Bullrush maintains perfect record

31 December 2015

Bullrush continued his impressive progression yesterday when he comfortably bridged the gap from provincial to city class racing. The WS-bred and owned four-year-old maintained his perfect record with success at Canterbury.

It has been a rapid rise through the grades for the son of O’Reilly, who won on debut at Goulburn in August before repeating the dose at Wyong. “The thing with this horse we love the most is that he just keeps improving out of sight,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes, who prepares Bullrush in partnership with his father John and brother Wayne, said.

“It’s only his third start and we’re trying to teach him the right way and he looks a pretty special horse. I think he’ll get to a mile definitely and perhaps 2000 metres – he relaxes so well. I’m sure everyone at Waikato will be buzzing at the moment.”

Hawkes said Bullrush could make yet another step up in grade next start. “I think we might head to Saturday now, but it just depends on the horse obviously. We’re trying to do the right thing by him and not rush to get there, but Saturday class definitely looks on the cards.”

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.