Kiwi Chronicles
Bred to go the distance
Although punters were caught unawares, students of bloodlines may have predicted the upset result in Saturday’s Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). Naturally, hindsight is twenty-twenty not to mention that hot favourite Legarto (Proisir) came into the race in stunning form. Her win in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) last month was... Read More
More from Kiwi Chronicles
Strong female families
Ellerslie’s Derby day was a triumph for the fairer sex. The day’s first of four stakes races, the King’s Plate (Gr 3, 1200m) fell to six-year-old mare Maria Farina (Contributer). Up next was the Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m) which went the way of Positivity (Almanzor). No surprise there. The race was restricted to three-year-old... Read More
Ambitious plan
Most local eyes were on the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) and its dominant winner, Captured By Love (Written Tycoon). However, Savaglee (Savabeel), successful in the Matamata Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m), is more interesting from a New Zealand industry perspective and the result may be the beginning of a long term plan, hatched just... Read More
Before and after
It is all very well to note that Orchestral (Savabeel) was, as expected, an easy winner of the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m) but what took place past the post should have her New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) opponents looking for a miracle if they think she might find the longer distance a shade... Read More
Same show, different venue
Two weeks ago at Karaka, Proisir (Choisir) and Hallmark Stud stole the show with the $1.6 million sale-topper. Two weeks later at Te Rapa the same combination struck again with Proisir’s Legarto in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) followed 80 minutes later by Hallmark Stud’s Super Easy (Darci Brahma), whose Bonny Lass led... Read More
A long road
It’s a long way from scraping a living out of selling yearlings at Claudelands’ Waikato sales for a $1,000, sometimes less, just to put food on the table, to a sale topper for $1.6 million. The writer well remembers the old Claudelands ring and the auctioneers’ rostrum which stood about five feet above ground. During... Read More