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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...

Gee I Jane spotlights Hallmark Stud draft

Young Hallmark Stud sire Spectatorial whose second crop sells at Karaka 2006 Weekend racing generated major excitement around the small town of Te Kauwhata, which lies off the main highway between Auckland and Hamilton. At Ainsley Downs Stud, Courtney and Mandy Howells' delight at Russian Pearl's sterling victory in the rich HKJC Stewards' Cup HK-1 on Sunday evening matched that of theBaker family at Hallmark Stud a day earlier. As Gee I Jane (Jahafil-Miss Distinction by Bletchencore) romp...

Russian Pearl heads (NZ) quinella in Hong Kong feature

Kiwi-breds Russian Pearl and Best Gift provided much more than a thrilling spectacle in yesterday's $HK8 million Hong Kong Stewards' Cup 1600m HK-1 at Sha Tin. A week out from the National Yearling Sales at Karaka, the result was also a timely piece of advertising in a market where New Zealand-bred horses have been enjoying notable success. By Soviet Star from the Veloso mare Velinda, Russian Pearl was bred by NZTBA members Courtney & Miranda Howells, and Peter Setchell, and offered by J...

Haunui Farm presents Karaka 2006 yearlings

The 2006 yearling parade season continued today in glorious weather at Haunui Farm, Auckland. Established by Geoff and Peg Chitty in 1955, Haunui Farm is now managed by their grandson Mark Chitty, with the support of his wife Sara, and parents Ron and Carolyn.The Stud is justly proud of the longstanding friendships it has nurtured with several leading private breeders, and the 33 stakes performers it has bred, reared and/or sold in the past three years. That list is headed by three 2005 Gr...

Parade showcases Rich Hill yearlings

A yearling parade at a handsomely appointed thoroughbred stud has to be one of life's better assignments on a hot Waikato summer afternoon. On Monday John and Colleen Thompson hosted clients, guests and media at Rich Hill Stud near Matamata and presented their 40 yearlings for Karaka 2006. As the home of New Zealand's current leading sire Pentire, last year's leading freshman sire in Europe Bertolini and exciting new sire Jungle Pocket Rich Hill has every right to feel confident going into t...

Master Hunter's win timely for Longlands Stud

Remember the 1988 Australian Cup, billed as a match race between Vo Rogue and Bonecrusher, and Dandy Andy beat them both? It happens often enough in racing to be a cliche and it happened again, on a humble scale, at Ellerslie on Saturday. The fillies Blue Skies (Spectatorial) and Ifionlyhadtime (Postponed) started favourites in the Cathy Campbell 2yo event over 1100 metres, but first starter Master Starter (O'Reilly-She Wishes by Kenfair) bolted in with his ears pricked. He won by almost two ...

Desert Flight adds to Coxon family's success

When Alec Coxon bought the broodmare River Flight for $1,600 at the Dalgety Mixed Sale in April 1982 his sons Richard and Wayne weren't exactly thrilled. As hard-working Waikato dairy farmers they were concerned about the amount of feed a broodmare would consume, but their father took the longer view. He said, "She'll be a goldmine and you'll have a lot of fun with her." Alec died eleven years ago but his sons, wife Norma and daughter-in-law Anna have had the pleasure of seeing his faith in t...

Green Perfume's first Group One winner

One of the quirky patterns observed in thoroughbred racing and breeding is that a few stallions achieve their best results only after they die or leave the country. Most turn out to be no great loss to the New Zealand industry, but it's human nature to remember the exceptions and make a rule of it: "You know he'll leave a good horse now he's gone." Green Perfume (Naevus-Pretty Is by Doonesbury) is a perfect example. His sale by Chequers Stud to Australia last year was noted with little regret a...

Chant keeps singing for The Oaks

"Nothing gives us a bigger thrill than owning a stallion and seeing him get his first Group winner," said The Oaks general manager Rick Williams after Chant (Traditionally-Chantenay by Warning) won the $50,000 ARC Eclipse S. 1200m G3 at Ellerslie yesterday. That was only one of several thrills for The Oaks, because the stud's owner, Dick Karreman, also bred and races the elegant, athletic two-year-old filly from the stable of Robert Priscott. Her victory was hardly a surprise because she had b...