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Makybe Diva rules Cox Plate stage

New Zealand didn't have a great day at Moonee Valley on Saturday, but it hardly mattered at the end of a marvellous Cox Plate won by the reigning queen of Australian racing, British-bred Makybe Diva (Desert King-Tugela by Riverman). Even the petty carping in some quarters of the New Zealand racing media about the condition and design of the track, and the quality of the field, cannot diminish an extraordinary performance, and a contest as testing and thrilling as anyone could hope for. New Z...

El Segundo thrills Ancroft Stud

El Segundo (Pins-Palos Verdes by Oak Ridge) did more than make himself favourite for next weekend's $A2.5 million Caulfield Cup when he won last Saturday's MRC Caulfield S. 2000m G1. He also extended the impressive honour roll at the Brown family's Ancroft Stud, Matamata. Other Ancroft-bred stars include 2001 New Zealand Filly of the year Singalong, Battle Eve (25 wins), multiple Group 2 winner Commissionaire, G2 Crest Star, G2 King Delamere, G3 Reputed, G3 Na Botto, and a host of Listed Stake...

Miss displays her full Potential

Miss Potential (Dolphin Street-Richfield Rose by Crested Wave) may not have had enough fans among the Mercedes Awards voters to win the 2005 Sprinter-Miler title, but she wasn't short of them last Saturday after she won the HBRI Horlicks Challenge S. 1600m G1. The seven-year-old mare and jockey Reese Jones capitalised on a quick start to take their favoured position in front, setting a leisurely pace before quickening up stylishly at the top of the straight to win by two-and-a-half lengths from ...

NZTBA Auckland honours McLarens & Jane Bunbury

Breeders Don and Rochelle McLaren and well-known industry professional Jane Bunbury received the major awards at a most enjoyable NZTBA Auckland Annual Awards Dinner last evening in the refurbished Ellerslie Convention Centre. The event was sponsored for the first time by New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance. The Auckland Racing Club's Andrew Castles ensured the proceedings, spiced with good humour, went smoothly. Political realities were not forgotten with branch president Wayne Larsen and studmas...

Three NZTBA Branches present annual awards this month

The NZTBA awards season continues with three branches presenting their annual award dinners in the next week. The Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay branch holds its function tomorrow evening, Friday 9 September, and the Auckland branch follows with its awards dinner at Ellerslie on Sunday evening, 11 September. Both branches have plenty of 2004-05 stakeswinners to celebrate. The Hawke's Bay honour roll includes New Zealand Horse of the Year Xcellent (bred by the Graeme Gimblett Family Trust) and WRC Cap...

Starcraft makes history for New Zealand at Longchamp

Starcraft (Soviet Star-Flying Floozie by Pompeii Court) became the first New Zealand-bred horse to win a European Group One race when he triumphed yesterday in the Prix du Moulin, 1600m, at Longchamp in Paris - a race also won by his sire, 17 years ago. Bred by Garry Chittick at Waikato Stud, Matamata the handsome five-year-old stallion has now won ten of his 20 starts, including four Group One events. He was the star of last year's Hawke's Bay Spring Carnival, winning the Hawke's Bay Challeng...

Xcellent’s motor delights breeder

"He's not a big horse, average-sized, not ugly, but he doesn't stand out physically. However, he's obviously got a very good motor." That's how breeder Graeme Gimblett described Xcellent (Pentire-Excelo by Centro) after his brilliant defeat of Miss Potential and Shinzig in last Saturday's HBRI Mudgway Fair Tax Stakes 1400m G1. Graeme was at Hastings to see the horse for the first time since selling him on behalf of the G.F. Gimblett Family Trust for $45,000 to Paul Moroney at the 2002 New Zeal...

Major studs share breeding awards

The "Big Three" Waikato studs dominated the four breeding industry honours presented at the Mercedes Thoroughbred Racing Awards in Christchurch last Friday evening. Garry Chittick and Waikato Stud won the Mercedes Breeder and Broodmare titles [see accompanying story], Windsor Park Stud accepted the Grosvenor Stallion Award for Volksraad and Cambridge Stud collected Zabeel's ninth Dewar Stallion Trophy. Volksraad (Green Desert-Celtic Assembly by Secretariat) won his fourth consecutive New Zeal...

