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Mary Lavelle wins TBS bonus at Riccarton Park

Two-year-old filly Mary Lavelle was most impressive winning the CJC Champagne S. LR at Riccarton Park last Saturday in the style of a filly that could well make up into a lovely Oaks prospect next season. Mary Lavelle winning the Champagne Stakes LR at Riccarton PHOTO: NZ Thoroughbred Marketing She also collected a TBS bonus of $10,950 for her Southland owner Keith Neylon. Keith, a member of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing board, purchased Mary Lavelle for $95,000 f...

NZ-bred runners in Easter features at Randwick

Sixteen New Zealand-breds line up in Group or Listed Stakes races at Royal Randwick this Easter Saturday, traditionally one of the most important racedays of the Australasian season. Kiwi-breds are most strongly represented in the Australian Derby and the Chairman's Handicap, two races in which they have an outstanding record. Ten of the last 20 Derby winners were bred here, while 13 of the past 20 Chairman's winners have carried the (NZ) suffix. This year is significant as the 20th annivers...

FEATURE: Celebrating NZ breeder Jeanette Broome

You know someone is special when well over one hundred people from all around the country turn up to their 70th birthday party. That's what happened at Te Rapa Racecourse on Saturday 1 April, to celebrate the 70th birthday of Jeanette Broome, ONZM. Jeanette Broome with Jezabeel's 1998 VRC Melbourne Cup Jeanette is regarded with great affection and respect by her fellow members of the NZTBA, as someone who has contributed in large and small ways to other people's succes...

NZTBA members celebrate Golden Slipper placegetter

NZTBA Waikato members John and Jacqui Todd of Darley Park, Cambridge were at Te Aroha on Saturday but much of their attention was on Rosehill, where they had more than usual interest in the $A3 million Golden Slipper Stakes. They own Silken Whisper (Diesis-Yaguda by Green Dancer), dam of the two-year-old colt Churchill Downs (by Danehill) who not only ran in the race, but also finished an excellent third, just over four-and-a-half lengths from the dominant winner, Miss Finland. Afterwards, Chu...

Arlingtonboulevard wins controversial Breeders' Stakes

The 35th running of the NZ Bloodstock-sponsored Te Aroha JC New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes G1 seemed to produce more victims than winners. The impressive past-the-post winner Viennetta (Pins) was relegated by the stewards under Rule 876(1) for interference caused to the third horse Salsa (O'Reilly), who was subsequently promoted to second placing. The second horse Arlingtonboulevard(Spinning World-Golden Bridge by Gold Brose) was promoted to first, but she is inevitably left with so...

Delight & despair for the Taylors at Te Aroha

Within the space of a few hours at Te Aroha yesterday, southern Hawke's Bay owner-breeders Julie (pictured left, in pink) & Kevin Taylor experienced both delight and despair. First, they watched Mary Lavelle (O'Reilly-Trisha's Belle by Sir Tristram) win the CJC Champagne S. LR at Riccarton Park. The Taylors purchased Trisha's Belle for $A120,000 at the 2000 Australian Broodmare Sale, and sold Mary Lavelle as yearling for $95,000 to Keith Neylon at last year's New Zealand Select Sale. Th...

Stoney Bridge announces 2006 fee for Postponed

Karaka-based stallion station Stoney Bridge has set the 2006 service fee for their promising young sire Postponed at $8500 (plus GST), a $3,000 increase on his 2005 fee. The Grade 2-winning son of Summer Squall has made an excellent start to his stud career with his first crop of 2yos including the Matamata Breeders' Stakes G2 winner Naturo and Ellerslie 2yo winner Ifionlyhadtime. To date Postponed's six progeny to race in New Zealand and Australia have all won or placed and have collectivel...

Urgent notice to NZTBA members re NZ Bloodhorse

Some NZTBA members have been invoiced for their New Zealand Bloodhorse subscription renewals at the usual rate of $85.00 per annum. This is an error by NZ Bloodhorse. With the support of New Zealand Bloodhorse, all current financial members of the NZTBA are entitled to a discounted subscription of $50.00. If you have been invoiced for $85.00 please pay only $50.00 and advise New Zealand Bloodhorse that you are a financial member of the NZTBA. - ...

