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Premier Sale first day posts record median

The first day of the re-formatted two-day 2007 New Zealand Premier Sale ended with a record median of $120,000 and an average of more than $146,000, significantly exceeding New Zealand Bloodstock's pre-sale expectations. The sale's momentum built steadily through the day after a subdued start. The first Visitors at Karaka today and selling Lot 463 on Wednesday were Veloce Bella's owner-breeders Margaret & Murray Hardy. PHOTO: Susan Archer ...

Willy Smith's Cup win recalls Wotan's 1936 triumph

In 1936 New Zealand stayer Wotan (Siegfried-Left by Martian), bred and owned by the Smith brothers from Wanganui, won the Melbourne Cup at 100/1. It's still one of the most famous episodes in the long and honourable tradition of Kiwis taking Australians by surprise at Flemington. The Smiths returned to New Zealand and cherished both their Melbourne Cup and the female family that produced Wotan. Today, just over 70 years after that memorable victory, Willy Smith (Volksraad-Sound Lear by Sound Re...

NZTBA welcomes visitors to Karaka 2007

New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association president Peter Francis says, "We warmly welcome all local and international visitors to the 2007 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series and look forward to hosting buyers, vendors, NZTBA members and media at Karaka." NZTBA president Peter Francis (left) & chief executive Michael Martin The NZTBA hospitality marquee, located between the indoor parade ring and Stable Block C, will be open from Sun...

Rich history of yearling sale lot numbers

After eight decades of national thoroughbred yearling sales, New Zealand can roll out a breath-taking list of outstanding graduates in almost every major racing nation. That means there's a New Zealand yearling sale lot number attached to many of our most celebrated horses, among them Phar Lap, Rising Fast, Tulloch, Galilee, Dulcify, Octagonal, Happyanunoit and Starcraft. New Zealand National Yearling Sale graduates: STARCRAFT (top), PHAR LAP, JEZABE...

Urgent invitation for NZ stud staff at Karaka

New Zealand stud staff keen to develop management-level careers within the industry are warmly invited to the Cafe on the first level of the main building at the Karaka Sales Centre this evening, Thursday 25 January at 6.30 pm (refreshments will be provided). Representatives of the NZTBA will explain the fantastic opportunity offered by the Sunline Trust Scholarship to Ireland, England & the United States. - NZTBA...

Brianna's bonuses boost returns for the Baillies

A week out from the 81st New Zealand National Yearling Sales Series, talented three-year-old filly Brianna (Sudurka-Lightning Tree) has reminded buyers how worthwhile it can be to enter their purchases in the Thoroughbred Bonus Scheme. Brianna, bred by John O'Flaherty and sold on his behalf by Bloomsbury Stud, earned her third 'B' bonus at Avondale on Saturday. All three of her wins have been at Avondale and all have been TBS races. They have added $16,...

Pins approaches new earnings record

Not quite halfway through the 2006-07 season, and with many major races still to be run, Waikato Stud's sire Pins is little more than $100,000 away from setting a fresh New Zealand stallion premiership earnings record. PINS, current leader on the 2006-07 New Zealand general sires' table. PHOTO: Waikato Stud There's no doubt that substantially increased prizemoney resulting almost entirely from last year's tax legislation is the main reason a n...

TBS owners enjoy holiday bonuses

Owners, nominators and trainers of horses qualified for the Thoroughbred Bonus Scheme have enjoyed rich holiday pickings, collecting $64,125 since 23 December. That's on top of the increased base prizemoney which has kicked in this season, following the introduction of reduced taxation on betting. Three A bonuses, worth $10,950 to each winner, have been struck, by two-year-olds Jacob at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and Emily Jane, who led home a TBS trifecta at Woodville on 6 January...

Good Magic Millions results for NZ studs & sires

Only six New Zealand-based sires and four studs (as catalogued vendors) were represented at the record-breaking first session of the 2007 Magic Millions Sale in Queensland yesterday, but it was pleasing to see them achieve several high prices. Top price for the New Zealand studs acting as vendors was $A450,000 paid by Wan Keung Lee, Hong Kong for Cambridge Stud's Lonhro-Mrs Squillionaire colt. Cambridge also sold the only Zabeel yearling offered yesterday, a colt from Lady Dehere, bought by So...

