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Belardi lands Castletown on big day for family

Three and a half hours before Moonlight Magic (Almanzor) took her place in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm, her half-brother Belardi (Belardo) kicked off a huge day for the family with victory in the Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui.Both Belardi and Moonlight Magic are trained by Andrew Forsman for owner-breeders the Sunlight Trust, and they are among the five winners from just five foals out of the Encosta De Lago mare Japo...

International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation Conference - Japan 2024 - Nick Johnson Review

I had the real pleasure of attending the International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation (ITBF) bi-annual conference in Japan between the 17th and 24th May 2024. Before I left, I had been told by many people about how good the industry was in Japan, but I wasn't prepared for the shear brilliance of the way that racing and breeding is conducted by the Japanese.No stone was left unturned, and no expense was spared by both the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association (JBBA) and the Japan Racing As...

Rebecca Donovan - Sunline Management Scholarship Blog 3

Hello all! It is bittersweet to be here, reporting on my final month at Coolmore, ‘The Home of Champions’. I feel like I am moving on from Ireland just as it’s getting good! The last month has flown by and I have had the chance to fit so much in that I’ve even surprised myself! In my last week, I was treated to some spectacular days where I got to pack in as much as I could in my final days. My last blog left you just as I had started in the Foaling unit. Working in the Foaling, I have b...

In-form Apostrophe on Queensland short list

Late bloomer Apostrophe executed a near perfect domestic autumn campaign to put herself in line for a trip to the Queensland winter carnival.While the overseas venture has yet to be locked in, the daughter of Tavistock is a strong contender to be given the opportunity to chase Australian black-type and further boost her future broodmare value.“We have freshened her a bit and there is a Listed mile on June 15 and a Listed fillies and mares’ race over 2100m on the 29th for her,” said Roger J...

Meet The Breeder - Kevin Landrigan

In this week’s Dunstan HorseFeeds Meet The Breeder we chat to Kevin Landrigan,  who in partnership with his son Patrick bred Listed Staphanos at Novara Park Champagne Stakes winner Southern Warrior (Belardo x Cape South {Cape Cross}) at Pukekohe on Saturday. It was a particularly successful weekend for these breeders, as they also bred Pudding (Tavistock x Christmas Day {Zabeel}) to win at Sandown and Opawa Scarlett (Shooting To Win x Lispenard {Fastnet Rock}) who was a winner on deb...

Early breeding setback overcome in style

A nightmare start for the Smithies family with Tactless’ breeding career has turned full circle following the emergence of high-class filly Scarlet Oak.Under their Monovale Holdings banner, they purchased the well-related broodmare in foal to Kermadec at the Inglis Digital Sale in 2020 and the result of that mating was Saturday’s impressive Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) winner.Scarlet Oak’s progress has provided significant compensation for an early setback following the loss of the mare’s next...

Late gamble brings black-type reward for Wiles

While some feature-race wins are the result of months of planning and preparation, others can fall perfectly into place within the space of just 17 days.Saturday’s Listed Staphanos at Novara Park Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe only came on to the radar for Cambridge trainer Dean Wiles after he saddled Southern Warrior for a promising fifth on debut at Matamata on May 8. The Belardo gelding produced an eye-catching late run from last over 1200m that day, giving Wiles an inkling that the 1...

Group Three win bolsters Maracana’s value

Five-year-old mare Maracana recorded a timely victory in the Gr.3 Drinkwise Mile (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday, with the daughter of Shamexpress set to go under the hammer at this week’s Gold Coast broodmare sale.Prepared by Danny O’Brien, Maracana bounced out of a Benchmark 70 victory at Cranbourne to claim Saturday’s contest with a hard-fought victory over Osmose. The smart mare was a multiple stakes performer earlier in her career, including a third placing in the Gr.2 Fillies Classic ...

Here To Shock stakes Stradbroke claim

Here To Shock has claimed a berth in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) by the barest of margins when nosing out Freedom Rally to land the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.Prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the ever-improving six-year-old continued his strong recent form which included a win in the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) last month, prior to a close second to Dashing over a mile at Caulfield.Winning jockey Michael Dee had Here To Shock on a clear path for victory only fo...

Scarlet Oak prevails in Roses

Recent Kiwi acquisition Scarlet Oak is repaying her new connections in spades with a hard-fought victory in the Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben coming at just her fourth raceday start.Scarlet Oak was an impressive Matamata winner for Ken and Bev Kelso in March before prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir won the bidding war to secure the prized filly privately.The daughter of Kermedec subsequently joined champion trainer Chris Waller and made an immediate impression, finishing runner-up to st...

U S Navy Flag heads Oaks Stud roster

The Oaks Stud in Cambridge have announced their service fees for the forthcoming breeding season with the roster to be headed by leading second season sire U S Navy Flag at $15,000 + GST.The son of War Front was represented by Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) winner Pendragon, who also finished runner-up in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m). Other highlight progeny include multiple stakes winner Chantilly Lace, Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes runner-up Aprilia and multiple Group One performer To C...

Gringotts secures first stakes success

New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts (Per Incanto) took his promising career to new heights in Brisbane on Saturday with a first black-type success in the A$160,000 Listed Sky Racing Members’ Handicap (1600m) at Doomben.It was the seventh win from just a 13-race career for the four-year-old, who has earned A$590,050 for a syndicate of owners headed by Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neill.Gringotts collected a win and three placings from four starts in the spring, but has found a rich vein of form...

