrew and Dave breed the NZ Oaks winner!

A couple of dairy farmers Andrew Bryant and Dave Armstrong, were milking cows on a dairy farm back in the 1970's which just happened to be next door to Cambridge Stud. They struck up a friendship with the 'horse boys' over the fence and developed a keen interest in racing and breeding, so it was rather fitting that their first group one winner, Midnight Oil (Keeper- Gilded Light), was by a Cambridge Stud stallion. "We were thrilled when Midnight Oil won the Oaks - excited for the Nineteenth sy...

Margaret Trotter joins "The Party Stand"

The final day of the Auckland Racing Club's 2011 Cup Carnival will be one that Margaret Trotter will not forget, as not only did she breed the group one Nicolas Feuillatte New Zealand Stakes winner The Party Stand (Thorn Park – Cremisi), but another winner on the card Better Together (Volksraad-Morangie) from her former good race mare Morangie. "Normally I can't watch when they are racing because I get so nervous, but last Saturday I had a good feeling about both of them so I really enjoyed w...

Diners Club announces successful launch of NZTBA Credit Card

Diners Club New Zealand has announced a successful launch to the NZTBA Credit Card, as increasing numbers of New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeder's Association members are converting their Membership Card into the related Credit Card. Last November, Diners Club and the NZTBA joined together in an exciting new partnership, which provides all members with the opportunity to own exclusive NZTBA Credit Cards. "It's an offer only available to NZTBA members," says David O'Brien, General Manager of Diner...

Matt's Blog - March 2011

The Sunline International Management Scholarship Begins 19 February 2011 – 10 March 2011 My journey all began in Auckland International airport at 9pm on the 19th of February. I boarded my Air New Zealand flight on the way to London Heathrow via Hong Kong with utter excitement. I had a fantastic first half of the long journey with delicious food and good quality entertainment. I had two hours in transit at Hong Kong airport which I had a much needed walk and stretch before the second half of ...

Neurological disease in horses in Australia

The New South Wales Chief Veterinary Officer has issued a bulletin to veterinarians describing cases of unexplained neurological disease found in horses in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The Victorian Department of Primary Industries has also issued an alert. As horses are regularly imported from Australia to New Zealand, New Zealand veterinarians should also be aware of this information. The first cases were seen about two weeks ago, and it is possible that they are due to an ...

First Group 1 Winner for Breeders'

Auckland Branch members Margaret and Vern Trillo were understandably very excited to see Shamrocker (O'Reilly – Bohemian Blues) win the Group One Australasian Guineas recently. "It was a great thrill," according to Margaret, "we were yelling and screaming at the TV and very excited, she's our first group one winner!" The Manukau based couple are hobby breeders and until this season were breeding from only one mare. Vern is a renowned equine dentist and Margaret admits that until she married...

Auckland and Waikato Branch host Gavelhouse event.

NZTBA branch events commence this month with the Waikato and Auckland branch committees extending an invitation to all members to attend a social gathering and presentation by Gavelhouse's Gary Moore. Gary's presentation will provide an overview of selling horses via the online Auction house medium. Gary said "The more we are open to realise the potential, and look to embracing the web as a serious marketing tool, the more opportunities will abound", he said. "Online trading is breaking new gro...

Hong Kong success for the Lowry family

The champagne corks were popping at Waikato Stud last weekend when their evergreen stallion Pins (Snippets-No Finer) sired a group one, two and three winner in the space of forty-eight hours. His group one victory and his 37th stakes winner came about when the Hong Kong galloper Ambitious Dragon (Golden Gamble) won the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic, the traditional lead up race to the group one Hong Kong Derby. Closer to home Icepin (ex Ice Maiden) impressively won the group two Avondale Gui...

Informant resumes publication Feb 25th

Thoroughbred Publications Ltd was very pleased to announce that in response to the immense demand from the New Zealand horse racing industry, The Informant resumed publication with its first issue available in the shops on Friday, February 25. The Informant offers punters and racing followers a comprehensive source of racing form covering both New Zealand and Australia, along with a full 32 page tabloid featuring racing and breeding news. TPL came to an arrangement with the New Zealand Racing B...

Karaka 2011 Sales Series - the Ups and Downs

Karaka 2011 Sales Series - the ups and downs The New Zealand Bloodstock sales series concluded recently highlighted the reliance of offshore buyers at the premier end of the sale, and the declining state of the domestic thoroughbred racing industry at the festival end. While the top end held up well, the middle to bottom end haemorrhaged badly leaving a number of breeders quite bewildered. According to a statement released by New Zealand Bloodstock, across the seven days of selling, 1050 yearlin...

First Stakes Winner for Coat's Choice

First Stakes Winner for Coat's Choice A month ago Milo made his first appearance on the racetrack, and in the space of four weeks the talented three-year-old has gone from maiden winner to stakes winner in just four starts. A gelding by Coats Choice (Redoute's Choice – Coat) out of the Woodman mare Milk and Honey (ex Miss Turkoman) Milo also became the first stakes winner for his young Canterbury based sire. "It's a fabulous result for Coats Choice especially right on the eve of the sales," sa...

Planet Rock Flies the Flag for Wellfield Lodge

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think Planet Rock would be a two-year-old," said Bill Gleeson the proprietor of Wellfield Lodge, the breeders of the Fastnet Rock filly who is now favourite for the Karaka Million. "In fact if you had asked me to describe her I would have said she was a lovely big scopey three-year-old type, so anything she is doing at two is a bonus and she will be much better at three. She was a fantastic yearling and deserved to get $290,000." This is a sentiment backed up by...

David and Masey Benjamin Still Enjoying The Yearling Sales

It's coming up to six years since Fayette Park last had a draft of yearlings at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales at Karaka and this January as David Benjamin relaxes in Hahei celebrating his birthday he ponders on the things he misses since he and Masey sold up Fayette Park and preparing yearling for the sales is definitely one of them. However this year he will be back for at least a couple of days as he sells lot 710 in the Westbury Stud draft, a Postponed filly out of Beautiful Sea, ...