Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Gus and Bianca Wigley’s Inglewood Stud, located in North Canterbury, has arrived at the Karaka complex for the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka with a diverse offering of 11 Book 1 yearlings and three in Book 2.
Headlining a strong draft is Lot 295, a filly by Arrowfield Stud’s Dundeel (NZ) from the Snitzel mare Parmalove. The filly is a half-sister to the flying Velocious (Written Tycoon), who is favoured for Saturday’s R. Listed NZ$1 million Karaka Millions 2YO.
Velocious was bred by Inglewood Stud and is a graduate of their 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, where Go Racing purchased her for NZ$190,000. Joining the Stephen Marsh stable, Velocious was peerless in the Listed Challenge S. and was placed in the G2 Eclipse S.
Gallery: Lot 295 is a half-sister to the flying Velocious, images courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
A victory by Velocious on Saturday at Ellerslie would surely attract additional interest in her half-sister. However, Velocious won’t be the only runner the Wigleys will be cheering on; in addition to the filly, they also have Force Of Law (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) set to contest the R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO for Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard.
The colt is a son of the Inglewood Stud-based stallion War Decree (USA) and was a NZ$50,000 purchase by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman from the same draft as Velocious.
Diverse offering
Australian-based sires are strongly represented among Inglewood Stud’s 11 Book 1 yearlings, with progeny by the freshman stallions Bivouac and Lucky Vega (Ire) and progeny by the proven stallions Brazen Beau and Harry Angel (Ire), Spirit Of Boom and Dundeel.
These stallions are complemented by a robust lineup of domestic sires - Per Incanto (USA), Ocean Park (NZ), War Decree and Waikato Stud’s exciting G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth.
Gallery: Australian-based sires are strongly represented among Inglewood Stud’s 11 Book 1 yearlings
Gus Wigley shared that having a draft with variety has been a goal for Inglewood Stud, albeit with recent changes to travel, it has made the aim a little bit more complicated.
“Inglewood Stud is based on the South Island, just north of Christchurch, so we have to send our mares away anyway to get covered if they aren’t going to War Decree,” Wigley told The Thoroughbred Report.
“Before COVID-19, there was a flight direct from Christchurch to Sydney, and we always split half the mares that were going to be sent to Australia and the other half up to the North Island. At one point, they were getting to the Hunter Valley quicker than they were getting to Waikato with the direct flight. However, that flight is no longer an option, and now we have to either float or fly the horses going to Australia to Auckland, which is a two-day float trip, so that makes it a little bit tougher, but we’re still doing it.”
Due to Inglewood Stud’s location, they generally do not have on-farm inspections. Often, the first-time prospective buyers view Inglewood’s draft upon their arrival at the Karaka complex.
Gus Wigley | Image courtesy of Inglewood Stud
“Because the South Island is out of the way a bit, we won’t really have on-farm inspections, but it always makes the first day at Karaka very busy as everyone’s tidying up their full inspections of the Book 1 catalogue.
“After a hectic day, we sat down last night and worked out our parades, and it turns out we did more parades yesterday (Tuesday) than we’d ever done before. Inglewood Stud has been coming up here for 12 years, so it was a very busy day, and the horses were pretty exhausted at the end of the day.
“The Matamata races are on today (Wednesday), so it’s been a bit quieter parading today, but the horses probably needed an easier day after yesterday.”
Like many New Zealand racing and breeding participants, Monday’s announcements, along with previous, ones have given Wigley renewed optimism.
“The Magic Millions results in Australia were encouraging, and we sold one over there. I’ve been working in the industry for over 20 years, and I’ve never had a time in New Zealand where the industry has been so positive, and people are so enthusiastic about racing and breeding.
“I’ve been working in the industry for over 20 years, and I’ve never had a time in New Zealand where the industry has been so positive, and people are so enthusiastic about racing and breeding.” - Gus Wigley
“It’s been tremendous, and Entain is doing some fantastic things and reinvigorating the industry here. So, you certainly can feel it around the sales ground; there’s some excitement and positivity about the industry, and hopefully, that flows into a good sale for New Zealand Bloodstock and all the vendors here.
