Pins 3yo stretches unbeaten run

28 June 2017

Chopin’s Fantaisie maintained his unbeaten record in Singapore last evening with another explosive show of acceleration. A gap presented itself late in the piece for the WS graduate and he didn’t need to be asked twice to power through for victory over 1400 metres.

“He was always travelling very well. It was just a matter of getting an opening,” trainer Michael Clements said. “Fortunately, it came and he did the rest after that. From the way he was still full of running at the end, he is looking to go over further. I will probably also step him up to a higher class. Clearly, he is a very competitive horse.”

Chopin’s Fantaisie has now won all three of his starts, each time being ridden by Vlad Duric. “I was a bit worried to say the least, but he’s an extraordinary horse and I knew he would win the moment the gap came,” he said. “He has a beautiful turn of foot and he quickened through really well. He did stargaze a bit, but he’s a lovely runner and has a smart head on him.”

The son of Pins was bought out of WS’s 2015 Premier Sale draft to Karaka by Clements for $150,000. He is a brother to the Hong Kong Horse of the Year and multiple Group One winner Ambitious Dragon.

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.

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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.