Oh So Close For Spending

10 June 2013

WS went close to repeating a past Creswick Stakes victory when their Pins filly Spending finished the closest of seconds in the Listed feaure at Flemington at the weekend. In 2009, the farm’s colours had been carried to victory by Glam Slam, also a daughter of their resident Snippets stallion.

Like Glam Slam, Spending is prepared on the track by Danny O’Brien after joining his stable following a trial win at home before Christmas. The three-year-old made an instant impact from her new quarters when successful on debut and was then turned out after two more appearances.

Spending resumed with a second at Caulfield before failing by the barest of margins to gain a black type honour on Saturday. She is a daughter of the Gr 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes winner Splashing Out, who is a three-quarter sister to the part WS-owned Gr 1 Doncaster Handicap winner Sacred Falls.

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.