http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz en-us Sun, 01 Nov 2026 23:19:46 +1300 Rocketspark http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/172118/de-armas-shows-class-in-wakeful-stakes/ Second and fourth in 1600m Group One races in her two previous starts, De Armas (Ardrossan) stepped up in distance at Flemington on Saturday and opened her Australian account in style in the A$300,000 Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Wakeful Stakes (2000m).The New Zealand-bred Ardrossan filly was bought for only $16,000 by Benner Racing from Elsdon Park during the 2025 NZB National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. From seven starts, De Armas has now recorded three wins and a placing and has ear... Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post172118 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/172051/cosmic-crusader-adds-to-windsor-parks-cox-plate-legacy/ Many stud farms dream of seeing just one horse foaled on their property go on to triumph in a race like the Gr.1 Cox Plate, but the Windsor Park Stud team has now had that euphoric feeling four times.Three horses foaled at the Cambridge nursery have etched their name on the honour roll of the race dubbed the weight-for-age championship of Australasia – Might And Power in 1998, So You Think in 2009 and 2010, and now Cosmic Crusader in last Saturday’s unique one-off running at Flemington.“It... Thu, 29 Oct 2026 14:52:02 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post172051 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/172048/prima-park-poised-to-make-ready-to-run-sale-impact/ During more than a decade as a vendor at the annual NZB Ready to Run Sale, Prima Park has risen through the ranks to become one of the go-to sources at the Karaka two-year-old auction.The Matamata prep farm was amongst the headlines at last year’s Ready to Run Sale with second place on the aggregates table after selling 18 lots for a total of $3.66 million. The Prima Park draft was led by the second top lot, a Written Tycoon colt at $775,000, while an average price of just over $200,000 was fi... Thu, 29 Oct 2026 14:20:16 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post172048 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/172040/meet-the-breeder--graham-bax/ This week on Dunstan Horsefeeds’ ‘Meet the Breeder’, we caught up with Graham Bax, who bred and races Coniston with his wife Helen-Gaye under their Blandford Lodge banner. Following his Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) victory, Coniston now heads towards the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) as favourite.1. Tell us the story of Coniston.Coniston is in my racing portfolio because I have always wanted to breed and race a colt who could one day be go... Thu, 29 Oct 2026 10:51:54 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post172040 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/171998/five-lots-to-watch-at-the-nzb-ready-to-run-sale/ The world’s premier sale of two-year-olds returns to Karaka on November 18 and 19 with what could well be another record-breaking edition on the horizon.The 2026 catalogue features 460 lots across two days, with the most sires in the sale’s history represented at 119, and the breeze-up footage is already online from the October sessions at Te Rapa for those doing their homework early.The graduate list looks as strong as any sale anywhere in the world with the Hong Kong Champion Golden Sixty ... Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:13:32 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post171998 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/171969/unfavourable-x-rays-prove-a-blessing-in-disguise-for-baxes/ Exciting colt Coniston (NZ) (Wootton Bassett) was destined for the sales ring as a yearling, however, unfavourable x-rays curtailed those plans, which has proven to be a blessing in disguise for owner-breeders Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax of Blandford Lodge, who now have a Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) favourite on their hands.The son of Wootton Bassett jumped to the top of the market of the southern Classic, alongside Excite, following his victory in the Gr.2 James... Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:45:44 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post171969 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/171951/kiwi-chronicles-two-peas/ Do the owners of Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Proxima Dea (Tarzino) own a crystal ball? It would seem so – how could they know that the filly, whose name in Portuguese translates to “Next Goddess”, would not only live up to her name, but exceed its meaning which is directly associated with her older sister, Gypsy Goddess?There is a certain mystique attached to any horse which builds an unbeaten sequence because it is so difficult to maintain. Eerily, the records of Gypsy God... Tue, 27 Oct 2026 11:55:31 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post171951 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/171924/trelawney-makes-winning-impact-at-trentham/ Brent and Cherry Taylor’s Trelawney Stud enjoyed a rewarding day at Trentham where the Waikato farm celebrated a winning double and collected further black type with a future member of their broodmare band.Promising farm graduate Thunder In Motion was successful in the opening event on Sunday’s card before the Trelawney silks were carried to victory by speedster Miss Jones and stakes placegetter Astoria Brooke.Per Incanto’s son Thunder In Motion only had two rivals to account for in thefra... Mon, 26 Oct 2026 15:22:29 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post171924 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/171940/coniston-claims-sarten-memorial/ Coniston (Wootton Bassett) got his Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) campaign back on track at Te Rapa on Labour Day when claiming the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m).The son of Wootton Bassett wasn’t wanted by punters following his last placed finish over 1400m at Hastings a fortnight ago, with the market dominated by Te Akau Racing’s unbeaten colt System Of Play.Coniston was only fair away, but jockey Joe Doyle was able to navigate his charg... Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post171940 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/post/171938/outstanding-myers-ride-helps-tisse-win-thompson-handicap/ New Plymouth gelding Tisse (Belardo) has broken through for a maiden black type success at Trentham, thanks in large part to a well-judged Kelly Myers ride.Allowed to start at odds of $18 in the Gr.3 Gee & Hickton Thompson Handicap (1600m), Tisse would have been at much longer odds on the final turn as he was several lengths behind the speed.But Myers kept to the inside of the track, taking gaps that arrived, and Tisse showed a devastating sprint to score by a short neck from The Scunne... Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/blog/#post171938