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Q & A with Laura McNab

Recent Irish National Stud graduate Laura McNab will arrive at Trelawney Stud in the near future to work for the breeding season and yearling prep. We had a Q & A session with the Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship recipient so we could get to know her a bit better before she joins team Trelawney.What was your favourite moment of your time in Ireland? It’s so hard to pin point a single thing! I was lucky enough to get out with the South Dublin County Hunt pre COVID-19 on ...

Aiming for the Sky

Joao Moreira was in treble form at Sha Tin on Sunday and he was buzzing after Sky Field put four lengths on the field in the Class 4 Mr Award Handicap (1200m). The Caspar Fownes-trained three-year-old broke his maiden at the third attempt in a manner that points to a bright future. “It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a nice young talent like him. The best part of it is that he feels like a raw type, that has plenty of improvement still,” Moreira said. “There are no words to describe w...

Group One update for Igraine

French raider In Swoop showed an impressive turn of foot in the closing stages to win the Gr.1 Deutsches Derby (2400m) at Hamburg. The Francis-Henri Graffard-trained son of Adlerflug won on debut at Lyon Parilly on May 15 and ran third over course and distance on his only other start in the Gr.3 Prix Greffulhe (2200m) last month. In Swoop is a half-brother to the Trelawney Stud-owned Igraine, a Group Three winning daughter of Galileo. Igraine had five starts in Australia last season, winning th...

Q & A with Hannah Airey

Hannah Airey has recently graduated from the Irish National Stud where she completed the world-renowned breeding diploma while on the Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship awarded by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. Before she arrives at Trelawney to join the team for the breeding season we had a Q & A session to find out a little bit more about her and her time in Ireland. What was your favourite moment of your time in Ireland? Definitely the trips we got in at the end...

Scholarship recipients graduate from Irish National Stud

The class of 2020 has gradated from the Irish National Stud with their breeding course diploma. This year, due to the generosity of Trelawney Stud, the New Zealand Breeders’ Association were able to send to attendees on the world-renowned course under the Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship. Hannah Airey and Laura McNab were two of 27 students to graduate from the six-month diploma course. Though it was an unusual few month for the students, who despite not getting many opportunities to ...

Kiwi chaser on target for Australian Grand National

Leading Kiwi jumper Shamal took the next step on his path to the Australian Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) at Ballarat in August with a gritty victory at Casterton on Saturday. Carrying clear topweight of 74kgs, the former New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) and Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) winner had to call on all his noted staying qualities for rider Lee Horner to defeat fellow Kiwi-breds Zataglio and Speedy Jax in the 3800m contest. Horner kept the Zabeel nine-year-old in a ...

Sport Genius scores again

Trelawney Stud graduate Sport Genius (Ocean Park x Bhiwani) brought up his fourth career win in Macau on Saturday.The three-year-old gelding has fashioned an impressive record in the Asian racing jurisdiction claiming victories in four of his six career starts to date.Trained by Nick Moore, Sport Genius was unplaced in his debut in December last year before winning his next two starts. He then ran third in March when racing wide without cover throughout, and his won at his last two trips to the ...

Trelawney score Aussie double

Trelawney Stud added two new winners to their tally on Wednesday after Samiam Seussie and Genuine Al provided the Cambridge-based farm a winning Australian double.The Richard and Michael Freedman trained Samiam Seussie was having just her second start after finishing unplaced at Kembla Grange earlier this month.Racing in the Trelawney Stud silks Samiam Seussie defied her $21 start price to win the Iron Jack Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury Park for two-year-old fillies by 2-1/4-lengths under Jason...

Savaheat cherry ripe at Flemington

Savaheat was cherry ripe ahead of the Brew’s Anniversary Plate (1800m) at Flemington on Saturday, according to trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jr), and he duly delivered. The five-year-old son of Savabeel settled midfield for jockey Michael Dee before he asked his charge to improve from the 800m mark. Savaheat took control of the race with a furlong to go and he was able to hold out Duke Of Plumpton to record a New Zealand-bred quinella. His connections were delighted with the result, wi...

Blog Post- Hannah Airey

Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship recipient Hannah Airey gives an update on her time at the Irish National Stud.Mother Nature has well and truly issued the reminder that she is unstoppable, as while COVID-19 ploughs ahead so does the labour and cycle of the broodmare. I write this blog post from the sit-up room, waiting on the last three mares to pop out a baby. It is my last opportunity to gain some more foaling experience, so I have my fingers crossed for a foal tonight. The covering she...

SA Derby tilt for Zayydani

Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor will be glued to their television screen on Saturday as they get set to watch Zayydani contest the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville. The Cambridge couple bred the Savabeel filly and entrusted her to the care of the Lindsay Park training trio of David and Ben Hayes, and Tom Dabernig. She won her first two career starts at Seymour over a mile before finishing sixth and runner-up over the same distance in her two subsequent starts. She ...

Gundown ready to fire third-up

Former Kiwi galloper Gundown will have conditions in his favour when he contests the Ladbrokes Switch Handicap (2100m) at Sandown on Saturday, with the track currently rated a Soft7. The five-year-old son of High Chaparral finished ninth behind impressive winner Rupture last Saturday at Flemington, but trainer Michael Moroney said the gelding has had excuses at both starts this campaign. “His two runs have been good,” Moroney said. “He drew wide barriers and had to go back. He got caught...

