Latest news

Back to Blog

Foaling day watch position available

The Oaks Stud have a day watch position available for the 2019 foaling season (August through to November).You will need to be reliable, confident handling horses and willing to work as part of a team.Shifts available are Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun 9 am to 3.30 pm.To apply, please email your CV to office@theoaksstud.co.nz or phone Gillian for further details 027 292 8080....

Local filly debuts in style at Ruakaka

Local two-year-old Annie’s Song indicated she could be a filly with a big future after she made winning debut over 1000m at Ruakaka on Saturday. The Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley-trained youngster was well supported off the back of a handy performance at the Avondale trials last month and delivered on that promise as she drove clear in the run home to win comfortably by a length and a quarter for rider Craig Grylls. “She’s going to make a lovely three-year-old, as on what she has done t...

Former Kiwis deliver stylish double for syndicators

Emerging Australian syndicators Harney Stone Racing celebrated an impressive winning double at Murtoa on Monday with a pair of New Zealand recruits. The smart victories bookended the nine-race programme at the Victorian track. Hapaira (pictured) opened the day with a five-length win in the Horsham Doors & Glass Maiden Plate (1100m), then Cataracta romped to victory by six lengths in the CHS Group Horsham BM58 Handicap (1100m). Both horses are trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, and the wi...

Momentum building for Chipperfield

A decision to place greater emphasis on the training side of the business appears to be paying dividends for former top jumps rider Clayton Chipperfield who produced a winning double on Saturday.Two-year-old Proisir filly London Bound made many sit up and take notice with a stunning seven length win on debut in the opening event at Te Rapa while progressive four-year-old Obsessive rounded out the day in fine style on a testing track at Awapuni with a win in the last race of the day. Chipperfield...

Hello It's Me makes successul return on home turf

Progressive mare Hello It’s Me made her return to the racetrack a winning one when she took out the feature event at Ruakaka on Saturday, the Northpine Waipu Cup (1400m). The talented four-year-old hadn’t been seen since finishing well back in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. That performance convinced trainers Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley that some time away would be in the mare’s best interest so she went to the paddock for a decent break. All indicat...

King's Speech delivers at first 1800m test

A rails-hugging run without going around any horse saw King’s Speech (NZ) (Darci Brahma) post a hard-fought victory at his first test over 1800m on Sunday. Surprisingly friendless in the market at $82 despite his closing third at his first attempt at Class 3 level three weeks ago, the Darci Brahma four-year-old also cut a lonely figure along the fence as the rest of the field went wide around the home turn in Sunday’s $70,000 Class 3 race over 1800m. After being used up early to find the lea...

Foaling nightwatch staff required

The Oaks Stud require night-watch staff for the 2019 foaling season (mid August through to mid November). You will need to be reliable, fit and have previous experience handling horses. This position involves working outside during the night, closely monitoring mares and effectively communicating their behaviour to our Foaling Manager. Two shifts available: 6 pm to 12 am and 12 am to 6 am. To apply, please forward your CV and references to office@theoaksstud.co.nz...

He Kin Fly set for season finale

Trainer Neill Ridley has a strong hand in the Gavelhouse.com (1200m) at his home track of Riccarton on Friday. Ridley prepares the two top-weights of the open handicap field, He Kin Fly (Darci Brahma) (60kg) and Prince Oz (58kg). “Both Prince Oz and He Kin Fly have been going pretty well, but this will be their last run for the season and then they’ll be going out in the paddock,” Ridley said. Former Hong Kong galloper He Kin Fly has been in perfect form, winning his last four consecutiv...

Boundtobehonoured makes impressive comeback

Boundtobehonoured made a remarkable comeback at Counties on Thursday when taking out the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race by 2-1/2 lengths. The Tony Pike-trained mare was involved in a race fall at Ruakaka last year, which resulted in injuries to her rider Shafiq Rusof, and Danielle Johnson, who was riding the trailing horse Tantalising. There were fears that the daughter of Darci Brahma wouldn’t make it back to the track, but after rehabilitation and a couple of trials she was able to make a ...

Lady Bethany romps home at Murray Bridge

Lady Bethany, who raced in New Zealand as Bethany, showed her potential when racing away to a comfortable 10 length victory over 1400m at Murray Bridge on Wednesday. The daughter of Niagara had eight starts in New Zealand for five placings and was sent across the Tasman to Michael Hickmott earlier this year to tackle some Australian spoils. “She is owned by Trish Dunell, who along with her husband Graham Mackie are very good friends of mine in New Zealand,” Hickmott said. He was a bit appr...

Catalyst ready for winter juvenile features

Te Awamutu visitor Catalyst showed his true worth when he destroyed his two-year-old rivals in the first race at New Plymouth on Saturday.  Click here to watch a replay The Clayton Chipperfield-trained youngster had been expected to perform with distinction at his first start after a pair of impressive trial victories leading into his first-up run at Te Rapa last month. Unfortunately for his many supporters he produced a lacklustre display when finishing well back in a race claimed by the u...

He Kin Fly makes it four on end with Easter Stakes victory

Well-travelled galloper He Kin Fly continued his recent purple patch of form when he notched his fourth win on end when taking out the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton. The Darci Brahma six-year-olds first two wins were recorded out of the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman stable in New Zealand before being sold to Hong Kong interests in 2016. He Kin Fly raced five times in Hong Kong, recording a win in Class 3 company, before injury resulted in his return to ...

Service fees remain unchanged for The Oaks Stud in 2019

Cambridge stud farm The Oaks Stud have left their stallion service fees unchanged heading into the 2019 breeding season. The farm’s stallion roster is headed by five-time Group One winner Darci Brahma, who will stand for a fee of $15,000 + gst. The son of Danehill, who is Singapore’s six-time Champion sire, has left 38 individual stakes winners, including nine individual Group One winners. He will once again be joined by Group 1 sire Roc de Cambes and promising young sire Niagara who will bo...

