Day Light gains deserved breakthrough

Sacred Falls

Lightly-tried mare Day Light capped off the genuine start she has made to her career with a comfortable victory at New Plymouth this afternoon.

The Sacred Falls 4-year-old had previously placed five times, including four runner-up finishes before posting a deserved success over 2000 metres for part-owner and trainer Bill Thurlow and jockey Sam O’Malley.

Day Light was bred by Waikato Stud and purchased at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale for $10,000 by Charma Heights, who subsequently sold her as a yearling for $20,000 to agent Phill Cataldo, acting on behalf of Thurlow.

She is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Ethics, who has produced three winners, including Lim’s Ripple who won on multiple occasions in Singapore.

Ethics is a grand-daughter of the multiple Group 1 winner and former Champion European performer Habibti and also the outstanding Australasian family of top-class gallopers Octagonal, Diamond Lover, Mouawad and Humidor.

Recent News
5 November 2026

Oaks Day glory for Waikato Stud-bred Sulek

Waikato Stud enjoyed a special moment on Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday, when the New Zealand-bred gelding Sulek – by Super Seth out the O’Reilly mare Tiff And Co, saluted on one of the biggest days of the racing calendar and in front of an international crowd. Bred by the farm in partnership with the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, Sulek took out the A$500,000 Cirka Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) for the third and most lucrative win of his career.

Read More
5 November 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

And so, another Melbourne Cup has been run. Regretfully, Mary and I were not there. I have no idea how many we attended up until COVID, and I miss the Cup week. Victoria prides itself as the sporting capital of Australia; it may be, they certainly know how to create an event.

Read More