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.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

Are there any benefits in growing older. Well, so long as your memory has not yet failed, then there is the knowledge accumulated from past experience. Like me, many as we age, develop a strong sense of cynicism; you know, we’ve seen it all before.

26 July 2026

Jess Greenfield awarded 2026 Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award

On Saturday night, Jess Greenfield was awarded the loveracing.nz Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award at the Property Brokers National Breeding Awards at Karapiro. When asked by Steve Davis what the future looked like for Jess, Greenfield humbly replied: “Just keep working away at Waikato Stud and see where we end up.”