News & Events

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...

LA NEWSLETTER 13 AUGUST 2007 The sole Towkay in last Friday’s New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale sold for $27,000, nearly twice the sale average. The colt’s from the good Central Districts family of Sandsend, Sierra Sand, Kaapeon etc . Speaking of things Towkay , more recognition came his way this last week with the release of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings (WTRR). These are the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities official end of season assessment of horses...

The highlight for the LA this week will undoubtedly be the sale of our LOT 110 Dubai Destination – Rivertaine two-year-old gelding, at this Fridays South Island Sale in Christchurch. Interest from Hong Kong in the horse has been very high on the back of the deeds of his half brothers O Reilly Rally and Regency Horse. Contact sam 0274 853400 for more information about this exciting 2YO. We were looking to send Rivertaine to Darci Brahma this year but such were the performances of three-year-old...

Special Mission Special Misson’s (Towkay – Te Akau Trek) win in the Listed Stoney Bridge Ryder Stakes last Saturday was more vindication for breeders sending mares to Towkay this season. By maligned stallion Khozaam, Te Akau Trek has had 9 foals prior to Special Mission for one individual winner of two races (at Timaru and Wairoa to boot!), once again highlighting the ability of Towkay to upgrade his mares. The Mark Walker stable have spoken post race of Special Mission’s ability to just ‘eat...

We may only be consigning one two-year-old to this years South Island Sale on 10 August but he’s sure to be extremely sought after. He’s lot 110, a brown gelding by Australian shuttle stallion Dubai Destination from our broodmare Rivertaine . The Pines Thoroughbreds will present him on our behalf: given we only have the one entry it’s not economic for us to send down our staff to present him for sale. A November foal, he was not sold at Karaka earlier this year primarily because he needed the...

SUNDAY 29th July 1pm Little Avondale Stud click here for directions How To Find Us

This Sunday the 22 nd of July, LA sells three young mares at the National Broodmare and Mixed Sale at Karaka. The sale offers buyers a great opportunity to invest in an industry very much on an upward curve on the back of increasing prizemoney and yearling sale returns. We are located in Barn G which is due south of the sale ring. Sam will be in attendance and would love to see you whether you be an existing client or simply wanting more information about investing in the industry. A feature...

LA NEWSLETTER 9 JULY 2007 There has been a lot of talk over the extremely impressive win by two-year-old Special Mission ( Towkay – Te Akau Trek) on debut at Matamata last week. Trained by Mark Walker, we hope there are plenty of similarities between this filly and another Towkay filly Mark trained – also a winner on debut as a two-year-old – in Rapid Kay. She went onto compete against the very best local talent at three and four before retiring to LA where she’s currently in foal to Pins. We...

STALLIONS Towkay’s has had another brilliant season. Last month the International Federation of Horseracing Authority published their World Top 50...

LA Update 25 JUNE 2007 On national radio last Saturday, just moments before the start, even Sam’s cautious review, could not stop Towkrite ( Towkay – Kimberlite) winning again, this time over 1200m at Otaki in a R76 event. To be fair to Sam, the track surface at Otaki, and not for the first time this season, differed from the penetrometer reading. The brother to Towzan came away in the closing stages to register his third career win, the second from his last three starts. With his on pace...

LA WEEKLY UPDATE 18 JUNE Towkay was represented by two placegetters Egotistic (Vain Lover) and Greed (Sobraine) at Avondale and New Plymouth respectively. Towkay kept up his recent impressive strike rate at the trials with Special Mission (Towkay – Te Akau Trek) winning most impressively at the Cambridge trials last week. A winner by three lengths, the Mark Walker trained filly ran the fastest time of six two-year-old 1000m catchweight heats on the days programme. Mark knows a thing or two...