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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...

Rich Hill’s Proisir setting record-breaking pace

Proisir’s remarkable season went to another level at the weekend with his progeny’s earnings surpassing $4 million and the first time that mark has been reached in New Zealand stallion history.The Rich Hill Stud resident has an unassailable lead in the race for the General Sires’ Premiership with the 13-year-old breaking the hold of Savabeel, who has won the title for the last eight seasons and previously held the earnings record of $3,951,419 set in 2018/19.The chief contributor to Proisi...

Regal Lion claims Ipswich Cup

Former Kiwi Regal Lion (Jakkalberry x Red Delight) showed terrific fight to land the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) on Saturday for trainer Annabel Neasham.The four-year-old son of Jakkalberry travelled midfield for much of the contest, with the tempo dictated by stablemate Numerian ($4).But the less fancied Regal Lion ($21) was put into the race at the right time by jockey Ben Thompson, making a looping run before the home turn and was brave to the line when challenged by Desert Icon.“Ben brought...

Proisir filly heads Kaha Nui purchases

Waikato thoroughbred nursery Kaha Nui Farm were the leading buyers at Friday’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling and Broodmare Sale with four purchases, headed by Lot 67, a filly by leading sire Proisir.Nicky White went to $140,000 to secure the strongly made filly who is out of the winning Azamour mare Jazamour, who was presented by Cam and Eva Heron’s Highline Thoroughbreds.“She’s just a really good filly with a massive backend on her,” White said.“I think she'll get up and ...

NZTR announces $20.3 million stakes increase

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has announced a $20.3 million stakes increase for the 2023-24 racing season.NZTR Board and management believe that increasing prizemoney provides all stakeholders with the confidence to invest and grow New Zealand’s racing industry.“At the top of this priority list is the enhancement to stakes funding, increasing by $20.3 million and taking our total stakes funding to $90.8 million for next season,” NZTR chairman Cameron George said.“This is a fanta...

National Breeding Award tickets - now available

The event will be hosted by the NZTBA Waikato Branch at the Sir Don Rowlands Centre at Lake Karapiro on Saturday July 22nd starting at 5pm. Tickets are available at a cost of $225pp and can be reserved by contacting Sonya Anderson on sonya.anderson@xtra.co.nz or 021 887 354....

BLOG | Dorian Kos - June 2023

2023 Sunline Trust Scholarship recipient Dorian Kos gives an update on his time abroad.Hello everyone!As months fly by here in Ireland and we are now (finally) moving into summer, it is time for me to update you on the progress of my travels and learnings.I am currently entering the final few weeks of my time at Coolmore Ireland, where I have been since February. Spending an extended period here has allowed me to understand better how this stud is managed. It has also given me the opportunity to...

Vendors upbeat in countdown to weanling sale

With the welcome return of New Zealand Bloodstock’s popular winter mixed sale format, along with the prospect of a rejuvenated New Zealand racing industry on the back of the TAB’s deal with global wagering giant Entain, weanling vendors are in a positive frame of mind leading into Friday’s National Weanling & Broodmare Sale at Karaka.The one-day sale will be the first physical sale of its kind at Karaka in four years. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 sale, repl...

Antino a class above in Wayne Wilson

The Listed Wayne Wilson (1600m) may have been something of a consolation prize at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but a spectacular performance by New Zealand-bred Antino (Redwood x Mahamaya) has eased any disappointment for his trainer Tony Gollan and got him thinking about spring carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne.Gollan had hoped to sneak the rising star four-year-old into the field for the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) later on Saturday afternoon, but came up just short. The Wayne Wilson was the n...

National Online Breeding Stock Sale locked in for July

Due to demand, breeders will again have the opportunity to offer quality broodmares in a stand-alone online breeding stock sale on Gavelhouse Plus in the lead up to the season.Entries for stallion shares and nominations will also be accepted for the showcase which will run from 28th June to 12th July.“In our seven years of operation there has always been a flurry of activity around breeding stock in July and good prices fetched as breeders look to finalise their plans for the season,” said g...

The Oaks purchase U S Navy Flag

The Oaks Stud in Cambridge have shown their faith in young stallion U S Navy Flag, purchasing him outright from Coolmore Stud.The regally-bred son of War Front sired his sixth individual winner from his first crop when Geldof won in good fashion at Avondale on Saturday, while Chantilly Lace trounced her rivals in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui to become the stallion’s first Southern Hemisphere stakes winner.“The deal was finalised on Friday, so we own him now. The timing ha...

