MVS Success at the 2017 New Zealand Equine Veterinary Association Conference
MVS Success at the 2017 New Zealand Equine Veterinary Association Conference
August 23, 2017
Congratulations to MVS Equine Veterinarians, Cordelia Francis and Andrea Ritmeester, for their outstanding achievements at the 2017 New Zealand Equine Veterinary Association Conference.
Cordelia won the Massey Award for Best Practitioner Presentation, presented by Prof Chris Riley, and Andrea received the Brian Goulden Prize awarded to an Outstanding NZ Equine Veterinarian, presented by Neil Houston, president of the NZEVA.
Andrea has also been chosen to be the next president of the NZEVA, commencing in June 2018.
News all good for Valachi chief
August 2, 2017
Kevin Hickman’s breeding operation has welcomed another highly valuable addition while his prospects for the new racing season also look particularly bright.
In England overnight, the Valachi Downs principal’s former crack race mare Silent Achiever foaled to Galileo’s unbeaten champion son Frankel, already a Group One producer at stud.
“He’s a strong, good-boned colt and just as impressive as his full-sister last year,” Valachi manager Jonathan Scully said. “We’re all absolutely rapt and Silent Achiever loves being a Mum so that’s great.”
Trained throughout her career by Roger James, Silent Achiever won 10 races, including the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby and the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes and in Australia the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes and the Gr.1 BMW.
Meanwhile, last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Ugo Foscolo was a runaway winner at the trials on Tuesday morning as he prepares for a return to racing from the stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
“I’ve been talking to Adrian and they put Blake Shinn on him and it was a nice trial over 1000 metres,” Scully said. “He pulled eight or 10 lengths away from them at the line.
“He was under a good hold throughout so things are looking good. He’ll probably have another trial and then maybe kick off in a Group Two somewhere.
“He will be hanging around Sydney to see just how he does come up and then we’ll decide whether he goes down to Melbourne to have a go at Winx or not.”
Hickman also has high hopes for Ugo Foscolo’s regally-bred stablemate Honfleur, a half-sister by Fastnet Rock to the Group One winners Shamrocker and Rock Diva.
“She’s had a couple of trials and they’ve seen enough in her to send her straight to Melbourne for her first start,” Scully said. “She looks a million dollars, a lovely filly.” – NZ Racing Desk.
Ex-Kiwi on right track for Final
July 3, 2017
Nikita Beriman’s enthusiasm for next week’s Winter Championship Final at Flemington increased on Saturday.
The Group 1-winning jockey saw My Paisann announce himself a genuine contender for the $150,000 Listed event with an impressive win at Caulfield.
The New Zealand recruit, who is prepared by Lisa Enright at Mornington, scored a last-stride win in the $100,000 SECUREcorp Handicap (1400m).
“The Grand Final is next week, so this was an added bonus,” Beriman said.
“I actually went down and galloped this horse on Wednesday and was rewarded with the ride today, so I’m happy to stay on board.”
The son of Roc de Cambes took his record to two wins from seven starts with the victory. Backed from $31 into $19 before starting at $21, he scored by a half-head over Revolving Door ($5) with the heavily-backed favourite Enigman ($4.20 to $3.40) third.
The Caulfield victory followed second placings at Ballarat and Sandown at his first two runs in Australia.
His final two runs before leaving New Zealand were a fifth placing in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and a fifth in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m).
My Paisann’s win atoned for a near-miss for Beriman earlier in the day, the jockey forced to settle for a short-neck second placing aboard Swan Hill on-pacer Don’t Get Excited in the $60,000 Sheen Group Plate (1600m).
Beriman led until the final few strides aboard the Nathan Hobson-trained gelding, who started at $21, before being nabbed by the Beau Mertens-ridden Coldstone.
“I did get a little bit excited at the 100, but I heard Beau coming and he ran tremendous race, so you have to be happy with that,” she said.
– racingnews.co.nz
My Paisann Photo: Darryl Sherer
Gastroscopy Day at MVS Equine – 20 June 2017
June 1, 2017
Does your horse have stomach ulcers? MVS Equine is hosting a ‘gastroscopy day’ on the 20th June 2017 at the clinic to promote diagnosis of stomach ulcers. Please contact the clinic to book an appointment time.
Click on the link below for more information.
