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Savaglee strong as Group assignments loom

While top honours did not go the way of Savaglee in Saturday’s Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m), Pam Gerard took plenty of positives from the performance of her colt as he heads towards loftier targets.The impressive colt was a Group Three-winning juvenile and has flourished early in his three-year-old campaign, winning the 3YO Colts and Geldings contest at Taupo before a storming run into second behind Poetic Champion in the Hastings three-year-old feature.  In a leader-...

Big targets beckon for impressive Storm Boy

Multi-million dollar future sire Storm Boy (Justify) put his career firmly back on track with a dominant victory in his first three-year-old appearance in Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill.And such was the nature of his win, co-trainer Adrian Bott said a vast range of races were possibilities for him this spring – from three-year-old stallion makers the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), to the $20 million The Everest (1200m) and the Cox Plate (G...

Northern Raider Scores At Cambridge

Brucey Lee made the seven-hour round trip from Ruakaka worthwhile for trainer Kim Knight on Wednesday when taking out the TAB 2000 at Cambridge Synthetic.The son of U S Navy Flag had placed in his previous start over 2100m on his home track earlier this month and Knight was confident of an improved result despite his topweight of 60kg.Punters shared her thoughts and backed him into $4.40 favouritism, and he didn’t disappoint, running out a one-length victor over fellow Northland raider Richieâ...

2024 Waikato Stallion Parade Weekend

Thanks to Gavelhouse.com and Angelique Bridson for these photos of our stallions taken at the annual Waikato Stallion Parade Weekend.  ...

Savaglee makes perfect start at Taupo

Group Three winner Savaglee made the perfect start to his three-year-old season at Taupo on Wednesday when taking out the Poverty Bay Turf Club 3YO Colts/Geldings (1100m).The son of Savabeel jumped well from barrier two and quickly settled outside leader When Stars Align. Savaglee continued to eke into his foes advantage and hit the lead with 200m to go, and he continued to build on his advantage to score a 1-1/4 length victory over race favourite Super Photon.Purchased by The Oaks Stud General ...

The Oaks hoping So Naive can fly Group 1 flag

The Oaks Stud is hoping Ruakaka’s feature three-year-old event can again provide a springboard to elite level success.The farm’s colours were carried to victory in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) five years ago and the Cambridge operation again had reason to celebrate a top result after Saturday’s contest.The Oaks Stud’s young resident sire U S Navy Flag was to the fore with his progressive son So Naïve an impressive winner of the event for trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant...

So Naive takes out Gr 3 Northland Breeders Stakes

The Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley training partnership had plenty to celebrate on Saturday when they produced a superb quinella in the feature event at Ruakaka, the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), with stable runners So Naive and Toruk Makto.So Naive, a stunning son of The Oaks Stud resident stallion U S Navy Flag, had won twice from four starts during his two-year-old campaign and was fitted for his new season resumption with a comfortable win at the Cambridge trial...

Bluebloods - Stud Profile

For over two decades, The Oaks Stud has been a centrepiece of the Waikato’s breeding industry and in 2024, the Gr.1 producing farm will stand three premier stallions. Champion European Two-Year-Old and Champion Sprinter U S Navy Flag is now a proven stallion of stakes winners, while Roc De Cambes continues to sire group class horses, and The Chosen One brings colonial blood and Group 1 ability to the fore.“We’ve had a good year. U S Navy Flag was the Champion First Season Sire last season ...

Pendragon's Time To Fire

Auckland Guineas winner The Pendragon (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) is expected to make an altogether different impact at his second Australian start than he did at his first when he lines up to begin his spring campaign at Caulfield on Saturday.The effects of a long campaign in New Zealand told on The Pendragon at his Australian debut in the Australian Guineas at Flemington in March and Anthony Feroce from the Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson stable said little notice should be taken from his 15...

Debut winners for U S Navy Flag

The Oaks Stud's resident sire U S Navy Flag has been represented by two impressive debut winners in recent days.On Thursday, 3YO filly Our Blue Belle (pictured) was a winner over 1300m at Cambridge.   Coming from off the speed, Our Blue Belle closed strongly in the final stages to win by a long neck for trainers Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray.In Australia the Ciaron Maher trained debutant 3-year-old filly Navy Heart (NZ) won for jockey Harry Coffey at Echuca on Sunday. She ...

U S Navy Flag Crowned Champion 2nd Season Sire

As the curtain came down on another big and busy racing year on Thursday, TTR AusNZ dissects the national premiership winners, both on and off the track in New Zealand.Leading the way amongst New Zealand’s second season sires in the 2023/24 season was The Oaks Stud’s U S Navy Flag (USA), the European Champion 2YO War Front (USA) horse who was crowned last year’s Champion First Season Sire.Thirteen of his 44 runners this season have been winners with two being stakes winners: the ...

All Options Open For Navy King

Symon Wilde is taking an open mind into the spring with his emerging stayer Navy King (U S Navy Flag) and will let his performances dictate what level of races he contests.Wilde said Navy King has staying potential and will be entered for all of the major races, including the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.Two starts ago at Flemington, Navy King impressively won the Sir Henry Bolte Handicap, which was the corresponding event won by First Immortal last year before he mixed it with the top level and...

NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stallion Parade Weekend

The Oaks Stud stallions will be parading at 12.30 pm on Sunday 25th August (122 Roto-o-Rangi Road) as part of the Waikato Thoroughbred Breeders Stallion Parade weekend.All welcome. ...

