Back to Blog

First Group 1 Winner for Breeders'

Auckland Branch members Margaret and Vern Trillo were understandably very excited to see Shamrocker (O'Reilly – Bohemian Blues) win the Group One Australasian Guineas recently. "It was a great thrill," according to Margaret, "we were yelling and screaming at the TV and very excited, she's our first group one winner!" The Manukau based couple are hobby breeders and until this season were breeding from only one mare. Vern is a renowned equine dentist and Margaret admits that until she married...

Auckland and Waikato Branch host Gavelhouse event.

NZTBA branch events commence this month with the Waikato and Auckland branch committees extending an invitation to all members to attend a social gathering and presentation by Gavelhouse's Gary Moore. Gary's presentation will provide an overview of selling horses via the online Auction house medium. Gary said "The more we are open to realise the potential, and look to embracing the web as a serious marketing tool, the more opportunities will abound", he said. "Online trading is breaking new gro...

Hong Kong success for the Lowry family

The champagne corks were popping at Waikato Stud last weekend when their evergreen stallion Pins (Snippets-No Finer) sired a group one, two and three winner in the space of forty-eight hours. His group one victory and his 37th stakes winner came about when the Hong Kong galloper Ambitious Dragon (Golden Gamble) won the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic, the traditional lead up race to the group one Hong Kong Derby. Closer to home Icepin (ex Ice Maiden) impressively won the group two Avondale Gui...

Informant resumes publication Feb 25th

Thoroughbred Publications Ltd was very pleased to announce that in response to the immense demand from the New Zealand horse racing industry, The Informant resumed publication with its first issue available in the shops on Friday, February 25. The Informant offers punters and racing followers a comprehensive source of racing form covering both New Zealand and Australia, along with a full 32 page tabloid featuring racing and breeding news. TPL came to an arrangement with the New Zealand Racing B...

Karaka 2011 Sales Series - the Ups and Downs

Karaka 2011 Sales Series - the ups and downs The New Zealand Bloodstock sales series concluded recently highlighted the reliance of offshore buyers at the premier end of the sale, and the declining state of the domestic thoroughbred racing industry at the festival end. While the top end held up well, the middle to bottom end haemorrhaged badly leaving a number of breeders quite bewildered. According to a statement released by New Zealand Bloodstock, across the seven days of selling, 1050 yearlin...

First Stakes Winner for Coat's Choice

First Stakes Winner for Coat's Choice A month ago Milo made his first appearance on the racetrack, and in the space of four weeks the talented three-year-old has gone from maiden winner to stakes winner in just four starts. A gelding by Coats Choice (Redoute's Choice – Coat) out of the Woodman mare Milk and Honey (ex Miss Turkoman) Milo also became the first stakes winner for his young Canterbury based sire. "It's a fabulous result for Coats Choice especially right on the eve of the sales," sa...

Planet Rock Flies the Flag for Wellfield Lodge

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think Planet Rock would be a two-year-old," said Bill Gleeson the proprietor of Wellfield Lodge, the breeders of the Fastnet Rock filly who is now favourite for the Karaka Million. "In fact if you had asked me to describe her I would have said she was a lovely big scopey three-year-old type, so anything she is doing at two is a bonus and she will be much better at three. She was a fantastic yearling and deserved to get $290,000." This is a sentiment backed up by...

David and Masey Benjamin Still Enjoying The Yearling Sales

It's coming up to six years since Fayette Park last had a draft of yearlings at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales at Karaka and this January as David Benjamin relaxes in Hahei celebrating his birthday he ponders on the things he misses since he and Masey sold up Fayette Park and preparing yearling for the sales is definitely one of them. However this year he will be back for at least a couple of days as he sells lot 710 in the Westbury Stud draft, a Postponed filly out of Beautiful Sea, ...

