Breeding Matters August 2015

New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association Magazine

Issue 23 - August 2015

BREEDING MATTERS MEMBERS’ ISSUE

NZSBA Strategic Plan Golden Girls Round-up Quality Invasion retired

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New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association

BREEDING MATTERS CONTENTS FEATURES

NZSBA and BRANCH NEWS

NZSBA Three-Year Strategic Plan 6

From Kiely’s Desk

4

Quality Invasion Retired

14

Chairman’s Corner

5

Stud News 22

CSBA Mixed Stock Sale

12

Golden Girls Series

Research Update 18

26

Stallion Fertility 30

Canterbury Round-up

20

Beaudiene Boaz 32 Australian Trotting Yearling Sales 34

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION Editor John Mooney Typesetting & Design Kiely Buttell Advertising Kiely Buttell Contributors

Alabar, Revell Douglas, Trish Dunell, Foto South Photography, Noel Kennard,

Nevele R Stud, Woodlands Stud, Macca Lodge,

Race Images, Duane Ranger, John Robinson, Peter Wharton.

The Statements, figures and tables in this publication are believed to be accurate. No Liability can be accepted for error or omission. No part may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publishers except by a reviewer.

On the cover: Winter Paradise.

Photo credit Trish Dunell PAGE 3

FROM KIELY’S DESK Thanks to all who took the time to provide submissions on the proposed North Island Mares Credit Scheme. It has generated good discussion and all comments and feedback have been presented to the NZSBA Executive.

Our members will be the first to know how this progresses from our meeting with HRNZ early August.

We have just finished the first draft of the NZSBA Three-year Strategic Plan.

This is our roadmap for the future direction of the Association. The plan can be found on pages 6 – 11. Please review and provide us with your feedback.

I’m excited about the future of this Association. We have consistently grown our membership base each year. Our members are engaged and committed to this sport. In return we are driven to ensure that breeders are not only represented but can prosper.

You’ll see in the Strategic Plan that we have four cornerstones of focus

for the future – Advancing Breeders, Advocacy, Breeding Health/Animal Welfare and Breeders Revenue.

All of our policy and procedural decisions will be based around these cornerstones and working towards achieving our strategic outcomes.

Part of any Strategic process is reviewing the previous plan. I’m pleased to report that we have met the objectives set out in 2012. In brief: •

•

• • • •

Provided member breeder recognition including: Group race trophies, NZ Record certificates, breeders’ names in racebooks, regional awards, gold pins, Australian Group race trophies and a miniature NZ Cup to the breeder of the winner.

Represented member views at HRNZ, Racing Board and internationally at the World Trotting Conference.

Held industry forums nationally with good attendance numbers and discussion.

Continued to support Generation Harness - a forum for younger participants.

Have a seat on the HRNZ Animal Welfare Sub-Committee.

Have an ongoing research program into wastage and reproductive efficiency (see page 18).

• •

Increased membership by over 80% since 2008.

Provided a FREE foal alert service with high success rate for matching foals with foster mares.

We regularly evaluate our progress and being a pro-active and open organisation can easily adapt to challenges we face. We are only one small part of a multi-million dollar industry, however our voice is heard and we are making progress.

Addressing the declining mare and breeder population is high on our Agenda, however we cannot be expected to have a magic cure. It is a highly complex issue with many facets affecting participants decision making.

With greater collaboration and a cohesive approach to the future of harness racing, a solution will be found. It may come in the form of change, which participants need to be open to. The heady days of the 70’s and 80’s are long behind us.

Wishing you all a great breeding season ahead.

Kiely Buttell Executive Manager

national executive Chairman - John Mooney (Canterbury) P: 03 347 7212 E: john.mooney@xtra.co.nz

Tony Dickinson (North Island) P: 09 232 1570 E: val-tony@altadreamlodge.co.nz

Treasurer - Colin Hair (HRNZ Rep) P: 03 327 9217 E: colinhair@xtra.co.nz

Cleland Murdoch (Southland) P: 03 230 4499 E: cleland@wmlaw.co.nz

Noel Kennard (Canterbury) P: 03 3479 699 E: noel@goharness.com

Mark O’Connor (Southland) P: 03 217 6751 E: moconnor@southport.co.nz

Revell Douglas (North Island) P: 027 520 6863 E: revelldouglas@yahoo.com.au

PAGE 4

HRNZ Rep: Colin Hair NZEHA - Dennis Scott NZERF - Bruce Graham

NATIONAL OFFICE Executive Manager: Kiely Buttell Physical Address: 135 Lincoln Road, Addington, Christchurch, 8024 Postal address: PO Box 8270, Riccarton, Christchurch, 8440 Telephone: 03 339 4168 Email: kiely.buttell@vodafone.co.nz

www.harnessracing.co.nz

CHAIRMAN’S CORNER I get to travel through Australia several times a month and see these snapshots of life, politics, economics, culture and sport on the red continent. In 2015 there have been many depressing episodes in all five aspects, but that discussion is for another time. What is truly frightening is the state of Australian racing when there are front pages stories on the metropolitan newspapers for all the wrong reasons. This is deeply damaging the sustainability of racing in Australia on so many fronts.

It does not matter whether it is Queensland racing’s $40 million deficit and the code boards being sacked; harness and thoroughbred trainers being banned for up to 15 years for drugging horses, NSW harness trainers and stewards being charged with criminal offences, leading thoroughbred trainers engulfed in cobalt cases; allegations that a leading Sydney administrator tried to get a trainer to change incriminating evidence already given to a stewards’ enquiry, vets being accused of supplying ‘unknown’ supplements obtained from other vets for cash payments in the thousands of dollars, the public relations disaster of television rights in Victoria, the continuing criticism of horses dying in jumps racing, the activist welfare lobby headlining welfare abuses or the loathsome live-baiting practices of some greyhound trainers. To Jill and Joe Public it is all just bad stuff in ‘racing.’

How are we travelling? Without being too smug or uncritical I believe that racing in New Zealand is generally doing OK. Undoubtedly we can do better and we have no reason to rest easy. There are always improvements that can be made to administration and operations. However, we have the advantage of looking at these matters internally, maturely and openly. We do not have the pressure of being a racing industry suffering a loss of

public confidence due to an unseemly collage of drugs, dodgy cheats, money and crime.

Where have we got to in the last decade on integrity?

• we have an industry-funded Racing Integrity Unit that has increased the independence and professionalism of handling integrity matters; • most harness winners (at least eight per meeting) and multiple runners/place getters in Group 1 races are swabbed and tested here and overseas; • pre-race blood testing has been increased; • swab samples are now being stored for six months with some retrospective testing of frozen samples here and overseas if a ‘trigger’ event or evidence arises to cause concern (i.e. a new drug or an incident with a particular horse); • there is a proposal for all Group 1 swab samples to be held for five years (the issue is finding and funding storage at -80 degrees for these samples); • out-of-competition testing that had in the past been restricted to EPO and a handful of other drugs has now been widened to include peptides and proteins and anabolic steroids. There has been a significant increase in the amount of this testing; • NZSBA will be supporting the proposed Conference Rule change to provide one clear day prior to racing for the administration of an alkalinising agent now that the upper limit has been raised one point.

NZSBA has strongly endorsed PGW’s change to the 2016 Sales Entry conditions to permit the RIU to undertake random testing of sales nominated yearlings for the use of steroids, plus giving buyers the right to have a test taken at their expense.

It seems many in our sport have forgotten that the use of steroids in standardbred horses was banned from April 2014, except in a couple of extremely limited cases.

While on integrity and drug testing I read of a recent New Mexico quarter horse case that tested positive to a derivative of cocaine with a result less than 10 nanograms. New Mexico has a zero-tolerance policy for banned drugs in racehorses. It does not discriminate between 10 nanograms per billion, considered a minuscule amount for a 450-kg horse, or 150 nanograms, the amount needed to confirm a cocaine positive test in humans. A nanogram is one-billionth part of a gram. I repeat 1 part in 1,000,000,000. By way of example a 1994 test in the USA found that 92 percent of US banknotes had traces of cocaine with the median being 1370 nanograms.

Now I can hear the chorus starting already that if you allow any exceptions or set a threshold the cheats will use it and prosper. I have no time for that argument because it defies logic and common-sense. Any threshold would be set far below where performance enhancing becomes an issue. We have minimum or thresholds regulating all aspects of daily life.

The science is available to catch the cheats, it should also be used to clear the honest. Accidents happen.

John Mooney, Chairman

NZSBA Three-Year Strategic Plan Introduction New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association is finalising it’s threeyear strategic plan.

The Plan is the road map for the next three-years. The Plan is built around four themes: Advancing Breeder’s Interests, Advocacy, Breeding Health & Animal Welfare and Enhancing Revenue.

Within each of these NZSBA will contribute to achieving positive outcomes for standardbred breeding and harness racing in New Zealand.

NZSBA will seek to achieve this with integrity and transparency being a respected industry participant.

