Garry’s Corner – 1st December

7 May 2011

Pedigree Knowledge Pays Off

Stephen Autridge had the benefit of inside knowledge when he purchased the WS-bred Allsortsafun during the Select Sale at Karaka in 2009. The Matamata trainer was familiar with the son of Pins’ pedigree and is now reaping the rewards after the three-year-old posted his second career success at Ruakaka yesterday from a handful of starts.

“He’s from the family of Wong who I looked after during my time in Australia and he was the best wet-tracker there,” Autridge said. Wong won 11 races across the Tasman including the Chipping Norton and George Ryder Stakes at Gr 1 level and the Gr 3 Tramway Handicap.

Allsortsafun, who is out of the winning Centaine mare Liquorice, was making the third appearance of his current preparation and was assisted today by a gear change. “The blinkers definitely helped him and he won better than I expected,” Autridge said. “He’s showed quite a bit but he’s immature.” The gelding settled off the pace and stormed to victory with a well-timed run under jockey Reese Jones.

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.