Cover image courtesy of Race Images
Champion New Zealand General Sire/Champion New Zealand 3-Year-Old Sire
There was a crowning of a new king for the Champion New Zealand General Sire. The Rich Hill Stud-based Proisir broke the incredible domestic reign of Savabeel that stretched back to 2015.
In breaking the reign of Savabeel, Proisir also eclipsed the domestic earnings figure, no stallion, not even Savabeel had domestically achieved more than NZ$4 million.
The highest domestic earnings recorded by the Waikato Stud champion was set in 2018/19 season when Savabeel amassed NZ$3,951,419.
The Champion New Zealand General Sire Premiership was a real changing of the guard for the New Zealand breeding industry.
Proisir compiled NZ$4,155,785 in earnings domestically during the 2022/23 season. He was represented by 89 runners and 47 individual winners of 82 victories in New Zealand. The son of Choisir sired nine individual stakes winners, headed by the outstanding filly Prowess (NZ).
Proisir | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained rising 4-year-old capped a standout season by winning the G1 Vinery Stud S. in Australia after claiming the G1 New Zealand Bonecrusher S. against the older gallopers, and the R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic.
Prowess looks set again to be a key representative for Proisir in the new season. As does his other star, filly Legarto (NZ) from the Ken and Bev Kelso stable.
The filly gave her sire a rare double when she won the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas to add to her paternal brother Pier’s (NZ) success in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
Legarto then travelled to Australia and gave the Aussies a galloping lesson in the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington.
In addition to the trio mentioned above Proisir was represented by the recently retired Levante (NZ) who won consecutive editions of the G1 Telegraph H.
Gallery: Some of Proisir's stakes winners this season, images courtesy of Trish Dunell
The feats of Prowess, Legarto and Co., were enough for Proisir to claim the domestic Champion New Zealand 3-Year-Old Sire in addition to his General Sires' title.
The stallion was represented by 29 runners aged three, of which 14 won 28 races, including five stakes victories, earning NZ$2,296,970.
Proisir will stand the 2023 breeding season at Rich Hill Stud, New Zealand, for NZ$70,000 (plus GST).
Although Savabeel was knocked off his top perch for this season, the son of Zabeel (NZ) finished second in the New Zealand General Sires’ Premiership with 54 winners and five individual stakes winners.
Savabeel | Standing at Waikato Stud
The Waikato Stud king was also awarded his eighth Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings and his seventh Dewar Award for combined Australia and New Zealand earnings.
Champion New Zealand First Season Sire
The Oaks Stud’s U S Navy Flag (USA) led a competitive group of domestic first-season sires to be crowned the Champion New Zealand First Season Sire.
The former Coolmore Stud shuttler was purchased outright by The Oaks Stud recently, and after such an encouraging start to his career, the investment looks an astute one and a coup for the New Zealand breeding industry.
U S Navy Flag (USA) | Standing at The Oaks Stud
Twenty-four runners represented the son of War Front (USA), seven saluted, winning nine races in total, and headed by the talented Chantilly Lace (NZ), who won the Listed Castletown S. at Wanganui by an extended margin.
U S Navy Flag was also represented by the multiple Group 1 placegetter To Catch A Thief.
In total, the progeny of U S Navy Flag earnt NZ$373,975. He will be available to breeders for a 2023 fee of NZ$15,000 (plus GST).
Chantilly Lace (NZ) was U S Navy Flag's (USA) leading performer this season | Image courtesy of Race Images
Champion New Zealand Second Season Sire & Champion New Zealand 2-Year-Old Sire
There is no denying the 2022/23 season has been one to remember for John Thompson’s Rich Hill Stud.
The dawn of the new season will see the Waikato-based nursery the home of New Zealand’s Champion General Sire Proisir, and the Champion New Zealand Second Season Sire and Champion New Zealand 2-Year-Old Sire, Satono Aladdin (Jpn).
The son of the breed-shaping Deep Impact (Jpn) has made every post a winner this season in New Zealand. Satono Aladdin was represented by 33 runners, of which 12 saluted in 19 races, and three stakes winners earning NZ$1,315,355 domestically to claim the New Zealand Second Season Sire title.
Satono Aladdin (Jpn) | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
Satono Aladdin had six juvenile runners in New Zealand, they won five races for total receipts of NZ$680,735.
