Kiwi Chronicles
Unwanted
Take your pick. The headline of today’s column could be applied to Mr Brightside, his sire, Bullbars (Elusive Quality) or his dam Lilahjay (Tavistock). Maybe even all three, simultaneously. Any way you look at it, it’s accurate, and Mr Brightside proves that rags-to-riches stories are still possible, even in the increasingly expensive business of buying... Read More
More from Kiwi Chronicles
Wish List
We thoroughbred followers have two opportunities annually to start afresh, New Year’s Day and August 1, the horses’ birthday, and with the old season behind us Kiwi Chronicles has several hopes and wishes for the new season. From purely a breeding standpoint, let’s hope that the one-way traffic of our better-performed and better-bred fillies and... Read More
And the winner is…
After an enforced break, the annual NZTBA Awards event returned to the social calendar with outstanding support. Some 350 attended a great night which saw 28 trophies awarded to the breeders of Group 1 winners, followed by several prestigious annual awards plus a number of charity auctions. Auctioneer Steve Davis and Trackside presenter Emily Bosson... Read More
Class of 2018
Following on from last week’s discussion on stallions with two racing crops, this week we look at those sires whose initial crop will turn three on August 1. The future appears to be in good hands, if the season just ending is any indication. Similar to the sires with two crops of racing age, those... Read More
Class of 2017
Last week’s Kiwi Chronicles featured the New Zealand dominance of Savabeel (Zabeel) within the local industry, so this week, a gaze into the crystal ball might be appropriate. Savabeel is also the country’s most prominent sire in Australia and since we are largely dependent on the Australian buying bench, making an impression there is paramount.... Read More
Eight Straight
What seemed impossible midway through last century, now seems possible. The number eleven, a historical benchmark for premierships by New Zealand-based sires, might be under threat. Eleven is the number achieved by the great Foxbridge (Foxlaw) and is looking more and more likely to be matched, perhaps even bettered, by Waikato Stud’s own Savabeel (Zabeel).... Read More