Agent Debuts In Style

29 March 2011

Pins three-year-old Agent made the perfect start to his racing career with a runaway victory in Melbourne on Friday. Trained by Robert Hickmott for high-profile owner Lloyd Williams, the WS-bred and sold gelding was successful at the first time of asking when he coasted home by two and a-half lengths at Sandown.

A $60,000 buy from the Matamata farm’s 2009 Premier Sale draft at Karaka, he is out of the Danasinga mare Go Our Dana who won four races. She is a half-sister to the former capable sprinter Pinmdown who was twice stakes placed during his career.

Their dam is the Gr 3 Ladies Mile winner Mi Babe and it is also the family of the Gr 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Imperial Angel and the Gr 3 Manawatu Classic winner Majestic Angel. Further back in the pedigree is the former top-flight galloper and Gr 1 New Zealand Derby winner (Sir) Silver Lad.

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.