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Levante Simply Brilliant in Westbury Classic

Racing fans were left shaking their heads at Ellerslie on Saturday evening after witnessing exciting mare Levante take out the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m). For those who had never seen the Proisir four-year-old in action before, they could have been forgiven for ripping up their betting tickets up at the 600m as the $1.40 favourite was dead last in the ten-horse field and struggling to catch the runners immediately ahead of her. What happened next was succinctly summed up by Levante’s rider ...

Te Akau Racing to the Fore On Karaka Million Racenight

Classy three-year-old Need I Say More made his first run at Ellerslie a winning one when he lumped topweight of 60.5kgs to victory in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m), the first race on Karaka Million night. Carrying the familiar tangerine and orange silks of Te Akau Racing, colours that were to the fore throughout the evening, the son of No Nay Never had to be good to take the win after being caught three-wide throughout the 1200m contest. Rider Troy Harris never panicked as he a...

Iffraaj colt delivers Magic result

The progeny of former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Iffraaj were in hot demand this week. For the second year running he topped the second session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale when the colt out of Busted Love (Flying Spur x My Other Woman) was knocked down to the Hong Kong-based Golden River Investments for A$310,000. A result that bodes well for his progeny on offer at Karaka over the coming week. The colt was offered on behalf Haunui Farm’s Sales and Marketing Manager Shannon Taylor ...

TAB New Zealand's December Monthly Update

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Woburn Farm Excited about Karaka Yearlings

Adrian Stanley and Hannah Kettlety are in their seventh year preparing yearlings under their Woburn Farm banner and they believe they are bringing their strongest draft yet to Karaka in 2021. The Waikato couple will offer 20 yearlings in their Book 1 Sale draft, including seven for former Cambridge Stud Principals Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan. Stanley said he is pleased with all of his draft, but highlighted lot 52, the Written Tycoon colt out of Group One performer Pussy O’Reilly as the...

Throwback Thursday | 62nd National Yearling Sales | Summer 1987

It’s hard to believe that just 12 months ago the site of the 62nd National Yearling sales was a mass of earthmoving equipment as the heavy machinery moved in to commence the groundwork for the multi-million-dollar complex. At the time most observers found it difficult to envisage the Karaka site being ready in time to welcome Lot one. Chequers Stud’s Western Symphony (USA). Valencia filly, into the new sale ring. However, at the time of writing, the complex- looking vastly superior to the w...

Super Result for Proud Breeder

A promise made by Janet Hepi to one day send a mare to Hallmark Stud produced Super Strike (Super Easy- Southern Touch) the winner of the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham. “Dad had a farm right opposite Hallmark, and quite often I would wander over to see the horses,” explained Hepi, the daughter of prominent Auckland businessman and breeder Lou Fisher. “Denny (Baker proprietor of Hallmark Stud) always knew how much I loved horses, and he would always say why don’t you send...

Avantage Goes Back to Back in Telegraph

Class prevailed at Trentham on Saturday when versatile mare Avantage by Fastnet Rock-Asavant (Zabeel) was at her very best in taking out the Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) for the second year in succession. The Jamie Richards-trained five-year-old had scored fresh-up in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day to take her Group One winning tally to five and added a sixth as she defended the title she captured in 2020 with another superb performance. Leading rider ...

Valuable Trentham Stakes Victory for Our Hail Mary

Well-related and talented staying mare Our Hail Mary by Ocean Park- Repenting (Ekraar) scored a strong win in Saturday’s Gr.3 Dixon & Dunlop Trentham Stakes that counted for much more than its $70,000 stake. Previously placed at Listed level as a three-year-old, the lightly raced mare took the next step and claimed big black type for the first time in her 13-start career. “I think she’s cemented herself as a future broodmare now,” trainer and part-owner Allan Sharrock said. “She’s b...

