Back to Blog

Double Riccarton family strike for Pencarrow

A well-performed Pencarrow Stud family came up trumps with a memorable winning double at Riccarton and looks set to continue to add to its roll of honour into the future.The Adrian Bull-trained and raced Jay Bee Gee triumphed in Saturday’s Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) in a thrilling finish and stablemate and half-sister Harmonious, owned by farm principal Sir Peter Vela, claimed the closing event on the card.They are out of the Pins mare Huluava, who was a three-time winner from 10 appearances befo...

Jay Bee Gee takes out sensational Winter Cup

The opening stakes race for the season delivered an incredible finish between a trio of talented gallopers, but after a tense wait, the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) went the way of Adrian Bull’s Jay Bee Gee (Complacent).Jay Bee Gee had run in just one race since finishing back in the field in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) last November, with Bull returning to Riccarton to win the Amberley Cup (1600m) in June before preparing him for Saturday’s contest, concluding wit...

Rebecca Donovan - Sunline Management Scholarship Blog 5

I feel like a Kiwi farmer starting yet another blog post talking all about the weather... but here I am! We had about a week of summer, during which I caught up on my tan before the rain returned. However, a heatwave is on its way, just in time for me to start a placement with Roger Varian, where they train around 200 horses at their yard on the edge of Newmarket. My last few weeks have been spending some time with some of the most incredible people involved in the Thoroughbred industry. I start...

Meet The Breeder - Alex Leander

This week in Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet The Breeder, we catch up with Alex Lander BVSc MPhil, who in partnership with Diane Andersen under their Platinum Bloodstock banner bred Read About It (Wrote x Diggilou {Iffraaj}) to win the Listed Ryder Stakes on Saturday. Tell us the story of Read About ItRead about it was born a strong, correct and very bullish looking colt. He's the second foal from our Iffraaj mare Diggilou. I acquired the mare from Sharon and Joe Waldron when she was a 3yo and hadn't sh...

Mr Brightside shines as NZTBA Horse of the Year

The Seton Otway Horse of the Year went the way of star galloper Mr Brightside at Saturday’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Property Brokers National Breeding Awards at Karapiro. The popular son of Bullbars added a further four Group One victories this season to a record that features six elite level victories to date, 16 wins and A$13,477,752 in prizemoney for the stable of Ben, Will & JD Hayes. Mr Brightside was bred by Bay of Plenty real estate agent Ray Johns...

Trelawney Stud crowned Breeders of the Year

Famed Cambridge nursery Trelawney Stud were announced the Sir Patrick and Justine, Lady Hogan Breeders of the Year at Saturday’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Property Brokers National Breeding Awards. From a band of under 40 broodmares, the historic Trelawney Stud, run by Brent and Cherry Taylor, have produced outstanding results this season, headlined by star front-running mare Pride Of Jenni. The daughter of Pride Of Dubai is out of the O’Reilly mare Sancerre ...

Savabeel top of the pops again

Outstanding Waikato Stud stallion Savabeel again made the headlines at the 2024 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Property Brokers National Breeding Awards, securing his ninth Grosvenor Award, Dewar Award, and Centaine Award respectively.The Grosvenor Award is handed to the Champion New Zealand-based sire by total progeny earnings, while the Dewar Award is received by the stallion with the highest total progeny earnings within New Zealand and Australia. Furthermore, the Centaine A...

Nominees released ahead of National Breeding Awards

Nominations for the Property Brokers National Breeding Awards, to be held at the Don Rowlands Event Centre in Cambridge on July 27, have been announced.There will be awards for the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year, the Small Breeder of the Year, Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year, premiership-winning stallions, as well as the Entain Personality of the Year, Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever, and the Seton Otway Horse of the Year.The breeders of all 25 individual Group One winne...

