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Mark Baker's appreciation of Vincent O'Brien

"He was a genius, an absolute genius" that was how Hallmark Stud's Mark Baker described Dr Vincent O'Brien when asked about his time working for the legendary trainer who passed away in Ireland earlier this week. 'The boss' as Baker respectfully refers to him was a genius and a master trainer, who made a big impact on the way Baker operates as a horseman. "He was a very private person, a family man, and a very tough taskmaster, but once he got to know you, he would open up and share his knowl...

Latest Auckland Branch Newsletter

Click here to read the latest Auckland branch news - ...

Laminitis claims the life of NZ Champion mare Sunline

SUNLINE (NZ) 29 September 1995-1 May 2009 Bred in New Zealand by Susan Archer & Michael Martin We are devastated by the news of Sunline's death and feel both profound grief, and profound gratitude for everything she gave us and the entire racing world. There have been and will be other great Australasian champions, but there will never, ever be another Sunline. Her magnificent physique, ferocious competitive spirit and indomitable courage were all that any breeder could hope to produce...

New Zealand-breds quinella Hong Kong Champion Mile Gr 1

It's all good when there is a Group One winner in sight. Patience and faith are just two of the attributes that you need in abundance to be a small breeder but every now and then you are rewarded with a little bit of luck and a group one winner in the family. Over the weekend Sight Winner(Faltaat-Kinjinette) added his name to the New Zealand Bred Group One honours board when he won the Hong Kong Champions Mile, one of the coveted few international Group One events in Hong Kong. Against a ver...

Chittick family celebrate an outstanding year

Celebrating Group One success is a habit that the Chittick Family of Waikato Stud have become very used to this season. With six individual Group One winners this season, three in the Spring and three in the Autumn, it has been a fantastic year. And for the icing on the cake three of those Group One winners Daffodil, Vision and Power and Metal Bender have won dual Group One races. "When we had two group one winners and a listed winner in one afternoon when Daffodil, Swick and Tootsie won las...

AJC Derby Winner a 'stunning foal"

"Roman Emperor was a stunning foal, the first time I saw him I thought he was magnificent – equal if not better to Military Plume whom I had prepared for David Renton all those years ago," enthused a delighted Arthur Ormond when discussing the merits of Roman Emperor winning the Group One AJC Derby last weekend. Obviously he wasn't the only one impressed with the son of Montjeu and Gussy Godiva (Last Tycoon-Sneetch), champion trainer Bart Cummings also thought so when he parted with $240,000...

Breeders' Bulletin, Autumn 2009 out today

Click here to read the latest issue of the Breeders' Bulletin has been mailed to NZTBA members today. Members will recall in the Summer issue published in December 2008, PhD Massey student Charlotte Boswell had written an article on a survey being undertaken on the management and exercise of yearlings in preparation for the yearling sales. Charlotte now provides an update on her findings of this research and a thank you to participating members: "With the yearling sales at Karaka over for an...

Phil Bayly no stranger to success

The octogenarian owner and breeder of Harris Tweed Phil Bayly is no stranger to success, yet when interviewed about the Group Two winning deeds of his horse last weekend he humbly admits that winning is always enjoyable. A three-year-old son of Montjeu from Sally, Harris Tweed impressively won the Group Two Tulloch Stakes over 2000 metres at Randwick. It was the gelding's third win from only 10 starts. Bayly, a Gold Badge member of the NZTBA, was in Christchurch watching his other two raceho...

Latest Waikato Branch Bloodline

Click here for a link to the April 09 edition of Bloodline. - aikato Branch NZTBA...

Metal Bender is Waikato Stud's 4th Group 1 winner this season

Waikato Stud-bred three-year-old Metal Bender (Danasinga-Jacqwin) has now claimed two legs of the Australian 3YO Triple Crown, after winning the Group One Dubai Rosehill Guineas (2000 metres) at Rosehill last Saturday, two weeks after winning the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600metres). He will now be a leading contender for the Group One AJC Derby on April 11 and if successful, will be the only three-year-old since the mighty Octagonal to achieve this feat. It's no surprise that he has achi...

Rockdale wins the Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3) at Doomben

According to Donna Logan watching Rockdale win is as thrilling as watching one of her own stable runners win. "It's like he is one of mine. It was a great thrill to see him win again. I get just as excited watching him win as I do watching the horses I train win, " said the Ruakaka horse trainer. Last weekend Rockdale (Danroad-Komplete Kaos), bred by Donna and her partners, won the Group Three Rough Habit Plate at Doomben, for three-year-olds over 2020metres. At the Brisbane carnival last wi...

'My Astron' a shining light for the Sturt family

"He's a wonderful little horse, it's so exciting to watch him win and I was so excited especially for Anne and Peter Evans who have been so patient with him," gushed an obviously delighted Charles Sturt the breeder of the Group Two First Sovereign Japan/New Zealand Trophy winner My Astron (My Halo-Salute). With an enthusiasm rarely seen in the breeding industry these days, Charles went on to describe how My Astron was like a member of his family and how the whole Sturt family gained so much pl...

Breeders' thrilled with continued success on the race track

There is no greater thrill for a breeder than breeding a winner, even though all breeders aspire to breed a Group One winner any winner is a fulfilment in itself. North Canterbury breeder Jo Wilding is no stranger to breeding winners. Under the Te Mania Thoroughbred banner, she has bred numerous group winners including the outstanding filly Analie, Champion three-year-olds Zonda, and Joker's Wild, Magnolia Hall, Fiscal Madness and Whey To Go, to name a few, and although the winners she has bre...