The New Zealand harness sport is based on hobby breeders with

large breeders (10 or more mares) representing only 2 percent of participants. Harness breeders are predominantly male aged over 60, often jointly with their partner, typically breeding between one to four mares. Breeders are passionate about this sport and have a share in over 50 percent of the horses racing.

There are many paths to becoming a breeder. In New Zealand a family association is often the lead-in. For others attending the races or owning a horse leads to retaining ownership of a filly or mare. People breed standardbreds for many reasons but a prime one is chasing the dream, the challenge, of breeding the next Adore Me or Terror to Love.

The Senior Sports writer for The Australian newspaper, Patrick Smith, recently put it this way: “Racing is a bug. It bites you. Deep. Whatever the little critter releases into your blood stream it causes a chemical reaction.

Endorphins gallop about your body.

What looks mundane from a distance has an excitement, charm and a thrill that makes the smallest function something fantastic.”

Profit-making is not driving the reason to breed. For most breaking even from breeding and racing is a preferred outcome. Few in our sport rely on breeding as their sole source of income.

NZSBA Vision

“To provide leadership on breeding interests, through action and influence, contributing to a sustainable and vibrant standardbred breeding industry.”

NZSBA Mission Statement

“The NZSBA strives to actively promote the interests of breeders in contributing to a sustainable harness racing sport. The NZSBA also values and promotes the contribution of the standardbred horse.”

PAGE 6

Focus Areas

ADVANCING BREEDERS

ADVOCACY

BREEDING HEALTH ANIMAL WELFARE

ENHANCING REVENUE

Breeders especially smaller (1-4 mares), are the lifeblood of the harness industry. As a collective smaller breeders, breed 65% of the Standardbred population.

It is vitally important that ALL breeders have the ability to be represented at code, racing board and government. NZSBA is a recognised sector group under the Racing Act 2003.

NZSBA places great importance on the welfare of Standardbreds. We will educate members to uphold the welfare of the horse. We also will provide avenues for horses to enjoy a life after racing.

Actively seek opportunities to strengthen the income opportunities for breeders through yearling sales, private sales, racing and export.

MONKEY BONES Andover Hall – Milestone Hanover (Valley Victory) Sadly, Monkey Bones lost his battle with ill-health earlier this year.

So if you want your mare to leave you a trotter like these ...

We've still got some of his frozen semen put away though – but once it's gone, it's gone!

Doctor Bones

Idle Bones

7 wins, $75,000

7 wins, $57,000

Bone Chip

Four Lillies

7 wins, $92,000

10 wins, Aus$62,000

(Sharons) Millicent 12 wins, Aus$75,000

Sir George Grey 7 wins, $48,000

... ring John at goStallions to secure your booking for this season. First in, first served.

We’ve even reduced his fee to allow for the extra charges associated with frozen semen.

Stud Fee: $2750 + GST POLF (no discounts available) John Robinson, goStallions. Phone 021 883 713 www.goStallions.co.nz

DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN CONTINUED advancing breeders NZSBA members are a mix of commercial and smaller breeders. There is room for continued improvement to ensure smaller breeders’ needs are met by the Association. They have different drivers to their commercial counterparts, breeding is a hobby but it still needs to ‘pay its way’ for them to continue to invest.

Research conducted by NZSBA shows that smaller breeders (those who breed 1 to 4 mares) not only make up the majority of breeders but also collectively breed the majority of the Standardbred population.

As the lifeblood of the industry smaller breeders need to be given the priority they deserve.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME The number of mares bred annually produced sufficient race horses to maintain an economically viable harness racing sport for wagering in New Zealand racing and overseas.

KEY OBJECTIVES 1. Breeders recognised for their achievements.

2. Enhanced racing opportunities for fillies and mares.

3. Awareness and education activities appreciated by members.

4. NZSBA commissioned research resulting in changes within the industry beneficial to breeders.

KEY ACTIONS •

• • • •

PAGE 8

Publish the annual Register of Standardbred Stallions providing quality advice to breeders and an industry wide marketing platform for all studs.

Develop an annual harness racing breeding marketing campaign for Trackside Television.

Implement the Digital Market Strategy.

Education on breeder specific topics, i.e. taxation matters.

Develop and support incentives targeted to smaller breeder requirements i.e. rewards scheme.

• •

• • •

• • •

Conduct Breeder Forums around the country.

Sustain current levels of fillies and mares races and special series such as Golden Girls, the Southern Belle, the Canterbury Mares Speed Series.

Create new race series targeted at grass roots level i.e. mares trotting series, $5000 service and under racing.

Conduct and encourage research activities.

Members only Breeding Matters – topics to include taxation matters, horse husbandry, industry news, research updates, recognition.

Harnessed – dedicated section in HRNZ monthly to provide breeding relevant content for breeders and the wider industry.

Website and Email Marketing.

Cup Eve Function – maintain as NZSBA’s premium recognition event with national and international breeder specific awards.

advocacy NZSBA exists to provide a voice to the breeding industry. The association has a representatives on Harness Racing New Zealand, New Zealand Equine Health Association, New Zealand Equine Research Foundation and Primary Industry Training - Equine Industry Partnership Group.

These representatives ensure that breeders’ views are taken into account when decisions on policy are made at a governance level.

The NZSBA is also pro-active in engaging with our members for feedback and collaboration. We hold regional forums and have a bi-annual national conference along with annual surveys to review our performance.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME NZSBA’s advocacy on behalf of breeders and harness racing is effective in supporting breeders and driving positive changes and is recognised and respected for being based upon evidence and sound analysis

CSBA ROUND UP KEY OBJECTIVES 1. NZSBA representatives carried out their representation roles and actively advocated for breeders and enhanced breeding conditions.

2. Members received clear, regular and timely communication.

3. NZSBA responded in a timely manner to opportunities to make submissions on industry matters.

• • •

•

KEY ACTIONS • • • •

NZSBA regularly and pro-actively met key racing and other stakeholders.

Promote the channels of communication between members and NZSBA Executive.

NZSBA appointees to HRNZ, NZ Sires Stakes and NZ ERF participate actively in those organisations.

Regularly engage with members through Breeding Matters magazine.

• • • • •

HRNZ rep reports to NZSBA and Members.

NZSBA reps on NZ Sires Stakes Board reports to NZSBA and members.

NZSBA chairman and Executive Manager at least annually meets with the Minister, NZRB, NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Assn, Australian Standardbred Breeders Association.

NZSBA joins with other racing bodies, as appropriate, to advance an industry issue e.g. animal welfare, taxation, gaming funding etc.

Organise regional breeder forums.

Create online ‘forum’ for ideas to be debated and discussed i.e. Asana or similar software.

Organise regional focus groups to discuss and plan for new initiatives.

Create weekly breeder email newsletter and website blog.

Provide leadership and support to Generation Harness members.

Cont page 10

QUE I N U ER OFFepeated ! gr bein s season thi

Camluck stallion PRODIGAL SEELSTER is the sire you can breed to for free!

YOU’LL ONLY PAY FOR YOUR SERVICE IF THE RESULTING FOAL QUALIFIES. If it doesn’t, you don’t!

And PRODIGAL SEELSTER is no mug either – pacing 1:50 as a 2yo, winning 12 races at two and three, and collecting nearly $1 million in stakes.

PRODIGAL SEELSTER Let us pick up the tab while you wait for Mother Nature to do her thing.

John Robinson, goStallions. Phone 021 883 713 www.goStallions.co.nz

DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN CONTINUED BREEDING HEALTH/ANIMAL WELFARE NZSBA is committed to a research programme headed by Jasmine Tanner and supported by the New Zealand Equine Research Foundation. This research will investigate best practice to increase efficiency of breeding practices with an outcome to improve conception rates.

Public perception of racing is constantly changing.

With the introduction of social media and the high profile animal rights groups, NZSBA is mindful that we need to ensure animal welfare requirements are not only being met but exceeded.

We are committed to ensuring that every Standardbred that is bred in New Zealand has a chance at a healthy career within racing and also in retirement. NZSBA will ensure members and the wider breeding industry understand their obligations to animal welfare and through our seat on the Animal Welfare Sub Committee can ensure any breaches of animal welfare are dealt with appropriately.

The Life After Racing initiative has grown organically within New Zealand with many more opportunities available for Standardbreds to retire into an equestrian career. NZSBA is committed to continuing to promote Standardbreds as not only race horses but riding horses

STRATEGIC OUTCOME Harness racing breeding practices at the leading edge of technology with NZSBA and breeders recognised as contributing positively to best practice animal welfare for standardbred horses in New Zealand

KEY OBJECTIVES 1. Improved standards of horse husbandry and breeding best practice.

2. Life after racing opportunities are in place and promoted.

PAGE 10

KEY ACTIONS • • • • • • •

• • •

Encourage home breeders to be appropriately qualified in AI and animal husbandry to increase concept rates.

Educate members on latest equine welfare best practice models.

