Snowdrop wins in a canter

26 November 2014

Snowdrop had a stroll in the park at Te Aroha this afternoon to register the first win of her brief career. The beautifully-bred chestnut filly was ridden with early aggression by Leith Innes to take up the running and it was game over a long way out.

They sprinted clear on straightening and cruised to the line with five and three-quarters lengths on their nearest chaser. Trained for WS by Tony Pike, she was making her third appearance and had finished fourth when resuming from a break at her previous start.

“At Dargaville she was all at sea left-handed and back to right-handed today she showed how good she is,” Innes said.

“Ideally, 1000 metres is her best distance, but I think she can get 1200.”

Snowdrop is by Pins and the first foal of triple Group One NZ 1000 Guineas, AJC Oaks and Windsor Park Plate winner Daffodil.

“It’s lovely to see her win like that,” Garry Chittick said. “She hasn’t got the size and scope of her mother, but on the evidence of that, she’ll win a few more.”

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.