Waikato Stud farewells Posy

Last week, the Waikato Stud team farewelled one of the true bluehens of the stud, Posy (No Excuse Needed ex Spring), at 17 years of age; the dam of triple Group 1 winner Atishu, Group winner Mazzolino, and the talented Dream All Day.

Posy raced 13 times, winning twice in the Waikato Stud colours, but it was in the breeding barn where she truly made her mark.

Her first foal, a Savabeel colt, was purchased by Paul Moroney for A$180,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale and went on to race in Australia for Michael Moroney. Her second foal, the Savabeel filly Orchids, sold for $875,000 at the 2018 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale and has since produced Australian Listed winner Regeneration, exported to Hong Kong this July to join Frankie Lor’s stable.

But it was Posy’s third foal who would cement her place in the Waikato Stud family’s storied history. Born on 29 September 2017, this Savabeel filly was offered by Waikato Stud at the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale and knocked down to Go Racing for $260,000. Her name was Atishu.

Atishu announced herself early, running second in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas at only her second start for Go Racing and trainer Stephen Marsh. She went on to win four more times in New Zealand, including two Listed races, before crossing the Tasman to join Chris Waller. There, she was a winner first-up in August 2021 and never looked back. Claiming six Group races in total, including three at the elite Group 1 level: the Queen of the Turf (1600m, 2023), the MacKinnon Stakes (2000m, 2023) and the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m, 2024).

Atishu retired with a record that speaks to the durability so synonymous with Waikato Stud stock: 51-11:8:9, and A$5,926,820 in prizemoney, more than 23 times her yearling price. She was subsequently secured by Yu Long Investments for a further A$2.7 million at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Atishu’s success added another chapter to Waikato Stud’s remarkable run of Group 1 winners: 13 individual Group 1 winners produced by the stud across the last seven racing seasons alone.

Beyond Atishu, Posy also produced Powerbeel, Group winner Mazzolino, and Dream All Day, a Flemington winner who was covered by Super Seth last season. Posy leaves behind a two-year-old filly by Ardrossan, still to make her mark for Waikato Stud’s colours.

Posy will be deeply missed by everyone at Waikato Stud. But great mares never truly leave us, her legacy will continue to be felt in pedigrees for generations to come.