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Molly Bloom bows out a winner

If Saturday’s Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa was the final New Zealand appearance for Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High), the Group One-winning filly farewelled her homeland on a high.The daughter of Ace High established herself as one of the standouts of her generation in the late spring, scoring scintillating victories in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m).Molly Bloom’s winning sequence was interrupted in last mon...

Legarto too good in Herbie Dyke Stakes

Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have long believed Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) had the potential to excel over 2000m, and their stable star proved them right on Saturday with a sparkling performance in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.Legarto was a Group One superstar on both sides of the Tasman as a three-year-old last season. She blew her rivals off the Riccarton track in a five-length New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) romp in the spring, then ventured to Melbourne in March and lau...

Luckless Lass gets her deserved Group One

One of the unluckiest horses in the top echelon of New Zealand racing in recent times, Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) turned things around with a supreme front-running performance in Saturday’s Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa.The $400,000 weight-for-age feature was the first Group One victory for the Super Easy mare, whose long run of misfortune dates back to a raceday scratching from the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) on New Year’s Day last year.She returned for another shot at that ra...

Bold Soul lands Tasmanian Derby

Trainer Patrick Payne has claimed his third successive Listed Graham Family Funerals Tasmanian Derby (2200m) when Bold Soul (NZ) (Embellish) dug deep to prevail from fellow Kiwi bred Gold Wolf (NZ) (Tivaci).The son of Embellish was sent out a $1.45 favourite on the back of a stunning last-to-first victory in the Listed Launceston Guineas (2100m) and defeated a similar field in Friday’s Derby, with the exception of the runner-up.Ridden by Jake Noonan, Bold Soul raced fifth on the fence for...

Meet the Breeder - Adrianne Gemmell

This week in Dunstan Horsefeeds Meet The Breeder, we catch up with Adrianne Gemmell. A Kaitaia-based small breeder who is passionate about her horses and has had recent success with her bonny mare, Contribute.Tell us the story of Contribute?She is out of the O’Reilly mare Contrada which we bred to Contributer. She is from a good family as it is the family of Baltaine (Lord Ballina) and Betcha Wood (Woodbury Lad) who I raced as well with my parents.She was born at Mapperley Stud, then she went ...

Oaks candidate Khanshe certainly can

The old adage that good horses can come from anywhere certainly applies to last Saturday’s Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude winner Khanshe according to her owner breeder Rick Orr.Orr was thrilled to bits to have bred his first stakes winner, but he didn’t think it would come from the Mongolian Khan filly that he was discouraged from putting through the ring and ended up being trained by Fraser Auret by default.“I was told that the Mongolian Khans were not much bloody good, and she wa...

Town Cryer too tough in Tauherenikau feature

A stunning display of resilience and courage in the heat of battle was on display at Tauherenikau on Tuesday as progressive mare Town Cryer (Tavistock) claimed the Listed Clubs NZ @ The Races Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) in a torrid three-way tussle.The Roydon Bergerson-prepared six-year-old was one of the main fancies in the contest after finishing third in the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham last month.Rider Craig Grylls was content to sit outside surpri...

Nimble Nimbus wins Gr.3 Centenary Vase

Nimble Nimbus (Sacred Falls) powered to success in the HK$4.2 million Group Three Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.Jumping from barrier five, Nimble Nimbus advanced to his sixth win from at his 27th start after Atzeni took the gelding to the outside of the field before denying Five G Patch by a head with Straight Arron an impressive third.“He’s an amazing horse, he never gets beaten far and is very consistent no matter the distance,” Ricky Yiu said. “I always thought ...

Tyler reclaims Dunedin Gold Cup with Shockallia

Two years after Kilowatt (Shocking) claimed the Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), Shockallia (Shocking) emulated that performance in carrying the same green and white silks to victory on Saturday at Wingatui.Kilowatt, a former North Island-based galloper that entered Kelvin Tyler’s Riverton stable in 2017 had shone on the Southern cup’s circuit over several seasons, headed by his Gold Cup success in 2022.The Shocking gelding was retired after a career that ear...

Perfect Scenario defends Wingatui crown

Consistent performer Perfect Scenario (Iffraaj) made it back-to-back victories in the feature event at Wingatui on Saturday when he captured his second Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) title.The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained six-year-old had bolted away with the 2023 edition of the time-honoured southern mile, winning by more than three lengths, but was made to work much harder this time around as he survived a torrid home straight scrap with eventual runner-up Dazzling ...

Collect Your Cash delivers popular local Guineas win

With a powerful burst from the back of the field, Collect Your Cash (Rageese) delivered an unforgettable result for local horseman Shankar Muniandy in Saturday’s Listed Dunedin City Motors Dunedin Guineas (1500m) at Wingatui.Muniandy has been a popular member of local jockey ranks for most of the last two decades, riding 237 winners in a career that started in the 2007-08 season. His seven black-type victories include the 2022 edition of the Dunedin Guineas with Palmetto.While the 36-year...

Khanshe too strong in Oaks Prelude

Lightly raced filly Khanshe (Mongolian Khan) displayed her staying credentials ahead of a potential tilt at the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham next month when she captured the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth.The Fraser Auret-prepared filly was having just her fifth start as she lined up for her first start since a six-week break following her eye-catching performance to finish seventh in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Tre...

Patterson adds home-town feature to stable’s run

The sensational summer form of Robbie Patterson’s New Plymouth stable kept on rolling on Saturday with his first win in the Gr.3 Denis Wheeler Earthmoving Taranaki Cup (1800m) on his home track.Contribute’s (Contributer) Cup victory was the 36th win of the season for Patterson, who now sits in fourth place on the New Zealand trainers’ premiership. He also saddled unbeaten three-year-old Shameless Boy to win an earlier race on Saturday’s card.Patterson’s runners have earned more th...