“We are always going to have one eye on Australia as New Zealand is a bit of a nursery for the Australasian industry, and it’s not a bad thing, but we need a healthy domestic racing and breeding scene for our participants.
“There was some concern about the foal crop declining, and certainly, as a studmaster, you take notice, but this year, we’ve seen bookings increase, new clients and people buying mares, so it was really positive and very encouraging.”
Investment paying off
In 2018, Inglewood Stud outlaid $230,000 to secure the Snitzel mare Parmalove from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
The mare won twice, including once as a 2-year-old and was a daughter of Love’s Here (Dehere {USA}). The daughter of Dehere (USA) won four races and was placed in the G2 Sunline S. and had produced the nine-time winner Liesele (Exceed And Excel), who also won the Listed Alinghi S.
Parmalove, at the time of purchase, was in foal to Newgate Farm’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist; the resulting filly named Mozzarella (NZ) won twice on the track and was retained by Inglewood Stud and retired to stud and has recently foaled a colt by North Pacific.
Parmalove’s second foal, a gelding by U S Navy Flag (USA), Penvose Lad (NZ), has been placed in the Listed Champagne S., while her third, Velocious, has burst on the scene as one of New Zealand’s dominant juveniles.
Parmalove with Velocious at foot | Image courtesy of Inglewood Stud
The Dundeel filly (Lot 295) is Parmalove’s fourth foal, and Wigley has been impressed by what the mare has produced.
“There are actually some similarities between the Dundeel filly and Velocious. This filly is very strongly built for a Dundeel filly. She’s inherited that strength that the mother (Parmalove) has. Parmalove is by Snitzel from a Dehere mare, and I think she’s thrown a lot to Dehere, and she’s putting that into her progeny as well, so she leaves a lot of length and muscle.
“Velocious was very much like that as a yearling, and this filly is too. Temperament and personality-wise, they could be twins. They both have that easy-going, laid-back nature and are very easy to do anything with, but they are tough at the same time.
“Funnily enough, in the paddock during their weaning, this filly and Velocious were both the leaders of their group. There are certainly similarities between the two despite being by different stallions.
“...this filly and Velocious were both the leaders of their group. There are certainly similarities between the two despite being by different stallions.” - Gus Wigley
“We’ve sent Parmalove to a range of stallions, and she certainly always throws that strength and length she’s got. She’s quite a big mare for Snitzel. We actually sent her to Per Incanto to try and shorten up the offspring, and she’s foaled the most magnificent filly foal this year, but with the way Velocious is going, maybe the length is a good thing.
“Stephen Marsh (Velocious' trainer) was looking at the half-sister this morning, and Velocious was long, but she had a massive overstep, and I just thought she’d have the longest stride you’ll ever see, and it’s the same with this Dundeel filly.
“Win, lose or draw on Saturday for Velocious she’s been an excellent advert for the farm. We’ve invested heavily in mares over the last decade and tried to get a good mix in the broodmare band.
Velocious | Image courtesy of Race Images
“We also bought a couple of European pedigrees and some good Kiwi and Aussie sprinting types. Certainly, with buying Parmalove, we were really trying to add some Aussie speed into the pedigree, and she’s certainly done that; she’s been great. Regardless, they’ve both been fantastic for the farm, and I really think Velocious will be better as a 3-year-old.”
Wigley is also excited about the prospect of Parmalove’s daughter Mozzarella and her first foal.
“Mozzarella was a lovely filly but very pigeon-toed, and we decided to keep her. We raced her and won a couple of races. She was very fast, but eventually, her legs got to her. So, we sent her to Australia as a dry mare, and she foaled a cracker of a North Pacific colt this year.
“Velocious coming out and winning has been a big pump as we spent a bit of money to get her over there. The funny thing is, despite Mozzarella being pigeon-toed, she’s foaled the most correct colt. So, you never know with mares - they keep you guessing.”
