Day: 27 January 2025

John Sargent will return to Australia from New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale with the half-sister to his Group One-performing filly Powers Of Opal, after securing lot 335 for $700,000. Sargent outlaid $130,000 to purchase Powers Of Opal at the 2023 sale from the draft of Curraghmore, the daughter of Ocean Park going on to finish runner-up in the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m). Curraghmore presented her younger half-sister by Proisir, out of Strada Cavallo, who was a stakes winner and Group One placegetter in the…

John Sargent will return to Australia from New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale with the half-sister to his Group One-performing filly Powers Of Opal, after securing lot 335 for $700,000. Sargent outlaid $130,000 to purchase Powers Of Opal at the 2023 sale from the draft of Curraghmore, the daughter of Ocean Park going on to finish runner-up in the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m). Curraghmore presented her younger half-sister by Proisir, out of Strada Cavallo, who was a stakes winner and Group One placegetter in the…

John Sargent will return to Australia from New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale with the half-sister to his Group One-performing filly Powers Of Opal, after securing lot 335 for $700,000. Sargent outlaid $130,000 to purchase Powers Of Opal at the 2023 sale from the draft of Curraghmore, the daughter of Ocean Park going on to finish runner-up in the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m). Curraghmore presented her younger half-sister by Proisir, out of Strada Cavallo, who was a stakes winner and Group One placegetter in the…

After a formidable career competing at the highest level, Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall’s star mare Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) has been retired from racing. A daughter of Super Easy, Bonny Lass made an immediate impression when winning her first start as a juvenile, followed by the first of five Group victories in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). Her two-year-old campaign was completed by placings in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1200m). At three, she won the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m),…

It was an emotional scene at Karaka on Monday after the regally-bred full-sister to glamour mare Orchestral was sold for $2.4 million.  Fresh off Orchestral’s (NZ) (Savabeel) sensational win in Saturday’s $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m), there was plenty of interest in her Savabeel full-sister (lot 345), who was being offered through Haunui Farm’s draft at Karaka for breeders Barneswood Farm.  Expectations were high as eager spectators flocked into the Karaka auditorium to see the action unfold and they weren’t left disappointed, with the filly quickly surpassing the…

Former Group One-winning harness racing driver Simon Lawson experienced one of the biggest moments of his career at Karaka on Monday when he turned a $500 purchase into $300,000.  Lawson underwent a code switch five years ago when he began to work for Waikato Stud and elected to fully commit to the thoroughbred breeding industry, subsequently purchasing a share in the farm’s resident stallion Noverre.  In search of a mare to send to the Group One winner, Lawson happened to come across an unraced Jimmy Choux mare Serenalla on gavelhouse.com…

Shaune Ritchie didn’t have to dig as deep as expected to secure a regally bred colt during the second session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 National Yearling Sale.  The Cambridge horseman and his training partner Colm Murray signed the ticket for a St Mark’s Basilica youngster, Lot 269, at $230,000.  The colt from the first crop of the multiple elite level winner was offered by Jamieson Park and is a son of Savabeel’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Savaria.   “He’s just a stunning type and I honestly thought…

Waikato Stud and Wexford Stables have furthered their representation in the NZB Kiwi (1500m), with slot holder Waikato Thoroughbred Racing announcing their filly Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) as their contender for the $3.5 million feature. Bred and raced by leading thoroughbred nursery Waikato Stud, Sethito has made an impact on the track for Wexford trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott this term, winning two and placing in two of her five starts, including victory in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) and runner-up in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), both…

Imprevu (NZ) (Wrote) came within half a head of causing a major boilover in the Gr.2 Westbury Stud Classic (1400m) when runner-up to Australian raider Konasana at Ellerslie on Saturday, but it came as no surprise to trainer Janenne Dalley.  The six-year-old daughter of Wrote had been in pleasing form for the Cambridge horsewoman, finishing runner-up to Babylon Berlin in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa in November before posting fourth placings in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) and Royal Descent Stakes (1400m).  She then finished…