Another two-mile chance for accomplished stayer
April 3, 2017
Connections of the proven distance performance Mister Impatience aren’t letting any two mile chances pass by.
They haven’t wasted any time in sending the stayer back to Australia and he will take his place in Saturday’s $A2 million Gr.1 Sydney Cup at Randwick.
“He was always going to end up back there and he was doing so well that the owners and Mike (Moroney) decided to have a go,” Ballymore Stables racing manager Nick Fairweather said.
Although Mister Impatience raced well below expectations in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup for Moroney and his Matamata co-trainer Pam Gerard, his condition can’t be faulted.
“He got into a good position, but he never fired,” Fairweather said. “It was disappointing because we thought he was going as well as ever and his run for third in the Avondale Cup had been very good.
“He’s come through his racing well and he’s a dead-set stayer so it’s worth him having a go at the Sydney Cup.
“As long as he runs well he’ll probably have another crack at the Queensland Cup.”
Mister Impatience won the 3200 metre event in 2015 and success in the Gr.2 Wellington Cup five months later confirmed his distance prowess. He also has a 3000 metre victory at Ballarat to his credit.
Meanwhile, Dreamcrafter returned to the stable last week and she will make one more appearance as a three-year-old.
“She’s going to run in the Valachi Downs Championship Stakes at Ellerslie,” Fairweather said.
Dreamcrafter finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase before the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks distance proved beyond her at Trentham. – NZ Racing Desk.
Mister Impatience Photo: Trish Dunell
Second Stakes Winner for Roc De Cambes
March 20, 2017
Lightly raced four-year-old Consommateur (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) tackled stakes company for the first time in Saturday’s $150,000 Group III Bradford Black Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill, and she came out a winner.
Bought from The Oaks Stud’s draft at the 2014 Select Sale for $30,000, Consommateur came from off the pace in the fillies and mares’ feature and powered through the wet ground to win by two and three-quarter lengths.
The win was Consommateur’s third from six career starts, and she has placed in all of the other three. Her prize-money earnings now stand at A$128,600.
“Her whole aim this preparation was this race,” trainer Mick Kent said. “She is owned up here by a good client of mine, Geoff Evers. We bought her in New Zealand.
“She is out of a Zabeel mare. She has taken her time and is a very big mare. She will be better next year.”
Consommateur was bred by The Oaks Stud and is a half-sister to the stakes placegetter Single Act (NZ) (Bachelor Duke).
Offered by The Oaks stud at the 2014 Select Sale, Consommateur was bought by NZB as agent for $30,000.
Bred in New Zealand by The Oaks Stud, Consommateur was purchased for the Kent stable after an early trial victory. A half-sister to the stakes placed Single Act, she is out of the Zabeel mare Consumer whose dam is a half-sister to the Group I winners Magic Of Sydney (Spring Champion Stakes) and Daney Boy (Karrakatta Plate).
Consommateur becomes the second stakes winner for The Oaks Stud’s Roc De Cambes after Group 1 Toorak Handicap winner He’s Our Rokkii.
story from breednet.com.au (photo – Steve Hart)
Chenille delivers perfect get well message
March 16, 2017
Tony Pike delivered the perfect get well message to his hospitalised father Wayne when he saddled up Chenille to win the country’s premier staying race, the $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup, at Ellerslie this afternoon.
The big mare’s dominant victory capped a roller-coaster week for the Pike family, beginning with the postponement of Saturday’s originally scheduled Cup day programme. On Monday Wayne Pike underwent cancer surgery in Hamilton’s Braemar Hospital and this afternoon he, wife Vicki and grandchildren Molly and Oliver watched the Ellerslie action unfold via Trackside TV.
“When the rain started on Friday we thought we had done our chips,” Tony Pike recalled. “The postponement to today put us back in the game and the weather played its part to give us the track she needed.
“Wayne had been all set to come to the races on Saturday and then the first thing he said when they postponed was that he might still be able to get out of his hospital bed and be here today.
“There was no chance of that – it was a big operation and he only got out of ICU yesterday, but this is great, it will have done him a power of good.”
Chenille, who became the thirteenth Group One sired by veteran stallion Pentire, was bred by Tony, his wife Kirsten and Wayne and Vicki Pike and is raced by them in partnership with old friends Graeme and Jackie Capes.