Hinemoa lives up to her Potential

Hinemoa (Elusive City – Titania) the recent winner of the Waikato Racing Club's listed Ag and Turf Sprint (FC Johnstone Handicap) is the latest stakes winning member of a family that long term Central Districts NZTBA member Chris Grace has nurtured for fifty plus years. "It's great when you run a horse out of their grade in the hope that they will get some black type and it does. It was very exciting and not really that much of a surprise, as she has always shown potential. We had real problem...

Concord victory for Bluegables Farm

The Group Two victory of Ego (E Dubai-Buckling) in the Concorde Handicap has come at a great time for the Henderson's at Bluegables Farm who will be selling his half sister at the 2011 Karaka Select Sale. According to Monty Henderson, who owns Bluegables with his wife Judy, Ego's half sister by No Excuse Needed is a lovely tall athletic filly, and a bit lighter in bone than her siblings. "We are delighted that Ego is finally showing the potential he always threatened to show, and it's great fo...

Council and Branch Reps Meeting

The Bi-annual Council and Branch Reps meeting was held on Tuesday 30th November at Ellerslie. A full day of discussions on industry matters was attended by Councillors and branch representatives from throughout the country. Guest presentations were given by Alan Jackson, the recent thoroughbred appointment to the NZ Racing Board, and Guy Sargent, the Chairman of NZTR. An email from Central Districts member Huw Taylor, who was unable to attend in person, was tabled at the meeting as part of the ...

Salvatore brings great pride to his breeder

"He is a wonderful horse, trained by a wonderful trainer doing a wonderful job," stated Paul Pearce, the breeder and part-owner of Salvatore (Howbaddouwantit – Just Berceuse) the winner of the group three ARC Eagle Technology Stakes. "He is really on top of his game right now and it's a thrill to see him winning, Anne (Herbert) is doing a wonderful job with him." Even though Salvatore has won his last four races and 10 in total, Pearce has only ever been on course to see the gelding he races...

Tantrum Makes It a Century for Descendants of Soliloquy

It may have only been a $5000 maiden race at Cambridge J.C.'s Te Rapa meeting last Sunday, but it was also a much bigger milestone when Tantrum won the Wentwood Grange 1200 and became the 100th winner directly descended from the great Soliloquy. Ridden by regular stable jockey Patrick Holmes at only her second raceday start, the 4yo Savabeel mare travelled midfield along the rail before being taken wide around the turn and running home strongly to win by 3/4 length with a bit in hand. Tantrum i...

Another Cup Winner from Bill Stewart's Family

Wanganui veterinarian Bill Stewart the breeder of Tinseltown (Pentire – Tinsel) the winner of the group two DHL Counties Cup is very proud of that horse's achievements. "He's a good little horse and turning into a real cup specialist," he said of the seven-year-old gelding whose eight wins also include the group two Avondale Cup, group three Rotorua Cup, a Te Aroha Cup and the Virginia Turner Summer Cup. To that you can add a host of placings in cup races, such as the Brisbane Cup, and Calound...

Group 1 success for Hong Kong breeder

The owner of the group one New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas winner King's Rose (Redoute's Choice-Nureyev's Girl), Dr Gene Tsoi, has had a long and successful association with racing and breeding in the Southern Hemisphere. His latest group one winner is a testament to his faith and commitment to the industry in this part of the world and the astute management of Marcus Corban, who looks after the bloodstock interests of the Hong Kong based doctor. According to Marcus Corban, who is also the...

The Informant's 'Last Hurrah'

Click here to read the editorial from todays last edition of 'The Informant' - TPL...

Kiwi-breds show their class in Melbourne

Day one of the Victoria Racing Club's spring meeting in Melbourne, "Derby Day", is the pinnacle of racing and this year So You Think owned it with an unbelievable performance in the group one L K S Mackinnon Stakes. Commentators are running out of adjectives to describe this horse and comparisons are now even being made to the mighty Phar Lap! However, he wasn't the only star with an (NZ) suffix to shine at Flemington last Saturday - he was joined by three other Kiwi-breds, Lion Tamer, Brazilia...

