Back to Blog

Pike and Cartwright combine for another three-year-old feature

A hard-fought victory by Raziah (Niagra) in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton Park provided trainer Tony Pike and jockey Matt Cartwright with a second feature three-year-old success within the space of a week.Pike and Cartwright teamed up seven days earlier at Hastings to take out the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) with all-the-way winner Poetic Champion. Saturday’s Canterbury Belle brought a different style of win by Ra...

Grinzinger Belle runs rivals ragged in Let’s Elope

New Zealand-bred mare Grinzinger Belle (Shamexpress) made a bold start to her spring campaign with a commanding front-running performance in Saturday’s A$300,000 Gr.2 Furphy Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.The daughter of Shamexpress led all the way for a black-type win over the same course and distance in the Gr.3 Vanity Stakes (1400m) in her first-up run in the autumn, and trainer Danny O’Brien repeated the same formula fresh up in the fillies and mares’ feature on Saturd...

Mr Brightside defends Makybe Diva crown

The remarkable story of Kiwi-bred champion Mr Brightside (Bullbars) rolled into his seven-year-old season with a historic defence of his title in the A$750,000 Gr.1 Crown Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.The Bullbars gelding became the first back-to-back winner of the weight-for-age feature since it was renamed in honour of the great Makybe Diva in 2007. Under its previous name, the Craiglee Stakes, the repeat winners were Chicquita (1950-51) and Sailor’s Guide (1956-5...

Jamieson Park offers well-credentialled mares on gavelhouse.com

Fresh from celebrating Group One glory with Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings last weekend, emerging player Jamieson Park is set to have further industry impact with the sale of four well-credentialled mares in the latest fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com.Jamieson Park bred Grail Seeker and sold her for $130,000 as a yearling at Karaka in 2022. Her victory in the first Group One race of the New Zealand season increased her earnings to $413,465 from a rapid...

Rebecca Donovan - Sunline Management Scholarship Blog - September

Rebecca Donovan updates us on her final travels throughout the UK before she embarks on her journey home, but not before gaining experience at both Jamie Richards Racing in Hong Kong and Kick Collective in Australia.It has officially been 6 months that I have been living in a dream in the UK and Ireland. Sometimes it’s still a bit hard to digest that I have been so lucky to receive this opportunity. Since I have last updated you all, I have completed my placement at Roger Varian’s Carlburg s...

2024 NZB Ready To Run Cataloge live!

The 2024 edition of the world’s best sale of two-year-olds is now only 71 days away, and NZB is excited to unveil another stellar catalogue for the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.Showcasing both quality and quantity, an exceptional selection of 404 two-year-olds will go through the Karaka sale ring during the globally renowned two-day sale in November. Boasting the right pedigrees, physiques and sale preparations to follow in the footsteps of the incredible Ready to Run Sale roll of honour that h...

Another highlight for super sire Per Incanto

Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto has reached another memorable milestone in his decorated stallion career.The leading son of Street Cry sired his 400th individual winner on Sunday when the Masterton nursery’s homebred Rue de Royale was successful for trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy at Bendigo.While it was the three-year-old’s maiden victory, he showed his quality last season with runner-up finishes in the Gr.2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), the Inglis Millenium (1100m) and the A$1 ...

Vale Contributer

The Davison family and the team at Mapperley Stud are in mourning after the shock loss of their good friend and Group One-producing sire Contributer.The champion son of High Chaparral was starting his ninth season at the Matamata farm but sadly passed away on Sunday morning.A dual Group One winner on the racetrack, Contributer was crowned Champion Australian Middle-Distance Horse of the Year in 2015 following a brilliant autumn campaign where he won the Gr.2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), Gr.1 Chip...

Poetic Champion scintillating in three-year-old debut

A brilliant return to racing in Saturday’s Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings sent a clear message that Poetic Champion (Super Seth) will be a force to be reckoned with in three-year-old ranks this season.The Super Seth gelding showed bright promise as a juvenile, winning by six lengths on debut last October before finishing third in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), second in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m), sixth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200...

Cartwright strikes Group One gold in New Zealand

Matt Cartwright announced his arrival among the top echelon of New Zealand’s jockeys with a stunning treble on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival at Hastings on Saturday, culminating in a giant-killing Group One win with Grail Seeker (Iffraaj) in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m).Formerly a leading apprentice in Victoria, Cartwright decided at the beginning of the season to move across the Tasman in search of better opportunities as a senior rider. Barely a month later, the 22-...

Lion’s Roar wins Wyong Cup

Venerable galloper Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer) has added the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) to his trophy cabinet for trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton.Ridden by Jason Collett, the son of Contributer sat off the leader Camaguey throughout before getting the better of his rivals in the home straight despite lumping 59kg topweight.The seven-year-old gelding had just over half a length to spare over Luncies (Iffraaj), with the Gr.1 VRC Derby winner Manzoice (Almanzor) back in third.A Group One w...

Almanzor secures permanent residency at Cambridge Stud

Former shuttle stallion Almanzor’s flying days are now behind him, with Cambridge Stud announcing their Group One-producing sire will remain a permanent resident of New Zealand.A deal has been brokered with their northern hemisphere partners Haras d'Etreham to secure the full breeding rights of the son of Wootton Bassett, with the French stud farm agreeing his future best lay in the southern hemisphere."After six seasons of shuttling it is logical for us to accept the offer from Cambridge Stud...

