Grenade explodes at Hastings

2 January 2014

WS was quickly into the winning groove in 2014 with farm graduate Grenade bombing his rivals at Hastings on New Year’s Day. The imposing son of Pins continued his good progress through the grades with a strong performance to beat his Rating 65 opposition.

The five-year-old has taken time to strengthen and is now shaping as a promising staying prospect for Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen. He had also won at his previous appearance on his home track for the Hawke’s Bay training duo.

A half-brother to his stablemate and Gr 3 Hawke’s Bay Gold Cup placegetter Double O Seven (No Excuse Needed), Grenade is out of the Defensive Play mare Impassive Lady. It is also the WS family of the six-time Group One winner Slight Chance and the Queensland Derby winner Brambles.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

No Corner last week; this week the Annual Thoroughbred Racing Awards night certainly deserves acknowledgment. It is the second of two nights of measurement of Thoroughbred achievements for the year, with the first focussing on our Breeders’ awards.

9 September 2026

Savabeel’s Group 1 daughter Belle Cheval retired

Belle Cheval, by champion sire Savabeel, enjoyed a stellar career: placing in the NZ 1000 Guineas, winning the Almanzor Trophy and Uncle Remus Stakes, finishing second in The Kiwi, then claiming Group 1 glory in Australia’s Vinery Stud Stakes before retiring to broodmare duties.