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Vale Philip Vela, a bloodstock pioneer

New Zealand racing lost a hugely influential figure on Saturday with the passing of Philip Vela. He was a respected and popular identity whose contributions to both the business and bloodstock worlds were both successful and far reaching. With his brother Sir Peter, he became a powerhouse thoroughbred identity with the 1997 purchase of the then struggling Wrightson Bloodstock. Renamed New Zealand Bloodstock, they oversaw the growth of the Karaka-based operation into one of the most highly-reg...

Dream addition to the Waikato Stud line-up

The latest addition to the Waikato Stud stallion roster is a wish come true for the Matamata farm. "We've always wanted to stand O'Reilly's best son and this season we will be doing so with the brilliant four time Group One winner Sacred Falls," principal Mark Chittick said. "We identified Sacred Falls early in his career and it has been hugely exciting to have subsequently been a part of his two Doncasters and George Main successes with co-owner Dato Yap and the Raffles Racing team." Sacr...

Dylan's Blog – April 2015

Spring Has Come The temperature has finally crept up to the double digits and even touched over the 20's in the past couple of day's bring smiles and even more enthusiasm into the yards as we finally strip of the five or so layers of winter clothing and change into t-shirts. The sun is definitely a mood booster for everyone as we are now in full swing with paddocks overflowing with sprightly newborn foals and the amount of covers rising by the day. The combination of foals in the sun tends to ...

New Zealand's Point of Difference

The phenomenon that is Danehill [USA] seems to be endless. His sons and grandsons crowd the current and recent Australian sires lists. Nine Australian premierships (six in succession) in an 11 year stretch (the last in 2004-05) has laid the foundation for Danehill's subsequent champion sire sons Redoute's Choice [AUS], Fastnet Rock [AUS], and Flying Spur [AUS], with Redoute's Choice topping the list four times. A seventh Australian premiership for a Danehill son is virtually certain this seaso...

Lloyd Jackson looks at the influence of the mighty Pakistan II (GB)

Editorial commentary on recent stakes winners, their sires and families, is one of the many cogs of the bloodstock breeding industry's evolution. A sales catalogue page tells a limited story too, its focus being on the highlights (black type). It is, after all, a sales tool. Deeper analysis (not the purpose of a sales catalogue page) can reveal some very interesting points - mostly historical, occasionally predictive and certainly quite interesting. Take the result of the New Zealand Oaks, G1,...

History made by New Zealand bred sprinter Aerovelocity

An equine family connection stretching back 23 years created history in Japan on Sunday evening, when Windsor Park-bred Aerovelocity (Pins) beat a field of Japan's best sprinters in the Gr.1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo racecourse. Trained by Paul O'Sullivan, Aerovelocity became the first foreign racehorse to win the Japanese Gr.1 race, which is one of a series of races that comprise the Global Sprint Challenge. A former champion New Zealand trainer, now training in Hong Kong, O'Sullivan p...

Win a nomination to exciting new sire Proisir

Rich Hill Stud is once again demonstrating their support of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. On behalf of the Proisir Syndicate, Rich Hill Stud has generously donated a 2015 nomination to their exciting new sire Proisir. This will be the major prize for the NZTBA members draw on the Gr 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha on Saturday 4th April. The picturesque Te Aroha racecourse boasts a great day of racing highlighted by the Gr 1 NZ Breeders Stakes and the annual N...

Wayne and Karen would like to "Include" a Group One

White Robe Lodge stud manager Wayne Stewart has been temporarily relieved of duties at Wingatui and is heading north with his classy race mare Include (Gallant Guru[AUS]-She's Snubbed) to have a tilt at the Group One Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes. "Its 30 years since I travelled with race horses to the North Island, but at White Robe we take turns at all the jobs. The last horse I took north was Joyarty and she ran second in the Group One New Zealand Stakes, this mare I'...