U S Navy Flag heads competitively priced fees at The Oaks Stud

On Tuesday, one of Australasia’s premier nurseries, The Oaks Stud in New Zealand, announced its three-strong roster, headed by the royally bred and accomplished U S Navy Flag (USA). The stallion will remain at NZ$15,000 (plus GST) after another brilliant season on the track.The Thoroughbred Report chatted with The Oaks Stud’s General Manager, Rick Williams, to find out more about the roster.U S Navy Flag, a son of the sire sensation War Front (USA), boasts an impressive pedigr...

Wilde's Navy Off To Conquer Queensland

Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde is going to do something this week he hasn’t done for a long time and send a horse to race in Queensland, with Navy King (U S Navy Flag) to fly to Brisbane on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Queensland Derby.Wilde campaigned Baughurst and Hissing Sid in Brisbane 15 years ago but hasn’t been back with a runner since then.That’s all about to change though, after Navy King impressed connections with his last-start victory at Flemington, convincing them to...

U S Navy Flag heads The Oaks Stud roster

The Oaks Stud in Cambridge have announced their service fees for the forthcoming breeding season with the roster to be headed by leading second season sire U S Navy Flag (pictured) at $15,000 + GST.The son of War Front was represented by Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) winner Pendragon, who also finished runner-up in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m). Other highlight progeny include multiple stakes winner Chantilly Lace, Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes runner-up Aprilia and multiple Group One per...

Navy King Shows Staying Prowess

A two-time winner over sprint distances earlier in the year, New Zealand-bred Navy King suggested he might be better suited to a different role when he scored a big win in Saturday’s A$150,000 Sir Henry Bolte Handicap (2000m) at Flemington.The three-year-old won over 1000m in January and 1200m in February, then had mixed results over 1200m, 1400m and 1600m in his following four starts. He stepped up to 2000m at Caulfield on May 4 and finished a close fourth, and his second attempt at the dista...

U S Navy Flag set for Second Season Sire Title

U S Navy Flag (USA) is poised to clinch the Leading New Zealand Second-Season Sire title after earning last year’s recognition as the Champion First-Season Sire. The son of War Front (USA), stationed at The Oaks Stud, has maintained his momentum this season, notably with The Pendragon (NZ) securing victory in the G2 Auckland Guineas.Following closely behind is Ace High from Rich Hill Stud, whose star performer, Molly Bloom (NZ), claimed victory in t...

Antrim Coast shooting for Derby win for Marsh

With the prospect of Group One glory both now and in the spring, Saturday looms as an exciting afternoon for Stephen Marsh.The Cambridge trainer will saddle Antrim Coast as a live contender for the Gr.1 Thomas Farms South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville, while the unbeaten two-year-old Super Photon can confirm his Group One credentials for next season with another bold performance in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa.Antrim Coast will attempt to ...

Derby Path Continues For Antrim Coast

Antrim Coast continued his upward Derby trajectory on Saturday, despite having to settle for second in the Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield.The Stephen Marsh-trained three-year-old finished second behind Orchestral in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March and franked that form with a tough victory in the Gr.3 Alistair Clark Stakes (2040m) over Kiwi filly Quintessa at The Valley.Antrim Coast lined-up on Saturday at much shorter odds, but came off second-best to fellow Kiwi-b...

Antrim Coast Loving Life In Australia

He’s slipped under punters’ guards at his past two starts but Stephen Marsh is expecting Antrim Coast (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) to be one of the favourites when he tackles Saturday’s Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield.The improving three-year-old ran a blinder at $157 when second to Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) in the NZ Derby (2400m) last month, before backing up that performance with a shock win at $51 in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at The Valley last start.His Kiwi t...

Savaglee Primed For Season Finale

Exciting youngster Savaglee will be hoping to end his juvenile season this Saturday the way he started it, winning at Trentham.The son of Savabeel was an emphatic four-length winner at the Upper Hutt track when on debut in October and trainers Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard would be delighted if he could bookend the season with a winning result in Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee was purchased by The Oaks Stud at last year’...

Kiwi Raider Antrim Coast wins Gr 2 Alister Clark Stakes

New Zealand’s Group One three-year-old form was to the fore at Moonee Valley on Saturday, where Antrim Coast edged out Quintessa in a thrilling finish to the A$500,000 Gr.2 DCE Alister Clark Stakes (2040m).Te Akau Racing’s Quintessa went into the race as a $4 favourite. She had previously shown her star quality on home soil, winning the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham in January, then finished an eye-catching fourth in this month’s Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in her first appear...

Antrim Coast Melbourne Bound

He beat all but glamour filly Orchestral in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie earlier this month and now Antrim Coast will be given his chance to test his talent across the Tasman.Bred by The Oaks Stud, the son of Roc De Cambes races in the blue and white silks of farm principal Dick Karreman, for whom he has been a standout in his three-year-old year.Under the care of Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, Antrim Coast has won two of his seven starts this term and secured black-type wit...

Williams taking next step in training dream

Growing up on The Oaks Stud in Cambridge paved a way for a successful career in the thoroughbred breeding industry for Dean Williams (pictured, left), however, he got the racing bug young and is about to take an important step in fulfilling his dream of becoming a trainer.The son of The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams, the thoroughbred industry has been engrained in Dean’s life from a young age, but it was the deeds of glamour mare Seachange on the track that lit a fire in him to pursu...