Wentwood Grange graduate flying the Kiwi flag

Cambridge thoroughbred nursery Wentwood Grange were thrilled to watch farm graduate Quintessa add to her burgeoning record when victorious first-up in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.Bred by Peachester Lodge principals Graham and Linda Huddy, Quintessa was born and raised at Wentwood Grange, who offered her through their 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where she was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $170,000.She won her sole start as a...

Wrote a firm favourite with breeders and buyers

Wrote continues to find favour with breeders and the tried horse market also remains strong for the progeny of High Chaparral’s Group One-winning son.The Highview resident’s flagbearer has been his daughter and Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous while his son Read About It gives every indication he will be a major player at the elite level this season.Trainer Robbie Patterson has his sights set on the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) with Read About It who claimed the Listed ...

Legacy to continue for Monovale mare

Monovale Farm have found plenty of excitement watching homebred gelding Rise At Dawn succeed across the Tasman, particularly with the next of his dam’s progeny about to hit the track in the farm’s colours.Bred by Monovale principals Joe and Max Smithies, Rise At Dawn was sold to Lindsay Park Bloodstock for $90,000 at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne, and has continued to flourish in the care of trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes.After winning on debut, Rise At Dawn has establi...

Class prevails as Quintessa lands Cockram

Group One winner Quintessa (Shamus Award) returned with a bang when running out a resounding winner of the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.The Mark Walker-trained mare lumped 60kg topweight under Daniel Stackhouse and looks set to contest races over sprint-mile distances this campaign after getting out to 2400m when fourth in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks last autumn.Coming from midfield, Quintessa forged away from her rivals to record a three-quarter length victory from Ext...

Dawn rises to Heatherlie challenge

In-form galloper Rise At Dawn (Almanzor) got off the canvas to score an unlikely victory in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday as he made it three wins in succession. The son of Almanzor is prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes and has raced well through the winter months and may yet snare some spring riches after his tenacious win on Saturday.Ridden in his customary positive manner by Michael Dee, Rise At Dawn looked to be under siege deep into the home straigh...

Read About It makes headlines at Wanganui

Exciting three-year-old prospect Read About It (Wrote) made all the headlines in the feature event at Wanganui, the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).The Robbie Patterson-prepared galloper was having just his third start on Saturday but had created plenty of buzz around his chances and future prospects after closing off his two-year-old campaign with a scintillating victory in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.Patterson was keen on his chances prior to the contest and despite s...

Grangewiliam’s Hilal proving a big hit with breeders

Hilal has received a warm welcome from breeders with Grangewilliam Stud close to putting up the no vacancy sign on their newcomer.The regally bred son of Fastnet Rock will stand his first season at Mark and Jane Corcoran’s operation at Waitotara following a decorated racing career across the Tasman.“We have been very happy with the response, we have had really good support and he’s got over 100 mares booked to him already,” Mark Corcoran said.“I think I will limit him to 120, so he’s...

"I wish they were all like her"

Such an understatement from rider Craig Grylls upon dismounting from Bonny Lass (Super Easy) following her strong win in Saturday's Foxbridge Plate (Gr 2, 1200m). Grylls can take much of the credit for the win as he saved ground (and not in the best of the Heavy 9 track conditions) until the 600 metres then moved the mare away from the rail before they straightened. A huge gap appeared for her once they reached the 400-metre mark and Grylls kept pushing forward as well as wider for better footin...

Loyalty paying off for Moore

Loyalty is a core value for Sandy Moore, and he is now reaping the rewards from that virtue with his Group One-winning mare Bonny Lass.Growing up with Trentham Racecourse on his back doorstep, racing has always been a passion for Moore, which he took with him when he moved to Auckland and got involved in racing administration.“I was on the board of the Auckland Racing Club for 15-odd years and that kept the interest going very strongly,” he said.During this time, Moore had a few horses in tr...

Bonny Lass makes brilliant return in Foxbridge

Previously a stakes winner at the ages of two, three, four and five, Bonny Lass (Super Easy) kicked off her six-year-old season on a perfect note when she defeated a star-studded field in Saturday’s Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.The high-class daughter of Super Easy has taken her connections on a special ride over the last few seasons, beginning with a victory in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old in February of 2021.Bonny Lass added the ...

Industry mourns Kevin Hickman

The New Zealand thoroughbred industry has lost one of its most influential figures of the last two decades with the passing of Kevin Hickman after a long illness.Tributes to the Valachi Downs principal have flowed from around New Zealand and Australia, including from Gareth Downey, who was Valachi’s general manager from 2020 to its closure in 2022. He now has a management role with leading Australian stable Lindsay Park Racing.“It really is a huge loss, and it’s the end of what’s been a ...

Stable quinella in Ruakaka feature

The Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley training partnership had plenty to celebrate on Saturday when they produced a superb quinella in the feature event at Ruakaka, the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), with stable runners So Naive (U S Navy Flag) and Toruk Makto (Eminent).So Naive, a stunning son of The Oaks Stud resident stallion U S Navy Flag, had won twice from four starts during his two-year-old campaign and was fitted for his new season resumption with a co...

Waikato stallion parade a spring highlight

An opportunity to witness first-hand some fabulous spring racing as well as viewing some exciting stallions presents itself with the Gavelhouse.com Waikato Stallion Parade weekend on August 24 and 25.As local President Scotty Buchanan, points out, the Waikato Branch of the NZTBA have scheduled their annual stallion parade event to coincide with the racing at Te Rapa."We're thrilled to present this year's Gavelhouse.com Stallion Parade with an adjusted schedule that allows our attendees to experi...