Hooked on winning

23 March 2015

WS graduate Blue Swede continued his march through the grades in Singapore last night. The O’Reilly four-year-old was successful for the fifth time in 11 appearances when he won over 1600 metres.

Originally sold by the farm as a yearling in 2012 at Karaka for $100,000, he was later purchased by Shane Baertshiger for $150,000 at the Ready to Run Sale. Such has been Blue Swede’s progress that his trainer bought the full-brother for $100,000 during the 2014 Premier session.

They are out of the unraced Zabeel mare Hooked Ona Feeling, who is a daughter of the dual Australian Group Two winner Ugachaka. The pedigree also features the former Singapore Horse of the Year Bocelli.

Ocean Park’s With Grace seals NZ Cup berth

South Auckland mare With Grace secured her berth in next month’s Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton when extending her winning sequence to four with victory in the Baker Tilly Staples Rodway 2100 at Te Rapa on Labour Day Monday.

27 October 2026

Bonecrusher Stakes next for Justin Case

Trainer Kris Shailer has confirmed that his exciting three-year-old Justin Case will bypass next month’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in favour of stakes targets closer to home.