News & Events

Unbeaten at the trials this season and carrying the weight of expectation from the bevy of friends and family who are part of our LA North and South Syndicate, the LA bred Alchemy’s Flight (Darci Brahma- Eloa by Volksraad) opened her career in fine style taking the 1200m Te Akau Supports Dave Smith Maiden at Te Rapa last Thursday. We have a yearling half brother to Alchemy’s Flight by Zabeel in our Karaka Premier draft this summer and their dam, the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes winner Eloa is set...

Former LA domiciled stallion Zed (Zabeel-Emerald Dream by Danehill) moved to the top of the NZ Sires Premiership this week on the back of his four-year-old son Survived’s ( Zed -Liberal by Generous) recent win the Group 1 Makfi Challenge Stakes. Zed’s latest winner is the LA bred Raf Lanac (Zed-Maggs by Towkay ) who was successful over 1400m at Te Aroha on Friday. The LA , Don Gordon and Bryan Hutchinson bred Let’s Go Fratelli (Pins- Nikki’s Bride by O’Reilly) who won over 2000m at Wanganui on...

The scenes in the birdcage at Hastings on Saturday after the win of Survived ( Zed -Liberal by Generous) pictured right in the Group 1 Makfi...

The LA bred Xanadu (Elusive City-Forest Dream) is currently the $4.50 equal favourite for this Saturday’s Group 1 Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings as she attempts to add another group 1 victory to go alongside her win in last season’s Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeder Stakes. A lot of interest will also centre on the Don Gordon owned local Survived ( Zed -Political), and his chances will increase if he strikes similar soft track conditions to those he encountered when scoring such an...

Two LA bred overseas winners last week serve to highlight the quality of mare served by Per Incanto to date. Shotover River (Savabeel- Rivertaine ) who recorded his second win from his last three starts when successful over 1670m in Queensland last Friday, has a cracking Per Incanto yearling half brother in our Karaka draft this summer. Rivertaine , whose progeny have consistently sold at Karaka Premiser, is from the family of Legs, Arletty and He’s Remarkable. She has been a successful...

Already in their short training career brothers Kris and Paul Shailer have shown a knack of finding talented racehorses at the yearling sales and we hope that trend continues with their purchase of our Per Incanto – I’m Samantha by Centaine yearling filly at last Friday’s South Island Sale. It’s always encouraging as a breeder to see your horses go into the stables of leading trainers and this result arguers well for the first crop of Per Incanto yearlings going to Karaka this summer. Lideem (...

It’s a fair hike from Masterton to Karaka and a long way to go not to sell a horse. That’s a big part of why each year we don’t bring many home but...

The dual stakes race meeting at Kranji on Sunday was notable for winning performances from Natural Nice (Towkay-Aspects of Love ) and Live In Hope ( Nadeem -Royal Yangtze). Sixth in a Gr. 3 1800m contest at his previous start, trainer Laurie Laxon admitted that he erred in stepping Natural Nice well up in distance and the tough Towkay four-year-old vindicated the return to a more suitable trip to land a 1200m event on Sunday in 1.09.65. Natural Nice was ridden to victory by three-time...

Impressive enough to see ANZ Bloodstock News rate it the best Maiden win In Australia for the week, the LA bred three-year-old filly Flawlessly (Pins- Heureka ) revelled in the step to a middle distance, recording a 9 length win over 2200m in Victoria last Friday. The filly was bought from our 2011 Sydney Easter Yearling Sale draft for $50,000. Champion ex pat New Zealand trainer Laurie Laxon trained his 1000 th winner when the LA bred 2YO Alan (Darci Brahma- Wake Up Suzie ) was successful...

It’s been another highly successful week for Nadeem (Redoute’s Choice- Candide ). Nadeem’s five starters in Australia on Monday and Tuesday resulted in three winners. Swanky Beau ( Nadeem -Mizzle by Rahy ) looks a nice late season three-year-old for trainer Kris Lees and connections judging by the way he drew away over the closing stages for his win over 1300m in New South Wales on Monday. Three-year-old filly Glenaroua ( Nadeem -Toccare by Machiavellian) obviously appreciated the step to...

Nadeem had two nice winners during the past week. The win of Bale Star (Nadeem-Thanksgiving) over 1400m inSingaporeon Sunday had extra significance for the farm as we owned his grand dam The World Is Mine. And John O’Shea looks to have a promising 3YO in the form of Target In Sight (Nadeem-Xaaranthe by Xaar) who took his record to two wins and two placings from just five starts with his win at Kembla Grange on Tuesday. Interestingly Target In Sight is yet another winner by Nadeem from a Mr...

Towkay is rarely without a leading performer in Asia and his latest talent Natural Nice (Towkay – Aspects of Love) recorded consecutive wins when scoring in a Class 2 1400m at Kranji on Sunday for trainer Laurie Laxon. The 4YO LA bred gelding, whose latest success took his stake earnings to in excess of $300,000, was sold from our 2010 Karaka Select Sale draft for $47,500 and was purchased by bloodstock agent Joe York. 2YO Cheetah King (Towkay-Jabeske ) narrowly missed making it a double at...