Bonham Takes out Trentham Three-Year-Old Feature

Talented three-year-old Bonham by Per Incanto-Fortune's Choice (Redoute's Choice) showed she is a filly of the highest quality when winning the Gr.1 Devan Plastics Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Rated as the main danger to $1.80 favourite Brando, the Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained filly earned her victory the hard way as she sat three-wide for the majority of the race after starting from an outside barrier. Taken forward by rider Lisa Allpress to challenge for the lead r...

Famous Colours to the Fore in Anniversary

Six decades on from the heyday of the legendary sprinter Yahabeebe, the same colours have played a starring role at Trentham. Super Strike by Super Easy-Southern Touch (Stark South) stepped up to stakes level for the first time and triumphed in Saturday’s Gr.3 Wellington Seamarket Anniversary Handicap (1600m). It was the fifth win of a nine-start career for the rising star son of Super Easy, bred and owned by Janet Hepi, whose father Lou Fisher raced the two-time Gr.1 Railway Handicap (1200m) ...

Johnson Brings Up a Century of Wins at Trentham

The runaway leader of the National jockeys’ premiership, Danielle Johnson, notched her 100th winner for the season when she guided Te Akau Racing two-year-old Quattro Quinta by Darci Brahma- Quintette (Alamosa) to victory in the Listed IRT No.1 Wellesley Stakes (1000m) at Trentham on Saturday. Installed a warm $2 Fixed Odds favourite, the Darci Brahma gelding certainly didn’t have things all his own way as he was attacked by Ansu and Magneto throughout the first 600m of the contest. Asked fo...

The Boss Looking Forward to Karaka

For a remarkable 31 consecutive years Hogan’s Cambridge Stud was the leading vendor at New Zealand’s premier yearling sale. Since vacating Cambridge Stud in April 2017, following the sale of the iconic thoroughbred nursery to Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who have taken the baton and run with it, Hogan has stepped away from the limelight that he so frequently shined in. But when horses are your life-long passion, retirement is not an option. The 81-year-old, who has battled ill-health in recent y...

Throwback Thursday | 33rd National Yearling Sales 1959

The 33rd National Yearling Sales of Thoroughbred Yearlings were held at Trentham on January 16th and 21st, 1959. A total of 267 lots were sold and realised 163,840 gns. An overall average of 614gns. Lots sold compromised 192 colts at an average of 700gns. The general tenor of the Sales was a well below the previous year due to heavily restricted local buying support due to heavily restricted local buying support brought about by increased taxation and the restriction of imports. Austra...

Beaufort Downs Bring International Flavour to Karaka

While international buyers won’t be able to be physically present at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales later this month, Beaufort Downs will ensure there is still some international flavour at their Karaka Sales Complex. Beaufort Downs principals, Annabel Wigley and Olly Tuthill, will offer an eight-strong Book 1 Sale draft, including a couple of yearlings out of mares the couple sourced in England at the twilight of their athletic careers. Wigley was a top-level eventer in th...

Derryn Yearlings Add New Element for High-Flying Grangewilliam

While remarkable stallion Zed continues to put Grangewilliam Stud’s name in lights on both sides of the Tasman, the next generation gets its time to shine with Derryn’s first yearlings going under the hammer at Karaka 2021. Grangewilliam can lay claim to New Zealand’s highest-ranked sire in Australia this season, with Zed currently sitting in 14th place on the Australian premiership. His progeny have amassed more than A$4.6 million across the Tasman in 2020-21, headed by Gr.1 Caulfield Cu...

A Whole New World Awaits Progeny of Satono Aladdin

Rich Hill Stud’s John Thompson is confident the first yearlings by the farm’s shuttle stallion Satono Aladdin will be well received as they get set to go under the hammer at what will be a unique Karaka 2021. A son of phenomenal Japanese stallion Deep Impact, Satono Aladdin was a top-flight racehorse who won eight races including the Gr.1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) in a slick time of 1:31.5. Shuttling from Japan’s world-famous Shadai Stallion Station, Satono Aladdin served 91 mares at Rich Hill ...