The other key contributor to the big win was jockey Leith Innes, who had wasted hard all last week to make Chenille’s 53-kilogram handicap and then had to remain on light rations for another five days.
The saving grace for Innes was that Chenille gave him an armchair ride – albeit a little keen – on the way to her three-quarter-length win over fellow lightweight mare El Pistola. Innes had his mount travelling sweetly one out in midfield before easing her into the clear with 800 metres to run.
Already the $3.90 favourite, it was clear she was the horse to beat as she loped up wide out on the turn and with her tongue hanging out the left side of her jaw, she kept going resolutely for a convincing win.
“She over-raced in the run but she always felt strong,” said Innes. “I had no option but to let her roll into it and even though she got to the front sooner than I would have liked, she always had them covered.
“Wins like this make it all worthwhile and it’s great for the Pikes, who have been such big supporters for me.”
Tokoroa mare El Pistola was game in defeat after making the early running and then racing in a trail, while even braver was third placegetter Jacksstar, who ran all the way to the line but pulled up with a bowed tendon.
story and photo from The Informant
Matamata Racing Club ‘2017 Junior Fashion In The Field’
February 27, 2017
MVS Equine Veterinarian, Andrea Ritmeester, presenting Lennox Thomson with 3rd place in the Matamata Racing Club ‘2017 Junior Fashion In The Field’ 3-4yr old division. Doesn’t he look great?!
She Brings Joy (NZ) Claims Royal Stakes
January 8, 2017
With a perfectly timed charge, She Brings Joy (NZ) (Sebring) got up in the last stride for a thrilling win in the fifth leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, the $100,000 Group 2 Stella Artois Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Sunday.
In a tactically run race, Adis (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) dictated terms from in front and kicked strongly in the straight. The 20-to-one outsider appeared to have stolen the race. But She Brings Joy lengthened stride in the last 150 metres and snatched victory by a half-head.
It was the second year in a row that trainer Stephen Marsh and jockey Danielle Johnson won the Royal Stakes, having won it in 2016 with the subsequent Filly of the Year Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi).
“I can’t believe this horse was still a maiden,” Marsh said. “She’s been probably our most promising maiden for a long time.
“I thought she’d win first up and then second up but it’s just those bad draws that have plagued us. Finally today she drew a barrier.”
Bred and raced by Kevin Hickman, She Brings Joy has had four starts for one win, one placing and more than $60,000 in prize-money.
She Brings Joy picked up 8 Filly of the Year Series points for Sunday’s win, boosting her to third place on the points table behind Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge) and La Diosa (NZ) (So You Think).
Runner-up Adis collected 4 points to sit in seventh place on the table, with the third-placed Grand Soleil (NZ) (Savabeel) moving on to the table with 2 points.
story and photo from NZ Racing
Sacred Master all class at Hastings
October 12, 2015
Promising galloper Sacred Master stamped himself as a future star of the staying ranks with a comfortable win at Hastings on the weekend.
Successful on the first day of the three-day Hawkes Bay spring carnival back in August the powerful son of Mastercraftsman ran into traffic trouble when a fast closing fifth behind Jimmy Mac a fortnight ago.
Ridden closer to the speed on Saturday, Sacred Master displayed a devastating turn of foot as he powered to the lead halfway down the run home before comfortably holding his rivals out at the winning post.
“We’ve always had a big opinion of him and he’s starting to come to it nicely now he has matured a little more,” noted trainer Tony Pike.
“He still has a wee way to go but as he gets older he will continue to strengthen up and I think he could be a real Cups horse this time next year.
“He was very unlucky on the middle day when he got too far off them and struck trouble during the race but this time Leith (Innes) had him in a beautiful spot behind the speed and he finished it off nicely.”
Pike will now send his charge to the spelling paddock for a short break before bringing him back with the Ellerslie Christmas Carnival in mind.
“He’ll have a few days in the paddock now before we bring him back in,” he said.
“At this stage the Dunstan Feeds Championship Final at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day is the aim so we will work out a schedule to get him there while he is having a break.”
Pike also reported dual Group One winner Sacred Star was making good progress after being back in work for about three weeks. A tilt at the Gr. 1 Railway Stakes on New Year’s Day is the immediate aim for the son of Flying Spur before he attempts to defend both his Gr. 1 Telegraph and NRM Sprint titles later in the summer. – NZ Racing Desk
story and photo from NZ Racing
