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Read Holly's Ross' latest blog from Ireland

Holly Ross' latest blog can be read here - NZTBA...

Magic Belle flies the family flag for John Ralph

It was a pretty proud moment for Waikato NZTBA branch member John Ralph when his three-year-old filly Magic Belle (Keeper[AUS]-Sadie Belle) won the listed Tauranga Classic, and not just because he owns and bred the horse, but because it was trained by his younger son Stephen. "It's a proud moment to have, to see your kids do well. I tried to dissuade him from becoming a trainer so it's good to see him do well. After all the hugging and handshaking I told him all he needs now is a group one winn...

Singapore champion Super Easy retires to Hallmark Stud

Singapore Horse of the Year Super Easy (pictured) willl stand at the Baker family's Hallmark Stud, Te Kauwhata this coming spring at a fee of $7500 + GST. The high-class son of leading New Zealand sire Darci Brahma won 15 of his 23 career starts including the Singapore Guineas, Lion City Cup and Patrons' Bowl at Singapore Group 1 level. He also won a further six stakes races and gained a valuable international Group 1 placing in the Singapore Krisflyer International Sprint. Super Easy was bred...

Annual General Meeting

The Association's Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 13th June at 4pm in the Cuvee Room, Members' Stand, Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland. All members are welcome. The Guest Speark will be Chris Bayliss, CEO of the New Zealand Racing Board. We look forward to a lively and informative presentation. Click here to read the 2013 Annual Financial Report. - NZTBA...

Snipza Gold comes up 'trumps' with Dugan

Around 16 years ago Waikato NZTBA branch member Steve Marriner joined a Te Akau racing syndicate to have a bit of fun racing a horse. Also joining that syndicate to race a horse called Te Akau Class were Doug Ansford, Bruce Fisher and Trevor Lee, none of whom knew each other at the time. These days the fun is still continuing and not only have they become successful race horse owners but they are successful breeders as well, with Dugan (Darci Brahma – Snipza Gold) being their latest stakes wi...

Breeders' Bulletin - Winter 2013

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Waikato Stud, Ron and Fran Dixon combine for an exciting win

Waikato Stud's champion sire O'Reilly is showing no signs of slowing down and is continuing year after year to produce stakes winners. Hera (ex Corsica), the winner of the Listed Graeme Thomson Jewellers Great Northern Foal Stakes for two-year-olds, is his 15th stakes winner this season, and brings his total to 66. He has left five three-year-old stakes winners this season including the Group One winners Shamexpress (ex Volksrose) and Sacred Falls (ex Iguazu's Girl) and the fillies Emerald Que...

Holly's Blog - May 2013

My last few weeks in Newmarket were just as busy and exciting as the first few seizing to make the most of every opportunity before I left. I accompanied Chris Richardson on a Saturday morning to watch some of the Cheveley Park horses in training. ...

Bruce Gray says "I Do"

Karaka breeder Bruce Gray was among those cheering on I Do (No Excuse Needed(USA)- Freequence) when she won the listed Windsor Park Rotorua Stakes recently as he is the proud owner of her dam Freequence. In fact, Bruce actually bought Freequence (O'Reilly – Freequent) while she was carrying I Do, knowing that the foal was to be kept by Alan Sharrock and Waikato Stud who had leased the mare for two seasons. "Freequence was owned by Shirley and Ross Hayward who have been friends of my family f...

Graeme Hunt has great faith in Eulogy line mares

Salamanca's (Alamosa- Anca) impressive win in the recent listed Berkeley Stud Champagne Stakes at Riccarton did not come as a surprise to his breeder Graeme Hunt. What did surprise him was how well he won. "I am surprised that he won that well in the wet, on what he had shown in his first win (at his only other start). I knew he was capable of winning. It's very exciting for me as not only is he Alamosa's first stakes winner, but he is also Anca's first foal. For a first foal he was outstandin...

Brampton Legs leaves a Group 2 winner for Eric and Moyra Johnston

Mosgiel breeders Eric and Moyra Johnston only have one broodmare, Brampton Legs (Zabeel- La Suffragette), on their 30 acre property, but in their eyes she is pretty special especially after her first foal Pimms Time became a group two winner. Pimms Time, a four-year-old mare by Pins (AUS), recently won the group two Travis Stakes, taking her winning tally to five wins from 12 starts. In fact, this time last year she was still a maiden, winning her first race at Otaki in late May before having a...

NZTBA member Don Gordon wins his local Cup

Hawke's Bay octogenarian Don Gordon has been breeding horses and racing horses for nearly sixty years, and is no stranger to breeding or racing stakes winners. However his most recent stakes winner Survived (Zed – Liberal) is lucky to have done exactly that. When Survived was born in October 2009 he was so small Gordon didn't think he would survive. "I decided to foal Liberal (Generous[GB]) – Political) at home to save the $500 foaling fee and got Arthur Ormond around to give me a hand. It...

Bel Esprit and Sacred Falls both descend from No. 34 family

BEL ESPRIT the sire of champion Australian racemare BLACK CAVIAR, along with SACRED FALLS recent winner of the $2 million ATC Doncaster Handicap in Sydney belong to the Bruce Lowe No.34 Family. BEL ESPRIT traces back to one of Southland's oldest families involving veterinarian and studmaster Mr.A. Chisholm, of Glentriun Stud, Otautau, Western Southland. For many years Alex Chisholm was the official veterinarian at the Trentham Yearling Sales, and when the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Ass...

