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U S Navy Flag Crowned Champion 2nd Season Sire

As the curtain came down on another big and busy racing year on Thursday, TTR AusNZ dissects the national premiership winners, both on and off the track in New Zealand.Leading the way amongst New Zealand’s second season sires in the 2023/24 season was The Oaks Stud’s U S Navy Flag (USA), the European Champion 2YO War Front (USA) horse who was crowned last year’s Champion First Season Sire.Thirteen of his 44 runners this season have been winners with two being stakes winners: the ...

All Options Open For Navy King

Symon Wilde is taking an open mind into the spring with his emerging stayer Navy King (U S Navy Flag) and will let his performances dictate what level of races he contests.Wilde said Navy King has staying potential and will be entered for all of the major races, including the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.Two starts ago at Flemington, Navy King impressively won the Sir Henry Bolte Handicap, which was the corresponding event won by First Immortal last year before he mixed it with the top level and...

NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stallion Parade Weekend

The Oaks Stud stallions will be parading at 12.30 pm on Sunday 25th August (122 Roto-o-Rangi Road) as part of the Waikato Thoroughbred Breeders Stallion Parade weekend.All welcome. ...

U S Navy Flag heads competitively priced fees at The Oaks Stud

On Tuesday, one of Australasia’s premier nurseries, The Oaks Stud in New Zealand, announced its three-strong roster, headed by the royally bred and accomplished U S Navy Flag (USA). The stallion will remain at NZ$15,000 (plus GST) after another brilliant season on the track.The Thoroughbred Report chatted with The Oaks Stud’s General Manager, Rick Williams, to find out more about the roster.U S Navy Flag, a son of the sire sensation War Front (USA), boasts an impressive pedigr...

Wilde's Navy Off To Conquer Queensland

Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde is going to do something this week he hasn’t done for a long time and send a horse to race in Queensland, with Navy King (U S Navy Flag) to fly to Brisbane on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Queensland Derby.Wilde campaigned Baughurst and Hissing Sid in Brisbane 15 years ago but hasn’t been back with a runner since then.That’s all about to change though, after Navy King impressed connections with his last-start victory at Flemington, convincing them to...

U S Navy Flag heads The Oaks Stud roster

The Oaks Stud in Cambridge have announced their service fees for the forthcoming breeding season with the roster to be headed by leading second season sire U S Navy Flag (pictured) at $15,000 + GST.The son of War Front was represented by Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) winner Pendragon, who also finished runner-up in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m). Other highlight progeny include multiple stakes winner Chantilly Lace, Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes runner-up Aprilia and multiple Group One per...

Navy King Shows Staying Prowess

A two-time winner over sprint distances earlier in the year, New Zealand-bred Navy King suggested he might be better suited to a different role when he scored a big win in Saturday’s A$150,000 Sir Henry Bolte Handicap (2000m) at Flemington.The three-year-old won over 1000m in January and 1200m in February, then had mixed results over 1200m, 1400m and 1600m in his following four starts. He stepped up to 2000m at Caulfield on May 4 and finished a close fourth, and his second attempt at the dista...

U S Navy Flag set for Second Season Sire Title

U S Navy Flag (USA) is poised to clinch the Leading New Zealand Second-Season Sire title after earning last year’s recognition as the Champion First-Season Sire. The son of War Front (USA), stationed at The Oaks Stud, has maintained his momentum this season, notably with The Pendragon (NZ) securing victory in the G2 Auckland Guineas.Following closely behind is Ace High from Rich Hill Stud, whose star performer, Molly Bloom (NZ), claimed victory in t...

Antrim Coast shooting for Derby win for Marsh

With the prospect of Group One glory both now and in the spring, Saturday looms as an exciting afternoon for Stephen Marsh.The Cambridge trainer will saddle Antrim Coast as a live contender for the Gr.1 Thomas Farms South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville, while the unbeaten two-year-old Super Photon can confirm his Group One credentials for next season with another bold performance in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa.Antrim Coast will attempt to ...

Derby Path Continues For Antrim Coast

Antrim Coast continued his upward Derby trajectory on Saturday, despite having to settle for second in the Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield.The Stephen Marsh-trained three-year-old finished second behind Orchestral in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March and franked that form with a tough victory in the Gr.3 Alistair Clark Stakes (2040m) over Kiwi filly Quintessa at The Valley.Antrim Coast lined-up on Saturday at much shorter odds, but came off second-best to fellow Kiwi-b...

Antrim Coast Loving Life In Australia

He’s slipped under punters’ guards at his past two starts but Stephen Marsh is expecting Antrim Coast (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) to be one of the favourites when he tackles Saturday’s Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield.The improving three-year-old ran a blinder at $157 when second to Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) in the NZ Derby (2400m) last month, before backing up that performance with a shock win at $51 in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at The Valley last start.His Kiwi t...

Savaglee Primed For Season Finale

Exciting youngster Savaglee will be hoping to end his juvenile season this Saturday the way he started it, winning at Trentham.The son of Savabeel was an emphatic four-length winner at the Upper Hutt track when on debut in October and trainers Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard would be delighted if he could bookend the season with a winning result in Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee was purchased by The Oaks Stud at last year’...

Kiwi Raider Antrim Coast wins Gr 2 Alister Clark Stakes

New Zealand’s Group One three-year-old form was to the fore at Moonee Valley on Saturday, where Antrim Coast edged out Quintessa in a thrilling finish to the A$500,000 Gr.2 DCE Alister Clark Stakes (2040m).Te Akau Racing’s Quintessa went into the race as a $4 favourite. She had previously shown her star quality on home soil, winning the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham in January, then finished an eye-catching fourth in this month’s Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in her first appear...

