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Bourbon Lane reaping big rewards in New Zealand venture

The first half a decade of Bourbon Lane Stable’s expansion into New Zealand has exceeded even the most optimistic predictions of the American investors.The group has celebrated a long line of successes with the likes of Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) placegetter Bourbonaire, Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) winner Bourbon Empress and fellow stakes winners To Cap It All, Super Photon and Glamour Tycoon. At the same time, the New Zealand thoroughbred landscape that they are becoming a major pa...

Stallion confidence reflected in Karaka draft

Group One power has fuelled Cambridge Stud’s 42-strong Book 1 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.The farm’s proven stallion duo of Almanzor and Hello Youmzain and exciting younger associate Sword Of State dominate the Karaka consignment.“It’s a reflection of us backing our own with this foal crop, a representation of our own stallions and we’ve got the utmost confidence in them,” Head of Sales and Nominations Scott Calder said.“We were happy to support them ...

The Oaks strikes with exciting 3YO prospects

A pair of emerging fillies credited The Oaks Stud with a winning double at Pukekohe on Sunday with both homebreds promising to carry the Cambridge nursery’s colours to higher honours.Niagara’s daughter Alaskan added momentum to her Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) with victory in the NZB Karaka 2025 (2100m) at her third appearance.A race later, Cypher went one better in the Trackside.co.nz (1300m) after finishing runner-up on debut at Taupo in late December.“It was a ...

Timely Cup success for Mapperley Stud

Mapperley Stud principal Simms Davison is heading towards New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales on a winning note after breeding last Saturday’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) victor Wolfgang (Puccini).A son of Puccini, who stood at the Matamata nursery, Wolfgang was bred on the farm and offered for sale at Karaka in 2020. After failing to meet his $50,000 reserve, Davison was happy to race the gelding in his own right, alongside underbidder Peter McKay, who now trains in partne...

Hallmark eyeing another dream result at Karaka

A Proisir filly out of Donna Marie put Hallmark Stud’s name up in lights at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales last year, and in a week’s time, Mark Baker is hoping for a similar result in the Karaka auditorium with Lot 564.Baker’s thoroughbred nursery topped the 2024 sale with the full-sister to multiple Group One winner Prowess, who was sold to Peter Moody Racing for a staggering $1.6 million.Reflecting on that day, Baker still struggles to come to terms with such a pheno...

Ellis looking to retain Karaka crown

After 19 years of dominance in the Karaka sales auditorium as the leading buyer at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis will return to the South Auckland venue later this week in a bid to make it an even 20.He whet his appetite for buying quality yearlings at Magic Millions’ Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this month where he was on the buyers’ sheet for 21 yearlings.“Overall, it was a really good sale,” Ellis said.He was particularly t...

Ka Ying Rising stuns with second Sha Tin course record in three starts

David Hayes anointed Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) as “probably the best horse” he has trained, while Zac Purton described the speedster as a “really special horse” after the four-year-old’s incredible record-breaking win in the HK$13 million G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (19 January).Clocking 1m 07.20s in a phenomenal display of sustained speed, Ka Ying Rising lowered the track record for the second time this season, eclipsing the 1m 07.43s he posted on 17 N...

Plenty to like about Lucy in Desert Gold Stakes victory

Promising three-year-old Leica Lucy (Derryn) added another important black-type victory to her burgeoning record when she dashed clear to take out Saturday’s Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.The lightly raced daughter of Derryn was sent out a raging hot favourite ($1.40) after taking out the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at the venue prior to Christmas and never really gave her supporters any cause for concern despite having to bullock her way into a narrow ...

Wolfgang breaks through with Wellington Cup triumph

A long wait for Wolfgang’s (Puccini) day in the big-race spotlight came to a spectacular end at Trentham on Saturday when he overpowered his opposition in the Gr.3 NZCIS Wellington Cup (3200m).The time-honoured $400,000 feature was the 13th appearance at Group or Listed level for Wolfgang, who had shown bright promise at that level ever since his two-year-old days. He finished fifth in that season’s Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m), second in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1000m), third in the Gr.3...

Osipenko returns to winners list in January Cup

Talented five-year-old Osipenko (Pierro) showed he’s still got it with a well-deserved victory in the Listed January Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.While racing well, the Chris Waller-trained Osipenko hadn’t won since taking out the 2023 Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m).One of four winners for James McDonald, who was back riding at a Sydney Saturday meeting for the first time since Everest day in October, Osipenko sat third in the run and was presented rounding the home bend, going ...

Star Rich Hill stallions well represented at Karaka

Admirers of Rich Hill Stud’s leading stallions Proisir and Satono Aladdin will be spoiled for choice at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale later this month.The pair will have their strongest ever representation at Karaka, a reflection of the growing success of the duo’s progeny on the racetracks and in auction rings.Champion sire Proisir will have 50 yearlings in Book 1 and 10 in Book 2 while Deep Impact’s son will have 40 and 16 respectively, making them the dominant pairin...

Savabeel the next member of breed-shaping dynasty to enter Hall of Fame

It was perhaps inevitable once he had attained multiple champion status as a stallion, that Savabeel should join his sire Zabeel and grandsire Sir Tristram in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.Completing a sequence that is unique in this country, the Waikato Stud-based 23-year-old will be inducted at the 2025 Hall of Fame function in Hamilton in May, 11 years after his own sire was inducted and 17 years after the breed-shaping stallion who founded the dynasty half a century ago.Sir Tristram wa...

