Pins 3yo defends perfect record

17 July 2017

The Michael Clements-trained Chopin’s Fantaisie has maintained his unbeaten record in Singapore. The WS graduate made it four wins on the bounce at Kranji last night when he was successful over 1400 metres.

The Pins three-year-old only had half a length to spare, but rider Glen Boss said the margin didn’t tell the full story. “He will never win by a space, that is not his caper. It’s more cat-and-mouse style with him,” he said.

“He’s got a lovely long action and has a great attitude. He will grow and mature further as he’s not the full product yet – he is coming along quite well and will be even better in six months’ time. I sat on his back in the last 10 days, and he’s such an unassuming horse. But he has so much energy and he can run time. Mike will have a lot of fun with him as he will continue to improve for sure.”

A brother to the former Hong Kong champion Ambitious Dragon, Chopin’s Fantaisie was purchased by Clements out of WS’s 2015 Premier Sale draft to Karaka. “Everything he does suggests to me he is stepping up every time,” he said. “Considering he has a well-related sibling, we were quite happy to get him at such a price (NZ$150,000).”

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.