High-class stayer Sangster retired

23 October 2014

Millionaire galloper and triple Group One winner Sangster has run his last race.

The decision was made following the son of Savabeel’s unplaced performance in the Gr.2 Herbert Power at Caulfield earlier this month.

Sangster had previously finished runner-up at Moonee Valley behind the Gr.1 Cox Plate aspirant The Cleaner in his first appearance in Melbourne for the spring.

“He’s been racing in top-line events and Group One races ever since he won the Derby and he’s never had the best knees or joints,” said Trent Busuttin, who prepared the six-year-old with his partner Natalie Young.

“He came through his very unlucky run in the JRA Cup super and we were confident going into the Herbert Power, but he jarred up and was sore so we elected to retire him and find him a good home.”

Sangster was a debut winner at Hawera as a two-year-old and was successful in his first three-year-old appearance at Warwick Farm.

He progressed to finish third in the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes and two runs later he triumphed in the Gr.1 VRC Derby in the hands of Hugh Bowman.

Sangster was winless on his next preparation, but he showed the benefit of a lengthy spell when he returned to win the Gr.1 International Stakes, the Gr.2 Avondale Gold Cup and the Gr.1 Auckland Cup in consecutive outings.

Purchased at Karaka by Busuttin for $19,000 out of Kilgravin Lodge’s 2010 Ready to Run Sale draft, Sangster was sparingly raced and retires with six wins and seven placings from his 29 career starts. – NZ Racing Desk.

Tivaci’s Movie Night steals the show at Newcastle

A sister to the Gr.1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) winner Never Been Kissed, the Waikato Stud-bred and raced Movie Night (NZ) was rewarded for her consistency, breaking her maiden with an all-the-way win over 1400m at Newcastle for trainer Tom Charlton.

9 July 2026

Oilman’s stud stake could change course of NZ breeding

Eighteen months ago, Texas oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt walked through the lush Waikato pasture of Matamata’s Balcarres Stud and announced he wanted some just like it for his own.

Today he has-360 acres about a mile down the road which has been transformed from a dairy farm to one of New Zealand’s leading horse and cattle breeding establishments.