Savarhys Fulfilling Potential

7 May 2011

Forgiven Leaves No Excuses For Rivals

Forgiven further raised his profile in Singapore last night when he continued his rich vein of form. The WS-bred and sold son of resident stallion No Excuse Needed was a clear-cut winner over 1700 metres at Kranji for the potent combination of champion trainer Laurie Laxon and jockey Joao Moreira.

The three-year-old was initially bought by NZ Bloodstock out of the Matamata farm’s 2008 National Weanling Sale draft for $38,000. He is out of the Danasinga mare Localpoint who is a half-sister to the Gr 3 Wellington Stakes winner Syrian Sea. Another feature name in the pedigree is Electronic whose nine wins included the Ranvet Stakes and Metropolitan Handicap at Gr 1 level from the leading stable of Gai Waterhouse.

Forgiven has now compiled a career record of three wins, including his last two in succession, and three placings from his 12 appearances. The three-year-old provided Laxon with the closing leg of a winning double to take the ex-patriate Kiwi horseman to the lead in his quest for another trainers’ premiership.

Laxon told the Singapore Turf Club’s web-site that Forgiven was only lightly-raced and he had no reason to believe he would not go through his grades from a future perspective. “Nice horse for the Perfectum Stable this one. He looks like a nice stayer and he will probably get better as he is only lightly-raced. Tonight’s win was an exact replica of his last win. He never left the rails and Joao gave him the same ride. All he had to do was follow right through for the perfect run.”

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.