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 G2 Auckland Guineas winner Pendragon (NZ) and the dual Listed winner Chantilly Lace (NZ).    He has also sired the stakes performers To Catch A Thief, Aprilia, So Naive, Penvose Lad, Warning Signal & Lil Zena.

He was the only stallion to break the million dollars in earnings; $1,217,935 with Ace High coming in second with $968,385 and Embellish (NZ) third with $721,045.

Also in the top five was Ardrossan and Staphanos (Jpn).

-Kirsten Manning, TTR