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No disappointment in Derby

Despite being beaten by a superb staying performance from Sherwood Forest in Saturday’s Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m), connections of Two Illicit were proud of her effort to finish runner-up. The Ellerslie classic had been billed as a two-horse showdown, and after two weeks of hype and speculation, Two Illicit started as the $2 favourite with Dragon Leap at $3.10. No other runner was in single figures. Two Illicit was one of three runners in the race for trainers Roger James and Robe...

James shoots for sixth Derby win

Five-time New Zealand Derby winning-trainer Roger James is refusing to buy into talk that Saturday's Classic at Ellerslie is down to a two-horse race between his star filly Two Illicit and boom colt Dragon Leap. James will produce the Trelawney Stud bred and raced Two Illicit, Redwood gelding Reggiewood and He's Remarkable gelding Monlula in the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie. Having won the Derby with Tidal Light when training in partnership with Jim Gibbs in 1986, Roysyn ...

Cox Plate 100 celebrations kick off in NZ

In celebration of the 100th running of the Gr.1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) on October 24, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate trophy will take on a tour of New Zealand on March 7 – 14 including a stopover at Trelawney Stud. New Zealand has been a rich breeding ground of champion racehorses that have taken on the Weight-For-Age championship of Australasia, the W.S. Cox Plate, and have written their names in the history books successfully and been immortalised in ‘The race where legends are made’. The feat...

Loire chasing Lowland win

Trelawney Stud's Group One-wining filly Loire set to contest the Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hawke’s Bay on Wednesday. Trainer Tony Pike is pleased with Loire, who is on-track for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) on March 14 and believes the daughter of Redoute’s Choice will come on from her last start third in the Gr.2 Fillies Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa, when well held by key rival Jennifer Eccles. “She’ll improve a lot off her Te Rapa run,�...

The Bostonian finalises Sydney preparations

Multiple Group One winner The Bostonian stretched his legs at Ellerslie on Monday morning ahead of another trip to Australia. The Tony Pike-trained sprinter-miler, who carries the Trelawney Stud brand after being born and raised on the farm for breeder-owner David Archer, won a trial earlier in the month and made use of perfect conditions at Ellerslie ahead of a two-start Sydney campaign. “He galloped over 1000m at Ellerslie this morning,” Pike said. “I was thinking of taking him up to Co...

The Taylors' plan for success

The 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale saw a major change to the Taylor family's selling model, a move that paid dividends with Trelawney Stud being the sale's leading vendor by average. TDN AUS NZ's Trevor Marshallsea sat down with the Taylors to hear about this new stage for the farm and the history behind it. Forward thinking and looking to the future have been hallmarks in the success of two of the most familiar names in New Zealand breeding, Brent and Cherry Taylor.But Trelawn...

Prise De Fer chasing Group One

Trelawney Stud graduate Prise De Fer (Savabeel x Foiled) will take a picket fence formline into the Gr.1 Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m) at Otaki on Saturday.His latest wins include victories in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) and Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m) at his last two starts. “It’s his first serious test up with the big boys at level weights,” Richards said. “He’s made good steady progress through the grades, winning the Rich Hill Mile at open handicap, and Taranaki Cup a...

Foodie wins again

Chris So’s season has been laboured but the Hong Kong handler saddled his fourth winner inside of three weeks when Foodie Princess (Sepoy x Raziyya of Sydney) nailed his second course and distance success on the bounce in the Class 4 Tiu Keng Leng Handicap (1650m) at Sha Tin on Wednesday night. “It was slow in the early part of the season but I think things are picking up,” So said. “Some horses needed time, those young horses, and now some of the older horses are dropping to a more suit...

VIDEO: Brent Taylor on Two Illicit, Loire, and Trelawney Stud

Trackside's Emily Bosson talks to Brent Taylor of Trelawney Stud about the success of the stud's three-year-old fillies Two Illicit and Loire and the development of the famed stud's broodmare band....

Colgan full of praise for Derby hope

Vinnie Colgan, the most successful rider in New Zealand Derby history, will continue his association with Two Illicit in the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday week. Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Two Illicit has recorded four wins and two placings from six starts and is the only horse to have beaten Saturday’s Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) winner Dragon Leap in his four starts. She did so second-up at Ellerslie last November when defeating him b...

Scholarship Blog- Laura McNab

I’m not very good at sitting still, so 25 hours on a plane was fairly tough!! Stepping off the plane into a chilly 2 degrees was a bit of a shock to the system, especially since it was 25 degrees when I left home. I was warned about the Irish winter and it has definitely lived up to its reputation. The winter woollies have well and truly been dusted off and put to the test so far. We’ve had a few snow flurries but nothing has stuck yet. Storm Ciara whipped through with some serious wind and ...

Trelawney Stud's submission for the Racing Industry Bill

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Derby tilt confirmed for Two Illicit

Trelaweny Stud's exciting three-year-old filly Two Illicit will contest the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie later this month after pulling up well from her victory in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. “She has come through the run really well,” said Robert Wellwood, who trains the filly in partnership with Roger James. “It was a credit to Te Rapa, they had the track in great order. She has trotted up nice and freely and is just having a nice quie...