Assistant Stallion Manager position available

The Oaks Stud have a position available for an Assistant Stallion Manager for the 2019 breeding season. This is a varied role which includes working with colts and breakers as well as yearling preparation and work in the breeding shed. Excellent on farm accommodation and competitive salary package available for the right applicant.To apply, please email your CV & references to office@theoaksstud.co.nz or phone Rick Williams for further information on 021 733 962....

SA Derby on the agenda for Grinzinger Star

Danny O'Brien is warming to the idea of running Grinzinger Star in the South Australian Derby after his second-straight win at Caulfield. The three-year-old son of Reliable Man defeated Mr Quickie at 1600 metres last start and on Saturday accounted for older rivals at 2000m, a victory that now has O'Brien growing in confidence that he could cross the border and be tested at Group 1 level. The South Australian Derby is on in three weeks and if Grinzinger Star is to head to Morphettville, he will ...

Richards delighted with Avantage

Avantage (Tangerine colours) finishing a brave 3rd at Randwick on Saturday.Matamata trainer Jamie Richards arrived back in New Zealand late on Saturday night with the knowledge his class filly Avantage had done all she could to secure her third placing in Saturday’s Gr.2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Randwick. Successful in the Gr.3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) at her first Australian run, Richards and the team at Te Akau Racing had been keen to find a suitable 1400m contest for the Fastnet...

Kali all class in winning debut

Debutant Kali stamped herself as a filly to follow when she eased to an effortless victory over 1300m at Hastings on Saturday. The Darci Brahma filly had caught the eye with a pair of convincing trial wins prior to her debut and was warmly supported as second favourite for the event behind debut winner Puysegur. Rider Leith Innes positioned the filly perfectly behind pacemaker Stateline throughout and it was obvious approaching the home turn that he had a lapful of horse underneath him. Once Inn...

Beyond The Fort scores in Warstep Stakes

Classy three-year-old Beyond The Fort franked her gritty runner-up effort in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) last month with a comprehensive victory in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton. The Bill Thurlow-trained Niagara filly won her first two starts before tackling Group One company in the Oaks where she pushed eventual winner, Sentimental Miss to the wire. Thurlow was happy to trek her south from his Waverley base for Saturday’s contest after th...

Grizinger Star ends Mr Quickie's winning streak

Mr Quickie's winning streak was halted at Caulfield as the heavily supported odds-on favourite was run down in the final stride by Danny O'Brien's Grinzinger Star (Reliable Man) Mr Quickie was aiming for his seventh-straight victory and as a result was forced to carry 6kg more than his rivals, which told at the finish according to apprentice rider Ethan Brown. "I can't fault his performance and I've got no excuses with the run I had," Brown said. "He tried hard, he did everything I asked and kic...

Stakes double would be ‘Sinsational’ for Sharrock

Allan Sharrock will chase black-type at two venues this week with family members of one of his best racehorses, Shez Sinsational. The Taranaki trainer produced Shez Sinsational for Group One wins in the Spring Classic (2040m) at Hastings, International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, Zabeel Classic (2000m) and Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie, as well as a host of other top-level performances, including placings in both the Queensland Oaks (2400m) and Queensland Derby (2400m) and a Gr.2 Hollindale S...

Cup hopes in the balance for Cambridge pair

Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have two contenders for the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) in Zacada and Vin De Dance, but the pair will have to perform this weekend to warrant a start in the two-mile feature. Both horses were disappointing when tailing the field home in the Gr.3 Manion Cup (2400m) on a Heavy8 track at Rosehill last month. While disappointed in their runs, their trainers are hoping they will redeem themselves in the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick on Sa...

Vin de Dance presses on towards Sydney Cup

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Vin De Dance (Roc de Cambes) and Zacada will continue along the Sydney Cup path despite disappointing performances at Rosehill last weekend. The pair finished second-last and last in the Gr. 3 N E Manion Cup, more than a dozen lengths from the winner Midterm. Vin De Dance’s jockey Blake Shinn said the 2018 New Zealand Derby winner “didn’t have the best run from a bad draw”, while Opie Bosson was unable to provide an excuse for last year’s Syd...

South Australian options for Oaks runner up

Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow was pleased with the runner-up performance of lightly-raced three-year-old Beyond The Fort in last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).  At just her third raceday start the daughter of Niagara started as a $40 chance in the Oaks and was beaten a length and a quarter by Sentimental Miss, but the performance came as no surprise to Thurlow.  “We were quietly confident that she’d run well, she’d done nothing wrong,” Thurlow said.  “She st...

Nationwide celebrations after Oaks victory

There were celebrations throughout New Zealand when Sentimental Miss won the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham last weekend. Celebrating on course at Trentham were her owners Go Racing Yesteryear Syndicate along with her breeders The Oaks Stud, while in Auckland the team at Westbury Stud were celebrating Reliable Man’s first Group One victory as a sire. The South Island was not to be left out, with Jonny Orr celebrating the fact his mare Nostalgic was now the dam of a Group One winner....

Niagara filly impresses with Group 1 placing

At just her third raceday start, Niagara filly Beyond The Fort ran 2nd in the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai NZ Oaks on Saturday at Trentham.   A winner of her previous two starts, Beyond The Fort looks an exciting filly for Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow.   From the Testa Rossa mare, Stella Rossa, Beyond The Fort has now won in excess of NZ$94,000. From limited runners (66 as at 18th March), Niagara  has left the Group 2 winner Xbox, and stakes performers Thunder Bay & Beyo...