Breeding Matters and Harnessed to publish at least two articles on animal welfare and breeding in each issue.

Keep members informed on changes to NZ Animal Welfare Act and HRNZ’s Animal Welfare Policy.

Email newsletter to promote horsemanship articles for best practice (monthly).

Create opportunities for rehoming of Standardbreds and promote Life After Racing.

Create and manage www.lifeafterracing. co.nz to promote standardbreds as riding/ companion horses, profile re-homers, retrainers, shows, for sale pages.

Publish Life After Racing stories in Breeding Matters and Harnessed.

Publish HRNZ’s Animal Welfare Policy in Register for Standardbred Stallions.

Free Foal Alert Service – matching foster mares to foals in need by text and email alerts.

breeder’s revenue New Zealand is world renowned for its natural and favourable environment in which to produce and raise horses.

Our breeders have numerous sources of income including: • • • • • • • •

Private sales – domestic and export.

Exports to Australia about 461 per annum.

Exports to USA 15 slight increase this year.

Annual yearling sales.

170 sold through Auckland.

450 sold through Christchurch.

Racing stakes.

Retention of fillies and mares for breeding.

The export of the Standardbred has remained static over the last ten years. With reducing foal numbers in Australia and North America we need to re-position ourselves as the nursery for Standardbred horses.

While breeders have concerns about the level of some stallion fees, and the loss of revenue to overseas stallion owners, they do have a choice on the stallion fee they pay. NZSBA recognises that to gain access to the best stallions in the world the studs have to purchase the local rights at market rates, almost always guaranteeing the North American owners a return.

However, NZSBA surveys show that breeders are extremely unhappy about other costs associated with breeding. Costs that they seem to have no control over.

•

• • •

STRATEGIC OUTCOME Financial returns to breeders are maximised through an efficient and high integrity racing programme, that private and public sales are conducted with integrity and that associated industry costs provide value for money

KEY OBJECTIVES 1. Breeders supported to sell yearlings and other horses for value.

2. Industry costs are minimised and provide value for money.

3. Barriers and constraints to an efficient market for sales are addressed.

4. Racing integrity is maintained at the highest standards.

• • •

breeding potential and the sales value of progeny.

Removing costs and other constraints to export, particularly for the lower priced exports (review the Transpacific Trade Partnership provisions re HRA’s import fee to see if it and similar practices prohibited).

Seeking to ensure vet practices and sales agent practices associated with sales (internal and export) are of a high standard.

Increasing lease revenue by setting the percentage return on the nett race stake received after deductions Seeking to remove obstacles to exports: e.g. the Australia levy that was proposed at $5000 NZSBA advocated strongly with MFAT support that this was unlawful.

HRA responded cleverly by setting it at $2000, a threshold that made an Australian constitutional challenge unlikely.

Develop relationships with key Australian state governing bodies.

Organise meetings with relevant state Chief Executive Officers to discuss importation of NZ bred horses.

Identify cost-effective marketing channels to promote NZ Bred i.e. social media advertising, website advertising, holding information events in Australia.

If you would like to see the full copy of this plan please email kiely@harnessracing.co.nz.

KEY ACTIONS • • • • • •

Seeking to ensure that racing and sales (auction and private) are conducted at the highest levels of integrity.

Encourage the marketing of the PGW Sales locally and in the Australian market.

Participate in reviews of PGW Sales processes.

Seek opportunities to reduce costs to breeders.

Encourage club bonus opportunities such as NZMTC and Amberley $500 breeder bonuses.

Increasing racing opportunities for fillies and mares in particular to enhance their

Your feedback is welcomed.

This plan will be tabled for approval at the November Executive meeting.

PAGE 11

2015 CSBA All Age Mixed Stock Sale “We’re hoping it’ll take a step up from last year which was a test case across the board really.”

Canterbury Standardbred Breeders Association chairman Noel Kennard on hopes for the second Spring Sale of Broodmares and All Age Stock confirmed for this September 15th.

Last years ‘test case’ saw low prices and on the face of it many passes but the win for vendors was the low costs around the first sale of it’s sort at a beneficial time of the year.

Most championed the $100 entry fee to effectively advertise their ‘in foal’ or empty broodmare, yearling or otherwise as ‘for sale’ with a breeding season about to start.

“The sale encourages vendors and buyers to come together really” says Kennard, “the entry fee is basically marketing the mare as ‘for sale’, she’s auctioned on the night or if passed in the market knows she’s there.”

In many cases last year deals were done after the auction was over and because there are no percentages for sales companies or auctioneers or the association, there aren’t the complications with post event transactions.

Expenses tripping a horse to and from a typical auction event are prohibitive when considering the

mid to low end of the market and not having to travel the stock to this sale also opens up the catalogue to standardbred breeders New Zealand wide.

“Last year we had a rush of entries the final week as the penny dropped and some of those were yearling sales quality lots” continues Kennard.”

Getting in and up on the website early is something we’re confident vendors will be more up to speed with this time.”

The CSBA feels the “first in, first listed” way the website catalogue works encourages early entry in the month leading to auction night and gives potential buyers plenty of time to make contact with the seller for insight into the particular horse they’re interested in.

Early indications are the quality of broodmares this September may’ve taken a leap forward.

Millwood Farms has committed to nominate the top producer and high class race mare “Coburg” as one of two entries.

In foal to Christian Cullen she will be joined by “Katy Sue” a member of champion age group pacer Ohoka Punter’s family and in foal to “A Rock n Roll Dance”.

by Sheldon Murtha Proprietor Katie Carville says like many she stood back and watched this sale last year but is willing to test the water this time.

“Like most breeders I’m always looking to refine the broodmare band which means sometimes you need to let one go that you don’t really want to. “Coburg” comes into that category this season but I’m willing to take the opportunity to put her out there and see what happens in September anyway.”

CSBA chairman Noel Kennard says entry forms will be in the email any day now to breeders, owners and industry players. The website is active and ready to go in the sales section of the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders site www.harnessracing. co.nz.

First in, first paid will start being loaded with links to their pedigrees and performance from the beginning of and up until August 31st when entries close.

The auction night is Tuesday September 15th at Addington Raceway’s Blossom Lady lounge starting from 5.30 pm and running until the last lot goes under the hammer.

Canterbury Standardbred Breeders’ Association Annual General Meeting Tuesday 8th September 2015 - 6.30pm for 7pm start Spectators Bar, Addington Raceway NZSBA SGM & AGM to follow this meeting, see page 18

Selection of soft drinks, wine and beer plus light supper provided.

AGM AGENDA •

• Chairman’s Annual Report 2014/15 Approval of Annual Accounts for 2013/14 and 2014/15 • Election of Committee • General Business

RSVP to kiely@harnessracing.co.nz or 03 339 4168 by 28th August.

THE PRES would like to congratulate his 2-year-old daughter PRINCESS PHOENIX

for her two Group 1 victories in Australia this season!

Career to date: 5 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, $74,305 May 23:

Winner of the $50,000 Group 1 Home Grown Classic June 5:

2nd in the $30,505 Group 2 Tatlow Stakes July 3: PRINCESS PHOENIX (2f The Pres - Dodo Rocket)

Winner of the $60,000 Group 1 VicBred Super Series Final

Her Victorian trainer David Aiken says... the best 2-year-old filly in Australia at the moment. We’ve liked her right from “ She’s the start... she’s good-gaited, has got great manners, and a very quick turn of foot.

And it’s because of these manners that you can drive her like an older horse; she’s a very, very nice type. She’s got a great backside, and is a lovely walker – you’d buy her at the Yearling Sales in a heartbeat. Even when she’s jogging on the lead there’s a real presence about her, she just oozes class and potential. After the Breeders Crown she’ll have a spell, and as a 3-year-old I think she’s going to be stunning!

”

Most stallion owners would react by putting THE PRES's $3250 Service Fee up – we’re celebrating by going the other way... breed two mares to him this season for the price of one! (single services available at $2000 + GST each) John Robinson. goStallions.

Ph 021 883-713. www.goStallions.co.nz

Jimmy signs off on the highest note

by John Robinson There was hardly a dry eye in the birdcage after Quality Invasion’s win at Oamaru back on June 14 this year.

Waiting to greet their pride and joy as he returned from battle was owner Bruce Graham and his daughter Sally. And they had every reason to be fighting back the tears, because they’d already decided a few hours earlier that they were going to retire Quality Invasion regardless.

But, the fact that he didn’t make his debut until the ripe ol’ age of six suggests that there was more to Jimmy than met the eye.

“We talked about it on the way to the races that day,” Bruce says.

Trained by Bruce’s right-hand-man Grant Archer at the time, one person which Jimmy made sit up and take notice was Tim Butt; it didn’t take him long to pick up the phone.

“And we both agreed… win, lose or draw, this was going to be the last time we lined him up.

“I think we all got a bit sad after his race, because that’s when it hit home a bit more.

“But he was sound, and we wanted him to retire that way – not come off the track a broken horse.

