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.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

Well, I got a bit behind last week, with Friday slipping by without realising it; hence no Corner. I have said on too many occasions that negative messages are of no help to anyone, and yet there seems so often a reason to be concerned. Clearly, this week the well-constructed Guerin Report on the threatened downgrade of our Group 1 races demands our attention.

21 October 2026

Vale Ohope Wins, Ocean Park’s tough, kind and courageous daughter

Long before her Oaks double, Ohope Wins’ greatest victory belonged to the Waikato Stud staff and Matamata Veterinary Services vets who saved her as a desperately sick foal. Taken far too soon at Caulfield, her remarkable story is theirs too.