“The funny thing is, despite Mozzarella being pigeon-toed, she’s (Parmalove) foaled the most correct colt. So, you never know with mares - they keep you guessing.” - Gus Wigley
Spirit Of Boom colt steals Wigley's heart
Wigley admits it’s going to be a little bit difficult to say goodbye to Lot 617, a son of Eureka Stud’s Spirit Of Boom from Blackbook (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), who is a half-sister to the Inglewood Stud-bred Ugo Foscolo (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}).
Ugo Foscolo won the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, and Wigley describes him as the best horse the farm has produced to date.
Lot 617 is also from the family of the smart juvenile Get In The Spirit (Spirit Of Boom), a victress of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S.
“We’ve got a nice draft, but I’ve grown quite attached to the Spirit Of Boom colt (Lot 617).
“He’s the first foal from a mare (Blackbook) we bred and raced. She’s a half-sister to Ugo Foscolo, who is probably the best horse we’ve bred so far. So, he’s a bit of a special colt. He is a big, bold guy and a beautiful-bodied horse.
Lot 617 - Spirit Of Boom x Blackbook (NZ) (colt) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“He’s got the neatest personality and temperament. Sometimes, you just click with a horse, and he was the one I really connected with this year. We got along great, so it will be sad to sell him because he’s a real dude, but hopefully, he goes to a great home. Although it is sad to sell him, I look forward to offering him because he’s a nice horse.
“We really like the sire and tend to sell very well at Karaka. Spirit Of Boom has had good support from New Zealand breeders such as Cambridge Stud. I think he’s probably the best-value sire in Australia.
“They sell well, and he’s got a realistic service fee, and he leaves a good type. We bought a race filly at the Magic Millions last year, left her over at Eureka Stud, and put her in foal to Spirit Of Boom, and she’s foaled a lovely filly this year.
“They sell well, and he’s (Spirit Of Boom) got a realistic service fee, and he leaves a good type.” - Gus Wigley
“So, that’s something we might look at doing more in the future, buying a race filly in Australia and leaving her over there to mate.”
War Decree on the rise
Inglewood Stud’s War Decree has enjoyed a productive 12 months. The son of War Front (USA) has sired 158 foals in his three seasons, with 62 racing for 30 winners of 53 races.
War Decree has sired two stakes and had four stakes performers. His best runner to date has been Val Di Zoldo (NZ), who won the G2 Lowland S. and was placed in the G3 Taranaki 2YO Classic.
Recently, the OTI-raced Warmonger (NZ) was successful in the Listed TAB Trophy on Melbourne Cup Day, and Hakadecree (NZ) was second in last Saturday’s Listed Gore Guineas.
The encouraging results have Wigley excited over the stallion’s future prospects. He looks forward to presenting a Book 1 yearling in Lot 382 from the Group 3-producing O’Reilly (NZ) mare Secret Scent (NZ).
Inglewood will also offer a colt (Lot 846) and a filly (Lot 964) in Book 2.
“War Decree is doing really well, and he came from a lower service fee. We’ve got around 30 mares, and we usually send 10 to him, 10 to the North Island and 10 to Australia each year.
Gallery: Some of War Decree's (USA) yearlings on offer at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale
“We like to have a good mix, but it has meant that War Decree has had a nice commercial mare that we’ve been able to support him with. He’s well-talked-about and well-regarded in New Zealand.
“We’ve had very good feedback about the stallion at the complex (Karaka). Everyone thinks he’s doing a pretty good job, given he came from humble beginnings. A lot of his stock got traded early, but he’s come up with some nice horses and has a nice group in Hong Kong.
“There’s another couple of promising trial winners and young horses coming, though. So, there’s some talk about War Decree in New Zealand, Hong Kong and Australia. Obviously, OTI has Warmonger, who was successful in a stakes race on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington, which was very exciting.
“He’s got a nice horse called Love And War that was Group-placed in New Zealand and has been sold to Bob Peters in Western Australia. War Decree leaves an excellent type, and they are horses with great temperaments and are pretty easy to train.
“War Decree leaves an excellent type, and they are horses with great temperaments and are pretty easy to train.” - Gus Wigley
“I had one guy here this morning that trades a lot of horses, and he said he had six War Decrees, and all of them could run, so that certainly helps when they have the ability.”