Fabulous Racing Partnership Provides Consistent Winners

Four winners, including two stakes winners in one weekend, is an amazing result for any owner and for Trevor Luke of Christchurch the forthcoming New Zealand Cup Carnival could provide plenty more. Luke owns an undisclosed number of racehorses in partnership with Peter and Kim McKay, all of whom are trained by Peter McKay at Matamata. Over Labour weekend they combined to win the listed Wellesley Stakes at Wellington with Antonio Lombardo (Pins-Petit Verdot) and the listed Canterbury Stakes at ...

Don and Wendy Pye's homebred wins the Matamata Cup

Winter racing can be a dull affair but this past winter a tough little winter galloper has appeared on the scene that has been a pleasure to watch - Atom Cat (Traditionally- Gatestopper). And probably no one has got more pleasure out of seeing him win five races in eight starts this winter than Don and Wendy Pye who bred him and now race him. Both were on hand at Matamata last Saturday, when he won the listed Matamata Cup, and what made it even more exciting was that they were enjoying the hos...

Stallion Services still available through Te Aroha Racing Club Stallion Tender Scheme

Racing Te Aroha are once again promoting their Stallion Service Placement Scheme for 2010, and although the season is now well underway, there are still nominations available to Thoroughbred Breeders. With over 60 stallion services on offer, NZ Studmasters have once again given their support. Racing Te Aroha organise the Scheme to fund and promote the richest and most prestigious fillies and mares race in NZ, which has a minimum stake of $200,000. Breeders' Stakes Day held every year at Te ...

A huge thrill for the breeder of Caulfield Cup winner Descarado

The breeder of the Caulfield Cup winner Descarado (High Chaparral-Karamea Lady) Wayne McQuoid is overjoyed with breeding a group one winner, but wishes it had come a little earlier. "It was a great thrill watching him win the Cup and it's been great watching his progress since he went to Gai's, but it's a little bit late for us. Wayne is no longer a broodmare owner. When Karamea Lady died foaling in 2007 he decided enough was enough and didn't replace her. "It was quite tough losing her and w...

Canterbury, Marlborough, Westland Breeders' Bulletin - July edition

The Canterbury, Marlborough, Westland Branch of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association are very proud of their South Island Breeders' Bulletin and so they should be, as the publication has developed into a great read. Branch President and South Island Councillor, Myles Gordon said "It has come along way since the first issue but it has been well worth the branch gaining the services of Annie Studholme to edit and manage the production as she does a great job. It is also a great way to keep branch...

Wairarapa-bred mare wins at Royal Randwick

They breed them tough in the Wairarapa and Little Avondale Stud's recent stakes winner Marquardt (Sharmardal – Centrefold Angel) is testament to that. The four-year-old mare recently won the AJC The Nivison (Listed) for four-year-old and older mares at Randwick over 1200metres in only her second start following a 10 month lay off. That she is even racing at all is a miracle in itself as she was skittled in the 2009 Golden Slipper and received a broken pelvis and a fractured cannon bone which...

Jack Glengarry's Influence helps to create 'Herculian Prince'

When NZTBA member Shirley Leitch established Amber Thorougbreds in 2003 she decided to adopt the mantra of the late Jack Glengarry "Breed Champions" as the philosophy for her new enterprise and Herculian Prince (Yanamin Vital –Sea Island) the winner of the group three Kingston Town Stakes at Rosehill is the result of that new approach. "I went looking for the perfect match for Sea Island (Woodman – Kailey Princess) to breed my "Melbourne Cup" horse and found it in Yamanin Vital (Sir Tristram...

Kiwi Equine Artist earns International Award

KIWI ARTIST EARNS INTERNATIONAL AWARDS For the second year in a row Waikato-based equine artist Barbara E Lewis has triumphed over international competition in the prestigious American Academy of Equine Art's 2010 Fall Open Juried Exhibition, held this year in Georgetown, Kentucky. Following on from her success in the 2009 exhibition, where the artist was awarded the Leonard J Meiselman Memorial award for Painting for her work "Beau Zam, a Posthumous Portrait", Lewis has again scooped the Meis...