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Plan B working a treat for boutique breeder

A forced change of plan with a daughter of Dubawi has produced another success story for Sydney breeder Warwick Doughty.He initially sent his mare Pouter to Cambridge Stud to be mated with Roaring Lion, only for the multiple Group One-winning son of Kitten’s Joy to tragically succumb to colic.Doughty then decided on Contributor as a suitable replacement and Saturday’s Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2100m) winner Kiwi Skyhawk is the profitable outcome.“It’s great for the mare, she’s a funny mar...

Ka Ying Rising continues dominance

Delivering a chilling reminder of his extraordinary talent, Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) posted his 11th consecutive victory with a blistering display in the Gr.2 Sprint Cup (1200m) to crown Zac Purton’s return to race riding at Sha Tin on Sunday.The world’s highest-rated sprinter, Ka Ying Rising demolished his opposition with familiar nonchalance to score by three lengths from Helios Express (123lb) and Lucky With You (123lb) in 1m 08.18s after being eased down by Purton with 100m to g...

The Doctor delivers at Trentham again

Unheralded four-year-old Doctor Askar (Derryn) has proved himself one of the finds of the summer as he completed his fifth win from just six starts since breaking maidens in December when taking out the Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Handicap (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday.Trainer Joanne Moss, who bred and co-owns the son of Derryn in partnership with her mother Jill, had thought she had a handy horse on her hands when he showed plenty of ability by placing in five of his first ...

La Dorada seals another two-year-old sweep for Te Akau

A sparkling performance by La Dorada (Super Seth) in Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) completed another Te Akau clean sweep of New Zealand’s biggest two-year-old prizes.La Dorada had previously won the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), while her unbeaten stablemate Return To Conquer strung together four black-type successes including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).Since the inception of the Karaka Millions in...

Back-to-back Group Twos for Waitak

Last year’s Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) winner Waitak (Proisir) has showcased his versatility and class this autumn with a dominant double over 1600m and 2100m.The son of Proisir was a three-length winner of the Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga on March 15, and on Saturday he stepped up over even further and won the Gr.2 City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham with similar ease.Waitak has joined a rare club, becoming only the second horse to win both the Railwa...

Consistent Kiwi Skyhawk breaks through in Classic

After a series of highly creditable performances against some of the best of his age group, Kiwi Skyhawk (Contributer) broke through for his first feature-race success in Saturday’s Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (2100m) at Trentham.The Contributer gelding was a third placegetter on debut at Te Rapa on July 27 last year, then scored a 1400m maiden victory at the same venue a fortnight later.Kiwi Skyhawk had gone winless through the seven months since then, but ran third in the Gr....

Meet the Breeder - Nicci Oberholster

This week in Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet the Breeder, we caught up with Nicci Oberholster, who along with her husband Dirk own Totara Park Stud. As breeders, they achieved the pinnacle on Saturday with both a group one winner and group two winner within hours of each other.A huge congratulations with the results on Saturday – tell us where you were watching and how you celebrated?We flew to Trenthan on Friday and met up with dear friends and co-owners Matt and Mandy Brown to watch Vegas Queen on S...

Kiwi Chronicles - Farewell Lucy

Geographically, the New Zealand thoroughbred industry is largely centered in the Waikato region and within that, principally around the towns of Matamata and Cambridge.The lower–half of New Zealand’s North Island (known as the Central Districts) has just two significant studs that stand stallions, namely Little Avondale Stud near Masterton in the Wairarapa, and Grangewilliam Stud which is based in Waitotara in South Taranaki. These two studs shared the limelight last Saturday.Grangewilliamâ€...

Vale John Richardson

The breeding industry lost one of its most loyal and long-time supporters last week when 88-year-old John Richardson passed away in Waikato Hospital following a short illness, capping off a sad week for the thoroughbred industry after funerals for trainer Mike Moroney and veterinarian Bill Ewen.John substantially contributed to the New Zealand industry after arriving from England in 1974 aged 37. Early in 1975, he was appointed editor of the newly founded Bloodhorse Magazine, a position he held ...