NZTBA chief executive on the Ford Report

The NZTBA's chief executive Michael Martin features on the upcoming edition of the Ford Report on Trackside. Adrian Clark asks him about the implications for breeders of the new bloodstock depreciation rates for stallions and broodmares. Programme details for 8 - 14 April are: * Waikato Stud: NO EXCUSE NEEDED * Michael Martin: BLOODSTOCK DEPRECIATION * Kentucky Equine Research: 'GRO TRAC' * Pedigree Subject: REGAL CHEER FIRST PLAY - Saturday, April 08 @ 7.30am (Digital) SECOND PLAY - Sun...

Grass roots origin of NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes

There must be something special in Te Aroha's water, because the region's support for fillies' and mares' racing has been exceptional. The NZTBA's Fillies And Mares Scheme was the brainchild of Te Aroha Jockey Club stalwart Ron Ladd, and it was that club which launched the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes 35 years ago. Like several other successful industry innovations, these were both established outside New Zealand's national racing bodies. As Brian O'Flaherty recounted in the March...

Wild & Madness delight Mrs Wilding

Punters looking for omen bets on April Fool's day could not have gone past Jokers Wild in the Manawatu Sires' Produce S. G1 and Fiscal Madness in the CJC Great Easter S. LR. And surely those bets would have been doubled once it was realised that both horses were bred by Jo Wilding (pictured >>>> with Gone With The Wind) of Te Mania Thoroughbreds in North Canterbury.One of New Zealand's most successful private breeders, Jo was delighted to see Fiscal Madness (Volksraad-Belle Nuite by ...

New Zealand Group One winners review

Private breeders, owner-breeders, buyers with modest budgets, studs standing out-of-favour stallions and owners of mares from old Australasian families can all take heart from New Zealand's Group One race results to date this season. NZ GROUP ONE WINNERS, 2005-06 to 1 April 2006 Breeder(s), Location Sale details BALDESSARINI Green Perfume-In Margaritaville (Northjet) John Comber, Taihape & John Powell Raced by John Comber BAZELLE Zabee...

Update on bloodstock taxation amendments

It is the NZTBA's understanding that the amendments to the bloodstock taxation regime announced recently by the Rt. Hon Winston Peters, Minister for Racing, will have the following outcomes for owners and breeders. The changes are: 1 Stallion write-downs, as a percentage of cost - 50% 2 Stallion write-downs, where not previously used for breeding in New Zealand, when taken as a percentage of the diminishing value of the stallion -75% 3 Broodmares - decrease in the write-down period so that t...

Waikato Stud announces 2006 service fees

Waikato Stud has announced its stallion service fees for the upcoming breeding season. "There have been so many inquiries concerning the stallions I have decided to announce their fees earlier than other years," commented studmaster Mark Chittick. Waikato Stud's policy is to serve a capped book of 130 mares. Chittick points out that this capped leaves limited space once the stallions have served mares belonging to Waikato Stud and fellow shareholders. Following a sensational season with six in...

Peters delivers landmark package to racing & breeding industry

That's how New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association chief executive Michael Martin describes Friday's announcement of racing taxation and bloodstock depreciation and GST changes by the Minister for Racing, Rt. Hon. Winston Peters. The news was the culmination of many years' effort by sector and other groups, the Racing Board and individuals to win political support for the legislation necessary to restore the industry's domestic and international competitiveness. Racing has been sever...

Racing Finally Gets a Fair Deal - Peters

The Minister for Racing, Rt Hon Winston Peters The 2006 Budget will contain a long awaited fair deal for the racing industry with a reduction in gaming duty for racing and an accelerated write-down regime for bloodstock, says Racing Minister Winston Peters. Mr Peters made the announcement at the conclusion of Auckland's Racing Carnival Week. "2006 will be a watershed year for the New Zealand racing industry, and will mark the end of years of unfair treatment. "These changes meet the c...

Fraher brothers celebrate high-Pentane victory

"I read somewhere that if you haven't got a hangover the morning after you've won a Group One race you don't deserve to win it. So I've made sure I deserved it!" That was NZTBA member Peter Fraher the day after Pentane (Pentire-Tuff One by Prince Raider) won the $600,000 ARC Skycity Auckland Cup G1. Peter bred and owns Pentane in partnership with his Christchurch-based brother Michael Fraher. Joined by Peter's son Nathan – who named Pentane after the most volatile member of the hydrocarbon f...

