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What does the Entain partnership really mean?

The TAB’s partnership with EntainThe recent announcement that the TAB has entered a 25-year partnership with Entain means that it is an incredibly exciting time for the New Zealand Thoroughbred Industry. Whether retaining to race or taking advantage of the increased demand in the sales ring, given the significant increase in stakes money along with several other key priorities that will be focused on, breeding a thoroughbred on the rich pastures of New Zealand has never been so attractive...

Belardo Boy too strong in Winter Cup

Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskAwapuni visitor Belardo Boy (Belardo x L'Amour) claimed the first stakes race of the new racing season when he came with a determined late run to capture the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.The Lisa Latta-trained five-year-old had been blocked for a run when finishing seventh in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) at his last start, but more than made up for that dose of ill-luck with a sparkling performance in the hands of Irish...

Itza Charmdeel

A decade after their ultimate experience as part-owners of Dundeel, Hawke’s Bay couple Mike and Sharyn Craig are getting another bite of the cherry with a descendant of the champion galloper.On Saturday at Otaki, Itza Charmdeel became the second stakes winner produced by a daughter of Dundeel when he scored a last-stride win in the Listed Ryder Stakes. With a record of two wins from three late-season starts, the Roger James/Robert Wellwood-trained gelding shapes as a likely contender for highe...

Enchanted Elle another highlight for absent owner

Following Enchanted Elle’s Taumarunui RSA Gold Cup win at Te Rapa on Saturday, owner Tina Bryant was unable to hold back on her latest thrill in racing.“I’m so proud of her,” Bryant said with obvious feeling. “It’s awesome to have one good horse and then have another good one from that horse.”Bryant was referring in the first instance to the good winter galloper Ististar who she raced in the mid-2000s. She was a courageous little Istidaad mare trained by Stephen McKee and won 10 ra...

Mongolian Falcon sires first winner

Mongolian Falcon got off the mark as a sire last Friday when Mumbo Jumbo broke through for her maiden win on Riccarton’s synthetic track.Vicki Wilson, who stands the Group Two winning son of Fastnet Rock at her Hawke’s Bay property, was rapt with the result.“It was fantastic and he really deserves it. To get the first one out of the way is always wonderful,” she said.“Mumbo Jumbo was unlucky last prep not to get a win, so she was very deserving. It probably wasn’t the easiest trip, b...

Savabeel underpins another special season for Waikato Stud

The 2022-23 racing season has delivered another long line of triumphs for Waikato Stud, whose continued success has come on the back of two of its iconic stallions.Current kingpin Savabeel keeps churning out a seemingly endless supply of big-race performers, and this season marks his eighth Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings and his seventh Dewar Award for combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings. Savabeel has also claimed eight Grosvenor Awards for champion New Zealand si...

U S Navy Flag takes top first-season honours

Less than two months after The Oaks Stud made the bold decision to purchase U S Navy Flag outright from Coolmore Stud, their faith in the former shuttle stallion has been rewarded with the title of New Zealand’s champion first-season sire of 2022-23.U S Navy Flag has held a commanding lead on the freshman sire standings for more than four months.From 24 runners in his first crop of two-year-olds, U S Navy Flag has sired seven winners in New Zealand for combined progeny earnings of $373,000.Cha...

Champion sire Proisir completes Rich Hill Stud’s unfinished business

After a series of near-misses for foundation stallion Pentire, Rich Hill Stud has finally broken through and taken top honours with New Zealand’s new champion sire Proisir.The 2022-23 season saw Savabeel’s eight-year reign as champion Kiwi sire broken in spectacular style. Proisir sired 47 winners from 89 runners on New Zealand racetracks, with eight individual stakes winners and total progeny earnings of $4.15 million. That places him almost $1.5 million ahead of the second-placed Savabeel,...

