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Sunbride to Join Iconic Broodmares in Hall of Fame

A third member of New Zealand thoroughbred breeding’s elite broodmare ranks will be honoured when Sunbride joins iconic producers Eulogy and Eight Carat in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. The name Sunbride will forever be connected to the Williams family’s Te Parae and Little Avondale Studs, but in particular with family matriarch Nancy Williams. It was she who made the landmark decision to purchase the young English-bred mare and then place her undying faith in her as Sunbride forged h...

Explosive family gives Muollo Group One win

The success of New Zealand-bred horses in the prestigious Group One Australian Derby (2400m) continues with Explosive Jack (Jakkalberry[IRE]-Extra Explosive) being the most recent winner. In a true test of stamina, the son of the ill-fated Jakkalberry (Storming Home[GB]- Clara di San Jore[IRE]) got up to win in the last stride of the 2400 metre event. As they turned for home he was at least 10 wide and near the rear of the field, but he dug deep and ground home to beat fellow New Zealand-bred ru...

Eva Heron Wins Proisir Nomination

The weather may have prevented the actual running of the Gr.1 Fibre Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha last Saturday, but it certainly didn’t stop the 200 or so NZTBA members on course from enjoying a day out. None more so than Eva Heron who won a service to Rich Hill Stud’s exciting young stallion Proisir(AUS). “We are absolutely over the moon, we have been big supporters of Proisir(AUS) since day one,” said Eva Heron, who along with her husband Cam are relative ...

Cooney’s Unfinished Business Starts with South Island Sale Draft

Thoroughbred breeders often make the annual pilgrimage to the yearling sales at Karaka hoping for the result to be life changing. For Willow Glen Stud’s Barbara Cooney, Karaka 2021 was exactly that, life changing, but not for the financial reasons so often associated with the cream of the thoroughbred crop going under the hammer. Cooney suffered a heart attack and had it not been for the quick action and medical assistance of those on the Karaka complex, the South Canterbury horsewoman would l...

Western Empire Reigns Supreme In WATC Derby

Top three-year-old stayer Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj) was sent out a strong $1.30 favourite for Saturday’s Gr.2 WATC Derby (2400m) and duly obliged despite covering plenty of ground in the run. The Grant and Alana Williams-trained three-year-old has won five of his past six starts, and despite his obvious talent is not yet the complete package.   Bred and raced by leviathan owners Bob and Sandra Peters, Western Empire had won Derby lead-ups the Lex Piper Stakes (1600m), JC Robert Stakes...

Timely Sydney Group Three Win For Matchmaker

Former New Zealand-trained filly Matchmaker added some all-important Australian black-type when coming with a well-timed run under James McDonald to land the Gr.3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) on the opening day of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday. The daughter of Makfi crossed the Tasman as the winner of two races, including the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) for trainers Nick Wigley and Kayla Milnes. Now in the care of Chris Waller, the filly is part-owned by Indian-born Sydneysider...

Explosive Jack Heads Kiwi-Bred Trifecta In Australian Derby

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Explosive Jack showed his staying prowess when winning the A$2 million Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday, defeating Young Werther and Lion’s Roar The son of Jakkalberry prevailed in a thrilling finish, with the first three past the post all bred in New Zealand and sold at Karaka in a bumper result for the New Zealand breeding industry. Explosive Jack has been a model of consistency, winning four of his seven starts with a further ...

Quick Thinker Lands Chairman’s Quality

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Quick Thinker was back in the winner’s circle when winning the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick on Saturday in a truly run affair on a Soft7 track. The four-year-old entire had not run a place in six starts since winning the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick 12 months ago, but the Kiwi raider always looked to be relishing the solid tempo and track conditions. Ridden by Damian Lane, the son of So You Think staved off former Kiwi R...

Te Aroha Abandoned After Race Three

The Te Aroha racemeeting on Saturday was abandoned when track conditions were deemed dangerous after the first horse past the post in race three slipped and feel shortly after crossing the finish line. Rain during the day caused the downgraded Dead6 surface to become slippery and forced the abandonment after the Cody Cole-trained Extortion slipped past the winning post after being involved in some tightening with runner-up Corretto and the third placed Superdonna as the trio fought out the finis...

Whale Song Comes of Age With Easter Cup Victory

Promising galloper Whale Song got the big win he had hinted was coming when he dashed home along the inner to take out the Listed Christchurch Casino Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday. The five-year-old Ocean Park gelding handled the tricky Dead6 track conditions with aplomb as visiting apprentice Wiremu Pinn took all the shortcuts available to him along the fence to come out on top in a thrilling three-way finish, Pinn stayed closer to the fence while the other riders spread out acros...

Possible Brisbane Campaign For Atishu

Progressive three-year-old Atishu has left trainer Stephen Marsh in a bit of a quandary after she demolished her rivals to take out the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton. The Savabeel three-year-old was sent out a red-hot favourite after she overcame a stumble leaving the starting gates at her most recent run to comprehensively down the majority of the race rivals she faced in Saturday’s black type feature. This time there was no such sensation at the start, although rider Kozz...

Celebrating 50 years of NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes

There’s more than one good reason for the anticipation surrounding the 2021 edition of the country’s only Group One race for fillies and mares, the Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. When entries were taken for the 1600-metre feature earlier this week, they numbered just nine, but what a quality line-up headed by eight-time Group One winner Avantage. For weeks the Jamie Richards-trained five-year-old has looked the obvious favourite but she’ll still have to earn that ...