Statement from National Spokesman on Racing

Recent comments by Racing Minister Damien O'Connor that he "expects" the Government's report on the Racing Board's call for a lower tax takeout to be viewed favourably by the industry, and that he is "trying" to have on-course betting duty abolished to enhance the on-course racing experience shows how out of touch Labour is with the real issues facing Racing. The decline in horse numbers is a key factor in the fall in wagering on local races. The number of thoroughbred races programmed has fall...

2005 Mercedes Breeder Award finalists announced

The finalists for the 2005 Mercedes Breeder of the Year award were announced by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing on Tuesday. They are: BARLOW THOROUGHBRED LTD Businessman Jim Barlow's private thoroughbred breeding company has enjoyed a particularly successful season thanks to two mares: Vedodara, dam of Group winners Bhandara and Shastri; and Amanpour, dam of Tickle, a Group 3 winner in Australia and New Zealand this season. Shastri and Bhandara, who won three New Zealand Group 3 races betwee...

New Zealand student excels at National Stud in England

New Zealander Angela Lane has been awarded the National Stud Scholarship Award at the National Stud in Newmarket, England. The award includes a travel bursary worth £1000, and is given to the student gaining the highest overall marks in both the practical and academic elements of the course. Angela, a veterinary nurse, was previously employed at Seaton Park in Morrinsville and was a trainee enrolled on the Waikato Equine Training Scheme. With a strong recommendation from the course tutor Sally...

New faces around NZTBA Council table

Peter Francis (Auckland Branch) has been elected as the new President of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. Mark Chitty (Auckland Branch) remains Vice President. In accepting the presidency, Peter Francis said "I'm both honoured and excited to take over as president of the NZTBA at this time. Thoroughbred breeding and racing issues are making the news and we have a real chance of making the vital changes needed to position our industry, and the thousands of people it employs, f...

NZTBA Waikato seminar crystallises racing policies

Just as the NZTBA Waikato's Election 2005 Seminar began at Te Rapa Racecourse, Hamilton on Thursday 16 June, the planet Jupiter emerged from behind the Moon where it had been hidden for an hour. Astronomers were excited just to observe this rare event, but for racing people aware of Jupiter's astrological association with horses the symbolism was apt and powerful. Is New Zealand thoroughbred racing and breeding about to emerge from relative darkness into light? It's still too soon to say, but t...

National Party announces racing policy

Dr Don Brash and his Racing Spokesman Lindsay Tisch today announced the National Party's policy on racing at a media conference in Wellington. The announcement is reprinted in full below. Peter Hutt, president of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (NZTBA), welcomed the National Party announcement. "This is exciting news for everyone involved in thoroughbred breeding and racing. It's especially significant for owners, breeders and trainers whose investment underpins the industry'...

Ken Shirley to speak at NZTBA Waikato seminar

Senior List MP Ken Shirley has replaced Deborah Coddington as the ACT speaker at next week's Election 2005 Seminar organised by the Waikato branch of the NZTBA. Mr Shirley is the Party Whip, spokesperson on Foreign Affairs & Trade and Associate spokesperson on Commerce. He will join the present Minister for Racing Hon. Damien O'Connor (Labour), Rt. Hon. Winston Peters (NZ First), Sue Bradford (Green) and Lindsay Tisch (National). NZTBA Waikato president Vicki Pascoe reports enormous intere...

Winter Debates, Seminars & Tours keep NZTBA busy

The winter gives many thoroughbred industry people the chance to take a well-earned holiday after the long months of hard work during the spring, summer and autumn. Paradoxically, it's often the busiest time of the year for the NZTBA and its regional branches. The annual Stallion Register is compiled each April and May (Volume 32 will be published in mid-June), and the Annual Report must be issued before the Association's AGM, to be held this year on Friday 1 July. Breeders always enjoy the ...

Zabeel's triumph in Hong Kong

Champion New Zealand sire Zabeel added a new highlight to his already wonderful season when his sons Vengeance of Rain (NZ) and Greys Inn (USA) quinella-ed the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup 2000m G1 in Hong Kong this evening. Russian Pearl (NZ)(Soviet Star) completed a great result for the New Zealand breeding industry by running home resolutely for third. Vengeance of Rain (ex Danelagh by Danehill) was bred by K Biggs Enterprises Pty Ltd, Porter St Investments Pty Ltd, R N Russell &a...