NZ-bred a rising star in Hong Kong

New Zealand-breds have long held a strong record in Hong Kong, which was further enhanced at the 2023/24 Hong Kong Jockey Club Champion Awards on Friday when Ka Ying Rising was crowned Champion Griffin.The son of Shamexpress has been a standout in the Asian racing jurisdiction, winning five and runner-up in two of his seven starts last season for trainer David Hayes, highlighted by his victory in the Gr.3 Sha Tin Vase (1200m) last month.Ka Ying Rising became the third New Zealand-bred to be crow...

Cambridge Stud savours Australian treble

A Randwick double and a winning turn at Caulfield completed a rewarding weekend for Cambridge Stud.The Waikato nursery celebrated the successes of homebreds Defining and War Eternal in Sydney while the colours of farm principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay were carried to victory in Melbourne by Lovazou.“Obviously, a big focus of our business is to be successful in Australia at a metropolitan level, so it was nice to see that happen,” said Scott Calder, Head of Sales and Nominations at Cambridge ...

Vale David Butler

The Wellington Branch lost one of its most passionate members with the passing of David Butler recently.According to Wellington Branch President Alex Kelly, David was a very respected and valued member of the Wellington Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Committee up until quite recently, when his health took a significant turn for the worse. “David was very passionate about his horses, as well as the racing and breeding industry,” Kelly recalled.“He was one of the most passionate bre...

Good times continue to roll at Mapperley

Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison has enjoyed a memorable season with results to savour on and off the track.Davison has celebrated top-flight success with homebred mare Campionessa, whose sire Contributer resides at his Matamata nursery while well-received young stallions Armory and Profondo stand in a joint venture with Windsor Park Stud.“Contributer had small books when he had his injury, but his stats are freakish when you look at the number he’s had to the races,” he said.The dual Grou...

Tom Lowry - Obituary

Tom Lowry, an immensely influential figure in the New Zealand thoroughbred industry, passed away on Monday of this week aged 88.He was the third generation to operate the famous Okawa Stud in Hawke’s Bay, a property first established by his grandfather and then successfully run his father for many years.Thomas Russell Lowry was born in Hastings on April 13, 1936, and educated at Christ’s College in Christchurch and then the Royal Agricultural College in England.Like his father before him, To...

Wilkinson enthused by Irish National Stud scholarship course

Last week New Zealander Alice Wilkinson and 27 fellow students graduated from the internationally recognised Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding Management course, which she attended on the annual NZTBA-managed Keith and Faith Taylor Family Equine Scholarship.“My time at the Irish National Stud has been incredible, this course has helped me grow professionally and personally by allowing me to network and connect worldwide with people in the industry,” Wilkinson enthused when RaceForm c...

Ancient Spirit heads bright future at White Robe Lodge

Famed Southern nursery White Robe Lodge has announced the service fees for their roster of four stallions, which features emerging young stallion Ancient Spirit ($7,000+GST) along with the proven trio of Ghibellines ($7,000+GST), Raise The Flag ($4,000+GST) and Gallant Guru ($2,000+GST).With legendary horseman Brian Anderton still in the fold, the family-run stud farm has three generations involved in the day to day operation of the Taieri Plains property.All three of White Robe Lodge’s establ...

Blue-blooded Full Tilt on the market in National Online Breeding Stock Sale

The connections of Full Tilt (NZ) (Charm Spirit) have been left wondering what might have been in her own racing career, but they have no doubt that her Group One pedigree and talent will make her a real drawcard in the 2024 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.The filly was bred by Dean Hawkins and Nick Hewson, who shared ownership with a large syndicate. She is by Charm Spirit out of the stakes-performed mare She’s Slinky (NZ) (Handsome Ransom), which makes her a half-siste...

Group One performer a major drawcard in National Online Breeding Stock Sale

The 2024 National Online Breeding Stock Sale is now live on Gavelhouse Plus, with a high-quality catalogue that includes the Group Two winner and Group One performer Llanacord (NZ) (Contributer).Llanacord was bred by Simms Davison, who offered her under his Mapperley Stud banner in Book 2 of Karaka 2019. Kevin Hopson bought her for $15,000 and later sent her to the Rangiotu stable of his stepson Stephen Nickalls, who also had a share of the ownership.Llanacord turned that $15,000 price tag into ...