Boutique breeders hit trans-Tasman Group jackpot

Family runs deep and fast for Northland couple Dirk and Nicci Oberholster who are enjoying a magical run with their small broodmare band.The Totara Park Stud principals are breeding from three closely related mares from the family of superstar Winx, with half-sisters Miss Vegas and Miss Bluebell combining at the weekend for a memorable winning double.Carlton House’s unraced daughter Miss Vega was firstly to the fore at Trentham as the dam of Vegas Queen, who produced a tenacious performance to...

Royal results flow for Grangewilliam Stud

Mark Corcoran went to Trentham with understandably high hopes and events subsequently exceeded all expectations with a massive result at Rosehill topping off a super Saturday.Corcoran operates Grangewilliam Stud with wife Jane and their stallion roster proved the potent force at the meeting with Derryn’s star filly Leica Lucy leading the charge for trainer Robbie Patterson with victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).Derryn also sired progressive undercard winner Doctor Askar for breeder,...

Alflaila to stand at White Robe Lodge

Quality European galloper Alflaila has been secured for stud duties by White Robe Lodge, introducing one of the world’s great sire-lines to New Zealand through his champion sire Dark Angel. Bred and raced by the famed Shadwell operation, Alflaila’s racing career is defined by resilience, consistency, and elite-level talent, as evidenced by back-to-back victories in the fiercely competitive Gr.2 York Stakes (2100m), a race that has tested some of Europe’s best middle-distance horses.A ...

Grinzinger Belle earns Group One opportunity

Another powerhouse front-running performance by Grinzinger Belle (Shamexpress) in Saturday’s A$300,000 Gr.2 Packaging Needs Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley has earned her a Group One opportunity in Sydney.The fillies and mares’ feature was the fourth stakes win for the New Zealand-bred Shamexpress mare, who had previously won the Gr.2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m), Gr.3 The Vanity (1400m) and Gr.3 Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m). She is now in line for a shot at the Gr.1 Queen Of The ...

Gringotts secures Group One gold

Two hours after his close relative Vegas Queen (Proisir) won Saturday’s Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) at Trentham, quality New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts (Per Incanto) took the family’s day to even greater heights with an Australian Group One triumph in the A$1 million George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.Gringotts was bred by Totara Park Stud and is by Little Avondale Stud’s outstanding sire Per Incanto out of the Savabeel mare Miss Bluebell, whose half-sister Miss Vega...

Four in a row for Hong Kong-bound Shanwah

Another commanding performance in Saturday’s A$500,000 Gr.2 DCE Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley has booked rising star three-year-old Shanwah (Too Darn Hot) a shot at the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) ahead of his move to Hong Kong.A $750,000 Karaka yearling purchase by Cameron Cooke Bloodstock on behalf of owners Kevin and Vikki Payne, Shanwah commenced his career as a colt and was a placegetter at Canterbury in the spring. Gelding has proved to be the making of the three-y...

Oaks triumph a fitting farewell for New Zealand’s star filly

Leica Lucy (Derryn) signed off the New Zealand stage of her career with a Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) victory that showcased all of the class and courage that has made her this season’s standout filly.The Taranaki superstar arrived at Trentham on Saturday with a near-flawless record of five wins and a second from six starts. After running first and second in a pair of 1400m races in the spring, Leica Lucy strung together four consecutive victories with increasin...

Vegas Queen upsets in Wellington Guineas

Unfancied filly Vegas Queen (Proisir) survived a post-race protest from runner-up Archaic Smile to collect her biggest victory after an incident-packed finish to the Gr.2 IRT Wellington Guineas (1600m) at Trentham.Sent to the front by rider Wiremu Pinn, the Kenny Rae-prepared daughter of Rich Hil Stud stallion Proisir looked to be full of running as she rounded the home bend two lengths clear of her rivals after making all of the pace from barrier rise.In a desperate finish, she held out th...