Dylan's Blog – March 2015

The Beginning: The Irish National Stud Scholarship My journey began saying my goodbyes to my parents at Auckland International airport. Sitting down as the plane goes through its final checks the emotions and overwhelming excitement finally set in of the realization that not only I will be going to travel across the world but I will be setting of to broaden my knowledge and experience in a industry that I am so very passionate about. Understanding that my knowledge of the northern hemisphere r...

Benji’s Blog – March 2015

Background My name is Benji King, I am the very grateful receiver of the Sunline Trust Scholarship. I have been working with horses since I can remember having grown up on my parent's successful thoroughbred stud, Brighthill Farm. My true drive and passion for horses came when I was fortunate to have been given a holiday job at Vinery Stud, Australia preparing yearlings for the 2010 Sydney Easter sale. I then stayed on to work for two stud seasons followed by subsequent yearling preparation...

Thee Auld Floozie wins the Sunline Vase

For 24 hours Te Awamutu dairy farmer John Young didn't worry about the drought in the Waikato, he was too busy enjoying a day at the races in Auckland and watching his smart filly Thee Auld Floozie (Mastercraftsman [IRE]-Thee Auld Hussie) take out the Group Three Sunline Vase. "There are some great people racing this horse with me like Ali and Helen Cunningham and we sure celebrated her win, in this game you have to cherish every win," said Young a member of the Waikato branch of the NZTBA. "M...

Breeders' Bulletin -Autumn 2015

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Iamishwara wins Group One Weight For Age Classic.

The win by outsider Iamishwara (Keeninsky – She's Heroic) in the Group One Haunui Farm Weight-For-Age Classic may have been disappointing for punters but it certainly made the day for retired Papakura farmer Bob Killick. "That's a good win eh, it was pretty exciting, fancy a Group One winner," enthused 70 year-old Killick who bred the Keeninsky five-year-old. "I always thought he would be a good horse he was a lovely animal, but unfortunately I had to sell my half-share when he was a yearlin...

Primary ITO Equine Training Courses Starting Soon

Click here to download .PDF Thoroughbred Breeding Courses These Equine breeding courses have been instigated and designed by Thoroughbred Studs of the Waikato. The content of the courses is what industry leaders have recognised to be the most important skills and knowledge required to succeed in a career in the Thoroughbred Breeding Industry. The courses run once a fortnight from late March through to early September. Classes last for 3 hrs from 4.00 -7.00 and have speakers from studs, equine...

Farm Boy steps up to win the Avondale Gold Cup for farmer Allan Hayward

Allan Hayward is a farmer from Rotorangi just south of Cambridge, and is a quiet unassuming bloke who in the past few days has been pitched into the limelight, way out of his comfort zone, due to the deeds of a horse called Farm Boy (El Hermano- Lady of Oakview). Farm Boy whom he races and bred, is this year's winner of the Group Two Avondale Cup held at Ellerslie, and was an unassuming type like his owner, until he won this event. Now thanks to a a very gutsy win under a superb ride by Vinny C...

Tie Me Down on track for the Group One NZTBA Stakes in April

The success of Tie Me Down (Pins[AUS]- Ashley Downs) the winner of the listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes is serendipity according to Pip McCarroll who part owns the mare with Little Avondale Trust. "She is one special mare, and it's so exciting to be involved with her, and having so much fun," she enthused. "When she came home from Sydney, Sam offered to buy me out, but I said no way if you are going to race her I'm in. Let's have some fun and race her, and that is exactly how it h...

NZ Breeders need assistance

Te Akau Racing's David Ellis said Government help is critical to arrest the falling numbers of New Zealand broodmares being bred from. There was evidence at last week's Karaka sales series that some lower-end broodmares probably would not be bred from again this year. "That cannot be allowed to continue and we urgently need government's help," said New Zealand's biggest and most successful thoroughbred buyer. Ellis was the biggest Karaka buyer for the 10th consecutive year, but that level of ...

