The Mighty Spar posts deserved victory

The Mighty Spar

The Mighty Spar hasn’t had much luck this preparation before the son of Savabeel turned his fortunes around at Otaki on Thursday afternoon.

Trained by Jamie Richards, the Waikato Stud-bred and sold four-year-old settled three back on the
fence before rider Joe Kamaruddin shouldered into the clear at the top of the straight.

The Mighty Spar produced a sustained finish for victory, his second from nine appearances which
include four minor placings.

Luck went his way today following tardy starts at Tauranga and Te Rapa from wide gates in his first
two outings this preparation and was then badly held up at Rotorua before powering home for
second.

The Mighty Spar was a high-priced Karaka yearling when purchased by Te Akau’s David Ellis for
$430,000. He is the first foal and only race day representative to date for the O’Reilly mare
O’Dianne.

She was successful on two occasions and fourth in the Karaka Million and is out of the G3 Frances
Tressady S. winner Breezy, a three-quarter sister to the dam of the G2 Cal Isuzu S. winner Sports
Illustrated and the family of the multiple Group 1 winner and sire Starcraft.

https://twitter.com/WaikatoStud/status/1481498740792115200

Recent News
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.

Read More
9 July 2026

WS graduate Honour Roll out to add stakes success at Otaki

Waikato Stud will be cheering on one of its promising graduates on Friday when Honour Roll contests the Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. The WS-bred son of the late Champion sire …

Read More