Jungle Rocket epitomises the influence of Overseas Investment

Overseas investment in New Zealand Thoroughbreds is an essential part of the thoroughbred industry and it's not just about overseas buyers purchasing our weanlings, yearlings or racehorses, it spreads further into investment in breeding stock, racehorses, and in some cases stud farms, agistment properties and training facilities. Jungle Rocket (Jungle Pocket – Gu Li) the winner of the Group One New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Oaks is a filly that epitomises some of that investment. Even tho...

Windsor Park Juggernaut

The Windsor Park winning juggernaut swathed its way through the Autumn Carnival in Sydney and is continuing its dominance at the Queensland Winter Carnival. Hot on the heels of a trifecta of Windsor Park stallions in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast on the opening weekend of the carnival, came a first and third in the Group Three Chairman's Handicap when Ballack (Montjeu – Trephina), beat Rabbuka and Sir Slick (Volksraad-Miss Opera) at Eagle Farm last week. This season alo...

Second Group One Win for Wairarapa Breeders - Jim & Mary Wallace

Last month when MacO'Reilly (O'Reilly- Double Babu) won his first Group One event the Whakanui Stud Stakes, it was a big day for Masterton's Wallace family, and the thrill and excitement seemed to get caught up in the day. However that wasn't the case last Saturday when MacO'Reilly notched up Group One win number two in the Sky City New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie. "The day we won the first one was my 62nd birthday, and Michael and Nikki's wedding day. We rushed back from the wedding to see ...

NZTBA Calls Key Industry Providers Together

During this time of economic crisis, if it's good enough for the government, major businesses, industry power brokers and the unions to sit down at a summit to ensure the sustainability of jobs and the stimulation of the economy, then surely it's fitting that the thoroughbred industry should do the same. The NZTBA has called an industry forum of key industry providers in Auckland on Wednesday 11th March, to discuss the decline in the foal crop and the loss of owners and breeders to the thoroug...

Big week for Cambridge Breeders

The result of the Group II Hollandale Stakes at the Gold Coast last weekend was a tremendous achievement for Cambridge based Windsor Park Stud with the first three horses home, Fulmonti (Montjeu), Izonit (Volksraad) and Sir Slick (Volksraad) all being by their sires. But more importantly is was just a catalyst to kick off a big week for Monovale Farm and Cambridge breeders Paul and Cushla Smithies, who bred both Fulmonti (Montjeu-Grosvenor's Pride) and Sir Slick (Volksraad-Miss Opera), that in ...

Kentucky Derby Opportunity

The NZTBA has been advised by Zilling NZ of an opportunity to attend the Corporate area at the Kentucky Derby as part of the 'New Zealand Way' promotion at this years Derby. Click here for futher information or email Ron Collins at Zilling NZ [Ronald@zilling.co.nz] -...

Accardo's Breeders achieve a Group 3 win despite the odds.....

The Group Three Darley Plate winner Accardo is one of those horses that you know has heaps of ability and gives all on a race day, but is almost a day to day proposition as a racehorse. "He's a tough horse and runs through the pain barrier, but he is fragile with only three good legs, and we can't put him under pressure, every win is a bonus," according to Russell Warwick the spokesman for Watson Bloodstock Limited who bred and own the horse. As a six year old this season Accardo has had fo...

Special Family Achievment for NZTBA Members

Te Akau Rose winning the Group Two Duke of Bedford Matamata Breeders' Stakes 22 Feb 2009 Photo courtesy of NZ Thoroughbred Marketing Te Akau Rose's win in the Group Two Robin, Duke of Bedford Matamata Breeders Stakes, last Saturday was tinged with a little sadness for her breeder Anne Storey. Anne bred Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park – Straussbridge) with her father Evan Kerr-Taylor, a long term member of the Auckland branch of the NZTBA, who sadly passed away last Octob...

Down The Road a dream result for the McClennans

Dreams can come true and the little guy, the hobby breeder just starting out, can with a little bit of luck and a little bit of judgement breed a group winner and become successful. Down The Road winning the Group 2 ARC Telecom Championship Stakes Photo: Thoroughbred News Take Lorraine and Michael McClennan who sent a $500 broodmare to a $6,000 stallion, produced a colt that sold for $36,000 at the Carnival Sale and went on to be Down The Road, (Danroad – Dixies Girl) ...

Generations of breeding reward the Fraser family

For many years the backbone of the New Zealand breeding and racing industry lay in the provinces with farmers who had a mare or two, and a racehorse or two, in the back paddock. Sir Patrick Hogan (2nd from left), sponsor of the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, with representatives of Due Diligence's ownership group at the presentation ceremony Photo: Trish Dunell The local racing club was a social focal point and trips to the local race meetings were often family affair...

The Tale of the Select Sales Topper

It was really no surprise that Lot 1155 by Tale of the Cat from the Redoute's Choice mare Eye's Light Up topped the Select sale, as he was a magnificent individual, and was tipped by several good judges as the horse to buy. Select Sale toppper, Lot 1155 by Tale of the Cat Photo: NZB Website The fact that he was prepared by Hallmark Stud only added to the equation as they have consistently produced outstanding individuals over all three sales sessions over the past fe...

Obituary - Jack O'Brien

In life, the late Jack O'Brien came across as larger than life itself. With his passing aged 78, he will be remembered as a man of huge generosity, amiable disposition, a great raconteur and a person totally wedded to the world of the thoroughbred. Born in 1930 when the world was in a state of financial despair, it is a perhaps ironic that he left it when a changed world teetered on the brink of a matching disaster. In such times optimism is the ultimate consolation and in terms of optimism J...