Paulie Hunter back in his wife's goodbooks!

It took well over 18 months but Paulie Hunter is finally back in the good books with his wife Petrina, after a spur of the moment $200 purchase at the broodmare sale turned into a $47,500 yearling at the recent Festival sale. Through the Seaton Park draft where Hunter is the manager of Seaton Park's "Heights" property in Matamata, he sold a Tavistock colt, the first foal of the Lucky Unicorn(AUS) mare Silver Bracelet, to Englishman Jim McGrath for $47,500. "It was a fluke," quipped Hunter, "Ta...

Pearl Series proving a popular option for New Zealand owners

A stunning home straight dash carried promising three-year-old filly Acquisto to a last stride victory at Hastings last Thursday that provided her smiling connections with double the reason to celebrate. Not only was it the second career win for the stakes placed daughter of Thewayyouare but it was also the second helping the filly had taken from the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series Bonus prize pool. The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association administered scheme was introd...

Hardline's breeder Bill Hurlstone ecstatic with Karaka Million win

Taranaki based breeder Bill Hurlstone was lucky enough to be on hand to see Hardline (Showcasing[GB]- Midnight Breaker), blitz his rivals to win the restricted listed Karaka Million at Ellerslie on the eve of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales. "It was just an absolute pleasure to be sitting there in the grandstand with a horse I had bred in the race, and what a thrill I got when I saw number three flash past the line first," Hurlstone recounted. Hurlstone is the breeder of Har...

NZ Equine Industries Sign Bio-Security Deal With Government

The equine sector is the latest to sign a biosecurity agreement with the Government, joining the kiwifruit, pipfruit and pork industries. The agreement commits horse racing, recreational and breeding organisations to work in a partnership with the Primary Industries Ministry to manage and respond to disease threats. The New Zealand Equine Health Association representing all horse interests, signed the agreement at the Karaka yearling sales yesterday. The association's chairman Ivan Bridge sai...

Gaultier shows his class at Trentham

"He is the best horse we have bred by miles, and it's a great pedigree update for his half-brother in the NZB Festival Sale," enthused a very delighted Peter Rattray when discussing the Group One win of Gaultier (Rios-Playacting[AUS]) in the Levin Classic at Trentham. Although he was a maiden going into the race, and almost the rank outsider in the field, Gaultier had shown some ability in his previous four starts. Two weeks before the Group One event his part-owner and trainer Danica Guy reali...

NZB Insurance Pearl Bonus Scheme sees big results

In the past two months seven lucky filly owners and trainers have each taken home up to an extra $11,500 in bonus prize money thanks to the Pearl Series Bonus Scheme. Instigated by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association prior to the Karaka sales in 2013 to add to the attraction of racing fillies, the scheme is sponsored by NZB Insurance. It features bonuses for fillies and mares of almost $2.6 million and prizemoney of nearly $2.8 million across 215 individual races for each crop of...

Champion stallion O'Reilly sadly dies

Champion stallion O'Reilly has died. Waikato Stud staff awoke on Wednesday to find the stallion dead in his paddock, most likely from a heart attack. Bred and raced by Waikato Stud, O'Reilly forged a career as a brilliant sprinter-miler, winning four of his six starts, including the Gr.1 Bayer Classic and the Gr.1 Telegraph in four unbeaten starts in New Zealand. Retired to stud with a career-ending suspensory ligament injury, O'Reilly was quick to make his mark as a sire, leaving Gr.1 1000 G...

NZTBA mourns past President Peter Francis

It is with great sorrow that the NZTBA learned of the death on Wednesday afternoon of Immediate Past President Peter Francis. Michael Martin, Chief Executive of the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Association says, "Peter made a really significant and valuable contribution to the New Zealand thoroughbred industry as an owner & breeder, committee member & councillor, and through his publishing companies. "He was motivated always by the best interests of his fellow breeders and owners, and wor...