....

It was Rick Williams from the Oaks stud who recently said that once you took out all the mares owned by the studs there were less than 1,000 left to be served by over 100 stallions. So all is not rosy on the NZ breeding front. Interesting to see in the current Gavelhouse auction both Waikato and Windsor Park offering mares in foal with foals at foot with no reserves. I agree with BruceL that moderately bred mares who are often Unraced or unplaced are going to be loss making for those breeding from them. It’s never been any different of course, but what has exacerbated the issue greatly is the cost benefit analysis, ie costs have risen far more sharply than returns.

I would say those breeders that utilised Tavistock and sold them at the sales this year would have licked their lips and all done well, incredible results off that service fee.
They were conceived off a $15,000 service fee!

Right on 

Agree BruceL. It is quite possible one or the other or even both do not end up standing at Cambridge. They maybe taking the gamble, as you say, and buy into several early on and hope one performs well enough to make it commercial and that the total investment is less than waiting until a horse has a couple of Grp 1 s under the belt.

First of all I agree Grunt is a very  attractive stallion proposition.
To be fair though buying colts from Australia that are G1 winners of features are nearly out of the majority of NZ stud’s ball park.
Embellish and Age Of Fire both have very good pedigree’s and domestic G1’s the difference is getting that G1/Group form in AUS.
On the other hand you could take a punt and buy into these Australian colts early while racing to try and win a G1.
It could work like it did for Waikato Stud (Tivaci), or backfire slightly like it has for Windsor (Rageese and Vanbrugh who’s form went backwards after purchase))
All a big gamble, but Embellish and Age Of Fire both have sound credentials but may lack commercial appeal if they dont get that crucial Aus Group form.
 

First of all I agree Grunt is a very  attractive stallion proposition.
To be fair though buying colts from Australia that are G1 winners of features are nearly out of the majority of NZ stud’s ball park.
Embellish and Age Of Fire both have very good pedigree’s and domestic G1’s the difference is getting that G1/Group form in AUS.
On the other hand you could take a punt and buy into these Australian colts early while racing to try and win a G1.
It could work like it did for Waikato Stud (Tivaci), or backfire slightly like it has for Windsor (Rageese and Vanbrugh who’s form went backwards after purchase))
All a big gamble, but Embellish and Age Of Fire both have sound credentials but may lack commercial appeal if they dont get that crucial Aus Group form.
 

I love your line "finally" wins a race it's only had 4 starts 

Exactly just starting off with the oldest being 2

Te Akau are making quite a habit of missing feature future nominations etc
Didnt they miss a couple majors in Brisbane also?

Thanks for that, Would think tracks would be Soft at best for Hokitika and Kumara?, love the West Coast circuit racing 

And this race was always going to be slowly run and she was in the perfect spot, stables tactics worked for this race, i dont get your point? Of course horses when settled back can finish faster! They have done less work
SImply on the day she wasnt good enough to beat Paddy, he wanted it more, she was given every chance possible, tactics right (and she performs that way), she ran great but didnt win, WFA racing in NZ you would love to be an on pacer why would you change!

Wheres the replay of Cal Isuzu?
I find it very difficult to believe in retrospect that anyone could think that she was in the wrong spot to win this race (am talking solely this race)
You would have to say tactics wise last two starts they have had it right (and thats the point i have made!) have suited being right on pace especially in a farcically run Zabeel (always looked a slowish pace on paper and the stable agreed with that) could have settled back worse of midfield and battled on for a 5th or 6th cause thats all she would have done of you would have preferred that?
She may have more turn of foot when settled off pace and could even be better and im not disputing this, but she can win good group races being right on pace!  at least she has been given her opportunity by being on speed these last two, especially after being a victim of being back in the field and unlucky early in her melbourne prep.

She wouldn't have run a place if she was ridden back

I thought she was great winning a G2 the same way,
the way the race was run she was in the right spot but not good enough on the day. Stable are keen on her being handy but you are entitled to their opinion.
Why woudnt you want to be handy the way most Group races are run in NZ? 

Thought Lizzie L'Amour was ridden upside down Trumpy...much better coming with a last run.  They obviously figured it was better to be up near the pace as it was likely to be a slow one, but it cost her IMO.

Ridden upside down? Didnt she win the Cal Isuzu the same way and was stated that she was always going forward?.
if you werent handy it was inpossible to make ground in that race!, run so slow!
 
How the track played that bad was due to how much water was put on the track, disapointing and a lot of horses werent at their best on that.

Now he has!, full credit on the ride to Trudy she stole it! And paddy was good enough to make the most of it!
Pedestrian run race

Now he has!, full credit on the ride to Trudy she stole it! And paddy was good enough to make the most of it!
Pedestrian run race

Now he has!, full credit on the ride to Trudy she stole it! And paddy was good enough to make the most of it!
Pedestrian run race

Now he has!, full credit on the ride to Trudy she stole it! And paddy was good enough to make the most of it!
Pedestrian run race

Now he has!, full credit on the ride to Trudy she stole it! And paddy was good enough to make the most of it!
Pedestrian run race

Rutherford and Fenton-Ellis obviously have too many off- track activities to keep their eye on the ball with the Waikato Racing Club.
Jee-whiz it gives me the shits the way high profile people get the number one positions irrespective of their real ability.
These two are a perfect example given the results to date.

Sums up Waikato Racing Club doesnt it, i cant believe the way that statement/apology/whatever it is has been written.
No ownership, no leadership and no idea

So Mr Blind Squirrel, I hope that you heard the interview with Mark Baker from the Auckland Racing Club and Mark Claydon this afternoon when Mark Baker stated that the colours didn't work well last night and that they will be looking at that for next year
The people that criticized that aspect here have been well and truly vindicated.