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Eagleton bullish ahead of National Weanling Sale

Seaton Park’s Scott Eagleton has been buoyed by inspections both on-farm and at Karaka on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale.The Morrinsville vendor will present eight weanlings on behalf of clients at the one-day sale, with positive feedback on the diverse draft which features a slew of in-vogue sires.Among them are weanlings by reigning champion sire Proisir, Satono Aladdin, Almanzor, Ardrossan and Blue Point in addition to a quality colt from the fir...

Ribchester returns for 2024

Haunui Farm will again welcome four-time Group One winner and two-time Champion Miler Ribchester back in 2024 for his fifth season at stud in New Zealand.Ribchester has been well supported by New Zealand broodmare owners and the mating results have seen yearlings from each crop reach six figures in the auction ring.Racetrack results have been solid, despite small crops, and his winners to runners ratio for his four-year-old crop is 80% and 56% for his three-year-old crop, while his stakes runner...

Megastar Heart digs deep for stakes success

Last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run sale-topper Megastar Heart secured a black-type victory in his fourth start with a relentless performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed SEN Oxlade Stakes (1300m) at Eagle Farm.The two-year-old Star Turn colt was offered by KB Bloodstock at Karaka in November, where he was bought by Hong Kong’s Pato Leung for $825,000.Megastar Heart kicked off his career with a second placing at Kembla Grange in April and a win on Randwick’s Kensington trac...

More Hong Kong success for Highview Stud’s Wrote

Highview Stud stallion Wrote continues to show his versatility with a pair of notable winners in Hong Kong this week.The sire of Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous was represented by impressive three-year-old debutant Fast Network, who won the Class 4 Chai Wai Road Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin last Saturday for Dennis Yip.The gelding was the well supported favourite on the strength of strong trial performances and his easy length and a half victory came as no surprise to his tra...

La Crique snares lucrative Queensland feature

High-class Kiwi mare La Crique (Vadamos) put her best foot forward when pulling clear of her rivals in Saturday’s A$500,000 Magic Millions National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm.Prepared by Simon and Katrina Alexander, the lightly-framed daughter of Vadamos took her time to balance up under champion hoop James McDonald before her class prevailed, defeating Foxy Freda and Maracana by just over a length.A dual Group One winner at a mile, La Crique was perfectly placed in the lucrative weigh...

Imperialist oozes class in The Phoenix triumph

Trainer Chris Waller has a good opinion of progressive two-year-old Imperialist (Churchill), who came with a perfectly timed run under James McDonald to claim the Listed The Phoenix (1500m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday in impressive fashion.The New Zealand-bred son of Churchill notched his first win from just three starts and relished the solid tempo of the juvenile feature to close in the manner of a horse that has an exciting Classic season ahead of him.Waller will now ponder whether to push on t...

Belclare coming out of racing retirement

Group One winner Belclare’s retirement from racing has been short-lived, with the daughter of Per Incanto set to join expat Kiwi trainer Bjorn Baker’s Sydney barn.The six-year-old mare had a stellar racing career in New Zealand, winning 11 races for Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, including the last two editions of the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).She was subsequently offered at Magic Millions’ National Broodmare Sale last month where she failed to meet her A$700,00...

Breeze-up mates score in the same week

Andy Win completed a memorable Prima Park graduate double this week in the Matamata Glass & Joinery 2000 on Wednesday, and farm principal Kelly Van Dyk couldn’t be any happier with the result.Andy Win was a breeze-up partner to last Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Warmonger at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, where the latter was sold to Champagne Racing’s Shane Kennedy for $165,000, while Andy Win failed to reach his $80,000 reserve.Warmonger was subs...

I Wish I Win back on top in Kingsford-Smith Cup

After placing in all of his first four starts of the season, Waikato Stud’s sensational sprinter I Wish I Win (Savabeel) returned to the top of the podium in Saturday’s Gr.1 EVA Air Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm.It was the seventh win of a remarkable 21-start career for the Savabeel gelding, who has now earned more than A$11.8m in prize-money. His previous triumphs included last year’s Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, along with the A$10m Golden Eagle (1500m).Befo...

Hezashocka too good in Premier’s Cup

Hezashocka (Shocking) has proven himself in far stronger company than Saturday’s Gr.3 Living Turf Premier’s Cup (2400m), and that big-race quality shone through with a comfortable victory at Eagle Farm.Although last month’s Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2200m) was his first win since 2022, Hezashocka has made his presence felt right up to the highest level. He has placed in the Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m), Gr.3 JRA Plate (2000m) and Listed Mornington Cup (2400m), along with a fourth in t...

Belardi lands Castletown on big day for family

Three and a half hours before Moonlight Magic (Almanzor) took her place in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm, her half-brother Belardi (Belardo) kicked off a huge day for the family with victory in the Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui.Both Belardi and Moonlight Magic are trained by Andrew Forsman for owner-breeders the Sunlight Trust, and they are among the five winners from just five foals out of the Encosta De Lago mare Japo...

Belardo Boy back to winning form at Wanganui

Proven miler and winter track specialist Belardo Boy (Belardo) bounced back to winning form when he produced a powerful home straight surge to capture the feature event at Wanganui on Saturday, the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m).The 2023 Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) winner was having just his second run in a new campaign for trainer Lisa Latta and stripped in good condition after taking plenty of benefit from his first up run for eighth at Te Rapa a fortnight ago.The five-year-old son of for...

Stunning Warmonger extends Kiwis’ Queensland Derby dominance

Warmonger (War Decree) became the fourth consecutive New Zealand-bred winner of the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) with a breathtaking performance in the A$1m classic at Eagle Farm on Saturday.A spectacular first Group One winner for Inglewood Stud stallion War Decree, Warmonger blew his rivals away by more than 10 lengths. He joined the Queensland Derby honour roll alongside the other recent Kiwi-bred winners Kovalica (2023), Pinarello (2022) and Kukeracha (2021).This year’s Queensland De...

