Happy days for filly

4 January 2019

Happily To Be (NZ) ridden by Damien Thornton wins the Kellys Country Homes Maiden Plate at Seymour Racecourse on December 30, 2018 in Seymour, Australia. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Well-related filly Happily To Be looks a three-year-old with a bright future in Australia for Waikato Stud.

The well-related filly has been lightly-tried by Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien and has made an encouraging start to her career.

The daughter of Pins placed in two of her first three starts before breaking her maiden at Seymour last time out.

Bred and part-owned by the Matamata nursery, she is a daughter of the O’Reilly mare Merrily.

She is a half-sister to the stakes winner Glad and the family of the champion mare Black Caviar.

Happily To Be is also a half-sister to the Stephen Marsh-trained Exuberant.

A $160,000 Karaka yearling, the son of Savabeel won the Listed Wellesley Stakes on debut.

Rosehill success for Waikato Stud-bred Couples Retreat

Couples Retreat continued the strong form of Waikato Stud graduates, with the Super Seth mare producing a determined finish to win at Rosehill and record her fourth victory from 15 starts.

30 May 2026

Kia Kaha makes a winning return at Te Rapa

Kia Kaha continued the strong run of Waikato Stud sire Super Seth, producing an impressive first-up victory at Te Rapa. Bred by Gary Wallace, the promising four-year-old has now won twice from nine starts.