Te Akau Racing’s Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) proved to be a star juvenile, taking out the R. Listed Karaka Million along with the Jim Wallace-trained Pennyweka (NZ) who took out the G1 New Zealand Oaks and the G1 Australian Oaks.
The performances of Tokyo Tycoon and Pennyweka underlined Satono Aladdin’s ability to produce precocious juveniles and Classic gallopers.
He will stand the 2023 breeding season for NZ$45,000 (plus GST).
Pennyweka (NZ), winner of the G1 New Zealand Oaks and the G1 Australian Oaks | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Champion New Zealand Broodmare Sire
Although he passed away in 2014, the near indomitable influence of O’Reilly (NZ) has barely slipped.
The former Waikato Stud-based Champion Sire was crowned the Leading New Zealand Broodmare Sire for the second consecutive season.
Daughters of O’Reilly provided 81 winners of 124 races from 181 runners. They produced 10 individual stakes winners of NZ$4,474,295.
The leading performers for O'Reilly were He’s A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), who won the G1 Thorndon Mile, Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) who took out the G2 Rich Hill Mile S., along with Arby (NZ) (Proisir), who won the G3 Manawatu Classic, and Sakura Girl (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) a victress of the G3 Sunline Vase.
Champion New Zealand Trainer
Mark Walker took the helm of Head Trainer at Te Akau Racing after the departure of Jamie Richards to Hong Kong, and under his guidance, the tangerine juggernaut saw no stopping.
Walker made history and smashed records when he became the first New Zealand trainer to train 200 domestic winners in a single season. Walker will finish the 2022/23 season having trained 203 winners and 33 stakes winners domestically and achieving a prizemoney of NZ$8,253,172.
Walker’s closest pursuer Stephen Marsh finished the season having trained 100 winners.
Mark Walker | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
There were plenty of highlights with Walker being represented by such gallopers as Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), Romancing The Moon (NZ) (El Roca) and Tokyo Tycoon.
Champion New Zealand Jockey
Michael McNab achieved consecutive victories in the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership, once again dominating the racetrack and jockeys’ room. McNab finished the 2022/23 season riding 164 winners, 47 clear of his nearest pursuer Craig Grylls.
Adding a new dimension to his outstanding achievement of consecutive premiership victories, he bettered his winning tally for the 2021/22 season, which saw him ride 144 winners.
Michael McNab | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
McNab nabbed 17 stakes winners and earnings of NZ$4,790,097, with a highlight coming in the G1 Captain Cook S. on the Mark Walker-trained Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel).
Champion New Zealand Group 1-winning horse
The Te Akau Racing-owned and Mark Walker-trained Imperatriz was the New Zealand Leading Group 1-winning horse with five victories in the 2022/23 season, including one win in the G1 William Reid S. at Moonee Valley in Australia.
The outstanding daughter of I Am Invincible is gearing up for another spring preparation that could culminate in the G1 Champions Sprint at Flemington.
Imperatriz | Image courtesy of Race Images
Champion New Zealand Breeder
The Chittick family’s Waikato Stud was the Champion New Zealand Breeder for the 2022/23 season.
The Matamata nursery enjoyed another brilliant season on the racetrack in New Zealand and Australia.
Domestically the Waikato Stud-bred Mazzolino (NZ) (Savabeel) took out the G3 Desert Gold S. and Sagunto (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) won the G3 Manawatu Cup.
While Cruz Missile (NZ) (Savabeel) was victorious in the Listed Gingernuts S. and Synchronize (NZ) (Savabeel) won the Listed Hall Mark H.
Waikato Stud had an equally dominant season in Australia. It started with the bonny mare Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), who succeeded in the G1 Empire Rose S. in the spring and was followed by an autumn to savour when Major Beel (NZ) (Savabeel) took out the G1 Australian Derby and Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel). However, the icing on the cake came with the exploits of I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) winning the G1 TJ Smith S.
The gelding is preparing for a tilt at the $20 million The Everest after being selected by Trackside Media to represent their slot.
The Waikato Stud team | Image courtesy of Waikato Stud
Champion New Zealand Vendor (at New Zealand sales)
The Chittick family-owned Waikato Stud was also to the fore as the Champion New Zealand Vendor at New Zealand Sales.
Waikato Stud earned over NZ$7.77 million in 2023, with NZ$7.72 million of that coming at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