“That’s always been our philosophy.”

Bruce and Sally didn’t want a ‘song and dance’ about the occasion either, but that was out of their hands.

“They made quite a big thing of it over the loud speakers on-course a couple of times,” Bruce continued.

“So I don’t know who told who, because we certainly didn’t tell anyone.”

This sums Bruce up ‘to a T’… quiet and unassuming, preferring to stay out of the limelight rather than be in it.

When you breed, own and train a horse like Quality Invasion though, which in total won 19 races and over $172,000 during his 95-start career, dodging the spotlight is easier said than done.

Known affectionately around the Graham stable as ‘Jimmy’, Quality Invasion turned 12 at the start of August so anyone could be excused for thinking that perhaps it was his time.

PAGE 14

And there was. A whole lot more.

It all began back in the Winter of 2009 when Quality Invasion impressively won a couple of workouts at Motukarara. Understandably, he started attracting attention.

“Jimmy wasn’t even qualified at that stage,” Bruce recalled, admittedly a little overwhelmed at the interest in his horse – especially from such a renowned trainer of trotting talent.

“Grant had always thought that Jimmy was going to make the grade, he just took a while to mature physically.

“And he had this ongoing problem in his near-side front knee after hurting it earlier in his career.

“When Tim rang, I said to him… ‘you realise this horse is a day-to-day proposition, don’t you?’.

“That didn’t seem to worry him.”

As luck would have it, Bruce had already made plans to take Quality Invasion to the qualifying trials at Rangiora a few days later, so it was arranged that Anthony Butt would partner him.

Jimmy won his 2600m Heat on August 11 by a length in 3:30.8, nearly nine seconds under the required standard, so it’s not like the phonecalls were going to stop.

“Tim kept ringing me back a few times,” Bruce said.

“I was reluctant to sell though, just because of the problem with his knee. But he wanted him anyway.

“In the end I gave in, but only sold him a half-share instead.”

Transferred to Premier Stables and into the care of Butt and his training partner ‘Prop’ Anderson, Quality Invasion made one more appearance at the trials and won again before debuting at Methven on October 11 and romping home by four and a half lengths.

Five days later he repeated the dose at Addington, demoralising a field of C1-C2 trotters by four and a quarter lengths this time.

By all accounts, a star was born.

“They were touting him as their next big thing,” Bruce said, humbly.

“Next up he was meant to race at Ashburton, and Tim was preparing him to start in the Dominion.

“But not long after that, he rang one morning with the news that Jimmy had broken down; he could hardly walk.”

Taken to the Canterbury Equine Clinic, Quality Invasion spent over two months there and it appeared that his racing days had come to an abrupt end.

“Tim even signed his half-share back over to me,” Bruce said.

“They got to know Jimmy quite well at the Clinic and really looked after him, he was like a pet to them.

“Sally and her partner Damian Love treated Jimmy the same once we got him home too, they did wonders nursing him back to health.

“We x-rayed the damaged ligament at the back of his knee constantly, and eventually he started to thrive.

“When it was decided to try racing him again we were going to pick where he went, and thought that he might win one or two if we were lucky.

“And the whole reason we wanted to try and get him back was because there was just something about him… he always had speed, which he’d shown at the workouts and in his first couple of races.”

A year and three months after he was last seen blitzing his opposition at Addington, Quality Invasion resumed at Oamaru in January 2011 and finished ninth. Six starts and as many months later, he found his way back into the winner’s circle again at Forbury Park.

There were even purple patches of form at times as Jimmy’s career continued to unfold over the ensuing seasons, the best of which was when he won four in a row during November and December of 2011, and the biggest trophy in the cabinet is the Ordeal Trotting Cup continued page 16

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Quality Invasion cont... he took home in September the following year.

All told he scored five victories at Addington, three at Methven, Oamaru and Ashburton, two at Orari, and one at Rangiora, Waimate and Forbury Park.

The drivers who sat behind him on these occasions were Grant Archer (11 times), Anthony Butt, Sam Ottley and Amber Lethaby (twice each), and Colin De Filippi and Hamish Hunter (once apiece).

The rollercoaster ride has finally come to an end though, and Bruce doesn’t hesitate when asked to name the most memorable moment of them all…

“The day he won the Green Mile at Methven in 1:58.6.

“I always wanted one of the horses I bred and raced to break two minutes – I just never thought it would be a trotter, and on a grass track.

“Probably his most exciting race was when Peak (and The Fiery Ginga) just grabbed him in the NZ Trotting FreeFor-All on Cup Day, 2013.

“Jimmy deserved a Group race, I think. He just didn’t have much luck on the big days, and it was a pretty talented bunch of trotters that he was racing against a lot of the time too.

“He’s done us extremely proud though, and we’re delighted that he finished his career the way he started it.”

Most horses that go a long way in our sport have their own little quirks or idiosyncrasies, and Jimmy is no different in this respect. A smile comes to Bruce’s face as he remembers all the things that he’ll never forget.

PAGE 16

“He had a habit of chewing things while in transit, and he lost a couple of teeth over the years; in the end we had to put a muzzle on him whenever he was on the float.

“And he always needed a friend with him when he went to the races, whereas at home he was fine and didn’t care a bit.

“He was a bugger to pull in his races too, which we counteracted by adding a running overcheck to his gear. We had to leave putting the cart on him ‘til the last minute as well, because he was full on.

“In training you never worked Jimmy, he worked himself – you just went along for the ride.”

The 19 times that Quality Invasion was asked to stand still in the birdcage were difficult, to say the least.

“Yes, he objected to having his photo taken; he just wanted to get back to the stall and have his shower.

“Funnily enough though, it only has to start spitting with rain and he’ll be calling out to Sally to bring him into his box. His paddock’s two hundred metres away from the house, but I can still hear him.

“He thinks he’s a stallion too… roaring, arching his neck and carrying on like they do.

“He’s only interested in fillies, a gelding can walk past him and he doesn’t bat an eyelid; we even had him tested at one stage, just to make sure that when he was gelded they didn’t leave anything behind.”

Bruce describes his Jimmy as “head and shoulders above anything else we’ve ever bred” and “part of the family” so if there’s one regret it’s that his late wife Margaret didn’t survive

long enough to see him reach the heights he did.

Margaret passed away suddenly after succumbing to a brain tumour in 2004; Quality Invasion was less than a year old at the time.

“She was a very big part of breeding all the foals and rearing them,” says Bruce, now 74.

He experienced a health scare himself last year, which thankfully he’s over now. These days he takes things “a bit quieter” than he used to, although he still shows up daily at the offices of his company Pacificvet.

“It’s always been a team effort,” he said, referring to their training operation at Charing Cross, seven kilometres south of Kirwee.

“Physically I don’t do much with the horses any more, but Sally and I talk every day about everything.

“Damian’s an integral part of the whole business too. I’m indebted to him and Sally and also our farrier Paul Howlett, because without Paul’s skill and dedication Jimmy would not have won all those races.”

Talking about Quality Invasion, not much has changed with the family favourite – he’s still getting looked after as well as he was when in training.

“He’s had his shoes taken off, and is quietly going about his routine.

“We bring him in from his sheltered paddock every night, and he still gets groomed.”

Spoilt? Perhaps, but those closest to Jimmy know that he deserves to be!

Off to a terrific start as a sire …

Tintin In America

A BRILLIANT racehorse who won GROUP ONE races at 2, 3 and 4 including TWO HARNESS JEWELS and a BREEDERS CROWN FINAL Possessed DEVASTATING SPEED - setting FOUR NZ RECORDS His IMPRESSIVE DEBUT CROP includes the EXCITING, race-winning, GROUP PERFORMED JUVENILES Zee Dana, Aussie Vista, Dame Puissant and Just Wantano Over 70% WINNERS to 2-year-old starters Sire of the 2014 Ready2Run SALES TOPPING COLT Zee Dana, sold for $71,000.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT of

20%

if paid by 30th September 2015

FANTASTIC VALUE AT:

$2,050 + GST MULTIPLE MARE DISCOUNTS APPLY

NO

WORKING FEE On-farm

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS

Nevele R Stud Office: P: (03) 349 8627 Nikki Reed: M: 0274 346 401 E: nikki@nevelerstud.co.nz

nevelerstud.co.nz

RESEARCH UPDATE

by Jasmine Tanner The wastage report into 17 years of foal crop data (1995-2011) is almost completed with a full report to be submitted to HRNZ and NZSBA in the near future.

Data on 51,540 foals born in New Zealand over the 17 year period was analysed including age at which (or if they ever) entered training, trialled or raced. The number of foals born in 1995 was 3,555 whereas in 2011 there were 2,416 foals born.

Of greatest concern is that approximately one-third of each foal crop never officially enters training, in that a trainer notification form is never entered for them. The time from birth to officially being registered with a trainer is the major area of wastage, with lower loss from trialling to racing stages. However, in recent years approximately 50% of the foal crop failed to race in New Zealand. This has been an improvement from the 1995-2000 period where at least 60% of the foal crop did not race.

