O’Sullivan the toast of three countries after big win with Aerovelocity in Japan

16 April 2011

Shantaine In A Class Of Her Own

Versatile mare Shantaine added further performance to her illustrious pedigree with a sterling performance to win the closing event at Ellerslie today. The WS-bred and sold four-year-old mastered difficult conditions to thump her Rating 90 rivals by a wide margin over 2200 metres.

“She’s a big and powerful type and she’s going to be able to carry weight in the future and that’s a big asset,” Pukekohe trainer Richard Collett said. She has fashioned the impressive record of five wins and six placings from her 13 appearances with success on both wet and dry footing.

Regular rider Leith Innes settled Shantaine behind the pace and angled her wide across the top to be in the firing line on straightening. The daughter of Pins then dashed clear and won easing down by an impressive two and a-half lengths. “She’s only a four-year-old and you’ll see the best of her next year,” he said.

Shantaine was bought by Collett for stable clients Bruce and Gerald Shand from WS’s 2008 Premier Sale draft for $280,000. She is out of the winning Centaine mare Centelise from the Gr 1 family of the VRC Derby and Caulfield Guineas winner and successful sire Grosvenor.

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.