Beckham scores tough win at eagle farm

17 July 2016

The elegantly-bred Beckham overcame testing conditions at Eagle Farm yesterday to further his record. The WS-bred and raced son of Pins posted a gallant performance under leading jockey Jeff Lloyd for the sixth win of his 21-start career.

Trained on the course by Liam Birchley, the five-year-old entire ploughed through the mud for a clear-cut victory in the open handicap over 1400 metres. “It wasn’t just testing the horses’ fitness but the jockeys’,” Lloyd said. “He was fit and up to the challenge.”

Birchley said Beckham would now be chasing more wins in open company in the coming weeks. “It would be good to get some more black type to add to his value as a sire.”

Beckham is out of WS’s outstanding race mare Glamour Puss, a dual Group One winner, who is now playing a starring role at stud. All six of her foals to race have been winners and also includes the stakes performer Ngarimu (Savabeel).

Waikato Stud farewells Daffodil

On Tuesday morning, the Waikato Stud team farewelled a matriarch of its broodmare band and a flagbearer of the WS white, green and royal blue racing colours, Daffodil (ex Spring), at age 20. Retired to …

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The Corner with Garry Chittick

Another year nearly passed, I could never work it out when my parents would express the view on how the years passed so quickly. When young, one always looked forward to the next happening; it seemed we waited forever. Now I dwell on the past and want it to last forever.