Fall For Cindy secures valuable black-type win

In-form mare Fall For Cindy (Sacred Falls) carried the Waikato Stud colours to a valuable first black-type victory in Saturday’s A$250,000 Gr.3 Coolmore Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone.Bred and raced by Garry Chittick, whose milestone 80th birthday was celebrated with a race named in his honour at Trentham on Saturday, Fall For Cindy went into Saturday’s fillies and mares’ feature with an admirably consistent form line this season.Her seven starts as a four-year-old had produced t...

Sharrock eyes spring after Rangitikei Cup success

Islington Lass (Proisir) could have Group One goals on her radar after capping her breakthrough campaign with victory in Saturday’s Listed James Bull Rangitikei Cup (1600m) at Trentham.The $80,000 feature was the sixth win from only a 10-start career for the Proisir mare, who has now earned more than $146,000.The five-year-old began the season with a rating of 70, but wasted no time in climbing through the ranks with impressive victories at New Plymouth on November 24, Trentham on Decembe...

Lloyd Jackson - Kiwi Chronicles - 14th May 2024

One that won't get awayThe future broodmare roster at Cambridge Stud received another boost after Bella Waters (Sacred Falls) scored the Rotorua Cup (Gr 3, 2200m) during the past weekend. Brendan and Jo Lindsay's gold and black colours are on a roll. Fillies and mares representing the stud are winning at blacktype level and their Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) delivered, yet again, when Positivity claimed her second Group 3 win this season, in the South Australian Fillies Classic (Gr 3, 2500m). Plea...

Tuthill taking on new training challenge

Former New Zealand eventer Annabel Tuthill has added another string to her equine bow by taking out her thoroughbred trainer’s license.Tuthill competed at the highest level in eventing, competing at the Badminton and Burghley horse trials in the United Kingdom, and was named as reserve for New Zealand’s three-day eventing team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with fellow team member Mark Todd also now carving out a career in thoroughbred racing.“I was eventing here (New Zealand) and had some ...

Dennis continues family dynasty

The Dennis family name is synonymous with Southland thoroughbred racing, and on Friday Christopher Dennis added to his family’s racing legacy when notching his first official training win at Riverton.While Dennis has had a lifelong involvement in racing, he didn’t take out his training license until four years ago, and had just 15 prior starts before The Kings Girl broke through for his first win in the Waiau Valley Shearing/Aparima Electrical Maiden (1400m).Dennis was pleased to get the res...

His Majesty King Charles III the new NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Association Patron

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is delighted to announce that His Majesty King Charles III is their new patron.The patronages of their Royal Highnesses the King and Queen were announced by Buckingham Palace last week to coincide with the first anniversary of Their Majesties Coronation.The NZTBA received official notification from Buckingham Palace this week.“It was a tremendous privilege to have received the letter through the post this week stating that His Majesty The Ki...

Partnership strikes another stakes winning blow

A long-standing association that provided Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay with their breakthrough Group One success has again come up trumps at stakes level.The Lindsays bred and raced the 2015 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner Marky Mark, who was prepared by Moira Murdoch.Now operating in partnership with daughter Kieran, Murdoch also trains Cambridge Stud’s progressive mare Bella Waters, who claimed the Listed Rotorua Cup (2200m) at just her ninth appearance.�...

Williams celebrates domestic success during Kentucky tour

Little Avondale Stud’s Sam Williams cheered home a significant black-type result for the Masterton nursery from afar.He is currently in the United States and was trackside at Churchill Downs to see Mystik Dan win the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby (2000m) during a tour to become better acquainted with American pedigrees.“I came over here to get more of an understanding of the genetics,” Williams said.“I used to follow the American pedigrees a lot more closely and we all know the Northern Dancer sto...

NZB’s Weanling Sale Catalogue Now Online

The countdown to next month’s 2024 National Weanling Sale is underway, with a quality catalogue of 150 youngsters now available to view online.Set to be held on Thursday 20 June at Karaka, the Sale offers an enticing opportunity for both pinhookers and end users to secure quality stock, with the session a proven source of racetrack and investment success.Group One winners Pignan (NZ) (Staphanos), Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) and Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) were all purchased as weanli...

Alice Wilkinson - Irish National Stud Blog 4

During the first and last week of April, I spent my time in Blandford yard, which is home to unvaccinated mares and foals. The first week of April we had lots of mares entering the yard, both newborns coming from the foaling unit and mares with older foals coming to stay until they are covered here at the INS.  This made for a very busy week with lots of vet work, treatments, farrier work and turning all mares and foals out and bringing them back...

Feature double for Hashizume at Rotorua

Red-hot rider Masa Hashizume added further plaudits to an already outstanding season when he piloted Karman Line to a deserved victory in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.Hashizume has already smashed his previous season’s best winning tally of 33 victories set in the 2021/2022 racing year with a current total of 53 wins at the close of play on Saturday, including seven stakes victories which includes the win by Karman Line as well as that of Bella Waters who had earlier taken o...

Valuable Rotorua Cup win for Cambridge Stud homebred

Well-related Cambridge Stud mare Bella Waters was thrown in at the deep end for Saturday’s Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m), but she proved that she belonged at black-type level with a highly valuable win.Bred and raced by Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Bella Waters is by Sacred Falls out of the Irish-bred mare But Beautiful. That makes her a half-sister to Immediacy, a classy Melbourne three-year-old who won this season’s Gr.2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield.Bella Waters made...

Hezashocka lands Gosford Gold Cup

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Hezashocka relished the heavy track at Newcastle to break a 22-month hiatus from the winner's stall in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2200m).Stable representative Ben Elam said he was delighted to see rain lashing Newcastle, knowing it would play to the strength of the six-year-old son of Shocking."He's a horse that, the more rain the better, so when we were sitting in the pub last night having a beer and talking about the races and the Newcastle trots g...