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.

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.