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Vale Brian 'Molly' Mollet

Michelle Saba pays tribute to Brian ‘Molly’ Mollet who passed away last month.A packed-out memorial service was held for Brian Maurice Mollet on Sunday May 14 in The Oaks Lounge at Pukekohe Park, following his passing on April 30th.It was a moving afternoon with lots of stories told about a much-loved character.Pukekohe Park was a fitting venue for ‘Molly’, as he was known to his friends, as he contributed a good 10 years of service to the then Counties Racing Club as a steward and a com...

Fabulous One's Second Act

Fabulous One (Elusive City x Beautiful Unicorn) had an impressive racing career, amassing more than HK$7million during his time on the track! Now in the care of young Alice, he continues to impress in his new discipline of endurance, placing 3rd in his first 40km event and being awarded ‘Best Placed Thoroughbred.’We caught up with Alice to learn more about Fabulous One’s second act.How did Fabulous One (or ‘Cooper’ as you call him) come into your life?I bought Cooper nearly three years...

Ribchester to return to Haunui Farm in 2023

Haunui Farm will once again welcome four-time Group One winner and two-time Champion Miler Ribchester back in 2023 for his fourth season at stud in New Zealand.Ribchester has created a solid impression in Australia to date with two small crops of racing age progeny, headlined by last Saturday’s Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) winning three-year-old filly Red Card and two-year-old colt Krakarib, winner of the Gr.3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) on Melbourne Cup Day.In addition Ribchester has be...

Valuable Rotorua Cup win for Poser

Up and coming stayer Poser showed just how tough she is when producing a determined finish to claim victory in the Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m).The five-year-old Kurtis Pertab-trained galloper had swept through the grades with three consecutive wins to round out her early summer campaign before being put aside for a short break.Having resumed with a tidy third at Avondale last month, the daughter of Ocean Park wasn’t disgraced when running seventh in the Gr.3 Manawatu Bre...

Dunkel packs killer punch in SA Derby

New Zealand-bred gelding Dunkel came with his trademark late run to prevail in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday under jockey Billy Egan for trainer Patrick Payne.Despite standing the favourite Promises Kept a decent start inside the final furlong, Egan was confident his charge would give his all, and he went on to score by three-quarters of a length.“When I left the straight the first time, I thought this is going to be easy. I was about fifth one off (the f...

Flying Forsman filly strikes gold at Rotorua

Free-going three-year-old filly Wessex proved too swift for her older rivals in Saturday’s Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) as she secured a dominant front-running victory.Rider Kozzi Asano went handlebars down from barrier rise on the Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Turn Me Loose as he set up a break of more than six lengths midway during the 1400m contest.It was apparent that Wessex was still travelling sweetly for Asano turning for home, however she started to shorten stride at the 250m a...

Former Kiwi lands Rough Habit for Waller

Kiwi three-year-old Special Swey has bolstered Chris Waller’s Queensland arsenal, making an instant impact for the Champion trainer when scoring a game victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m).A tactical mid-race move by apprentice Tyler Schiller to roll forward proved a masterstroke as Special Swey forced his rivals to chase from a long way out and none were up to the challenge, with the gelding going on to score by a length and a half from favourite The Vowels.A son of Sweyness...

Curtain comes down on top sprinter Roch ‘N’ Horse’s career

Time has been called on outstanding sprinter Roch ‘N’ Horse, who will begin the next phase of her career at owners Sam and Catriona Williams’ Little Avondale Stud.The daughter of farm resident Per Incanto met and bettered the cream of Australia’s short course specialists at Group One level with Flemington victories in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and the Champions’ Sprint (1200m). She has been retired as the winner of five of her 23 starts and with seven placings, including a ru...

Fee increase for War Decree

Inglewood Stud’s promising second season sire War Decree will stand the 2023 season for an increased fee of $5,500 +GST, up from $4,500 in 2022.The fee rise comes off the back of a very promising season for the son of War Front, with his ever-consistent daughter Val di Zoldo winning the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) and proving herself among the best of a stellar generation of fillies.“We’re very pleased with the start War Decree has made, he’s leaving plenty of winners and to have a filly...

NZB Weanling and Broodmare Sale catalogue now online

New Zealand Bloodstock’s newly formed National Weanling and Broodmare Sale catalogue is now live, with the 253-lot Sale set to be held on Friday, June 16.The dedicated weanling only format has been well adopted by buyers and will be complimented this year with a support of quality broodmares.The 183 weanlings on offer create an opportunity for both pinhookers and end users to secure quality stock, with the session renowned as a proven source of racetrack and investment success.Group One winner...

Yulong secures Belle En Rouge for $800,000

Gavelhouse Plus auctions have been a rich source of quality additions to the Yulong broodmare band over the last 12 months, and that trend continued on Tuesday with the $800,000 purchase of Group One winner Belle En Rouge.The mare was offered on behalf of powerhouse New Zealand syndicators Te Akau Racing, who sold her Group One-winning stablemate Entriviere to Yulong for $900,000 last September.Yulong’s other previous Gavelhouse Plus purchases included outstanding broodmare Baggy Green for $1....

Popular Tarzino heads Westbury Stud roster

Westbury Stud has handed their young sire Tarzino a rise in service fee to $25,000 + GST on the back of continued success following his two Group One winners last season alongside strong returns in the sale ring.From his first crop, the son of Tavistock produced Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) winner Jungle Magnate and Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) heroine Gypsy Goddess while his yearlings sold for up to $260,000 at Karaka in the last 12 months and averaged A$225,000 at the Magic Millions Sal...