Karaka yearling videos now online

New Zealand Bloodstock, in conjunction with Sirecam and Equivision, has announced that the first set of videos of selected yearlings in the 2007 National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka, are now online.The second batch will be available for viewing tomorrow (Friday) afternoon, 12 January. Click on the links to each sale to access the relevant online catalogues at New Zealand Bloodstock; then click the camera icon next to each Lot Number: LOT VENDOR COLOUR SEX SIR...

Yearling drafts feature on The Ford Report, 13-19 January

Adrian Clark & The Ford Report team has been back in the field this week and brings you extended coverage on Trackside of yearlings from three prominent consignments at Karaka 2007. Programme content for this edition... * Karaka yearlings: WAIKATO STUD, Matamata * Karaka yearlings: RICH HILL STUD, Matamata * Karaka yearlings: WINDSOR PARK STUD, Cambridge * Pedigree subject: MIKKI STREET, by Cape Cross FIRST PLAY - Saturday, 13 January @ 7.30am (Digital) SECOND PLAY - Sunday, 14 January @...

NZTBA Central Districts yearling parade this Sunday

NZTBA members, owners, trainers, agents and guests are warmly invited to attend the NZTBA Central Districts Yearling Parade, this Sunday afternoon, 14 January (after the Marton Cup meeting at Awapuni on Saturday), beginning at Kim Rennie's new property, Manley Lodge, at 522 Napier Road, Whakaronga, on SH 3, Palmerston North. The Central Districts region of New Zealand, encompassing the Manawatu and PHOTO: Trish Dunell/NZTM Wairarapa regions, has long been a source of to...

Holiday Group Winners Review: Donna Rosita & Dezigna

The conspicuous Group success of owner-breeders this season continued at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, when Donna Rosita won the $200,000 ARC Railway Handicap 1200m G1, and Dezigna took out the $120,000 George Adams Handicap 1600m G2. A relaxed DONNA ROSITA enjoys the attention of the winner's circle at Ellerslie after winning the Railway Handicap G1 on 1 January. PHOTO: Susan Archer Owner-breeders have won 18 of the 41 Group races held in New Zeala...

Holiday Group Winners Review: Mikki Street

Five-year-old Mikki Street gave his owner John Street, and breeders Alastair and Carolyn Ring their biggest successes in 30 years when he won the $200,000 ARC Galaxy S. 2000m G1 at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. Group One winner MIKKI STREET, bred by Alastair & Carolyn Ring, Auckland. PHOTO: NZTM/Trish Dunell Mikki Street ( Cape Cross-Ocean Pearl by Crested Wave) was purchased as a yearling at the 2003 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale for $61,000 from the draft of ...

Fast & beautiful Veloce Bella thrills her owner-breeder

Almost a week after Veloce Bella's win in the AvJC Avondale Guineas 1600m G2 last Saturday, the excitement is still evident in the voice of her Hamilton breeder and co-owner Margaret Hardy. "It's almost surreal, Veloce Bella's results have exceeded our expectations. It's indescribable really, a huge thrill!" 2006 Avondale Guineas G2 winner, and Volksraad's 40th SW, VELOCE BELLA PHOTO: NZ Thoroughbred Marketing The three-year-old filly by Volksraad from Wave To Lot...

Jungle Pocket opens account for Class of 2003

The honour of being the first New Zealand-based freshman sire from the “Class of 2003” to leave a southern hemisphere winner has gone to Rich Hill Stud’s Jungle Pocket (Tony Bin-Dance Charmer by Nureyev).     His daughter Lady Sakura (ex Lady Bay by Kingdom Bay; bred by Alan Galbraith) started favourite and won on debut over 1100 metres at the Opunake RC meeting in New Plymouth on Wednesday.  She is trained by Mark Walker for the Te Akau Syndicate No. 9, ...

Tom Burn ends 20 years as NZTBA Wellington President

The word "stalwart" is a 14th century Scottish variant of an Old English compound of two words meaning "foundation, support" and "good, excellent, worthy". That etymology perfectly describes the contribution of Tom Burn to the NZTBA at branch and national level over the past two decades. Tom Burn, NZTBA Wellington president, 1986-2006, & national councillor, 1997-2003 PHOTO: Susan Archer Tom stepped down as NZTBA Wellington president at the branch AGM la...

