Month: May 2021

Mark Baker has had plenty of success pinhooking out of New Zealand Bloodstock’s May Sale, and he believes he has found another promising youngster at Karaka on Friday. The Hallmark Stud principal paid $145,000 for lot 78, the Almanzor colt out of Group One performer Girl Of My Dreams from Haunui Farm’s draft. The colt topped the Weanling Sale and Baker thought justifiably so. “I loved him from the time we saw him at Haunui. Myself and my partners are delighted to get him,” Baker said. “He has a wonderful…

Riding a winner five months after giving birth is not a bad feat, and that’s exactly what Charlotte O’Beirne achieved at Wanganui on Thursday. The Central Districts apprentice guided the James Sweetensen-trained Liffey to a three-quarter of a length win in the Nga Tawa Diocesan School 1600, and O’Beirne was all smiles when saluting the judge on her return. “It was very exciting, it is nice to be back,” she said. “That was my second raceday back and my seventh ride since returning. It was good to get that monkey…

The Collett-McKay household will be a bit empty over the coming month. While Shaun McKay will be plying his trade in Melbourne over winter, his partner and fellow jockey Samantha Collett will head to the warmer climate of Queensland to partner a couple of familiar mounts. “I am fortunate enough that Robbie Patterson and his owners have entrusted me with the rides on their two horses – Coventina Bay and Puntura. “They are both meant to trial at Caloundra on the first (of June), and Coventina Bay’s aim is the…

Inglewood Stud’s young stallion War Decree, a son of War Front, will stand the 2021 season at an unchanged fee of $4,500+GST. “His yearlings sold through the ring averaged nearly $60,000 this year,” said Inglewood Stud’s Gus Wigley. “That’s a tremendous return on the $6,500 he stood for in his first season. Buyers of his stock included some of Australasia’s best judges, including Roger James, Guy Mulcaster, Paul Moroney, Bruce Perry, Paul Willets, Paul Chow and Debbie Rogerson among others.” A son of one of the world’s leading active sires…

Galileo’s triple Group One winning son Circus Maximus heads the 2021 stallion roster at Windsor Park Stud. Group One placed as a two-year-old, Circus Maximus won the Gr.1 St James’s Palace Stakes (1600m) and Gr.1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m) at three, before returning as a four-year-old to land the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes over his favoured mile distance at Royal Ascot. Circus Maximus will stand for an introductory fee of $20,000 + GST. He joins an exciting young stallion line-up that includes Champion Sprinter-Miler Turn Me Loose, whose…

Picture Me Rollin will be trying to ditch her bridesmaid tag when she lines-up in the P R Law Wairio Cup (2000m) at Ascot Park on Sunday. The six-year-old mare has finished runner-up in her last two starts behind Sunday’s race rivals Ritani and Flying Sardine and trainer Jo-Anne Dalton is hoping to turn the tables this weekend. “Hopefully we can turn it around,” she said. “We were giving Flying Sardine 2.5kg last week and she carries 1.5kg more this week, so that will be a help.” “She came through…