Under The Radar - Alice Riggins

In this week's BetaVet NZ Under the Radar we chat with NZTR Welfare Coordinator Alice Riggins. Alice plays a crucial role in the success of NZTR's Acknowledged Retrainers and has a strong understanding and involvement with NZTR's welfare initiatives.What is your role?I work at New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing in the role of Thoroughbred Welfare Coordinator. I‘m from the UK and come from an equestrian/eventing background having previously worked as a competition groom up to 5...

NZTBA appoint new CEO

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association are pleased to announce that Nick Johnson will take up the position of CEO in early October.Johnson has extensive experience in the commercial world of sales and marketing and a huge passion for the thoroughbred industry. The expat kiwi has been based in the United Kingdom for the past 10 years but now has a desire to return to New Zealand with his young family.“We had a lot of interest in the CEO role and some great candidates and feel Nick...

BLOG POST: Dorian Kos, July 2023

Having now finished my time at Coolmore and moved on to my following placements, I think that it is a good time to update you on what I have been up to in the past few weeks.After finishing up at Coolmore and thanking everyone for the opportunities they gave me to move around the farm and see a lot of what Coolmore has to offer, I flew straight to the UK to join the team at Weatherbys.Before arriving at Weatherbys, I got to spend a day at Royal Ascot. The Ascot racecourse is just so impressive b...

Kiwi breeders proud as punch at National Awards

The New Zealand thoroughbred breeding fraternity came together on Saturday night to celebrate a stellar season of elite-level achievements at the Property Brokers National Breeding Awards at Karapiro.New Zealand breeders produced 35 individual Group One winners across Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand over the past 12 months.Powerhouse breeders Waikato Stud were awarded the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan New Zealand Breeder of the Year title for a phenomenal ninth time, but there was a di...

gavelhouse.com Waikato Stallion Parade date change

Originally to be held on 26 and 27 August, the Waikato Stallion Parade weekend will now be held a week earlier on 19 and 20th of August.Hosted by the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and sponsored by gavelhouse.com, the parade will visit nine farms and showcase 39 stallions.No preregistration is required and lunch will be provided at Rich Hill Stud on the Saturday and Windsor Park Stud on the Sunday.All enquires can be directed to Scott Calder via 027 616 42...

Highview’s new boys turning heads

Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskHighview Stud newcomers Divine Prophet and Santos are receiving warm welcomes from the New Zealand breeding community.The proven pair have relocated from Australia to join Wrote at the Waikato farm, with Divine Prophet’s profile further boosted this season by the deeds of his Group One-producing brother Proisir.Santos has also enjoyed a timely boost in New Zealand with his juvenile daughter Ulanova winning three of her six starts this season, including the ...

National Online Breeding Stock Sale provides fitting farewell for Peter Setchell

The legacy of the late Peter Setchell had a fitting final flourish on Wednesday night, producing the sale-topping lot in the 2023 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.Group Three-winning mare Ticket To Ride was the final horse to ever be sold from the estate of the respected breeder, who bred a remarkable number of top-line performers including Australian Horse of the Year Red Anchor and fellow multiple Group One winner Oopik.Offered in foal to this season’s leading New Zeala...

Breeding season doubt for Per Incanto following accident

Leading stallion Per Incanto will serve a limited book of mares at best in the 2023 breeding season after suffering a leg injury in a paddock accident.The long-term outlook for the Little Avondale Stud resident is good and should he recover in time, he will be restricted to covering shareholder mares only later this year.Farm principal Sam Williams has emphasised the stallion’s well-being was paramount and no shortcuts would be taken in his recuperation following Saturday’s mishap.“He’s ...

Profondo another popular choice for Windsor Park

By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskWindsor Park Stud has continued an enviable trend with its most recent stallion acquisition.The Cambridge nursery received an outstanding response from breeders after securing Profondo, with the no vacancy sign quickly put up after announcing the Group One-winning son of Deep Impact.He will serve a full book in his debut year, as did associate stallion Circus Maximus and Armory, who stands at Mapperley Stud in association with Windsor Park.“The response ...