Nakhle secures Rose ‘N’ Power for $70,000

Byerley Park founder Daniel Nakhle has made a black-type addition to his broodmare band, securing Rose ‘N’ Power for $70,000 on Gavelhouse Plus.The highly talented mare was trained by part-owners Fred and Lindsay Cornege to win six of her 24 starts and more than $176,000 in stakes. She won four races in succession during 2021, culminating in a Listed victory in the Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki – setting a new track record of 1:08.63 in the process.“I was thrilled to be able to secure th...

Lucky Sweynesse joins illustrious company

Lucky Sweynesse might be given the chance to extend a phenomenal season in search of a ninth victory after matching Beauty Generation’s record for the most wins in a single Hong Kong campaign with a dominant performance in the Gr.3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.The New Zealand bred posted his eighth win from 10 starts this season, and his sixth in a row, Lucky Sweynesse powered to a comfortable one-and-a-quarter length victory over Victor The Winner despite conceding the r...

U S Navy Flag making good impression in New Zealand

The early signs are good for multiple Group One winning stallion U S Navy Flag, who shuttles to the Oaks Stud in Cambridge.The regally-bred son of War Front heads a strong group of first season sires by winners in New Zealand, with six individual winners posted since February.On Saturday, U S Navy Flag was represented by his first stakes winner when Chantilly Lace trounced her rivals in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui, having previously been stakes-placed.Also victorious was the...

Successive stakes victories for Ribchester filly

Talented filly Red Card made it successive stakes victories when leading throughout to land the Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday for trainer James Cummings.The daughter of Haunui Farm shuttler Ribchester had previously won the Listed Denise's Joy Stakes (1100m) at Scone and has now won five of her 10 starts, with a further two placings.Sent out a $3.60 second favourite, Red Card dominated her rivals under James McDonald, winning by more than two lengths from Milane ...

Justaskme continues red-hot form at Wanganui

Taranaki galloper Justaskme continued his purple patch of form at Wanganui on Saturday when taking out the Listed AGC Training Stakes WFA (1600m).The seven-year-old gelding was installed a $1.90 favourite for the mile feature following his last start victory in the Listed Rangitikei Cup (1550m) last month, and he duly delivered for punters.Under a patient ride by Johnathan Parkes, Justaskme settled in behind pacemaker Regal Rock where he remained before Parkes was able to find an inside passage ...

Chantilly Lace scores emphatic stakes victory

It was a popular win at Wanganui on Saturday when Chantilly Lace demolished her rivals in the Listed John Turkington Forestry LTD Castletown Stakes (1200m).The daughter of U S Navy Flag headed into the race in great form, having placed in the Listed Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m) at her previous outing, and trainer Chrissy Bambry was confident of another bold showing in Saturday’s juvenile feature.Chantilly Lace didn’t disappoint, running out a 10-length victor following a positive ride fr...

Under The Radar - Matt Mowbray

In this month's BetaVet NZ Under The Radar we talk to Matt Mowbray, New Zealand Bloodstock's Property Manager.What is your role and how did you get to it?I’m the property manager at NZB. I heard about the job through a good friend who was an executive chef at the Hilton so I approached Andrew and James. I got the job and I have been loving it ever since.I’m a builder by trade, have also worked in horticulture, concrete, swimming pools and management. This is a job where I can ...

Niagara back in the Bay

Proven stallion Niagara, a Group Two winning son of Encosta de Lago, will return to Hawke’s Bay ahead of the 2023 breeding season to take up residence at Vicki Wilson’s Hau Ora Farm in Kahuranaki, south of Hastings.It is somewhat of a homecoming for Niagara, who initially retired to Greg and Jo Griffin’s Lime Country Thoroughbreds in Hawke’s Bay in 2013, before the couple relocated across the Tasman, resulting in Niagara joining The Oaks Stud’s roster in 2017.The sire of nine stakes pe...

Entain ready to play its part in racing’s future

By Dennis Ryan, RaceFormThe brave new world of a racing industry under the jurisdiction of global gambling giant Entain becomes a reality today with the handing over of operational control from TAB NZ.In what has seemed a rapid final stage to a joint venture outcome that had been years since first mooted and months since an acceptance that it had to happen, June 1 is the date that the keys to TAB functions is passed to Entain.Central to Entain being launched as New Zealand’s new gambling provi...