A weekend Green will never forget

It has been a momentous week for Barneswood Farm’s Sarah Green, which kicked off on Saturday with a memorable double at Ellerslie.Green cheered home her pride and joy Desert Lightning to win the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m), before putting on her breeding hat to barrack for farm graduate Orchestral, who took out the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) in the following race.“It was such a special night on Saturday, it was unbelievable. We had 46 people wi...

Meet The Breeder - Sarah Green

In this weeks edition of Dunstan Horse Feeds Meet the Breeder, we catch up with Ashburton-based breeder, Sarah Green of Barneswood Farm who has had a dream few days, starting at Ellerslie on Saturday evening and ending at the Karaka Complex on Tuesday.Tell us the history/story of Barneswood Farm & how did you get into thoroughbred breeding?It started with a conversation with business partner and racing partner Ger Beemsterboer of the Netherlands who is now a great friend ...

Sears secure half-brother to Pendragon

Toowoomba trainers Tony and Maddy Sears teamed up with Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman to purchase the top lot on Day 1 of Book 2 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales when going to $220,000 to secure a stunning colt by Time Test.Presented by Leanach Lodge, the brown colt enjoyed a significant pedigree update since the catalogue went to print, with his half-brother Pendragon now the winner of the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) and runner-up in the Karaka Millions 3...

Derby throne awaiting Te Akau stayer

Te Akau unleashed a serious Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2000m) chance in Ascend The Throne at Te Rapa on Wednesday, the gelding displaying all of his staying prowess in claiming the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m).After commencing his career with two strong performances over the shorter trips, Ascend The Throne looked all too comfortable in breaking maidens over 2000m last start, the performance warranting $6.90 TAB second-favouritism behind Group One-performer Zabmanzor for the ...

Ardrossan colt set for Karaka return

A handsome colt by Ardrossan was one of the keenly sought-after lots on Day 1 of Book 2 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales with Ready To Run Sale vendors Lilywhites Lodge securing the prized target for $155,000. Catalogued as Lot 795, the colt by rising star Ardrossan out of the Per Incanto mare La Donna was prepared by Dave Duley and Jude Latimer’s Landsdowne Park.After a spirited bidding duel, it was Sophia Nolan, bidding while on the phone to husband Derek, who lande...

Baker returns to winning formula

Little Avondale Stud’s yearling drafts have yielded plenty of success for Bjorn Baker, and the expat New Zealand trainer returned to the same formula with his purchase of another Savabeel colt at Karaka on Tuesday.Baker has trained several winners with the distinctive ‘LA’ brand, including Addictive Nature, who was bought for $775,000 from the Karaka sale ring in 2016. That son of Savabeel won the Gr.3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) and placed in the Gr.2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) and Gr.2 Exp...

Wootton Bassett makes mark at Karaka

The first Wootton Bassett yearlings to be sold in New Zealand have made a big impression at Karaka this week, headed by a well-related filly that fetched $800,000 on Tuesday morning.Best known in our part of the world as the sire of multiple Group One winner and star Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Almanzor, Wootton Bassett is by the former Haunui Farm shuttler Iffraaj and was champion two-year-old in France in 2010.He started his stud career in France in 2012, but only began shuttling to the so...

Richards lands prized Deep Field colt

There are limited chances left to secure progeny of dominant Hong Kong stallion Deep Field, and Jamie Richards jumped at the opportunity to buy a well-credentialled colt for $500,000 at Karaka on Tuesday.Deep Field has topped the Hong Kong sires’ premiership in both of the last two seasons, and he again holds a runaway lead in the current term with total progeny earnings of HK$46.7 million – well clear of the second-placed Starspangledbanner with HK$27 million.The outstanding Northern Meteor...

Hong Kong secures another coveted colt

A day after winning the battle for a highly rated Kingman colt with a $650,000 price tag, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and bloodstock agent Craig Rounsefell struck again at Karaka on Monday and came away with another yearling that was near the top of their wish list.Rounsefell went to $620,000 to secure Lot 409 from the draft of Waikato Stud. The colt is by eight-time champion New Zealand sire Savabeel out of the winning O’Reilly mare Simply You. That makes him a full-brother to the dual Melbourn...

Richards secures Per Incanto colt for $500,000

The Karaka sale ring provided countless major winners for Jamie Richards during his tenure at Te Akau Racing, and the four-time champion New Zealand trainer has returned to the same recipe for his fledgling stable in Hong Kong.Richards, who trained 35 winners in his first Hong Kong season in 2022-23 and has added another 16 so far in 2023-24, has made his presence felt across the first two days of the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale on Sunday and Monday.His two purchases on Su...

Mills snares another Savabeel filly

Fond memories of a Group One performer bought from Karaka more than a decade ago flooded back for Victorian bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills when he secured another Savabeel filly from the same sale ring on Monday.Mills went to $650,000 to buy Lot 442 from the draft of Haunui Farm. The brown filly is by Savabeel out of the winning Snitzel mare Stolen Gem, whose only foal to race is the triple Group One placegetter To Catch A Thief.This was one of the first Savabeel fillies Mills has bought from Ka...

Brown continues love affair with Proisir

Proisir already held a very special place in Philip Brown’s heart, and results in the Karaka sale ring on Monday have only added to his affection for the exceptional Rich Hill Stud stallion.Brown has seen his colours carried to a total of six Group One victories by Proisir’s daughters Levante and Legarto, who between them have earned more than $2.5 million in stakes.On Monday, three Proisir yearlings bred by the Ancroft Stud owner were offered at Karaka by Kilgravin Lodge. They sold for a to...