The Mighty Spar posts deserved victory
The Mighty Spar hasn’t had much luck this preparation before the son of Savabeel turned his fortunes around at Otaki on Thursday afternoon.
Trained by Jamie Richards, the Waikato Stud-bred and sold four-year-old settled three back on the
fence before rider Joe Kamaruddin shouldered into the clear at the top of the straight.
The Mighty Spar produced a sustained finish for victory, his second from nine appearances which
include four minor placings.
Luck went his way today following tardy starts at Tauranga and Te Rapa from wide gates in his first
two outings this preparation and was then badly held up at Rotorua before powering home for
second.
The Mighty Spar was a high-priced Karaka yearling when purchased by Te Akau’s David Ellis for
$430,000. He is the first foal and only race day representative to date for the O’Reilly mare
O’Dianne.
She was successful on two occasions and fourth in the Karaka Million and is out of the G3 Frances
Tressady S. winner Breezy, a three-quarter sister to the dam of the G2 Cal Isuzu S. winner Sports
Illustrated and the family of the multiple Group 1 winner and sire Starcraft.
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.
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