Holly's out and about in Newmarket

Read Holly Ross' latest blog from Newmarket, England. - Holly Ross...

Tremec keeps the Horlicks' family flag flying for the de Gruchys

The legacy of the champion mare Horlicks continues to live on, and recently her grandson Temac (Zabeel – Tipple), winner of the group two ATC Chairman's Handicap, added his name to her tally of stakes winning descendants. "It's great to see her descendants excel in the hottest racing scene in the world at the moment in Australia. She has left a great legacy and it will live on," according to Hawkes Bay breeder Graham de Gruchy who bred and owned the great mare, and bred her grandson Temac. "...

Holly's Blog - April 2013

I have now been in England for five weeks which means I am halfway through my time at Cheveley Park Stud. Everything on the stud is going well; haven't had many foals in the past couple of weeks (probably due to the cold weather) so we are expecting a few very soon! Each day I am learning something new and adjusting to the different way tasks are carried out in the Northern Hemisphere. There are so many great places to see in Newmarket for a horse racing and breeding enthusiast. Running a few e...

Holly's Blog - April 2013

I have now been in England for five weeks which means I am halfway through my time at Cheveley Park Stud. Everything on the stud is going well; haven't had many foals in the past couple of weeks (probably due to the cold weather) so we are expecting a few very soon! Each day I am learning something new and adjusting to the different way tasks are carried out in the Northern Hemisphere. There are so many great places to see in Newmarket for a horse racing and breeding enthusiast. Running a few e...

Dozintmateranyway thrills his South Island breeders

A good many years ago a group of mates in the South Island keen on racing got a syndicate together to race a horse. They have had a bit of luck in that time and three of them are still racing a horse together - Dozintmateranyway who recently won the listed CJC Easter Cup at Riccarton. According to one of the trio, Southland NZTBA branch member Robbie Gibson, it all started years ago with a Conquistarose (USA) mare, Conquisate (ex Princess Daisy). "We started with Conquisate. She won a couple ...

Great news for The Oaks

If you are a breeder, or an owner, winning a group one race is the ultimate aim. Winning a group one race when you own the horse, bred the horse, still own its dam, stand the stallion and sponsor the race, is euphoric. Just ask Dick Karreman. Queensland-based Karreman owns Recite (Darci Brahma – Chant) the winner of the group one The Oaks Stud Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes. He is also a shareholder in Darci Brahma who stands at his The Oaks in Cambridge, which is also home to his extensive b...

Battle Eve's grand-daughter does the business at Tauranga for the Browns

There was a sense of déjà vu when Our Famous Eve (Fast'N'Famous [AUS]- Expoeve) won the group two Windsor Park Stud Japan Trophy recently. She was upholding a family liking for the Tauranga track, her famous grandmother Battle Eve (Battle Waggon [GB] – Summer Eve) won the race 39 years ago, along with another 24 races in her career, and her mother Expoeve (Exploding Prospect [USA]- Battle Eve) only won one race and that was the Owens Services Handicap at that course. Ironically it was Bay ...

Sue and Stuart McGiffert breed a stakes winner at Trentham

South Canterbury breeders Sue and Stuart McGiffert admit to being "pretty excited" when watching Natuzzi (Coats Choice[AUS] – Monsanto) taking out the listed Sahkee's Secret Melbourne Racing Club Lightning Handicap at Trentham recently. "We enjoy sitting here and watching our progeny race on a Saturday, and its pretty exciting watching them win a black type race at Trentham. We have been in the industry a long time and so know how hard it is to breed a black type winner, but it shows that the...

Ex-pat Kiwi enjoys breeding success with the promising So Wotif

As promising three-year-old So Wotif (NZ) (Iffraaj [GB]) hit the line to score his biggest win to date in the Gr. 3 NZB Insurance Pearl Series Mr Tiz Trophy at Ellerslie last week, the cheering wasn't just confined to an enthusiastic support crew in the main grandstand. Breeder and ex-pat kiwi Phillip Chen was also letting loose with a "you beauty" from the comfort of his lounge in Kurrajong, New South Wales where he now lives and has operated his own medical practice for the past twenty two ye...

Holly's Blog - March 2013

After much anticipation on the 20th February 2013 a very excited young lady set off on a brilliant opportunity and experience, the Sunline International Management Scholarship. Introduction My name is Holly Ross and I am the fortunate recipient of this years' Sunline Scholarship which allows me to spend 10 weeks each at three of the world's most renowned thoroughbred operations travelling to Cheveley Park Stud in England, Coolmore Stud Ireland and Taylor Made Farm in America. Prior to being a...

Golden run continues for Raffles Farm

The dream run for the Cambridge based Raffles Farm breeding and racing operation continued on Auckland Cup day at Ellerslie when More Than Sacred (Aus) (by More Than Ready [Aus]) scored a dogged win in the Gr. 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m). Refusing to be beaten the filly showed plenty of determination, not unlike the champion mare the race is named after, as she fought back to score by a short neck over Savabeel filly Ray's Girl. The win of More Than Sacred denied the Waikato Stud based...

Breeders' Bulletin -Autumn 2013

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