Cunneen Records Maiden Training Victory

Riccarton trainer Meg Cunneen broke through to record her first victory when Mamma Sans by Tavistock (NZL)-Tanzer (NZL) (Stravinsky) won the Alex Hayward/Noel Wafer Pow Memorial (1810m) at Kumara on Saturday. Cunneen (26), the daughter of Mid Canterbury rugby centurion Paul Cunneen, who bred the mare in partnership with Eric Parr and races her himself, boasts a strong equestrian background. It was the second time in a week that Cunneen had travelled Mamma Sans to the West Coast, a...

Stakes Targets Beckon Promising Filly

Maria Farina by Contributer (IRL)-La Vitesse (NZL (Darci Brahma (NZL) kept her unbeaten record intact at Ellerslie on Sunday in the Blue Bubble Taxis 1200 and now a Group Three target beckons the promising filly later this month. The Darryn Weatherley-trained three-year-old settled to the rear of the field for Weatherley’s jockey son Sam. The pair were last turning for home, however, Weatherley was able to navigate his charge through a gap that presented itself at the 200m mark ...

Milford Too Strong in Ellerslie Feature

The familiar combination of trainer Stephen Marsh and owner Lib Petagna combined to take out another feature three-year-old staying event at Ellerslie on Sunday when Milford dashed home late to win the Listed Te Akau Gingernuts Salver (2100m). Medaglia D’Oro colt Crown Prosecutor carried part-owner Petagna’s colours to victory in the 2015 Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) for Marsh, who will look to replicate that success in the blue riband event in March with Milford. Marsh has made n...

Time Test Set for Karaka Yearling Debut

A few months after celebrating a milestone 80th anniversary, time-honored Little Avondale Stud is set to break new ground in early 2021. Owned and operated by successive generations of the Williams family since 1940, the Masterton nursery has become a mainstay among vendors at the annual National Yearling Sales. Karaka 2021 will be an extra special edition, featuring the first crop of yearlings by Little Avondale’s new shuttle stallion Time Test. There are eight Time Test yearlings in the cata...

Beauden Defends Marton Cup Crown

Exciting stayer Beauden by Bullbars-Belle Femme (Zeditave) returned to the scene of his 2020 triumph in the Listed Japac Marton Cup (2200m) on Saturday and made it back-to-back victories in the race with a devastating performance. The Team Rogerson-trained six-year-old came into the race off the back of an emphatic four length win in the Taupo Cup, where regular rider Ryan Elliot had set him alight well before the home turn that day to blitz his race rivals. Elliot adopted similar...

Wall of Fame Helps Dispel Misinformation

Thoroughbreds are well-known for their versatility off the track and a recent addition to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) demonstrates this, along with the longevity of some of our retired racehorses. The Horse Wall of Fame (found here) includes returnees from Hong Kong, Derby winners, top handicappers, moderate to fair racehorses, non-winners and unraced horses.  Each of them has now found a role off the track, either as top performing eventers and show jumpers, therapy horses, ...

Williams buoyed by reinvigorated racing outlook

Little Avondale Stud’s Sam Williams hopes a new enthusiasm he sees in local racing can fuel the upcoming National Yearling Sales at Karaka. Williams ventured from his Wairarapa base to see his promising mare Roch ‘N’ Horse win a Rating 65 event at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, but he said it was the attitude of people he met during the day that gave him the most optimism ahead of New Zealand Bloodstock’s flagship sale. “I bumped into a crew of South Islanders, they said ‘I’ve got ...

Smithies optimistic ahead of sale

Joe and Max Smithies of Monovale Farm are looking forward to offering their 13-strong draft at New Zealand Bloodstocks’ National Yearling Sale at Karaka later this month. The Waikato brothers will offer 10 lots in the Book 1 Sale and they are particularly excited about the prospects of lot 544, the Savabeel filly out of Miss Opulence. She is a full-sister to the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run sale topper, who was purchased by Te Akau’s David Ellis out of Riversley Park’s draft fo...