Late last Saturday afternoon, New Zealand time, interested New Zealanders turned their attention to Flemington. The big question: Could Savaglee (Savabeel), our leading three-year-old, be as good as we thought? The answer was yes, despite being beaten by Feroce (Super Seth) in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). Imagine being Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick when... Read More

How many times did you watch the replay? I am, of course, referring to the Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) and the scintillating performance by Jimmysstar (Per Incanto). Live, it looked as if ‘Jimmy’ was a total non-factor before the field straightened for the run home. The replay merely offered a head scratching. How on... Read More

Those interested in pedigrees and bloodlines had only to look at the catalogue page of La Dorada (Super Seth) to find the winner of this year’s Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). It was obvious, although, to be fair, her last-start win in the Karaka Million 2YO (Listed, 1200m) was also a major factor. La... Read More

New Year began with a bang for Rich Hill Stud when four of their stallions sired five stakes winners within the first 11 days. A treble on New Year’s Day featured Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) siring Too Sweet in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). Vadamos (Monsun) sired Real Class and Island Life to run... Read More

A whirlwind two weeks has passed since the last edition of Kiwi Chronicles and it is pleasing to report that the New Zealand bloodstock industry appears to be on the cusp of bigger and better things. Central to the industry’s future is prize–money which in New Zealand is unlikely to rival that of Australia’s in... Read More