O’Reilly Strikes Again

29 March 2014

In the wake of Silent Achiever’s Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes win last weekend, 2YO daughter O’Marilyn has just won the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in fine style.

Three wide the trip, the field had no answer when she laid down the gauntlet shortly after turning for home, ultimately careering away in the hands of Sam Spratt for a commanding win.

Trained by Stephen McKee and raced by Trevor McKee, O’Marilyn has now won two of six starts and hinted to supreme Gr.1 ability with previous placings in the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes and in the (R) Listed Karaka Million.

O’Marilyn is bred by Whakanui Stud and is the third Gr.1 winner out of the Zabeel mare Monroe Magic – the other two being Headturner (AJC Derby) and Anacheeva (Caulfield Guineas).

She represents O’Reilly’s 15th individual Gr.1 winner, his 72nd individual stakes winner, his 10th individual stakes winner this season.

Interestingly, this O’Reilly/Zabeel cross – which was also to the fore with Silent Achiever last weekend, is strongly distinguished by a staggering 13.0% Stakes Winners-to-Runners ratio.

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.