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Special stayer tops National Broodmare Sale

Peter Corbett has come to the end of a special journey with his multiple stakes-winning stayer Dee And Gee (Darci Brahma), who played a starring role with a sale-topping price of $105,000 in the 2022 National Broodmare and Stallion Share Sale on Gavelhouse Plus on Wednesday night. The durable eight-year-old was retired from the racetrack this month after a successful career, and was purchased by John Cordina who raced the Rich Hill Stud-based stallion Ace High and retains a number of shares in t...

Sierra Sue sets 2022 Online Record

Dual Group 1 heroine Sierra Sue (Darci Brahma-Centree, by Centaine) has today become the most expensive horse sold online in Australia this year, realising $1.55m to the bid of Bill Pearce’s Bromfield Park. Offered unreserved in a bespoke Inglis Digital auction by G1 Bloodstock as agent for the Sierra Sue Syndicate, the Busuttin/Young-trained mare caught the attention of a plethora of bidders before finally selling to Pearce. In doing so, she becomes the second most expensive horse e...

Lord Ardmore proves too strong at Rosehill

Champion expat New Zealand trainer Chris Waller enjoyed a highly successful afternoon at Rosehill on Saturday, saddling four winners and reaching 150 city wins for the season, and two of his victories came with impressive performances from New Zealand-breds Lord Ardmore and Bold Mac. Lord Ardmore headed a Waller trifecta in the A$150,000 Vale Nick Moraitis Handicap (1800m), leading all the way and kicking clear for a commanding two-length victory over Francesco Guardi and Mubariz. Both the first...

Special weekend for Group 1 winner Artistic

The Oaks Stud's Group 1 NZ Oaks winning mare Artistic achieved a special feat as a broodmare over the weekend, with three of her progeny winning in Australia. Reliable Star (Reliable Man) was an impressive winner when coming from last to win at Belmont on Saturday, while the Patrick Payne trained Mathew (Tavistock) won at Ballarat on Sunday, and  Grinzinger Star took out the Port of Augusta Cup in South Australia. Grinzinger Star was winning his 11th race and collected his fi...

Darci La Bella delivers at Hastings

New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock made the most of a five-and-a-half-hour road trip to Hastings on Saturday when he secured a one hundred percent winning strike rate with his three runners on the day. Sharrock left home at 3am on Saturday morning, arrived in Hastings at 8:30am and put his first runner, Darci La Bella (Darci Brahma) on the track in race three at 12:34pm. The progressive four-year-old mare was sent out a warm $2.30 favourite and didn’t disappoint as she glided home on the Heav...

Bigger things in store for Darci La Bella

For all of Allan Sharrock’s three runners at Hastings on Saturday, potential black-type targets are looming large on the horizon – including a shot at the season-opening Group One feature that holds a special place in Sharrock’s heart. From 2014 to 2016, the New Plymouth trainer celebrated three consecutive victories in the race now known as the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) – firstly with quality mare I Do, followed by back-to-back successes with Kawi. This year he hopes to tackle the wei...

Seasonal Stud Groom required

The Oaks Stud require a keen, reliable stud groom for the 2022 breeding season.This role will mostly involve working with our Broodmare team. Daily tasks include bringing mares in for the Vet, feeding out & general stable duties.The ideal candidate will have had some previous experience working on a stud farm, but training can be provided as long as you are confident handling horses. Great team environment as well as an opportunity to progress your career. Start date is negotiable, single on-far...

Pike hoping Catalyst can find old zest

Comeback horse Alligator Blood’s Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) triumph has Cambridge trainer Tony Pike hoping that one of that horse’s most notable rivals can have a similarly successful return to racing next spring. Alligator Blood’s Stradbroke victory was his first trip to the winners circle since he took out the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in February 2020, his most notable victory as a three-year-old. Among his Australian Guineas victims was the outstanding New Zealand three-yea...

Sierra Sue retired

Dual Group One winner Sierra Sue has been retired. Sierra Sue was purchased out of Ardsley Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale draft for $2,000 by Peter Lock. She had two trials for the Te Aroha trainer before she was purchased privately by a prominent group of Australian owners, headed by developer, hotelier and horseracing identity Ozzie Kheir through bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo. She entered the stable of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young for whom she won nine of her 24 starts, inc...

U S Navy Flag returns to The Oaks in 2022

It’s a case of status quo for The Oaks Stud for the upcoming breeding season. The Cambridge farm will once again stand a roster that includes Darci Brahma, U S Navy Flag, Roc De Cambes, and Niagara, with their fees remaining the same. Darci Brahma has had another solid year at stud and enjoyed the success of his daughter Sierra Sue who was victorious in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m). “Darci Brahma had another great year. He had the biggest book he...

U S Navy Flag filly makes 100,000 euro

The €100,000 mark was reached by a filly from the first crop of U S Navy Flag after she was snapped up by Jamie Lloyd at Tattersalls Ireland Gorsebridge Breeze Up Sale earlier this week.  The granddaughter of War Front (Lot 65) was providing her connections with a tremendous dividend on the 11,000gns she cost during Book 3 of last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.Henry Spiller will take charge of this filly who is a half-sister to a winner out of a Danehill Dancer mare who ...

Sierra Sue needs the rain to stop

Plans to take dual Gr1 winner Sierra Sue (Darci Brahma-Centree, by Centaine) to Brisbane are on hold due to the recent rains in the region, reports racing.com. "The tracks would want to dry up," co-trainer Trent Busuttin said. "Perhaps she may have run her last race? I am not saying she has, but the breeding barn awaits at the end of this season I'd suggest so we'll see how she trials up and go from there. More than likely the Kingsford Smith at the end of the month," Busuttin said of a kic...

