Farm graduate back to her best
Zee Falls enjoyed a rewarding 3-year-old campaign last season and she bounced back to her best form at Te Rapa this afternoon.
The Waikato Stud-bred and sold daughter of Sacred Falls won the G3 Wellington S. before she was runner-up in the G2 Waikato Guineas and was spelled after she finished sixth in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.
The Stephen Marsh-trained Zee Falls was fourth-up this preparation and, courtesy of a fine Craig Grylls ride, she stripped in peak condition.
She idled along in the trail and Grylls was able to angle off the fence 500 metres from home before the mare strode to the front halfway down the straight and stayed on too well for her rivals for the second win of her career.
Zee Falls was a $130,000 Karaka purchase for Marsh and is out of the Zabeel mare Zelitist, a half-sister to the G1 Diamond S. winner Warhorse. It is also the family of the dual Group 2 winner California Dane.
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.
Read More
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