The number of unregistered foals remained reasonably static between 5-8% across years until a spike to 12% in 2011.

It is clear that we need to focus on what occurs from foaling through to entering training to identify potential areas where loss is occurring and the associated cause. Whether it be that we have a high level of bentlegged foals, or that owners are simply making decisions to sack horses earlier rather than later in the training process due to financial considerations. While little can be done to remedy the latter, if we can identify areas of loss that could be improved by implementing small changes to horse management such as nutritional supplementation for mares to reduce the risk of angular limb deformity, wouldn’t that be great?

A research project on the reproductive efficiency in Standardbred mares has just commenced. This project is funded by the New Zealand Equine Research Foundation (NZERF) and by the regional branches and national branch of NZSBA.

As part of the focus into areas of loss in the foal crop, we will be conducting a brief phone/email survey into the possible reasons why 12% of the 2011 foal crop remained unregistered. The possible reasons for a foal to be unregistered may be due to injury/death, disease, poor conformation, poor temperament, financial decision of owner, or other reasons. While we can surmise the reasons gaining factual baseline data will be beneficial.

The time to conception will be described as the number of days from 1st September until a 42 day positive pregnancy. The incidence of multiple pregnancies, early embryonic loss and prepartum pregnancy loss will be described. The number of matings per mare and the number of inseminations per cycle will be reported. This project will be completed in early 2016.

Data collection from some studs has begun with other studs being contacted shortly and all data collection will remain confidential between stud and researcher. The main measures of reproductive performance will be; pregnancy rate per cycle (each farm and total), end of season pregnancy rate (each farm and total) and foaling rate (live foal).

New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association Annual General Meeting and Special General Meeting Tuesday 8th September 2015 - 7.30pm start (to follow CSBA AGM) Spectators Bar, Addington Raceway AGM AGENDA • Chairman’s Annual Report 2014/15 • Approval of Audited Annual Accounts for 2013/14 and 2014/15 RSVP to kiely@harnessracing.co.nz or 03 339 4168 by 28th August.

SGM AGENDA • Motion from Executive to amend the rules of NZSBA Amend Rule 14 (a) to remove the current restriction to the Chairman serving more than four years continuously • Amend Rule 14 (c) to increase the maximum period a person may serve as Chairman from eight years to ten years.

• Remove reference to Harness Racing Weekly and other minor edits

WISHING STONE Tr, 1:51.4 – $2,357,150

Conway Hall-Meadowbranch Magic-Valley Victory • Conway Hall has sired the winners of over $70 million Wishing Stone is the fastest and richest of these • Set two world records on 1/2 & 5/8ths mile tracks • Watch this superstar, google youtube Wishing Stone Copenhagen Cup or Kentucky Futurity.

FEE: $5,000 + gst.

Pay on live foal – discount for multiple mares

LUCKY CHUCKY

Tr3, 1:50.8 – $2,099,973

Windsong’s Legacy-Aerobics-Muscles Yankee • The Champion 2 and 3yo of his time.

• Won over $2million in 2 seasons of racing • A 1.55 2yo sire and Grand Circuit producer from his first crop • First crop, now 3yo, has won over $1.25 million.

FEE: $5,000 + gst.

Pay on live foal – discount for multiple mares

MUSCLE HILL

Tr3, 1:50.2 – $3,273,342

Muscles Yankee-Yankee Blondie-American Winner • The leading North American 2yo sire 2015 • Sire of the fastest 2yo trotter of all time • Sired the 2014 Hambletonian winner from his first crop • Progeny set 5 world records from first 2 crops.

FEE: $12,000 + gst.

Pay on live foal

For all enquiries please contact: Peter O’Rourke Phone: 03 3326410 Mobile: 021 346401 Email: pjorourke13@gmail.com PO Box 9361 Tower Junction, Christchurch 8149

www.stallionsaustralasia.com

and also follow us on Facebook

Canterbury Round-Up

The Canterbury Association has been extremely busy, and the future is likewise.

This Association held the inaugural All Aged Mixed Stock Sale in September last year. The calibre of the stock will always determine the financial success of the sale. With a entry fee of $125 incl gst, and no commission, nor any transport costs the results were satisfying.

Nominations for this year’s sale close on Monday 31st August. Nomination forms are available online at www. harnessracing.co.nz.

The sale will be held on Tuesday the 15th September.

The format is the same. We have reviewed last years sale and there were three main issues that needed to be addressed.

• A current pregnancy certificate is strongly requested for obvious reasons.

• We will be doing greater promotion of the sale, and over a longer period.

• The discussion on the pedigrees was a long and involved. The sub-committee felt that the information that was published is actually more important, as the pedigree was readily available on both the HRNZ and Australian websites. We therefore want vendors to include as much information about the horse as possible for the prospective purchaser, and this year we intend to add a link to the HRNZ and Australian websites for each horse being sold.

The recent Joan Belcher Memorial races that we sponsor from the Joan PAGE 20

Belcher Trust Fund were held at Rangiora and Amberley.

The Amberley race was held on the 6th February 2015 Fourteen horses lined up, and it was won by Bridget Blue Chip, bred and raced by Wally Radford, Diane Richardson and Fiona Mules The Rangiora Race was on the 19th April, and this was won by Motu Make A Splash which was bred by George Timperley.

We have a Racing sub-committee which put together the recent Prodigal Seelster Fillies Series, which had four $9,000 heats and a $ 16,000 Final.

Glancing at the results of the first three horses home in the heats and final, they all broke the 2 min mile rate. The fastest time recorded was Supreme Gem, owned by John McDermott of Christchurch. whose filly now has a mile rate of 1:53.7. \

Another three mares have achieved a sub 1:55 time, so the series has certainly met its objective.

The same racing sub committee is currently doing a feasibility study on a Trotters Series for four-year-old’s and older that would commence in April next year Two very important functions are coming up that we suggest you consider attending. The first is the long standing Breeders’ and Owners’ race night at Adington.

This year it is on Friday the 25th of September. The ticket price is $50.00.

To book your tickets at this enjoyable and event filed evening contact Rebecca Mooney on 03-347-7212.

The other event is the Combined Kindred Body Awards Evening.

(Owners’, Horsemen’s and Breeders’) This year it is on Saturday the 5th September. See advert page 29.

TeRROR TO LOve p1:51 $2,429,978

❱ TERROR TO LOVE the winner of

$2,429,978 retired this year as New Zealand’s best Free For All pacer of the modern era including 3 NZ Cups and an Auckland Cup amongst his 22 Group 1 victories. ❱ His sire Western Terror was 2004 USA

3yo of the Year and has already sired 7 millionaire pacers including 5 mares. er

AUCKLAND CUP winn

❱ His dam is the multiple award

winning Live or Die mare Love To Live (Broodmare of the Year and Broodmare Excellence awards).

Live or Die p2 1.51.8, a former world record 2yo is out of the unraced Temujin mare Mica Lobell, has set many records as a sire – and crossed with mares of all sire lines …

TERROR TO LOVE will do the same.

Check out the website:

www.terrortolove.co.nz Watch the 8 minute video of a few of Terror’s career highlights and FEEL THE GOOSE BUMPS!

ASSOCIATE SIRE:

Three time winner of

the NZ CUP

SERVICE FEE: Example: To suit all budgets…

$3,000 + gst if paid prior to service $4,000 + gst if paid prior to 15/03/16

STUNIN CULLEN

the richest entire son of Christian Cullen

Semen will be available at all recognised breeding locations/vets

STANDING AT: Pinelea Farm Dawsons Road West Melton CONTACT: Peter O’Rourke via the website or call 021 346 401

STUD NEWS nevele r stud

The new season sees Bettor’s Delight’s richest down-under entire Gold Ace join Nevele R’s stallion ranks. A champion 3yo which won the Sires Stakes Final, Yearling Sales Series Final, NZ Derby and Harness Jewels Emerald, Gold Ace went on to win further Group 1 races at 4, 5 and 6 and raced successfully throughout Australasia.

An outstanding looking individual from a great NZ maternal family Gold Ace is well worth considering for your mare(s) in 2015-16.

We were thrilled with the response to the new Nevele R and Alabar stallion A Rocknroll Dance last season, with the multiple world champion son of Rocknroll Hanover proving incredibly popular, serving over 300 mares in NZ and Australia in his first season at stud.

We’re eagerly awaiting his first foals this spring.

Five time champion NZ Pacing Sire Christian Cullen enjoyed another superb season of results, siring not only the back-to-back Australasian Grand Circuit champ Christen Me but also NZ Cup runner-up Franco Nelson and star WA mare Libertybelle Midfrew which became just the second mare in history to win the Group 1 Golden Nugget Championship. In great news for breeders his service fee has been reduced to $9,000 + GST for the season ahead.

