Sydney on Merion’s radar

6 March 2015

The Sydney autumn carnival awaits Merion, as long as the New Zealand-bred races up to expectations this weekend.

The son of O’Reilly must first pass a test in the Gr.1 $A500,000 Australian Guineas at Flemington.

“This is the race we’ve aimed him at and he’s had two runs now,” trainer Mike Moroney said.

Merion was third when resuming and last time out he was fourth behind Wandjina in the Gr.3 CS Hayes Stakes.

“He’ll be on trial for Sydney at Flemington on Saturday. There are lots of options for a good three-year-old like him up there so we’ll see how he runs here first,” Moroney said.

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.

9 July 2026

WS graduate Honour Roll out to add stakes success at Otaki

Waikato Stud will be cheering on one of its promising graduates on Friday when Honour Roll contests the Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. The WS-bred son of the late Champion sire …