International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation Conference - Japan 2024 - Nick Johnson Review

I had the real pleasure of attending the International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation (ITBF) bi-annual conference in Japan between the 17th and 24th May 2024. Before I left, I had been told by many people about how good the industry was in Japan, but I wasn't prepared for the shear brilliance of the way that racing and breeding is conducted by the Japanese.No stone was left unturned, and no expense was spared by both the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association (JBBA) and the Japan Racing As...

Rebecca Donovan - Sunline Management Scholarship Blog 3

Hello all! It is bittersweet to be here, reporting on my final month at Coolmore, ‘The Home of Champions’. I feel like I am moving on from Ireland just as it’s getting good! The last month has flown by and I have had the chance to fit so much in that I’ve even surprised myself! In my last week, I was treated to some spectacular days where I got to pack in as much as I could in my final days. My last blog left you just as I had started in the Foaling unit. Working in the Foaling, I have b...

In-form Apostrophe on Queensland short list

Late bloomer Apostrophe executed a near perfect domestic autumn campaign to put herself in line for a trip to the Queensland winter carnival.While the overseas venture has yet to be locked in, the daughter of Tavistock is a strong contender to be given the opportunity to chase Australian black-type and further boost her future broodmare value.“We have freshened her a bit and there is a Listed mile on June 15 and a Listed fillies and mares’ race over 2100m on the 29th for her,” said Roger J...

Meet The Breeder - Kevin Landrigan

In this week’s Dunstan HorseFeeds Meet The Breeder we chat to Kevin Landrigan,  who in partnership with his son Patrick bred Listed Staphanos at Novara Park Champagne Stakes winner Southern Warrior (Belardo x Cape South {Cape Cross}) at Pukekohe on Saturday. It was a particularly successful weekend for these breeders, as they also bred Pudding (Tavistock x Christmas Day {Zabeel}) to win at Sandown and Opawa Scarlett (Shooting To Win x Lispenard {Fastnet Rock}) who was a winner on deb...

Early breeding setback overcome in style

A nightmare start for the Smithies family with Tactless’ breeding career has turned full circle following the emergence of high-class filly Scarlet Oak.Under their Monovale Holdings banner, they purchased the well-related broodmare in foal to Kermadec at the Inglis Digital Sale in 2020 and the result of that mating was Saturday’s impressive Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) winner.Scarlet Oak’s progress has provided significant compensation for an early setback following the loss of the mare’s next...

Late gamble brings black-type reward for Wiles

While some feature-race wins are the result of months of planning and preparation, others can fall perfectly into place within the space of just 17 days.Saturday’s Listed Staphanos at Novara Park Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe only came on to the radar for Cambridge trainer Dean Wiles after he saddled Southern Warrior for a promising fifth on debut at Matamata on May 8. The Belardo gelding produced an eye-catching late run from last over 1200m that day, giving Wiles an inkling that the 1...

Group Three win bolsters Maracana’s value

Five-year-old mare Maracana recorded a timely victory in the Gr.3 Drinkwise Mile (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday, with the daughter of Shamexpress set to go under the hammer at this week’s Gold Coast broodmare sale.Prepared by Danny O’Brien, Maracana bounced out of a Benchmark 70 victory at Cranbourne to claim Saturday’s contest with a hard-fought victory over Osmose. The smart mare was a multiple stakes performer earlier in her career, including a third placing in the Gr.2 Fillies Classic ...

Here To Shock stakes Stradbroke claim

Here To Shock has claimed a berth in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) by the barest of margins when nosing out Freedom Rally to land the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.Prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the ever-improving six-year-old continued his strong recent form which included a win in the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) last month, prior to a close second to Dashing over a mile at Caulfield.Winning jockey Michael Dee had Here To Shock on a clear path for victory only fo...

Scarlet Oak prevails in Roses

Recent Kiwi acquisition Scarlet Oak is repaying her new connections in spades with a hard-fought victory in the Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben coming at just her fourth raceday start.Scarlet Oak was an impressive Matamata winner for Ken and Bev Kelso in March before prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir won the bidding war to secure the prized filly privately.The daughter of Kermedec subsequently joined champion trainer Chris Waller and made an immediate impression, finishing runner-up to st...

U S Navy Flag heads Oaks Stud roster

The Oaks Stud in Cambridge have announced their service fees for the forthcoming breeding season with the roster to be headed by leading second season sire U S Navy Flag at $15,000 + GST.The son of War Front was represented by Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) winner Pendragon, who also finished runner-up in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m). Other highlight progeny include multiple stakes winner Chantilly Lace, Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes runner-up Aprilia and multiple Group One performer To C...

Gringotts secures first stakes success

New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts (Per Incanto) took his promising career to new heights in Brisbane on Saturday with a first black-type success in the A$160,000 Listed Sky Racing Members’ Handicap (1600m) at Doomben.It was the seventh win from just a 13-race career for the four-year-old, who has earned A$590,050 for a syndicate of owners headed by Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neill.Gringotts collected a win and three placings from four starts in the spring, but has found a rich vein of form...

Sharrock eyes spring after Rangitikei Cup success

Islington Lass (Proisir) could have Group One goals on her radar after capping her breakthrough campaign with victory in Saturday’s Listed James Bull Rangitikei Cup (1600m) at Trentham.The $80,000 feature was the sixth win from only a 10-start career for the Proisir mare, who has now earned more than $146,000.The five-year-old began the season with a rating of 70, but wasted no time in climbing through the ranks with impressive victories at New Plymouth on November 24, Trentham on Decembe...