Tintin In America’s first crop of 2-yearolds have really made their presence felt in recent months with the former speed machine already the sire of a number of exciting, race winning Group performed youngsters across the Tasman including the Ready 2 Run sales topping colt Zee Dana, which sold for an impressive $71,000, and the talented fillies Just Wantano, Aussie Vista and Dame Puissant.

Changeover’s first crop 3-year-olds continued to impress in 2014-15, particularly in Australia, with the champion son of In The Pocket siring three kiwi-bred Group Race winners (Nuala, Mister Lennox & Sudden Change) and a Victoria Oaks place-

getter (Glenferrie Bronte) to date.

With 50 winners of almost $1 million in stakes from his first two crops, Changeover is off to great start at stud.

Proven stallions Live Or Die and McArdle continue to represent good value with the former’s fee being reduced by $500. The pair between them sired over 330 winners of more than $5million throughout Australasia in 2014-15.

Champion trotting sire Andover Hall was well received last season with full books in both NZ and Australia, and with his Northern hemisphere highlights in the past 12 months including siring star North American 3yo Nuncio, which was the 2nd richest trotter in 2014 and also a recent European Group 1 winner, as well as the recent Elitlopp Final winner Magic Tonight, we expect him to be popular again.

The stud will again offer its Early Bird discount for payment by the end of September on all fresh/chilled semen sires excluding Christian Cullen, and as in the past two seasons there will be no working fee at Nevele R on any of our on-farm sires.

ALABAR stud

The winter months are upon us and at the moment things are a little quiet while we wait with anticipation another breeding season. There is some excitement here at the farm with the addition of two new stallions in Sunshine Beach and Peak.

The reports from our friends at Seelster Farms in Canada (where Sunshine Beach has just completed his first breeding season) are great.

With his handler Walt Parkinson mentioning “He is a real gentleman and eager to please”. This coupled with the comments from his trainer Mark Stacey who we interviewed for the Alabar news. Mark has nothing but admiration for the horse which battled bladder and kidney stones throughout his career, and was quoted as saying “if he passes on his brains, heart, gait and attitude then

owners and trainers of his foals will be very happy”.

Peak is the other stallion which has arrived here at the farm and he has settled in well and knows what his job is. He has already received plenty of interest with people eager to book their trotting mares to the bold chestnut. A son of two-time champion French sire Ganymede, Peak has those highly sort after European bloodlines.

We are also looking forward to the return of Big Jim to New Zealand, especially after the wonderful start he has had with his first crop of two-yearolds in North America. In the first two months of their two-year-old racing calendar nearly half of Big Jim’s entire crop of 72 have qualified with many jumping straight in the deep end and competing against the progeny of Mach Three, Bettor’s Delight and Camluck in the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Program. It was in one of these races that Big Jim quinellaed the event with Icthelight Hanover winning in 1-54.8. In another OSS race he had a place getter in 1-52.8 named Rejuvenate. The signs are exciting for Big Jim’s first crop of two-year-olds in the coming season down here in New Zealand and Australia.

It was also exciting to see the first foals of both Auckland Reactor and Betterthancheddar last spring and to see them develop. We have received wonderful feedback from breeders and other stud farms around New Zealand commenting on their thoughts on how they look and behave. This can be read in our Alabar News which was distributed throughout the country earlier this month.

Alabar had our annual weanling sale back in late May where there was a lot of interest in the weanlings by Auckland Reactor and Betterthancheddar with an Auckland Reactor colt out of Tirol’s Sallance selling for $7,000, while the same amount was reached for a Betterthancheddar colt from Chevyover. continued page 24

Without a doubt New Zealand’s greatest stallion …

Christian Cullen

The ONLY colonial stallion to SIRE OVER 1,000 individual winners A PROVEN SOURCE of AGE GROUP and OPEN CLASS STARS season after season Sire of back-to-back Australasian GRAND CIRCUIT CHAMPION Christen Me, NZ Cup runner-up Franco Nelson and outstanding WA mare Libertybelle Midfrew in 2014-15 Worldwide progeny earnings of over $75 million Sire of MORE THAN 120 STAKES WINNERS including 18 in 2014-15.

SERVICE FEE:

$9,000 + GST

NO

WORKING FEE On-farm

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS

Nevele R Stud Office: P: (03) 349 8627 Nikki Reed: M: 0274 346 401 E: nikki@nevelerstud.co.nz

nevelerstud.co.nz

PAGE 23

STUD NEWS ALABAR Cont...

All our stallion prices are confirmed for the new season, and we are pleased to say that none of our stallions have increased in price. Once again we are offering some of the best stallions in the world and making them affordable for breeders and we wish our breeders all the best for the upcoming season.

woodlands stud

The fastest standardbred 2yo pacer in history is ‘Sweet Lou’. In 2011, he dealt to his opposition in the most spectacular fashion in 2yo Breeders Crown held at Woodbine.

A seven and a half length victory over a Rock N Roll Dance in 1.49 flat!

Scarily his driver Dave Palone, said ‘he could have gone much faster’. A winner of ten of his twelve 2yo starts, Sweet Lou was the Dan Patch 2yo Colt of the year. As a 3yo ‘The Great White Blaze made a million dollars in stakes and at four he found the going very tough. But as a 5yo he roared back, to remind all what a great horse he was, culminating in being named the Dan Patch 2014 pacer of the year.

Amidst a ten race win streak, he did the unbelievable by winning six consecutive races in sub 1.48! Sweet Lou was simply irresistible in his final season. His victories included the $500,000 Ben Franklin Pace, the $463,000 William R Houghton Memorial, the $257, 700 US Pacing Championship and the $258,000 Dan Patch Invitational. He retired with a 1.47.0 record next to his name and in his first season at Diamond Creek in Pennsylvania he served a full book.

In August a new chapter of Woodlands Stud begins when he steps off the plane with American Ideal and Bettor’s Delight. Sweet Lou should stamp his progeny with that ‘white blaze’ and the three million dollar earner will be a very welcome addition to the stallion ranks down under. Sweet Lou has a beautiful nature and all the charisma to go with his race track deeds. In the PAGE 24

2015/16 season, Highview Tommy and resident trotting stallion Pegasus Spur both return. The service fee for both stallions remains unchanged at $3000 + GST. For all your Woodlands Stud needs contact our NZ agent Hazel van Opzeeland on 0800 117 883 or via email on hazel@wooodlandsstud. co.nz.

MACCA LODGE

West Otago breeder John Stiven was sporting a bushy beard back in April when his two-year-old Panspacificflight filly Arden’s Choice cracked a Group 1 win in Auckland.

The whiskers were needed because the Arden Lodge proprietor was an extra in a Walt Disney action movie Pete’s Dragon being shot in and around his home town of Tapanui.

And Stiven remains on a kind of Hollywood high over Arden’s Choice’s exploits last season when she racked up a win, a second and a third in Group 1s and earned $129,000 in stakes. She was unfortunate to come up against a champion in Dream About Me, but can still lay claim to being New Zealand’s second-fastest two-year-old filly ever after finishing second to her stablemate at the Jewels.

“It’s been a huge season, satisfying on so many levels,” Stiven said.

Arden Lodge-bred horses have been winning Group 1 races in Australia and New Zealand for 30-odd years, from Arden Meadow in the 1986 West Australian Derby through to Arden Rooney in this year’s Hunter Cup in Melbourne.

There’d been five in total before Arden’s Choice, winner of the Woodlands Stud/Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park, but she was the first in Stiven family ownership after earlier placings with Arden’s Darlin, Southwind Arden and Rocknroll Arden.

Stiven said bringing friends Les and Lynette Roseveare into the ownership has added to his and wife Judy’s enjoyment. “They’re new to racing and can’t quite believe their luck to have such a good horse first up.”

Arden’s Choice is out of In The Pocket mare Winter Rose, the dam of one of the other Arden Lodge-bred Group 1 winners, Bettor’s Strike (2009 Victoria Cup), as well as placegetters Southwind Arden and Rocknroll Arden.

But Stiven has also gained a huge amount of satisfaction from the Group 1 success of her sire, Panspacificflight.

Back in 2010 it was Stiven who shoulder-tapped Brent McIntyre, of Macca Lodge in Southland, and suggested he have a look at the wellbred young North American sire whose first crop was just starting to make a mark on the track.

With “a handshake on the phone” McIntyre later clinched the rights to Panspacificflight’s frozen semen in New Zealand from the stallion’s Indiana owner, Jacob Miller.

After seeing Panspacificflight and his progeny for himself on a trip to the United States in 2011, Stiven came home and convinced his late mother, Noreen, to send seven Arden Lodge mares to him.

“Mum said ‘If you think Panspacificflight’s good enough to breed to Winter Rose, let’s do it.’ A lot of breeders thought we were mad so it’s really satisfying to get one this good.”

While Arden’s Choice is his undoubted star, Panspacificflight’s first crop, three-year-olds last season, also hit their straps with 10 race winners – including The Manipulator, Little Rascal and Wick -- from just 23 live foals.

“Not many have cottoned on to him, but I think that’s going to change now,” Stiven said.