Antrim Coast Melbourne Bound

He beat all but glamour filly Orchestral in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie earlier this month and now Antrim Coast will be given his chance to test his talent across the Tasman.Bred by The Oaks Stud, the son of Roc De Cambes races in the blue and white silks of farm principal Dick Karreman, for whom he has been a standout in his three-year-old year.Under the care of Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, Antrim Coast has won two of his seven starts this term and secured black-type wit...

Williams taking next step in training dream

Growing up on The Oaks Stud in Cambridge paved a way for a successful career in the thoroughbred breeding industry for Dean Williams (pictured, left), however, he got the racing bug young and is about to take an important step in fulfilling his dream of becoming a trainer.The son of The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams, the thoroughbred industry has been engrained in Dean’s life from a young age, but it was the deeds of glamour mare Seachange on the track that lit a fire in him to pursu...

Proven Harlow Rocks gets the nod from trainer

Tony Pike has tipped Harlow Rocks as the stable’s best chance of stakes success at Taupo on Friday.The Cambridge trainer will be represented by the in-form Roc de Cambes filly and the promising Sign Of Peace in take two of the Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2000m) following the abandonment of last week’s Hastings meeting.“That was very disappointing the other day, but they both need a lead-up to the New Zealand Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) so we’ll head to Taupo and see how we go,” Pike sa...

Seachange Still Playing A Starring Role

Champion mare Seachange was a flagship performer for The Oaks Stud and her legacy continues to be felt on both sides of the Tasman.Bred and raced by the Cambridge nursery, the two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year landed seven Group One titles during her decorated career and the daughter of Cape Cross’ influence remains current.Seachange features prominently in the pedigrees of The Oaks Stud’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up Antrim Coast and farm graduate Drakaina, successful in th...

Savaglee dominant in Group 3 Matamata Slipper

A fruitless summer saw Savaglee slip under the radar in this season’s two-year-old crop, but that all changed with a brilliant upset victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Fairview Matamata Slipper (1200m) on his home track.The blue-blooded colt is by Savabeel out of Glee, who is a full-sister to the dam of Orchestral and a three-quarter-sister to the dam of Daffodil. Savaglee was bought by The Oaks Stud for $400,000 at Karaka last year, and he looked worth every cent of that purchase price with a scint...

Pendragon On Track For Australian Guineas

Former Kiwi galloper Pendragon got his Australian campaign off to the best possible start at Werribee on Monday, comfortably winning his 1100m jumpout for trainer Michael Moroney.Purchased by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables out of Valachi Downs’ 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft for $110,000, Pendragon was initially trained in New Zealand by Moroney, alongside his Matamata training partner Pam Gerard, for whom he won three and placed in one of his seven start...

The Oaks fillies show class in Te Rapa features

The Oaks Stud's classy pair of Harlow Rocks and Vera Rose put their hands up for loftier targets after playing the bridesmaid role at Te Rapa on Saturday for trainer Tony Pike.Harlow Rocks, a daughter of Roc De Cambes, had shown early promise including a strong maiden victory in late November, before a switch to the right-handed track at Pukekohe was not to her liking in a first attempt at black-type on Boxing Day.Cambridge-based Pike opted to scratch the filly from the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800...

Pendragon To Target Guineas

Mike Moroney’s promising 3-year-old Pendragon (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) will head to Australia to target the G1 Australian Guineas in March.The gelding was unlucky in the NZ$1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO nearly slipping on the shifty Ellerslie surface according to Moroney.“Pendragon was like many that lost his footing,” he told Racing.com.“If you watch the replay turning for home, he almost fell and Mark (Zahra) thought he was going to drop right out when it happened, but he...

Fashion Icon Hunting Black-Type At Trentham

Fashion Icon will be looking to turn the tables on Sudbina when the pair meet in the Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.Sudbina just got the better of Fashion Icon in the closing stages of their 1400m contest at Hastings earlier this month to win by a half-length, and the TAB market for the fillies feature on Saturday reflects that result, with Sudbina a $3.30 favourite ahead of Grail Seeker at $3.60, with Fashion Icon on the third line of betting at $...

Storm Boy 2YO Classic Rating Best In A Decade

The entire industry, globally, is across the rapidly growing influence of former undefeated US Triple Crown winner Justify.The son of Scat Daddy doesn't yet have quite the record in Australia as he does in the northern hemisphere, where he has 6 individual G1 winners, however his momentum is building quickly down under.The sire of favoured 2023 Golden Slipper runner Learning To Fly, who dislodged her jockey in the world's richest juvenile feature, is also the sire of last weekend's Magic Mi...

Promising 3YO shines a light on The Oaks Studs quality draft

Group Three winner Burn To Shine made a pleasing return to the trials at Tauranga on Tuesday when taking out his 950m heat under a hold, beating Group Two performer Wessex by a nose.Racing in the familiar silks of The Oaks Stud principal Dick Karreman, Burn To Shine impressed in the spring when placing in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) and Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), before winning the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m), with his only disappointing performance coming i...

The Story Behind Storm Boy

Storm Boy continued the amazing run by Justify and logged a feature win for a family that includes one of New Zealand's great mares of this century when he won Saturday's $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast.The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt provided the Coolmore stallion with his richest win in Australia when he scored a dominant 2-1/2-length win in the 1200-metre event.Storm Boy is a member of the second Australian crop of Justify, the ...