Stakes success for Princess Rhaenys

In-form mare Princess Rhaenys scored a narrow victory in the Listed Tattersall's Gold Crown (2143m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday as the well-related daughter of Iffraaj scored a richly-deserved maiden stakes success.The Tony Gollan-trained six-year-old was sent out a well-supported $1.80 favourite with Blake Shinn in the saddle and despite not appreciating the slowly-run contest, was always within striking distance to wear down Deny Knowledge, who set the tempo. Sporting the colours of Linda a...

Golden Path demolishes rivals in Mckell Cup

Victorian raider Golden Path has made it back-to-back victories in Sydney with a dominant victory in the Listed W J Mckell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Belardo was stepping up a grade and handled the rise with ease.  Golden Path enjoyed a good run just behind the speed in fifth position throughout and was nursed around the home bend by jockey Chad Schofield. He then put his rivals to the sword to win by three and a half lengths from ...

Meet the Breeder - Jon Orr

This week in Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet the Breeder, we catch up with South Island-based breeder Jon Orr who bred Listed Tauranga Classic winner, Casino Princess.Tell us the story of Casino Princess? Casino Princess was the mating of my beautiful mare Sonsy and the best value stallion in Australia, Casino Prince. Sonsy was a very good race mare who never fulfilled her true ability. Her mother, I bought on Trademe for $800 as a paddock mate. One year I sent her to High Chapparal (4th season) and she...

Rebecca Donovan - Sunline Management Scholarship Blog 4

Writing this blog marks the completion of my fourth month, and in turn, means I am over halfway through my scholarship! I arrived in the UK with a lot of nervous energy. I was eager to experience new areas of the industry, but unsure what to expect as I had, up until that point, only worked on studs alongside the horses. In those moments though, I reminded myself that this is the entire point of the management scholarship. I am here to develop a deeper understanding of the industry and experienc...

Australian couple secures stakes-winning Kiwi mare for Super Seth

An affinity with Waikato Stud stallion Super Seth prompted Phoenix Broodmare Farm’s Damian Gleeson and Deb Gifford to make a spur-of-the-moment purchase of stakes-winning mare Zecora on Gavelhouse.com this week.The New South Wales-based couple paid $150,000 for the six-year-old mare, who won the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) earlier this season.Super Seth had been on Gleeson and Gifford’s radar for some time, and not only because of his racetrack and stallion credentials. The Gr.1 Caulfield Gui...

Irish Colleen an inspired Karaka purchase

Irish Colleen set the ball rolling for prominent breeder and owner Daniel Nakhle and the daughter of Shinko King keeps on giving.She was a gifted performer with two stakes wins to her credit and has subsequently proved to be a gem of a broodmare for the Byerley Park co-founder.All five of Irish Colleen’s foals to race have been successful and includes the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Stakes winner Killarney and three-time Group Three winner and Gr.1 Orr Stakes placegetter (1400m) Crosshaven.She is al...

Fee Increase Announced For The Bold One

Grangewilliam Stud’s proven sire The Bold One, sire of this year’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) winner Mary Louise, will stand at a slightly increased fee of $6000+GST this year.Studmaster Mark Corcoran said The Bold One, son of recently retired champion sire Fastnet Rock, represented great value at the new fee on the back of a very strong season by his progeny.“Last year he stood at $4000+GST and covered 48 mares but his results this season fully justify the fee increase,” Corcoran said....

Inglewood strikes again

To find New Zealand stakes success in Australia this past weekend we need to trek across the Nullarbor to Perth where Luvnwar (War Decree) scored the Belmont Guineas (Listed, 1600m). She was the sole New Zealandbred in the race. Kiwi Chronicles of June 10th made mention to Luvnwar's first win out west since being sent from the South Island to race in Bob Peters' colours of cerise with white crossed sashes. In three starts from her new home she is now two from three and for her sire, War Decree ...