International Achiever Starcraft Set to Join Hall of Fame

All members of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame have gained induction through their own set of unique qualities, but if there’s one amongst the equine members that stands apart it is Starcraft. During the mid-2000s the big chestnut gained fame in both hemispheres, first as the champion Australian three-year-old of 2003-04, the following year as champion sprinter in New Zealand, and his defining achievement, the first New Zealand-bred horse to win at Group One level in Europe. The Waikato St...

New Star for Matamata breeders

Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax added another Group winner to their honour board on Monday after Amazing Star (Darci Brahma x Bright Abyss) won the Gr.2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin. Their home-bred gelding is the third foal out of Bright Abyss (Royal Academy x Reine des Neiges), a nine-time winner in America who earned more than US$355,000 in stakes. “I bought Bright Abyss off the track out of America a few years ago now,” Graham Bax said. “She was a stakes-placed Royal Academy mare and I want...

Thoroughbreds come up aces at Kihikihi

Thoroughbreds were prominent in the results of the Kihikihi Horse Trials held over Easter weekend, once again demonstrating why it is such a versatile breed. Both 3* classes were won by riders with thoroughbred mounts, with Calla Toyne taking out the Waipa Home Of Champions CCN3*-S on 15-year-old gelding Pick Up Line (Private Call x Magic Move) while the CCN3*-S+ was won by Clarke Johnstone on Aces High (Another Warrior x My Fairytale). Johnstone, who represented New Zealand at the Rio Olympic G...

Little Avondale 2021 Service Fees for Per Incanto, Time Test & Nadeem.

Little Avondale are pleased to announce the 2021 service fees for Per Incanto, Time Test & Nadeem. 20/21 has been a record-breaking season for Per Incanto in NZ’s three major international markets. He is NZ’s leading stallion on the Australian Premiership for runner to winner with 61.9%. He leads both the Hong Kong and Singaporean winners premiership and is currently second to champion sire Savabeel on the NZ table. Per Incanto, who is an outcross to Danehill, has had 15 stakes performers t...

Course Specialist Shines in Awapuni Gold Cup

Awapuni has been the happiest of hunting grounds for Beauden, who returned to his favourite track on Saturday for a career-best victory in the Gr.2 City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m). It was the 11th win of a 36-start career for the Bullbars gelding, who has been near-unbeatable at Awapuni – eight of his victories have come from only 10 appearances at the Palmerston North track, including the last two editions of the Listed Marton Cup (2200m). Saturday’s win was the best of th...

Shadows Cast Back to his Best with Feature Victory

Venerable eight-year-old Shadows Cast turned back the clock as he gave his rivals weight and a beating when taking out the Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni. The Mark Oulaghan-trained gelding has been a consistent performer at the highest level over the past five years, having collected eleven career victories prior to Saturday including the Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m), the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) and the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m). Despit...

Group One Glory for On the Bubbles

Jamie Richards and Te Akau Racing’s total dominance of New Zealand two-year-old racing rolled on with a richly deserved Group One triumph for On the Bubbles in Saturday’s Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). The Awapuni feature was the 21st juvenile win of the season for Richards and the Te Akau team, with seven of those coming at black-type level. They have now won the Sires’ Produce Stakes four times in a row, with On the Bubbles following in the footsteps of Melody B...

Late Burst Carries Joy Alone to Classic Victory

A thrilling four-way finish to Saturday’s Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni was settled in favour of Cambridge filly Joy Alone, courtesy of a powerful staying performance. The Roc De Cambes three-year-old looked a forlorn hope with 600m to run, with rider Wiremu Pinn taking her wide to make a searching run around the field as the leaders began to wilt on the tricky Slow8 surface. Just as Pinn was winding his mount up for a final charge in the home straight, stablemate D...

Local Runner Takes Out Riverton Cup

Trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler enjoyed a red-letter day on their home track at Riverton on Saturday, winning three races including the day’s feature, the Listed Carriers Arms Hotel Riverton Cup (2147m), with Our Boy Ritchie. The father and daughter partnership kicked their day off by producing impressive two-year-old debutant Classic Diva to win comfortably over 1100m before consistent mare Rosie Glow collected her fifth career victory, courtesy of a daring ride by apprentice Rohan Mudhoo. Ho...

South Island Sale Parade Schedule 2021

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Champion Stayer Let’s Elope for Hall of Fame Induction

Let’s Elope, one of the great racemares in Melbourne Cup history, has earned induction to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Already a member of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, Let’s Elope will take her place alongside fellow New Zealand-bred greats of the turf at the Hall of Fame induction dinner in Hamilton on the evening of May 2. Previous inductees with the Melbourne Cup on their CV are Carbine (1890), Phar Lap (1930), Rising Fast (1954), Might And Power (1997) and Ethereal (2001),...

Synchronize Lands Pearl Series Maiden

Talented juvenile Synchronize made an impressive debut at Matamata on Wednesday, winning the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden 2YO (1050m), landing a Pearl Series bonus in the process. The daughter of Savabeel had been impressive in three trials victories prior to her raceday debut, and the Jamie Richards-trained filly was duly sent out a $1.50 favourite. Positively ridden from an inside draw by Danielle Johnson, Synchronize comfortably had the measure of runner-up Show A Million to provide Te ...

Filly scores fitting win

Annavisto’s (Reliable Man x Avisto) win in the Listed Bendigo Guineas (1400m) last Saturday proved to be more than just a highlight for her big group of owners. The Reliable Man filly provided her breeder Greg Tomlinson of Nearco Stud with a very significant treble. Tomlinson bred her dam Avisto (Tavistock-Miraculous Miss[AUS]) and she has the honour of being the first stakes winner for Nearco Stud, she was also the first stakes winner for Tavistock, and now she has given Tavistock his first s...