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Scholarship recipients graduate from Irish National Stud

The class of 2020 has gradated from the Irish National Stud with their breeding course diploma. This year, due to the generosity of Trelawney Stud, the New Zealand Breeders’ Association were able to send to attendees on the world-renowned course under the Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship. Hannah Airey and Laura McNab were two of 27 students to graduate from the six-month diploma course. Though it was an unusual few month for the students, who despite not getting many opportunities to ...

Racing Code Funding Confirmed for 2020-21

The Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) today advised New Zealand racing codes of forecasted funding in 2020/21 of $139.6m which is the same level as was budgeted for the 2019/2020 season before the impacts of COVID-19. This is despite fewer thoroughbred and harness races planned for the upcoming season. RITA Executive Chair Dean McKenzie said the business and the Codes had responded swiftly to the impact of COVID-19 by taking decisive action to stabilise the industry and retain funding for...

First Crop Sire Focus: Derryn

Derryn retired to Grangewilliam Stud in 2018 as Group One performer and a high class Australian sprinter. By Hinchinbrook, Derryn won the Gr.2 Arrowfield Sprint and was Group One placed over 1200m to champion sprinter and dual The Everest winner Redzel. Derryn is from the champion sire making family of Not A Single Doubt and Snippets and also hails from the family of Golden Slipper winner Forensics. Derryn was an out and out sprinter and that is reflected in the the types he is leaving, his wean...

Double Pearl Bonus on Offer at Riccarton

A return to racing in the South Island isn’t the only thing filly and mare owners will be excited about this weekend.Canterbury Jockey Club’s NZB Insurance Pearl Series race (1200m) on 27 June will give Pearl Series registered fillies and mares their first opportunity since the COVID-19 lockdown to secure Pearl bonuses, as well as a one-off incentive for second-placegetters running until the end of this July.For the six remaining Pearl Series races of the 2019-20 racing season, NZB Insurance...

Racing Industry Bill passes third reading

Racing Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has been left to fade into obscurity at the expense of jobs and the passionate people and communities that support it,” Peters said.  “The Coalition Government has now delivered on its promise to create a framework tha...

Five for Belardo

Haunui Farm shuttler Belardo sired his fifth first-crop winner yesterday as Elysium took out the Irish EBF Auction Fillies Maiden (1100m ) at Navan. The Noel Meade-trained juvenile defeated Giselles Thunder by a length and three-quarters with Dense Star the same margin back in third. Purchased by her trainer for €15,000, Elysium is one of three winners out of Sonning Rose who herself is a half-sister to stakes placegetters Universo Star and Vienna’s Boy. Dual Group One winner Belardo is th...

Entries extended for Ready To Run sale

New Zealand Bloodstock have extended their entry cut-off date for the 2020 Ready To Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds till August 7. In the last six years, the Sale has produced an unrivalled 20 Group One wins and 132 Stakes wins with graduates excelling in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Macau. The sale also continues to produce an outstanding record of Derby winners and classic types with graduates having won seven Derbys and 14 Guineas over the same period. Breeze Ups for ...

Southern Legacy continues as Dennis stable builds

Southland trainer Robert Dennis is bullish on the prospects of his growing team of horses despite the relocation of his best performer to Australia. The 28-year-old confirmed Out Of The Park, the winner of the Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) for good friends Mike Rennie and Jack Stewart in March, had transferred to Victorian trainer Henry Dwyer. The daughter of Ocean Park only joined Dennis late last year and won four races from her seven starts for the Woodlands horsem...

Quiz night returns

The Waikato branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association will hold their annual quiz night on Tuesday, June 30 at the Five Stags in Cambridge. The popular evening will raise funds to support local horseman Tim Welch who is having health issues. Entry is $50 per team with the quiz kicking off at 6pm. Any enquires or entries can be made by contacting Scotty Buchanan on 022 613 1631....

Proisir colt tops National Weanling Sale

New Zealand Bloodstock’s first-ever National Weanling Sale, conducted online via Gavelhouse Plus, resulted in 60 lots selling for a total turnover of $1,044,051. The average reached $17,401 while the median closed at $8,250 with a clearance rate of 75 percent. Running on the enhanced online platform, the sale drew an international buying bench with the top lot, a weanling colt by Proisir out of Pennacchio (Lot 19), secured by Sydney-based trainer Anthony Cummings for $107,500. Bred by Greg T...

Wyndspelle to Grangewilliam Stud

Group One-winning miler Wyndspelle will take up stud duties at Grangewilliam Stud in South Taranaki this spring where he will stand for a fee of $7,500 plus GST. A son of Iffraaj, Wyndspelle competed in top-flight races across five seasons, performing with distinction in both Australia and New Zealand. Prepared by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard through the latter half of his career, Wyndspelle was a model of consistency, netting connections close to $700,000 in prizemoney. The well-bred entire ...

Lindsays ecstatic following Group One Royal Ascot triumph

Hello Youmzain landed the second Group One sprint of his career when taking the Gr.1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot overnight (Sunday morning NZ time), sporting the colours of Cambridge Stud proprietors Brendan and Jo Lindsay. The four-year-old Kodiac entire, who is owned by Haras d'Etreham and Cambridge Stud and trained by Kevin Ryan, landed the Gr.1 Haydock Sprint Cup (1200m) in 2019 and was also third at the 2019 Royal Meeting in the Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup (1200m). On Saturday, ...

Entries Open for Karaka 2021

Entries for New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2021 National Yearling Sales Series are now open with the Sale set to take place next summer at the Karaka Sales Centre from Sunday 24 January until Friday 29 January. With an established reputation of producing world-class thoroughbreds, graduates of the National Yearling Sales Series have claimed 17 Group One races this season alone. From 1200m to 2400m, the alumni have exhibited their diverse power to dominate fields in New Zealand, Australia, ...