Owner-breeders enjoying black type success

An interesting feature of the 2005-06 New Zealand Group & Listed Stakes race programme is the striking success being achieved by owner-breeders. Of the 106 black type races held this season to 8 March, 49 (46.2%) have been won by 37 horses that are wholly or partly owned by their breeders. The list comprises: 8 Group One winners: Baldessarini, Bazelle, Darci Brahma, Gee I Jane, Kristov, Miss Potential, Pentane and Seachange 7 Group Two winners: Kerry O'Reilly, Naturo, Pulcinella, Sc...

Trelawney Stud celebrates Derby winner

The Trelawney Stud roll of honour is one of the most illustrious in Australasia, featuring champion sires Foxbridge and Alcimedes, seven Melbourne Cup winners, and two Australian Racing Hall of Famers, Tulloch and Galilee. In the more recent ownership of the Taylor family, since 1992, the Stud has continued that tradition of success, and added ten Group One winners to the list. On Saturday Trelawney claimed its second Derby victory of the 21st century when the formidably athletic Wahid (Almuta...

Marju Snip boosts (NZ) record in Australia

Marju Snip (Marju-Aulide by Snippets) became the seventh New Zealand-bred Group One winner in Australia this season when she claimed Saturday's $A250,000 SAJC Australasian Oaks G1. The filly was bred by Garry & Mark Chittick's company, Waikato Stud 2001 Ltd and has strengthened Garry's claim as New Zealand's leading breeder of Australian stakeswinners in 2005-06. He is also the breeder of brilliant sprinter Glamour Puss (VRC Victoria Racing Club S. G1, Linlithgow S. G2), and Breezy (VRC Fr...

Wairarapa breeder aligned with success

The success of New Zealand first crop sires has so far been a Postponed, sire of Group 2 winner Naturo highlight of the domestic 2005-06 season. It continued yesterday at Matamata where they produced the quinella in both of the day's feature races, the $100,000 Matamata Breeders' S. 1200m G2 for fillies, and the $35,000 Matamata Slipper 1200m LR for colts and geldings. The Breeders' Stakes was won by Naturo (Postponed), from Chant (Traditionally), who is already a Gro...

Group One winners share heartland origins

New Zealand's two latest Group One winners, at Te Rapa on Saturday, have a couple of features in common. Firstly, they were bred by small-scale private breeders in what used to be called "the provinces", but is now more fashionably known as "heartland New Zealand". And secondly, although both were entered for yearling sales, neither made the Premier Sale catalogue. Danske, sire of Te Rapa Group One winner Snazzy The immensely popular winner of the Waikato RC Waikato Spri...

Karaka 2006 vendor feedback

We asked several vendors who sold yearlings at the 2006 New Zealand National Yearling Sales series for their comments on the state of the market, and their own results. These comments were gathered on the second day of the Select Sale: Philip & Catherine Brown, Ancroft Stud, Matamata Premier Sale: Offered 3, Sold 3, Average $141,666 Top price Danasinga-Echostatic filly, $320,000 Select Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 2, Sold 1, Pins-Kahntinata colt, $65,000 "We're very happy with the sale â...

Wairarapa breeder aligned with success

Highview Stud's Align, sire of G3 Out of Align & G1-placed Everswindell Two stakes performers in four months is more than most breeders dare to hope for, but that's exactly what Wairarapa NZTBA member Andrew Campbell has achieved this season. He's the breeder of two talented three-year-old fillies by Highview Stud's young sire Align, the strapping Everswindell (ex Hilarion Lady by St Hilarion), and Out of Align (ex Limerick Lea by McGinty). Everswindell was an e...

Optimism for New Zealand Yearling Sale Series

The NZTBA's hospitality tent at Karaka Mr Peter Francis, President of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, today expressed his optimism in wishing both vendors and buyers well for the 80th New Zealand National Yearling Sales Series. The 2006 Sales begin at New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka complex on Monday. Mr Francis said that the New Zealand-bred thoroughbred is experiencing a wonderful year internationally with five Group One winners in Australia and a vintage season in Hon...