News & Events

Riders of the very good horses often say how those horses have a radar for the finish line – they know exactly where it is! Rios (Hussonet - Gussy Godiva) is just that kind of horse. Laid back and professional the colt was a last stride winner of Saturday’s Group 2 Wellington Thoroughbred Breeders Guineas 1500m. The result was a quinella of sorts for LA, having sold Rios at the Karaka sales on behalf of Arthur and Mick Ormond and also breeding the dam of runner-up Alamosa (O’Reilly- Lodore...

We are still on a high after Pachanga's (Redoubts Choice- Foxtrot ) wonderful debut effort for second in the Listed Debutants Stakes at Caulfield. Lee Freedman, trainer of the winner Sugar Babe - herself an expensive yearling purchase at $500,000 - when interviewed post race, commented, It was quite a good effort. I know David (Hayes) has a rap on the second one. I know it's one of his best two-year-olds. I think the form will be valuable out of it. That's encouraging feedback for the top...

The pedigrees of two LA based broodmares were enhanced following racing at Caulfield on Saturday. Pinnacles (Fuji Kiseki-Galroof) franked his Sandown Open Handicap win of a fortnight ago with success in the Perri Cutten Classic 1400m. Galroof, a group winner and one of the early favourites for the 2002 Caulfield Cup before suffering a career ending injury, is a half sister to Ricky Savoury's mare Steluta. LA sold last seasons Group One VRC Derby runner-up Gorky Park (Montjeu- Steluta ) on...

Delbrae Delivers Again Like a good red wine Delbrae (Thunder Gulch- We Leica ) just gets better with age. Saturdays win in the Listed Christchurch Casino Spring Classic over 2000m was the seven-year-olds 10th win and his third stakes success, pushing his prizemoney total to just shy of $400,000. This class performer heads to Trentham on the 27th October for the Group One WFA Captain Cook Stakes at 1600m. Bruce Perry Bloodstock on behalf of LA, purchased We Leica in foal to Bradburys Luck at...

At $700,000, our Redoubts Choice - Foxtrot filly was the top priced female at this years Karaka Premier Yearling Sale. It's a great feeling as a breeder to receive that sort of money but it's much more satisfying to see that they actually might have the engine to match the price tag. Hence we were excited just over a week ago to get a phone call from Dean Hawthorne - who buys for owner Jonathan Munce- telling us that the filly, now named Pachanga, had won her first trial at Cranbourne for...

She may have lost her unbeaten record but Special Mission ( Towkay - Te Akau Trek) lost few admirers, running second to Diamond Deck at Hastings on Saturday in the Group 3 Highview Stakes. Unable to find the fence from another difficult draw, she put the pressure on leader Satinka a long way out, collared last seasons Group 2 Matamata Breeders Stakes winner shortly after straightening, before getting run down late by the Octagonal filly. Staying with Hastings, two LA bred mares also turned in...

There's a distinctive LA flavour to the just released markets for the 1000/2000 Guineas. Towkay's pocket rocket Special Mission heads the charts for the fillies classic. And Alamosa (O Reilly-Lodore Mystic), joint favourite for the 2000 Guineas, is very closely related to the LA broodmares, Cent From Heaven (a full sister to Lodore Mystic) and her half sister Double Okay . Alamosa's win in the classic on 17 November would be redemption of sorts for Eloa (Volksraad- Cent From Heaven ). It was...

LA NEWSLETTER 10 SEPTEMBER 2007 Exciting filly Special Mission ( Towkay -Te Akau Trek) made it three wins from three starts and her second consecutive stakes success with a two length win in last Saturdays Listed Carters-Gib Stakes over 1200m at Wanganui. Whether it's in front and clearing out on a heavy track or as with Saturday's success, from midfield with a sustained burst of acceleration from the point of the home turn, the diminutive Towkay filly is a real professional. A $70,000 private...

September got off on the right foot for LA with the Mercedes Horse of the Year Awards in Napier last Friday night. There were a number of winners with LA connections. Before we start on those winners though here's a chance to bid on tickets to the Rugby World Cup Semi finals, with flights and accomodation....go to www.trademe.co.nz and you could secure your place in Paris supporting the All Blacks! The Champion Two-Year-Old Nightlign is out of a Carolingian mare. Carolingian was our foundation...

The saying "when it rains it pours" is never truer than this week at LA. While it's not literally raining foalings just yet, we have had four new arrivals in the last week & what, with the Mercedes Thoroughbred Racing Awards in Naiper on Friday night, the stallions due to start serving this Saturday and the Kelt Capital Spring Carnival kicking off on the same day, sleep will be at a premium! This last week has been eventful for Little Avondale's Charity of choice www.catwalk.org.nz . The Great...

The late season two-year-old star Special Mission ( Towkay - Te Akau Trek) and confirmation of Armada's ( Towkay - Dance In Time) high international rating last week have seen heightened interest in Towkay. Sam's taken steady bookings through the last couple of weeks and he looks like he will serve one of his best books of mares this season. The article by Renee Geelen on www.thoroughbrednews.co.nz on 20th August has helped too. Renee classified stallions standing in New Zealand with three or...

By Renee Geelen, de Kabat Bloodstock VALUE NZ SIRES FOR 2007 Of course, the first question to ask is what constitutes value to a breeder? It may be the ability to breed a champion, wanting the highest chance of breeding a winner, or the best return in the sale ring. The ultimate test of value is the number of breeders lining up to visit a stallion at the particular fee. The statistics given in the New Zealand Stallion Register 2007 publication deal with racing performance for the progeny of...