Cunningham bullish on weanling sale format

Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore will offer a select draft of six weanlings through New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale which is set to conclude via online auction Gavelhouse Plus on Sunday from 3pm. Cunningham was taking many positives from the new format and believes the online auction was equating to wide-spread interest.   “It’s been very refreshing and we’ve enjoyed the lead-up to the sale,” Cunningham said. “We refer to it as an on-farm online sale. Nothing is...

First winner for Vadamos

Rich Hill Stud shuttle stallion Vadamos has secured his first win as a sire when Sa Pala Umbrossa won on debut over 1200m at Chilivani, in Italy, on Monday. The Antonio Cottu-trained two-year-old beat Lory Di Toni into second with Capo Testa coming home in third.  Vadamos had an illustrious career on the track, having won the Gr.1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m), Gr.2 Prix du Muguet (1600m), Gr.2 Oettingen Rennen (1600m), Gr.3 Prix Messidor (1600m), and Listed Prix Frederic de Lagrange ...

Waimate couple enjoying online challenge

Anna Miles and Michael Simpson of Pear Tree Farm are looking forward to Sunday when their two weanling colts go under the virtual hammer in New Zealand Bloodstock’s Weanling Sale on plus.gavelhouse.com. “We have been really lucky because we drew lot 1 with the Proisir colt out of Joan’s Girl,” Miles said. “He is a lovely, kind, strong, well conformed horse. “He is a full-brother to a filly we sold through the South Island Sale a couple of years ago called Harlow who was a winner on d...

Four for Belardo

Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo’s flying start as a freshman sire has continued over the weekend with two more winners, taking his tally to four winners in the space of seven days. Isabella Giles, from the Clive Cox yard, stuck to her task and started to pull away over 1200m at Leicester and on Sunday Lullaby Moon made lightwork of her opposition showing a strong turn of foot and clearing out to a comfortable two-and-a-quarter lengths over her rivals. Belardo now has four winners, with ...

Filly becomes third first-crop winner for Belardo

Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo continued a stellar start to his stallion career in Europe as the Clive Cox-trained Isabella Giles ran out an easy winner over 1200m at Leicester on Saturday to become his third first-crop winner. Golden Melody put Belardo on the board when taking out a 1200m event by 2-1/4 lengths at Haydock, in England, while Got Luck was just as notable when winning by a length on debut over 1300m at Craon, in France. Sent off the 9/4 favourite, Isabella Giles justified he...

Chittick delighted with results of weekend weanling parade

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick is looking forward to strong interest in the stud’s eighteen-strong draft for the annual New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling Sale, that is currently underway on the gavelhouse.com platform, following a successful parade over the weekend. The online auction opened on Thursday and runs until June 21 with Waikato Stud offering some quality youngsters by resident stallions Savabeel, Ocean Park and Tivaci. The stud put together a parade of all eighteen weanlings on ...

Star sprinters join burgeoning Valachi Downs roster

In a strong message of support to the New Zealand breeding industry, Valachi Downs have announced two new additions to their stallion roster for the coming breeding season. Dual Group One winner Ten Sovereigns, the best and fastest son of outstanding young sire No Nay Never, will travel to New Zealand from Coolmore Ireland with U S Navy Flag, while exciting young sire Vespa will be relocated to stand at his place of birth, Valachi Downs. Ten Sovereigns hails from a long line ...

Roaring start for Belardo

Progeny of Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo have made an impressive start to their careers as racing resumes in Europe. His juveniles are just hitting the track and are showing early promise, recording their sire’s first two victories this week. Golden Melody became Belardo’s first winner when taking out her 1200m event by 2-1/4 lengths at Haydock, in England, while Got Luck was just as notable when winning by a length on debut over 1300m at Craon, in France. “It is always nice to get ...

Dedicated Weanling Sale Live on Gavelhouse Plus

New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale is now live, with the quality 82-lot catalogue available to view on Gavelhouse Plus. Bidding on the weanling only sale launched on Thursday and will run for an 11-day period, with the first lot closing on Sunday 21 June at 3pm. While the sale may be new, New Zealand Bloodstock weanling graduates are no strangers to success, having recorded nine Group One wins and 81 stakes wins in the last six seasons, headlined by recent Gr.1 New Zeala...

NZB Insurance Pearl Series Offers Exciting New Bonus

NZB Insurance in conjunction with NZTR are contributing further rewards to owners of NZB Insurance Pearl Series registered fillies and mares with a one-off incentive this July.   For the six remaining Pearl Series races of the 2019-20 racing season, NZB Insurance and NZTR will contribute a total sum of $3,000 to the owners of Pearl Series registered fillies or mares who finish second in any of the scheduled Pearl bonus races. The additional second-place payment will be given out on top...

Vale Battle Paint

Chequers Stud have reported the death of their resident sire Battle Paint, with the son of Tale of the Cat humanely euthanised on Tuesday after a battle with colic. The winner of three races in Europe, Battle Paint was runner-up to Holy Roman Emperor in the Gr.1 Grand Criterium (1400m) as a two-year-old. He went on to become a more than useful addition to New Zealand’s stallion ranks, as the sire of seven stakes performers headed by Group Two winner Battle Time and star Singapore galloper Aff...

Vale Chris Luoni

A gentleman with a strong sense of fairness is how New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association President John Thompson described the late Chris Luoni. “Chris was an active member of the Waikato Branch and served on the Council and it’s executive for many years,” Thompson said. “He was very big on governance and ensuring that things were done correctly. With his knowledge of Bloodstock taxation and GST he was a great asset to the NZTBA and the wider industry framing many of the curre...