Staphanos heads Novara Park roster

Luigi Muollo’s Novara Park Stud near Cambridge will stand four stallions this season, spear-headed by exciting young stallion Staphanos at $15,000 + GST.The son of Deep Impact is the sire of Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner Pignan from his first crop, with the Lisa Latta-trained filly carrying all the traits of her Group One performed sire.“Lisa Latta and Joe Doyle (jockey) both said that she was the toughest filly there. That’s what Staphanos puts into his horses and I...

Black-type success for Essonne

Promising New Zealand-bred mare Essonne picked up the sixth and most significant win of her career with a barnstorming finish in Saturday’s Listed Attwood Marshall Lawyers Silk Stocking (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast.Trained by Richard Litt for owner-breeder Gerry Harvey, the daughter of Reliable Man had shown promise with wins from five of her first nine starts, but none had been above Benchmark 72 level.Essonne was then unplaced in her next two appearances, finishing well back in the Provinci...

Solidify all class in Te Rapa feature

While comparisons with his older stablemate Sharp ‘N’ Smart are inevitable, promising two-year-old colt Solidify is the son of Redwood currently in the limelight after adding his first win at stakes level to a burgeoning career when taking out the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Services 2YO Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.Solidify and multiple Group One winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart share the same sire in the Westbury Stud-based Redwood and it looks like lightning may have struck twice for trainers...

Ruthless Dame soars to Sangster triumph

The Group One gold rush for New Zealand-bred horses in Australia this autumn kept on rolling with three-year-old filly Ruthless Dame conquering an elite field of older mares in Saturday’s A$500,000 Furphy Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville.The daughter of Tavistock recorded the 10th elite-level victory for a New Zealand-bred since the start of April, following on from Militarize in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Champagne Stakes (1600m), I Wish I Win in the TJ Smith Stake...

Renaissance Woman sparkles in Bracelet

New Zealand-bred filly Renaissance Woman burst into contention for next month’s Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) with an outstanding come-from-behind victory in Saturday’s Listed Aquis Stallions Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) on the Sunshine Coast.This was the first race outside Group company this season for Renaissance Woman, who began her three-year-old campaign with a couple of eye-catching efforts for sixth in the Gr.2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and seventh in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m).The Bj...

Team Tyler make lightning strike at Riccarton

The father and daughter training partnership of Kelvin and Aimee Tyler were to the fore at Riccarton on Saturday when they produced class performer Lightning Jack to win the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m).The consistent six-year-old son of Per Incanto had been hinting his next win wasn’t far away and he chose the perfect opportunity to return to his best as he lumped 60kgs to a comprehensive two-length victory in the hands of Krishna Mudhoo.Mudhoo had his charge truc...

Flying northern filly takes juvenile honours at Riccarton

Speedy North Island visitor Illicit Dreams proved too fleet of foot for her two-year-old rivals when she took out the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.The Ken Rae and Krystal Williams-trained daughter of Vancouver had two of her first three starts at Riccarton back in the spring before going for a summer break after finishing beyond midfield in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) during the Christchurch Cup Week carnival.Illicit Dreams resumed with a strong effort to win o...

Almanzor making fine Group One impression

Almanzor has already proved a stallion force to be reckoned with in feature age group events with his first two crops excelling at the elite level.Cambridge Stud has been thrilled with the start the Group One-winning son of Wootton Bassett has made to his career and he will stand at an unchanged fee of $50,000 +GST in 2023.His fellow multiple European Group One winner Hello Youmzain will also again be offered at $30,000 +GST while top-flight domestic winners Sword Of State and Embellish will sta...

Meet the Breeder - Tony Rider

How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?My love for it has probably come from my daughter. She has been riding ponies since she was four years old and about 18 years ago we bought 50 acres off David Benjamin up Kaipaki Road which was really to put her ponies on. He also offered me three weanling fillies at the time, one of which was Vickezzchardonnay. It had all the post and rail and was set up for horses so I thought oh well, I will just get into a bit of racing and that is when I bought the...

Lucky Sweynesse storms to glory

Established as the world’s highest-rated sprinter of 2023, New Zealand-bred Lucky Sweynesse joined elite company with a runaway win in the HK$20 million Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.The four-year-old son of Novara Park stallion Sweynesse continued his rise to stardom and edged closer to embarking on an ambitious path of potentially tackling elite races either in Japan or Australia in the coming months with a devastating display of power and speed, gliding over th...

Aromatic dominant in Travis Stakes

Progressive mare Aromatic rounded out her current campaign with another impressive victory when she cruised home in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.The grey six-year-old has gone to a new level in her performance lately with little luck when running sixth at Group One level in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) two starts back followed by a comprehensive win in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) a fortnight ago.With trainer Mark Walker suggesting this was...

Courageous Affaire A Suivre wins Australasian Oaks

Game filly Affaire A Suivre has overcome a horror draw to take out the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.After drawing the widest barrier in a final field of 16,  the New Zealand-bred daughter of Astern was made to earn it the hard way but was still too strong on the line for Western Australian visitor She's Fit ($8) with stablemate to the winner Jennilala ($8.50) a further length back in third place.Maher has had an opin...

Denby Road delivers in Breeders’ Stakes

Commentator George Simon will be the first to admit he didn’t cover himself in glory in the final stages of his call on the Gr.3 Inglis Sales Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), but he had good reason as Denby Road, the horse that he and wife Maryanne bred and race, saluted in the Group Three feature.The giant three-year-old son of Shamexpress, who stands over 17 hands high, was having his first start since finishing midfield in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) back in February and paraded i...