Our Jumala takes out Cuddle Stakes

Taranaki trainer Robbie Patterson kicked off his assault on the stakes races at Trentham on Saturday with a bang as underrated mare Our Jumala (Zed) prevailed in a titanic struggle in the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m).The six-year-old daughter of Zed has always shown plenty of promise throughout her career including a runner-up finish in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) at this time last year and finally achieved a richly deserved stakes race victory with a barnstor...

Late starter strikes on debut

Procul Boy (Proisir) made up for a late start to his racing career with an eye-catching victory in the Property Brokers – Wanganui (1200m) at Waverley on Wednesday.A five-year-old by Proisir, Procul Boy has been patiently handled by Gail Temperton, who bred and owns the gelding under her Taikorea Thoroughbreds banner. He made his first appearance to the trials back in December of 2023, and over a year later, he returned to Foxton to finish a narrow second over 1000m, showing promising sig...

Kiwi Chronicles - Replay

In stark contrast with Ellerslie’s grand NZB Kiwi day, a week ago, this week the attention was focussed on Tauranga and the sole stakes race in the country.By some coincidence, the last 400 metres of the NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m) and the Japan Trophy (Gr 2, 1600m) saw a strong similarity when Waitak (Proisir) flew along the inner from near last to gobble up the leaders quite a long way off the post, just as Damask Rose (Savabeel) had done the previous week.Rider Ryan Elliot had few op...

Progressive mare doing top Haunui family proud

Haunui Farm’s strong run of form has continued with Grande Gallo (Belardo) their latest graduate to stamp her credentials as a stakes winner in waiting.High-class three-year-old Linebacker has led the recent charge with the son of Super Seth claiming top honours in the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).Bred by GSA Bloodstock, he was purchased out of Haunui’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $160,000 by co-trainer John O’Shea and Suman Hedge Bloodstock.The Kar...

Waitak and Elliot a class above in Japan Trophy

A week after Blake Shinn’s rail-skimming masterclass to guide Damask Rose from last to first in the inaugural NZB Kiwi (1500m), Ryan Elliot followed a similar script to help Waitak (Proisir) triumph in Saturday’s Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga.The $150,000 feature was a step down in class following a string of high-class summer assignments for Waitak, who has contested 10 Group One races in his 30-start career.The Proisir gelding had gone winless since taking out t...

Meet the Breeder - Sean Buckley

This week in Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet the Breeder, we caught up with Sean Buckley of Ultra Thoroughbreds. The famous black and emerald green chevrons of Ultra Thoroughbreds have been on big names such as Miss Andretti and Shamus Award, but most recently they were  carried to victory by Captain Pluto (Savabeel) in Sunday’s Listed Bunbury Cup.Tell us the story of Captain Pluto and provide a quick overview of Ultra Thoroughbreds?I bought a mare 16-18 years ago called Scribbling, she had a bea...

Gateway courses offering path into breeding industry

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and New Zealand’s Equine Educational Trust’s Equine Gateway programme is offering students like Tiela Rudolph a golden opportunity to enter our country’s flourishing breeding sector.The Gateway programme introduces subjects outside of the general school curriculum, including trades, social work and agriculture. NZEET, a private industry-owned establishment, offers the New Zealand Equine Breeding Courses, commencing from a 13-month certificate, up to a profes...

Palmetto Unstoppable in Canberra Cup

South Island Sale graduate Palmetto (NZ) (Ghibellines) collected his first black-type win in Australia with a relentless front-running performance in Sunday’s A$200,000 Listed TAB Canberra Cup (2000m).Palmetto was offered by Three Valleys in the 2020 South Island Sale, where he failed to meet his $10,000 reserve. He has now had 35 starts for seven wins, seven placings and A$1.41m in stakes – more than 150 times his reserve at the South Island Sale.Palmetto began his career in the A...