Update for O’Reilly colt

27 December 2013

An O’Reilly colt in WS’s travelling party to the upcoming yearling sales was given a major boost at Ellerslie yesterday. Lot 446 in the Premier Sale is a half-brother to the promising staying mare Etoile Filante, who won for the fourth time in her eight-start career on Boxing Day.

Trained by Peter and Dawn Williams, the four-year-old was brought with a timely finishing run to claim the Dunstan Feeds Championship Qualifier by Michael Walker. By Pins, Etoile Filante was bred by WS with David Williams, who races the mare.

She is out of the Listed Marton Cup winner Etoile du Nord, a mare by Zabeel who has also left the multiple Australian winner and Group performer Epingle (Pins). The family also features the Listed Warstep Stakes winner and South Island Filly fo the Year If I Can I Can.

Saltcoats stakes his claim for Premier’s Cup glory

Saltcoats (Ardrossan) stormed to a 2.33-length win in the rescheduled $160,000 Premier’s Cup Prelude, setting up a possible tilt at the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup later this month.

13 August 2025

The Corner with Garry Chittick

Many years ago, obviously before my brain had developed as far as it was allowed to go, I was an active member of Young Nationals. It was a social activity for a start, until I …