Elsdon Park looking to build on Karaka success

Lib Petagna’s Elsdon Park will offer its third draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka later this month, and the Matamata nursery has upped the ante, with their consignment nearly doubling their previous offerings.“We are taking up 29 (yearlings) and it’s a big job, especially stepping up from the number we had last year (15),” Elsdon Park General Manager Kerrie Cox said.“This is our third yearling draft for Karaka. We are expanding and it’s exciting to b...

Meet the Breeder - Cam and Eva Heron

This week in Dunstan Horse Feeds Meet the Breeder, we catch up with Eva Heron of Highline Thoroughbreds, who had group success over the Christmas carnival with Proisir mare, Bourbon Empress.Tell us the story of Bourbon Empress and provide a short overview of Highline Thoroughbreds?Located in Cambridge in very close proximity to the racetrack, Cam and I brought the property in 2017 and set about refencing it in Magnum rail to make it as safe as we could. The services we provide are spelling and a...

CEO Nick Johnson on Weigh In

Trackside's Guy Heveldt catches up with CEO Nick Johnson and discusses all things sales and breeding!...

Kiwi Chronicles - Blanket Finish

At the 200–metre mark of Saturday’s Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m), a blanket covered the first five runners. The winner, Provence (Savabeel), was fifth but had not made her final move, a sprint that saw her level up to Qali Al Farrashah (Almanzor) at the 100 metres. These two fought out the finish, the lead see-sawing during the final strides which favoured Provence in the last stride by a half-head. Most judges viewed the race as an even affair and were proved correct. At the post a leng...

Westbury a major Karaka player again

Westbury Stud will offer sizeable Book 1 and 2 drafts at Karaka later this month, showcasing their own stallion roster and with variety added by choice offerings of leading Australian-based sires.The Gerry Harvey-owned operation is always strongly represented at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and the 2025 consignment will continue that trend with quality and quantity.“There’ll be a few withdrawals, as there always are, but we’ll end up with 70-odd or more so it’s a big...

Blueblood fillies lead Haunui’s Karaka offering

Haunui Farm will head to Karaka next week with a 51-strong draft for New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales, led by a number of blueblood fillies in Book 1.“We have got a very nice draft of Book 1 yearlings and we have got some pretty special fillies in that draft,” Haunui Farm managing director Mark Chitty said.Lot 345, the Savabeel filly out of Group Three performer Symphonic is set to garner plenty of interest, being a full-sister to multiple Group One winner and last season�...

Bonningtons excited about Champions Day prospects

Plenty of people in the New Zealand racing fraternity are looking forward to the inaugural Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8, but none more so than Rayner and Lynn Bonnington.The $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) will be one of eight stakes races on the action-packed card, and the West Auckland couple, who breed and race under their Little River Thoroughbreds Partnership banner, look to have a strong contender for the classic.Farm graduate Mustang Morgan (Preferment...

Mustang Morgan a popular winner in Gingernuts Salver

In a nail-biting finish to Sunday’s Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m), the roar of adoring connections was heard in the Ellerslie grandstand when maiden galloper Mustang Morgan (Preferment) was found victorious.Coming into Sunday’s feature, Mustang Morgan had been improving through the distances and finished third behind Bourbon Proof over a mile at Matamata last month, setting him up for the three-year-old staying contest.The Andrew Forsman-trained galloper started among the middle mark...

Provence caps huge day for Spratt

A coming-of-age performance by Provence (Savabeel) in the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) capped a feature treble at Trentham on Saturday for leading jockey Sam Spratt.The 40-year-old had previously won the Listed Star Group Wellesley Stakes (1100m) on To Cap It All and the Gr.2 Top Kat Roofing Levin Classic (1400m) with standout three-year-old Savaglee.Spratt, who also recorded another black-type treble on the first day of the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton in November, has now...

Savaglee brilliant in Levin Classic

Class three-year-old Savaglee (Savabeel) stepped out for the first time since his devastating victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November and absolutely destroyed a small but handy field in Saturday’s Gr.2 Top Kat Roofing Levin Classic (1400m) at Trentham.Confidently expected to win despite the eight week absence from race day action, the punters elect at $1.60 never looked in danger of defeat once regular pilot Sam Spratt had him away nicely from a wide barrier and t...

O’Leary colours strike again in Trentham Stakes

A remarkable run for owner-breeders Humphrey and Fiona O’Leary kept on rolling at Trentham on Saturday with a last-to-first performance by Whangaehu (Proisir) in the Gr.3 Life Direct Trentham Stakes (2100m).It was the second black-type success in the last three starts for Whangaehu, who won the Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m) on November 30 and then finished third in the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) on December 21.The red and white colours of the O’Learys have also been carried to victory in l...

Winning breeding confidence at Jamieson

Further top-flight success on the home front and an overseas double has boosted spirits at Jamieson Park ahead of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.Farm graduate Grail Seeker (Iffraaj) doubled her tally at elite level with her dazzling victory in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham last Saturday, her first appearance since she won the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m).The Jamieson Park-bred and sold Holymanz then starred in Australia with his successful defence of his Coastal C...

Further stakes success for long-time associates

A long-standing breeding partnership has come up trumps again with a daughter of Ace High their latest success story.Rich Hill Stud and Scott Williams’ Bloodstock Resources bred My Lips Are Sealed, who triumphed in Saturday’s Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) at Trentham, where the four-time winner finished a close second in last season’s Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m).Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, My Lips Are Sealed was sold through Rich Hill’s 2022 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’...