NZTBA Member Survey now online

For the first time, NZTBA members can complete their Membership Questionnaire online. And, better still, every returned form received by 6 May 2005 will go in a draw to win a case of Lindauer sparkling wine. This survey has been carried out twice before, in 2000 and 2001, and each time around 50% of members have responded with valuable information about their primary occupations, leisure interests, and the type and level of activity they pursue within the thoroughbred industry. This response r...

Salute to a Champion $8000 prize package to be won this Saturday

Breeders attending this Saturday's Windsor Park Stud Manawatu Breeders' Stakes race-meeting at Awapuni will enjoy the opportunity to inspect reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year King's Chapel. But that's not all - every breeder on-course will also have the chance to win an $8000 breeding package prize. As part of its promotion for this week's $40,000 Listed Manawatu Breeders Stakes, race sponsor Windsor Park Stud is offering breeders the chance to enter a draw to be made on the day to win ...

Big Premier sale for Rodmor at Karaka

The smile on Robyn Rogers' face this afternoon said it all. Well, almost all. The mixture of elation, exhaustion and relief on her husband Russell's face was even more expressive. They had just sold their gorgeous Anabaa filly from the Australian-bred mare Iman at the New Zealand Premier Sale for $310,000. New Zealand agent Stuart Hale was the buyer. Robyn led the filly in the sale-ring and as the bidding escalated her delight became ever more obvious. Thirty minutes earlier Russell had res...

Sale prices delight private breeders

Two of New Zealand's most successful private breeders were among the vendors who received excellent prices for yearlings at today's strong opening session of the 2005 New Zealand Premier Sale. Jo Wilding of Te Mania Thoroughbreds, North Canterbury sold her O'Reilly-Proteaceae colt for $300,000, the highest price she's received in more than three decades of breeding and selling horses. The colt is a grandson of Jo's wonderful broodmare Gone With The Wind, dam of Zonda (ARC New Zealand Derby G1)...

Auckland breeder wins NZTBA feature

Auckland owner-breeders Don & Rochelle McLaren weren't on-course at Ellerslie on Saturday, but their four-year-old mare Calveen was impossible to miss as she sprinted almost five lengths clear of the field in the Counties RC Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes G2. She cut out the 1400 metres in 1:22.03 and was chased home by The Island Storm (Hennessy) who fought on well after setting the pace, and Barcelona (Desert Sun). Part of memorable trebles on the day for trainer Lance O'Sullivan ...

NZTBA office refurbishment completed

The NZTBA office in the Derby Enclosure at Ellerslie Racecourse,Auckland ends the year in much better shape than it began 2004. After a tree collapsed on the eastern end of the building in February, repairs were carried out under the terms of the Association's insurance cover. At the same time, the Council decided to refurbish the office interior which had not been updated since the building was opened in 1989. NZTBA, NZTM and Halberg Trust staff moved out of the office while the work was do...

Savabeel's Cox win has a strong Kiwi flavour

Three-year-old Savabeel's brilliant victory in the MVRC W.S. Cox Plate 2040m G1 at Moonee Valley this afternoon won't officially count as a New Zealand victory, but there are enough Kiwi connections for us to claim a fair part of him. He's trained, co-bred and part-owned by a proud New Zealander and one of the sport's more colourful personalities, Graeme Rogerson, whose trans-Tasman stables are rarely without a very good runner or three. They emerge from a large base of horses, maintained by a ...

Best of the Week: Cedar Manor, Our Egyptian Raine & Sunline's foal

Sunline's safe delivery of her filly foal by Rock of Gibraltar at Cambridge Stud on Monday 18 October was nicely timed after a thrilling Caulfield Cup day, and the best raceday for Kiwi-breds in Australia so far this season. Cedar Manor (Oregon; bred by the FairdaleTrust) and Our Egyptian Raine (Desert Sun; Chris Ball, Mal Barratt, Kenny Rae & Nick Rodokal) added two Group wins for the (NZ) team, Pretorius (Volksraad) and Star Of Gretchen (Bahhare) ran second and third in the Coongy Handicap...