Zayydani ready to step up

David Hayes is warning the tote is not an accurate reflection of Zayydani’s chances in the Gr.1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday. Zayydani, who races in the silks of breeders Brent and Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud, was paying $34 at fixed odds on the New Zealand TAB on Thursday morning with Affair To Remember ranked the $5 favourite. Hayes, who trains in partnership with his son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig, has been pleased with Zayydani’s lead up form where she was a l...

Sultan of Swing getting ready for return

Connections of Sultan of Swin are eyeing a tilt at the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival. The seven-year-old gelding finished runner-up behind Melody Belle in last year’s Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and was set for a raceday return before Covid-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions put a halt to his autumn preparation. “He is getting older, but he doesn’t seem to be getting slower,” Ritchie said of Sultan of Swing who was born and raised at Trelawney Stud. “He is racing really well. His last s...

Black-type tests ahead for Excelida

Well-related filly Excelida has South Australian black-type features in her sights after a strong win at Sandown on Monday. Racing in the well-known yellow and black checks of owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Excelida settled towards the rear of the field before pulling wide in the straight. Given clear running, Excelida let down well for jockey Damien Oliver reeling in the leaders and going on to score a comfortable length victory in the Same Race Multi Handicap (1300m). “It was a fantastic win...

Sydney off the agenda for Trelawney

Sydney was set to be a major focus point in the coming months for Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor, however, their attention has swiftly changed with measures implemented as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Cambridge couple had yearlings set to fly over to go through the sales ring in Sydney, while exciting filly Two Illicit was earmarked for Group One assignments during Sydney’s autumn carnival. While disappointed Two Illicit will no longer get her chance to be tested in Sydne...

Blog Post- Hannah Airey

Eight weeks in and things are chipping away nicely on the Irish National Stud apart from someone’s lasting decision to not wash their hands in China. Luckily nothing on the stud has come to a grinding halt, and work continues as usual, with some precautions in place. Mind you, the closing of the local watering hole hit us all where it hurt. Picking up from where I left off, I’ve not only done my first stint on night watch, but my second too. I can hardly say we were overrun with foals but e...

Star Of The Seas appreciates wet surface

A deteriorating track has played in favour of the Trelawney Stud-bred Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park x Stella Livia) who has claimed a strong win in the Gr.3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m). The Chris Waller-trained Star Of The Seas was sent out at $6 in Saturday's Group Three sprint on a track downgraded to heavy after steady rain. Group One placed behind Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park) and Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) in the Epsom Handicap (1600m), Star Of The Seas was having his first sta...

Pike hoping Group One run continues in Oaks

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike knows his Group One winning filly Loire has got her work cut out to turn the tables on quality rival Jennifer Eccles when the pair clash again in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m). But he is confident the daughter of Redoute’s Choice will be suited by the extended distance at Trentham on Saturday and has timing on her side. Loire has clashed with the Shaune Ritchie-trained Jennifer Eccles on five occasions and has beaten the $1.95 Oaks favou...

Cox Plate memories rekindled for Hennessy

Gary Hennessy will be reliving his greatest training triumph when he heads along to the Matamata races tomorrow. The South Waikato Racing Club’s meeting is the second raceday stop on the New Zealand leg of the promotion to celebrate this year’s 100th running of for the Gr.1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24 and on course at Matamata will be the specially designed A$200,000 Cox Plate gold trophy. Matamata-based Hennessy is the last New Zealand trainer to win the famous rac...

Two in a row for Sport Genius

Trelawney Stud graduate Sport Genius scored his second consecutive win in Macau in the Class 4 over 1050m on Friday night.The promising son of Ocean Park looks to be going places and Friday’s win came hot on the heels of his easy win a fortnight back.Bred by the Taylor family, Sport Genius was passed in at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale before being purchased by the Macau Jockey Club when consigned by Diamond Lodge later that year.The three-year-old gelding has now won two of hi...

Plan comes together for Pike and The Bostonian

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike cut a satisfied figure on Sunday morning as he reflected on pulling off a successful raid on a Group One feature at Royal Randwick a day earlier with class sprinter The Bostonian. Pike and principal owner David Archer put together a plan well over a month ago to have the now triple Group One winner at his peak for Saturday’s first up assignment in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m). Renowned for his ability to win fresh-up (now six from seven), The Bostonian relished the...

Bostonian bags another Group One

The Trelawney Stud born and raised Bostonian scored a bulldog-like win in the Gr.1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randick on Saturday continuing the early dominance of kiwi-trained horses in Sydney's Group One autumn races. The Kiwis have now won the first three elite races of the carnival after trainer Jamie Richards last week landed a Group One double with Te Akau Shark and Probabeel. It was the Tony Pike-trained The Bostonian's ($7.50) turn on Saturday, the two-time Group One winner stalking a ...

Bostonian ready to resume

Multiple Group One-winning sprinter The Bostonian is set to return to action at Randwick on Saturday, kicking off a Sydney autumn carnival campaign for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike. The winner of the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) and Gr.1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) in Queensland last winter, the Jimmy Choux gelding will line up in Saturday’s Gr.1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick. The Bostonian, who was born and raised at Trelawney Stud for breeder-owner David Archer, had four starts in Melb...

Ong stays on Warpath with old champ

Tough warhorse War Affair’s (NZ) (O’Reilly) glory days on the battlefield seem long lost in the mists of time, but trainer Jason Ong is not giving up on his old warrior rising again to deal one last blow. The Singaporean handler doesn’t know if it will happen at that 38th start – in Saturday’s S$100,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1800m. He does know that the rising 10-year-old doesn’t have the same engine or legs that carried him to 16 wins in a glittering racing career that began in ...