Rios off the mark

15 February 2014

Former top-class performer Rios has opened his stallion account with the aptly-named Happy Place. The lightly-tried three-year-old was successful at New Plymouth this afternoon to post an overdue win for Matamata trainer and part-owner Danica Guy.

The gelding suffered an interrupted run when beaten on debut and then finished a sound second on his home track last month. In one subsequent appearance, he clipped heels and nearly fell when looking for clear room at Te Rapa.

Happy Place is from a small first crop of the WS-based Rios, a regally-bred son of Hussonet who won six races, including the Gr 2 Wellington Guineas and was placed in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. He is out of the former NZ Broodmare of the Year Gussy Godiva and is a half-brother to the Gr 1 Australian Derby winner Roman Emperor. It is a family that also includes Black Mamba, a Kiwi-bred Group One winner in the United States.

Super Seth strikes twice at Caulfield

Saturday at Caulfield saw the sire on fire, Super Seth, notch up a double on the nine-race card. First off the mark was the impeccably bred three-year-old filly Madiyya, who recorded her first metropolitan win …

30 April 2025

Waikato Stud’s eagerly awaited fees announced for 2025

A mix of proven and up-and-coming sires sees fees for Waikato Stud’s six-strong roster set for the 2025 season, once again headlined by the NZ Hall of Fame inductee-in-waiting Savabeel. Alongside him stands second-season sire sensation Super Seth, emerging force Ardrossan, proven Group 1 producer Ocean Park, exciting first-season sire Noverre and a sire-in-waiting Banquo rounding out the formidable lineup.