One of Australasia’s most exciting young sires…

Changeover

From just two crops of racing age, already the sire of 50 WINNERS of almost $1 MILLION in STAKES-MONEY Sire of THREE GROUP RACE WINNERS – the unbeaten Nuala, Mister Lennox & Sudden Change – and a VICTORIA OAKS place-getter (Glenferrie Bronte) In 2014-15 the THIRD LEADING 3YO Pacing Sire by individual WINNERS in NZ Also a LEADING 3YO SIRE in AUSTRALIA by both average earnings per starter and money-won.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT of

20%

if paid by 30th September 2015

SERVICE FEE:

$4,000 + GST MULTIPLE MARE DISCOUNTS APPLY

NO

WORKING FEE On-farm

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS

Nevele R Stud Office: P: (03) 349 8627 Nikki Reed: M: 0274 346 401 E: nikki@nevelerstud.co.nz

nevelerstud.co.nz

GOLDEN GIRLS Last season’s Golden Girls Series has been lauded a success by New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Chairman, John Mooney.

The Michael House trained and John “The Golden Girls series was Dunn driven Ask Me Mach won the developed with HRNZ financial first Southland Machinery Golden support primarily for the lesser Girls Final at Winton on May 24. quality mares. Our aim was twoThe Mach Three – Talk To Me Later fold: firstly to provide an incentive 4-year-old mare 1609m mobile in for owners to improve the race 1:58.9 with final 800m and 400m performance of mares prior to the bursts of 59.8 and 29.3. It was her breeding season, and secondly, to third win in 19 starts and she was the support harness racing generally by $1.60 hot favourite. providing additional races horses in the late autumn into winter. It is a She is owned by her breeder, J P win-win situation.” Mooney said.

Rennie.

“In this country we are fortunate that fillies and mares races are over 20 percent of the calendar.

In Australia they are less than 10 percent. However, the opportunities for the older mares were not great, particularly in the South Island.

There seemed to be a reluctance to programme races for them due to trainers not supporting them. This series partly solves the problem.

The mare is owned by her breeders Mrs C L Smith and P F Smith.

James Stormont cleaned up the only Golden Girls Final at Alexandra Park on July 24 when Charleston Belle made it two straight in the N-Compass sponsored event.

Then the Nathan Williamson trained and driven Kiwi Focus won the Stormont, who trains and drives the $10,000 Stunin Cullen Otago Golden 4-year-old Christian Cullen – Elite Girls Final at Forbury Park on June 26. Belle mare had a half a length to spare over runner-up, Saharazona The Jereme’s Jet – Kiwi Summer mare (Philip Butcher). paced the 1700m mobile in 2:05.4 (mile rate: 1:58.7) with final 800m The $1.80 favourite paced the 1700m mobile in 2:04 even (mile rate 1:57.4) and 400m sprints of 59.1 and 28.7. with final 800m and 400m sectionals The tough bay had a nose and half of 57.5 and 27.2. a head to spare over place-getters Odette Jaccka (Rory McIlwrick) and It was her fourth win in 31 career starts. She is owned by Jay Abernethy Woodlea DJ (Katie Cox). and Platinum Breeding Limited.

She is owned by Miss S L Donaldson, A S Donaldson, and Mrs J J Donaldson. The win came a day after co-owner and breeder Bill Hickey’s birthday.

A S Donaldson did the breeding.

Over the three years of this series we have seen some excellent mares come through. As broodmares they will make a contribution to the future. The evidence is clear: the progeny of winning mares do much better that those of non-winners,” he The Sunshine Series Final was staged added. on July 5 at Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru.

Mooney thanked the clubs for their support and the additional sponsors The John Howe trained and Jonny which enables the stakes to be a Cox driven Happy Heidi was the little higher. winner of this series.

Ask Me Mach Southland Series Winner

PAGE 26

The 4-year-old Royal Mattjesty – Smart Shelley mare stopped clock in 2:29 even (mile rate 1:59.8). The $2.90 favourite came home in 58.1 and 28.1 at the completion of the 2,000m mobile.

Apart from her victory a fortnight earlier Charleston Belle hadn’t won a race since Cambridge on March 20 last year, when she triumphed in a Nevele R heat over eventual Oaks winner Ideal Belle.

Kiwi Focus Otago Series Winner

The Somebeachsomewhere siring line is becoming more dominant by the day!

NET TEN EOM

1:49.2 Net Ten EOM is by Somebeachsomewhere out of Glowing Report (by Artsplace, a world champion mare, 1:49.2, 24 wins, $2,095,144), a full sister to Well See, dam of Well Said Champion USA sire.

PANSPACIFICFLIGHT

1:50.3 Sire of Group 1 2 year old Winner Arden’s Choice $128,917 and 10 other exciting 3 year old winners from only 23 live foals 2015 Stud Fee: $3,000 + GST • Stud Fee if payable on live foal: $3,750 + GST Bookings to Brent & Sheree McIntyre Phone: (03) 202-5506 or (027) 752-2284 NZ Sires Stakes & Breeders Crown nominated

GOLDEN GIRLS “I never would have dreamed then she wouldn’t win another race for a year, but she has had her problems. She got a virus and then I wanted to teach her how to race properly because she used to bolt.

“So nothing really went right and it was a battle. But it is very satisfying to have her back racing as well as she is now,” Pukekohe-based Stormont said.

Meanwhile, the last two Golden Girls races were held on the last night of the 2014-2015 season at Addington raceway.

The Ivan Court trained, owned, bred and driven $1.80 favourite Valor Lustre proved too smart when winning the JPM Contracting Golden Girls Metro Final for the C0-C4 Mares.

Happy Heidi Sunshine Series Winner

The 4-year-old daughter of McArdle and Regal Lustre paced the 1950m mobile in 2:21.1 (mile rate 1:56.4) and home in 58.1 and 29.2.

Another favourite won the last Golden Girls Final (Trotting Series) when Tessa’s Rocket and Robbie Close got up at odds of $2.30. The 6-year-old mare’s nose victory over Unvielding Spirit (Stevie Golding) enabled Close to share the 2014-2015 junior driving premiership with Golding - with 42 wins apiece.

Tessa’s Rocket paced the Hynds-sponsored event in 2:28 flat. Her mile rate for the 1950m mobile was 2:02.1, with final 800m and 400m sectionals of 59.9 and 28.9.

The Armbro Invasion Jenny’s Rocket mare is trained by Ross Rennie at Rangiora and is owned by Ms P C Ashworth, Mrs S P Rennie, J L Morris, W A Rennie, and M W Rennie.

Charleston Belle Northern Series Winner

She was bred by Mrs K M Tomes, and G T Tomes.

Tessa’s Rocket Trotting Series Winner PAGE 28

Valor Lustre Metro Series Winner

Canterbury Combined Awards Dinner The Canterbury Owners’ Association, Breeders’ Association and the Horsemens’ Association are delighted to be hosting the second Annual Canterbury Awards Dinner, which is again being sponsored by Woodlands Stud.

This year’s event is being held at Addington Raceway in the Silks Lounge on Saturday, September 5.

The evening will comprise of a superb buffet dinner, interspersed with the presentation of the Awards by Master of Ceremonies, Mark McNamara.

The criteria for the winners differs from those presented at the National Awards, in that they will not necessarily be given to the season’s leaders.

So whether you’re looking for a great night out, an excuse to get dressed up, or want to join in on the celebration of Canterbury’s harness racing achievers, then this is the event to attend.

Numbers are limited to 300, and tickets are priced at $50 per person which includes an introductory drink and antipasto platter. There is also a special price of $45 for the first 20 junior drivers who book.

Guests should arrive from 6:30pm onwards, with the function itself commencing at 7:15pm.

To book tickets or request more information, please contact Greg Crawford on 027 778-9493 or email gregc.doublee@xtra.co.nz

Amanda Tomlinson is joined by her parents Ken and Dianne Ford, daughter Sheree and husband Mark after receiving last year’s Woodlands Stud Outstanding Contribution to Canterbury Harness Racing Award.

L-CARNITINE IMPROVES STALLION FERTILITY We are always looking for new ways to optimise the fertility of stallion sperm and maximise its longevity so that mares conceive early and uneventfully during the breeding season. Previously, in a study performed by EquiBreed NZ involving 14 standardbred stallions, we demonstrated that feeding 60ml of canola oil daily to stallions was beneficial for sperm longevity and fertility (Blomfield et al 2014).

This was in contrast to no beneficial effects on sperm parameters by supplementing vitamin and mineral anti-oxidants alone. The stallions in the study were all standardbred stallions and fed a complete and balanced ration. It is postulated that the antioxidant effects of the vitamin and minerals added to the diet are limited by the fact that these components are broken down and not effectively digested in the horse.

New research at the University of Newcastle, Australia by Dr Zamira Gibb (who completed her PhD in sex-sorted semen at The University of Sydney) has revealed a beneficial anti-oxidant effect of L-carnitine on sperm longevity (Fig 1). By reducing the damaging effects of lipid peroxidation on the sperm membranes, the sperm motility and DNA integrity is optimised.