Sinarahma all class in Rotorua Cup sign-off

Race favourite Sinarahma signed off her racetrack career with a dominant victory in the Gr.3 Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) on Saturday. The Allan Sharrock-trained Taranaki visitor came into the contest off the back of a last start third behind Two Illicit in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa and carried the luxury weight of just 53.5kgs with topweight Big Mike (61kgs) taking his place in the line-up. Rider Matthew Cameron, who began his riding career as an apprentice with S...

Life After Racing

The Oaks Stud strongly supports thoroughbreds having a life off the track when their racing days are over.    This week's NZ Thoroughbred Breeders 'Where Are They Now' profiles the Roc de Cambes mare Taiao Psychedelia: TAIAO PSYCHEDELIA AKA SKY 2016 Grey Mare - Brands: Acorn | 44 over 6Breeding: by Roc De Cambes out of PsychedelicBreeder: The Oaks StudNominated by: Emma SimonsRace Record: UnracedCurrent Role: Talented eventing prospectEmma has known Sky since s...

Family members set to do Sharrock proud

Well-performed relatives Sinarahma and Our Hail Mary have been fine servants of Allan Sharrock’s operation and will chase further staying honours at both North Island venues on Saturday. The former will head to Arawa Park to contest the Gr.3 Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) while Our Hail Mary will stay closer to home to tackle the Landmark Homes Handicap (2100m) at Hawera. “The way Sinarahma has been finishing her races off, she will be hard to hold out at 2200m and her mother wo...

Blistering start for U S Navy Flag

The first skirmishes in the battle to be Champion First Season sire have already taken place, with three freshmen sires making early headway. Havana Grey, and the Coolmore pair of Sioux Nation and U S Navy Flag lead the pack, with three winners each. Havana Grey has recorded his three winners from 15 runners, Sioux Nation has his three from nine runners, U S Navy Flag has needed just four starters to find his way to currently head the First Season Sires Table. Ocean Vision got the ball rolling f...

Rionach too strong on debut at Avondale

Debutant two-year-old filly Rionach (NZ) (Darci Brahma) showed she had inherited the family ability when she produced a powerful home straight surge to claim victory at Avondale on Monday.The Darci Brahma juvenile is the granddaughter of well-performed racemare Irish Colleen who has also left the multiple winners Killarney, Neeson and Australian Group Three winner Crosshaven (Smart Missile) and was bred by part owner Daniel Nakhle along with his father Elias.Carrying the familiar teal ...

Smart colt becomes second winner for U S Navy Flag

Kaasib (2c U S Navy Flag - Cherished, by Kodiac) became U S Navy Flag’s second winner when producing a smart performance at Salisbury on Wednesday.The Clive Cox-trained colt shaped with great promise on debut earlier in the month, when beaten just a neck despite clipping heels during the five furlong sprint. Sent off favourite on his second attempt, he raced prominently under Hector Crouch and was asked to quicken two furlongs from home. Asserting inside the final furlong, ...

Unbeaten Orbisyn closer to returning

Hugely exciting 4YO gelding Orbisyn (Rich Enuff-Another Syn, by Mukaddamah) will trial next week in his first outing since he last raced in June 2021, according  to punters.com.au. "We've been nice and patient with him," trainer David Vandyke said. "Once we knew he wasn't going to be ready for the spring, there was no point rushing him back. So we gave him the summer off and now he's steadily building up so he'll be in great shape when he returns to racing." Orbisyn had a minor hind le...

Smart newcomer becomes first winner for U S Navy Flag

Ocean Vision (2c U S Navy Flag - Balaagha, by Mr Greeley) provided champion two-year-old U S Navy Flag with his first winner when beating some well-regarded individuals at Dundalk (Ireland) on Tuesday.Kieran Cotter’s sole representative in the five furlong maiden was ridden to chase the leaders by Jake Coen and was asked to quicken from two furlongs out. Leading as they approached the final furlong, he was pushed out to score by three parts of a length, with the same d...

The Oaks Stud mourn victims of boating tragedy

Mike Lovett was a respected and valued staff member at The Oaks Stud...

Sinarahma prevails in desperate finish to Cuddle Stakes

A well-timed run that saw her thrust her head in front just two strides prior to the winning post ensured rugged mare Sinarahma took victory in the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) on Saturday. The Allan Sharrock-trained seven-year-old was given a perfect trip in transit as she tracked race favourite Mai Tai ($4.20) throughout before peeling off her back early in the run home. Mai Tai and Samiam Seussie had looked likely to fight out the finish at the 250m, however rider Lisa Allpress ...

Nightmare draw for Sierra Sue

Trent Busuttin has found it difficult to put a positive spin on Sierra Sue drawing barrier 13 in the A$5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday. While pleased with the last start Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) winner ahead of Saturday, he said the draw took the wind well and truly out of his sails. “It’s a bad draw and it will make things extremely difficult for her to win,” Busuttin told RSN. “We needed to draw in the first six or eight to get good cover and do no work in...

Ellis Justifys big spend

Justify pictured at Coolmore Stud...

Wexford Stables secure well bred U S Navy Flag colt on day 2

Fresh from their stunning Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) triumph at Ellerslie on Saturday, Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were back in the limelight at Karaka on Tuesday. The pair purchased three individuals on the first day of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale and midway through the second day of selling had added two more youngsters to their haul including Lot 303 for $340,000, the U S Navy Flag colt out of Fastnet Rock mare Honfleur from the Valachi Downs draft. The colt ...