Mare at concert pitch for Avondale Cup

Things may not have gone Concert Hall’s way in the Gr.3 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie last start, but her connections are hopeful she can bring home another cup from the Auckland track on Saturday. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained five-year-old will contest the Gr.2 Joe McDonald Avondale Cup (2400m) and her connections are putting her last start fourth-placing behind them. “It really just didn’t suit her at all (after the false start),” Wellwood said of the Joan Eg...

Stellar year for Trelawney continues

It may only be February but Brent and Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud have already had a year to remember. Trelawney Stud recorded great returns at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, selling 11 yearlings in the Book 1 session for an aggregate of $3.5 million, cementing their spot as the leading vendor by average at the sale. The Cambridge couple’s success has continued onto the track where three-year-old fillies Two Illicit and Loire posted black-type results at Te Rapa on Satu...

Scholarship Blog- Hannah Airey

Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship recipient Hannah Airey reports on her first week in Ireland at the Irish National Stud.25 hours on a plane does not get you pumped up for anything except standing on solid ground, no matter where that may be. Nothing permeated my brain on the ride from Dublin to Kildare either and it wasn’t until I’d woken up the next morning (or perhaps two mornings later?) that I could fully appreciate that I wasn’t on home soil anymore. The Irish National Stu...

Two Illicit demolishes rivals in Waikato Guineas

The Trelawney Stud bred and raced Two Illicit announced herself as a serious Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) contender when she simply blew her rivals off the track at Te Rapa on Saturday. The ultra-consistent Jimmy Choux filly elected to take on the boys alongside potential Derby rival Travelling Light in the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) and she gave them all a lesson as she streaked clear to win the three-year-old feature by a stunning seven and a half-lengths. Ridden a t...

Trelawney holds strong hand at Te Rapa

Trelawney Stud will be focussing on Te Rapa on Saturday with connections to four runners stepping out on the Waikato track. First out of the gates will be Group One winner Loire who finished runner-up last start when resuming in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m). The daughter of Redoute's Choice will jump from barrier five in the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2000m) with Michael McNab once again taking the ride. In the following race last-start Group Two winner Two Illicit contests...

Five in a row for Prise De Fer

Exciting up-and-comer Prise De Fer extended his winning sequence to five with another supreme performance in Saturday’s Gr.3 Powerworx Taranaki Cup (1800m) at New Plymouth. Not far away in elite three-year-old company last season, the son of Savabeel has gone to a new level since turning four. He has been unbeaten since the beginning of October, when he won in Rating 72 grade at Te Teko. Prise De Fer, progressed to stakes class on New Year’s Day with a big win in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (160...

Prise De Fer chasing fifth consecutive win

Prise De Fer will attempt to continue his picket fence formline in the Gr.3 Powerworx Taranaki Cup (1800m) on Saturday. Purchased by Ellis for $100,000 out of Trelawney Stud’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft, Prise De Fer has hit a purple patch of form as a four-year-old. He kicked off the season with a third-placing over 1300m at Taupo before winning four on-end, culminating with victory in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. “He was giv...

Trelawney Stud strong again on Karaka Day Three

After some stunning success on Day Two at Karaka on Monday, Cambridge consignor Trelawney Stud were back in the thick of the action on Day Three. The Taylor-family owned breeding nursery enjoyed a magical twenty minutes on Monday where they sold three yearlings for a combined $1.575million including an I Am Invincible colt for $625,000. The international buying bench were well alert to their Exceed and Excel ex Gallwitz filly when she hit the auction ring as Lot 614 on Tuesday with the athletic ...

Juan Diva scores Warwick Farm win

Three-year-old filly Juan Diva broke through for her maiden win at Warwick Farm on Monday.The Richard and Michael Freedman-trained daughter of Snitzel justified her short quote with a facile win over 1100 metresCarrying the colours of the Taylor family's Trelawney Stud, Juan Diva is the first foal of her dam, the Listed Ipswich Turf Club Gai Waterhouse Classic winner Peron (Husson). The second foal of Peron, a full-brother to Juan Diva named Colonel, was a $900,000 purchase by James Harron Blood...

Lucrative day for Trelawney

Brent and Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud experienced a thrilling day at Karaka on Monday where they sold six yearlings for over $2.2 million. Lot 241, the Tivaci colt out of Ruqqaya, was the first yearling on day two of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale to hit the $500,000 mark when knocked down to the bid of bloodstock agent Bruce Perry. A half-brother to dual Group One winner Grunt, the colt was the pick of the sale for Perry who admitted he was surprised he was able to secure...

Loire primed for Trentham resumption

Group One-winning filly Loire will be looking to add further black-type to her record when she lines-up in the Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. The three-year-old daughter of Redoute’s Choice was victorious in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November and trainer Tony Pike was impressed with her resuming 1200m trial victory at Cambridge on January 6. “You can’t fault her trial at Cambridge last week, it was superb,” he said. “N...

Black type successes for Egan

Awapuni is certainly proving to be a happy hunting ground for Waikato NZTBA member Joan Egan after two recent black type successes. Egan bred and races Concert Hall (Savabeel[AUS]-Classic Legacy) the winner of the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup last month and Beauden (Bullbars[AUS]- Belle Femme) who won the Listed Marton Cup both on that track.  “Awapuni is definitely Beauden’s favourite track, he has raced there eight times for six wins and two placings,” recalled Egan, “and Concert Hall’s wi...