It is well recognised that the presence of increasing concentrations of L-carnitine in the epididymis is correlated with the acquisition of progressive motility during sperm maturation (Jeulin and Lewin, 1996), and the dietary supplementation of L-carnitine has been shown to improve the progressive motility of spermatozoa from oligoasthenospermic stallions over time (Stradaioli et al., 2004).

In addition, L-carnitine has been implicated with the prolonged survival of spermatozoa in the uterus of female bats which mate before hibernating for up to 5 months prior to ovulation (Krutzsch et al., 1984).

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These findings, coupled with the known importance of L-carnitine on sperm survival in both the male and female reproductive tract suggests that further investigation into the effect of dietary supplementation of L-carnitine on the fertility of both stallions and mares is warranted.

In a recent collaboration between EquiBreed NZ Ltd and Dr Zamira Gibb from the University of Newcastle involving 17 stallions, we have shown that throughout the season, supplementation with L-carnitine resulted in an improvement in the per cycle conception prior to the start of the breeding season and they remain on the supplement until the last mare is covered. More results will become available on the effects of L-carnitine on sperm metabolism and DNA stability‌.watch this space.

Contact www.equibreed.co.nz for more information about supplementing your stallions with L-carnitine.

References Blomfield J, Tucker L, McLeay L, Morris LHA, 2014., Evaluation of antioxidant dietary supplementation on semen quality parameters in New Zealand Standardbred stallions. J. Equine Veterinary Science 34, 89-90.

Gibb, Z., Lambourne, S.R., Aitken, R.J., 2012a, Do spermatozoa from fertile Thoroughbred stallions live fast and die young? Reproduction in Domestic Animals. (Supplement 4) 47, 587.

Gibb, Z., Lambourne, S.R., Aitken, R.J., 2012b. Oxidative phosphorylation is essential for stallion sperm motility (Abstract). In: 43rd Annual Conference of the Society for Reproductive Biology, Gold Coast, Australia, 26th-29th August, 2012, p.

91.

Jeulin, C., Lewin, L.M., 1996, Role

of free L-carnitine and acetyl-Lcarnitine in post-gonadal maturation of mammalian spermatozoa. Hum. Reprod. Update 2, 87-102.

Krutzsch, P., Crichton, E.G., Lennon, D.L., Stratman, F.W., Carter, A.L., 1984, Studies on prolonged spermatozoa survival in chiroptera. III. Preliminary data on carnitine. Andrologia 16, 3437.

Stradaioli, G., Sylla, L., Zelli, R., Chiodi, P., Monaci, M., 2004, Effect of L-carnitine administration on the seminal characteristics of oligoasthenospermic stallions.

Theriogenology 62, 761-777.

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BEAUDIENE BOAZ WA Derby winner from Group winning family

by Peter Wharton The Badlands Hanover colt, Beaudiene Boaz, firmly established himself as the top Western Australian three-year-old pacer of the season when he won the Group 1 $200,000 WA Derby at Gloucester Park in April.

As a two-year-old he captured the Group 1 $150,000 Harness Jewels at Cambridge in a career-best 1:54, beating Follow The Stars, Art Union and co, and the Group 1 $125,000 WA Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park.

Earlier in the season he won the $50,000 Western Gateway Pace and $40,000 Caduceus Club Classic – both Group events.

In the WA Derby, he was never really extended in running out the 2536 metres in 3:06.4, a mile rate of 1:58.3, with the last 800 in 54 and the final quarter in 27, figures which he could have sharply improved.

In his 16 starts to date Beaudiene Boaz has won 11 races – four at two years and seven at three years – for $413,849 in stakes.

Bred by one of NZ’s most successful breeders, David Kennedy, of Otautau, on the Southland Plains, Beaudiene

Boaz was a NZ Premier Yearling Sale purchase in 2013 in Christchurch at $62,000.

He ranks as a full brother to Beaudiene Bad Babe, top four-year-old mare of her year and winner of 22 races and $404,898 in stakes including the Harness Jewels, in which she took her lifetime mark of 1:55.7, the Southland Oaks and Premier Mares Championship (twice).

Beaudiene Bad Babe and Beaudiene Boaz are both out of the lightly raced Beaudiene Babe, dam also of Guns N Roses 1:52.4 ($103,445), whose

Beaudiene Boaz (number 5) on his way to winning the Group 1 Harness Jewels 2YO Emerald in 2014.

n 13 successes included the Victorian Winter Championship at Melton, Beaudiene Maja Babe 2:00.5 and Beaudiene Beaut Babe.

Beaudiene Babe, by In The Pocket, was out of Beaudiene Debtor, by Cadillac (son of Albatross) from Beaudiene Lobell, by Nat Lobell from the Honest Master mare Wave Eyre, and tracing eventually to a noted foundation mare in Bessie B. Beaudiene Debtor, the grand-dam of Beaudiene Boaz, took a record of 1:59.3 at three years winning a heat of the DB Draught Fillies Series

and at the stud left only two foals – Beaudiene Babe and Beaudiene Ladylike 2:02.7 (by Falcon Seelster).

A double winner at three, Beaudiene Ladylike left four winners from five foals to race headed up by the Cromwell Cup winner Beaudiene Christian 1:56.7 ($114,935) and the Australian winners Beaudiene Betta 1:56.8 and Beaudiene Beckham 2:00.

The third dam, Beaudiene Lobell, threw six winners including the sub two-minute performers Beaudiene Butler 1:56.6, which won the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes and three

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at Gloucester Park, and Beaudiene Supreme 1:56.6 (USA).

Beaudiene Lobell is also the granddam of the Albion Park winner Beaudiene Flame 1:59.4 and the third dam of this season’s Menangle three-year-old winner Beaudiene Bill 1:56 and speed merchant Karanga Red Fantasy 1:54.1.

Beaudiene Boaz can claim a doubling of Albatross and Most Happy Fella blood in his pedigree. Tar Heel also appears five times – three on his distaff side and two on the paternal side.

AUSTRALIAN TROTTING YEARLING SALES The Australasian Premier Trotting Sale, which was first conducted at Tabcorp Park Melton in 2013, is proving a consistent source of trotting winners in Victoria and New South Wales.

The inaugural sale has already produced 12 individual two and three-year-old winners and they have won 27 races and more than $250,000 in stakes between them.

While the 2014 sale has unearthed a couple of two-year-old winners – War Dan Destroyer (by Majestic Son) and Cruisin Around (by Bacardi Lindy) - from only a dozen races held to date.

No less than seven graduates of the 2013 sale contested the Group 1 $87,000 finals of the Breeders Crown with Meadow Valley Road and Naked Majesty finishing second and fourth respectively in the fillies division and Shared Interest runner-up in the colts and geldings finale.

by Peter Wharton

Undoubtedly the dux of the ‘Class of 2013’ was the brilliant Endsino, a daughter of American great Angus Hall and the former crack juvenile Jauriol. The Andy Gath trained filly has won four of her nine starts so far for $60,760 in stakes and by virtue of her win in the Group 1 $60,000 Vicbred final was named the Victorian 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year in 2014.

The ultra-consistent Skyvalley filly Meadow Valley Road has banked $42,450 – the second highest amount for an APTS graduate. Besides her Breeders Crown placing, the filly finished runner-up in the Group 1 $50,000 Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic and has managed a top-four finish in 11 of her 17 starts.

Shared Interest (Angus HallHeavens Above), a gelding of allAmerican parentage, is next on the stakemoney list with $25,700, followed by the Need For Speed 3YO heat winner Aldebaran Midnite (Skyvalley-Aldebaran Sunset) with $21,284, the Breeders Crown heat winner Naked Majesty (Majestic Son-Starcus) $20,958 and Hush Your Majesty (Majestic Son-Mystic Hush) $20,270.

Gus An Maori, an Angus Hall colt out of the Interdom champion Sumthingaboutmaori, the sale topper in 2013 at $50,000, has returned $9,263 from his two wins at three years.

Top Ten APTS Graduates Horse Sire Dam Stakes

Sale Price Endsino Angus Hall Jauriol $60,760 $25,000 Meadow Valley Road Skyvalley Mangonique $42,450 P/I Shared Interest Angus Hall Heavens Above $25,700 $25,000 Aldebaran Midnite Skyvalley Aldebaran Sunset $21,284 $17,000 Naked Majesty Majestic Son Starcus $20,958 $14,000 Hush Your Majesty Majestic Son Mystic Hush $20,270 $30,000 Livin The Life Dream Vacation Cloud Chaser $13,613 $17,000 Agent Maori Federal Flex Windsong’s Maori $12,740 WD Mister Oz Sundon Queen’s Rhapsody $11,772 $10,000 Bee A Lassie Eilean Donon Aldebaran Honey $9,798 $ 12,000 Statistics as at April 24, 2015

PAGE 34

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