Stakes performers fresh off the racetrack in National Online Breeding Stock Sale

The 2023 National Online Breeding Stock Sale, which is currently in progress on Gavelhouse Plus, gives buyers rare access to a number of young mares who have just reached the end of their quality racing careers.One of those is Cool Change (NZ) (Showcasing), who is catalogued as Lot 10. She is only four years old and finished her racing career with a record of 23 starts for five wins, seven placings and $152,095 in stakes.She was stakes-placed as a two-year-old, finishing third in the Listed Fast...

Flower Of Wanaka blossoms at Hastings

Trainer Chrissy Bambry celebrated her recent engagement with a huge result at Hastings on Saturday when Flower Of Wanaka (NZ) (Burgundy) downed a solid line-up of fillies and mares in the Listed Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic (1400m).The four-year-old daughter made light of her support on the tote, which saw her start at odds of better than $45, as she produced a resolute finish in the concluding stages to hold out the fast-finishing Secret Amour (NZ) (Niagara) and another outsider in Shelbyroc...

Black-type breakthrough for bargain filly Dolphin Skin

The Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Dolphin Skin (Telperion x Tempo Manor) has boosted her value as a potential broodmare with a narrow victory in a Stakes race at Flemington.A $13,000 purchase at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale last year, Dolphin Skin has recouped that outlay and more while adding valuable black-type to her pedigree with victory in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) on Saturday.The task was made easier for the two-year-old filly following the scratchings...

Entries open for Ready to Run Sale

Entries for New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2023 Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds are now open, with the Sale set to be held at the Karaka Sales Centre on 22 and 23 November.With a reputation like no other, NZB’s Ready to Run Sale is renowned for being the leading horses in training sale globally. The Sale continues to be held in the highest regard by agents, trainers and buyers and is a trusted source for many global industry participants.Two graduates of the Sale in Lucky Sweynesse and Golden S...

National Online Breeding Stock Sale live on Gavelhouse Plus

The 2023 National Online Breeding Stock Sale is now live online on Gavelhouse Plus, with 54 lots on offer.Bidding is set to open on Friday 7th July and will close from 7pm (NZT) on Wednesday 12th July.The catalogue is comprised of a mix of young and proven mares, along with shares in stallions Per Incanto and Vadamos.One of the many notable lots in the catalogue is Prima Donna, who is a winning half-sister to outstanding three-year-old filly Prowess.Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Pr...

Tuchel lands Plate for Premier combination

Hong Kong Derby (2000m) runner-up Tuchel (Redwood x Trista Rossa) won Sunday’s HK$3.9 million Gr.3 Premier Plate Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin.Trainer John Size and jockey Zac Purton combined to win the final Group race of the Hong Kong season with the gelded son of Redwood on an afternoon which saw their inexorable march to further championship success continue apace.Size has 71 wins for the season, nine clear of his nearest rival Franke Lor in the quest to win the trainer’s championship for ...

Ucalledit back on top in Civic Stakes

After two unlucky runs during the Queensland Winter Carnival, accomplished Kiwi-bred gelding Ucalledit (Zacinto x Special Bay) has returned to New South Wales and turned his form around in Saturday’s Listed Drinkwise Civic Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.Queensland was a happy hunting ground for the son of Zacinto earlier in the season, winning four of his five starts between October and December including the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1400m) on December 17. He also finished a close third in the A...

Tried horse offerings fuel Unusual Suspect success

Whanganui-based stallion Unusual Suspect has proved a more than useful sire.Standing at the Auret family’s Letham Stud, the now 19-year-old stallion has produced a host of well-credentialed horses, including the stakes winner Unusual Countess and multiple Melbourne metropolitan winners So Unusual and Unusual Culture.The latter, who was a debut winner for Fraser Auret, has now won four of her past six outings for the in-form Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable, including victory over a mile a...