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.

Sentimental Miss is the ninth foal of the Quest For Fame mare Nostalgic, who was placed at three.

She is the dam of six winners from seven foals to race and is a full-sister to the Group One winner Dracula and a half-sister to stakes winners The Oscars and Sash.

Nostalgic is also the full-sister to Insouciance, the dam of Mapperley Stud-based sire and group one winner Complacent.

The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams was pleased with the win and although the Cambridge Farm has sold Nostalgic, he is excited for the future with Sentimental Miss’ Darci Brahma half-sister, Recollect.

“I bought the mare out of Australia for not a lot of money, as I loved the pedigree, she had left a few winners and was a hell of a well credentialed mare,” Williams said.

“She suited Darci Brahma whom she visited a few times, and left the winners Pure Lorde and Recollect.

“I liked her (Recollect) so much that we have kept her and she has won three races and will be back again in the spring. Just after I bought her Complacent won so that added to the family.”

After visiting Darci Brahma twice, Nostalgic was mated with dual Group One-winning shuttle stallion Reliable Man.

The Oaks is a major shareholder in the Westbury Stud stallion and Williams said he was an ideal mating for the Quest For Fame mare.

“Nostalgic suited Reliable Man,” he said. “But by the time this filly (Sentimental Miss) came to the sales, she had lost her commercial appeal. 

“I had sold a few Reliable Man yearlings at the sale for good money so I was prepared to let her go. She went on the market at about $20,000 and Roger James and Albert Bosma got into a bidding duel with $1000 bids all the way up to $40,000 when Albert won out.

“I’m pleased he did because we had a fabulous night out in Wellington after the Oaks. In the last week Go Racing has had three runners from The Oaks stallions, and won with Sentimental Miss, Running Man and Shipshape ran second. Our relationship is rock solid at the moment.”

After losing her commercial appeal, missing to Darci Brahma and in-foal to fellow The Oaks Stud stallion Niagara, Williams put the mare up for sale on Gavelhouse.com, where she was sold to the bid of Jonny Orr.

Orr had previously had success with breeding from older mares from good families, so was keen to take a punt on Nostalgic.

“I love this family and breeding from an old mare doesn’t worry me,” Orr said.

“I liked the mating with her and Pins and as a result I have a lovely Pins colt, but I am pretty sure I will have to go back to Reliable Man now.”

Having grown up in Cambridge and as the nephew of Lesley and Jim Otway, Orr spent a bit of time at Trelawney Stud and has always pottered around with horses. 

“I have had mares now for about 25 years,” he said. “I probably should have followed my passion and gone into the industry but I went farming instead and have farmed in the Waikato, Dannevirke, North Canterbury and Marlborough before buying a business in Blenheim where we now live.

“We are a bit isolated down here, but I enjoy the camaraderie of people in the industry and I get my fix with frequent trips to the Waikato and to Australia to see the mares there and visit the studs in the Hunter Valley.” - NZTBA