Progressive Mary Quant relishing mile challenges

15 March 2016

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will continue to stick to a proven winning formula with WS’s well-bred mare Mary Quant. The Matamata trainers have the four-year-old in a purple patch of form, which she will look to extend at Te Rapa on Saturday.

As a daughter of the late O’Reilly and the dual Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks and Kelt Capital Stakes winner Legs, Mary Quant is bred to be at her best over more ground but she will be restricted to shorter assignments this preparation. “While she is racing so well at a mile we will be keeping her to that trip,” Scott said. “She’ll run in the Rating 85 mile this weekend and as long as she steps up again then we’ll be looking for some black type racing for her.”

The Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha could come into play if Mary Quant continues her winning habit. “We’ll know more after Saturday – her form will decide where we go,” Scott said. Mary Quant was successful in her first two appearances in the spring and a couple of minor placings preceded easy 1600 metres successes on her home track at Matamata.

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.