Well-bred winners collect TBS bonuses

Several particularly well-bred horses are among the 12 qualified winners and placegetters that have collected the healthy total of $28,650 in Thoroughbred Bonus Scheme (TBS) prizemoney during the past fortnight.   At Tauranga on 29 November bonus winners included a daughter of Snap, NZ Filly of the Year, and relatives of G1 Perlin and G2 Growl. Brianna, a half-sister to SW Centennial, won a B bonus race at Avondale last Wednesday, and Tristavel, a half-sister to G1 Russian Pear...

Armada's breeder eyes Hong Kong Mile

Otaki-cum-Cambridge breeder Tom Jamison is hoping that Armada (Towkay-Dance In Time by Red Tempo) will maintain his brilliant form in Sunday’s $NZ3 million HKJC Hong Kong Mile G1. He won the HKJC International Mile Trial HK-2 on 19 November, the day after Pentathon (Pentire-Star Royal by Grosvenor) claimed the CJC New Zealand Cup G2. Both horses were bred by Tom, who shares the honours for Armada with Miss J. Fleming and Mr G.G. James. New Zealand-bred ARMA...

Great Sires book published

A very select group of eight New Zealand stallions (Alcimedes, Beau Pere, Foxbridge, Limond, Martian, Sir Tristram, Sovereign Edition & Summertime) are included in the recently released book Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World, by Andrew Reichard, Jennifer Churchill & Byron Rogers. Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World, newly published in Australia It's a milestone publication of 1000 pages, more than 10 years in the making, and covers the major thoroughbred b...

Seven horses claim TBS prizemoney

Once again, Thoroughbred Bonus Scheme (TBS) prizemoney has been claimed in all three regions of New Zealand since 15 November. Two horses, four-year-old Take No Prisoners and Saturday's two-year-old stakeswinner Crossyourheart have collected winner's bonuses totalling $16,425 between them. In all, seven horses have won $21,825 from the TBS prizemoney pool during the past two weeks. The next opportunities for TBS-qualified horses come up at Tauranga tomorrow, Levin on Thursday and Cromwell on ...

Crossyourheart extends Centaine's premiership lead

Waikato Stud's late champion sire Centaine extended his lead on the 2006-07 New Zealand broodmare sires' table at the Counties RC meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday. Two-year-old filly Crossyourheart (Show A Heart-Red Century; bred by Gary Carvell) joined Legs (HBRI Ormond Memorial S. G1) and Alamosa (WRC Wellesley S. LR) on this season's list of domestic stakeswinners from Centaine mares. She made it two wins from two starts in the $50,000 Counties Challenge S. 1100m LR and went some way toward...

Resolution from Council & Branch Reps meeting

The Council and Branch Representatives of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association met in Auckland yesterday. The following resolution was passed unanimously by the meeting: "The Council and Branch Representatives of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association fully support the Board of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing in their full review of the 2006 Mercedes Awards and their efforts to speedily resolve the outstanding issues of the Wilson Report, as we believe the ongoing int...

Magic Cape: a tale of two NZ studs

Two New Zealand studs can take pleasure in Magic Cape (Magic Albert-Cape City by Kaapstad), winner of Saturday's CJC NZ 2000 Guineas 1600m G1. Windsor Park's Nelson Schick (left) & Steve Till (below), and Haunui Farm's Mark Chitty (lower left) Although he's by an exciting young Australian sire, who stands at Yarraman Park Stud, Magic Cape is from a female family closely associated with Haunui Farm, Auckland, and was bred by the Mapperley Stud Partn...

Melbourne Cup Week success for (NZ)

If there is one week in which a breeder, studmaster, owner, trainer or jockey wants the favourable attention of the cosmos, it's Melbourne Cup Week. Any race on the four fabulous days at Flemington is worth winning, but especially the 24 Group & Listed Stakes races, among them eight of the 13 Group One events staged by the Victoria Racing Club during the season. New Zealand-bred horses have been part of Cup Week for more than 130 years, and particularly since World War II. It's been an in...