Tivaci 3YO impresses in Taupo debut

Highly rated three-year-old Sought After made the perfect start to his career at Taupo on Friday afternoon.

Raced by breeder Waikato Stud, the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained son of Tivaci rounded off strongly to score over 1200 metres and put an end to a previously frustrating day for the Matamata nursery.

Earlier on the card, another debutante Smart Love had finished a close second while Sethito overcame a chequered run to finish third at the first time of asking.

Their stablemate Sought After made no mistake and came from back in the field with a strong finish to win comfortably by two lengths under Masa Hashizume.

His performance elevated him to the second line of favouritism at $8 for the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

“He’s been thriving and had a trial and went well and came here for a gallop 10 days ago,” Scott said.

“He’s a really confident horse and we thought he would be a winning chance, he’s in really good order and paraded looking a million dollars.”

Sought After is out of the Savabeel mare Popular and the esteemed family of the late multiple Group 1 winner and successful sire Sacred Falls.

Popular produced a brother to Sought After last season and is due to foal to Ocean Park.

https://twitter.com/WaikatoStud/status/1836974803343004156

Recent News
6 August 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

It would appear I now have to continue my weekly Corner with the amount of rumblings at the start of our new racing season. I have been around long enough to know we can never please all; my tenure as Chairman of the Racing Board was subjected to as much vitriol as subsequent Boards have had to bear, so what’s different this time, or is it different.

Read More
5 August 2026

First foal for Waikato’s Group 1 winner Skew Wiff

Group 1-winning Savabeel mare Skew Wiff (ex Starvoia), known affectionately as ‘Wiffy’, foaled a filly by Super Seth in the early hours of Wednesday, 5 August.

Read More