The New Zealand season that was: 2024/25 summary

Cover image courtesy of Waikato Stud

The Thoroughbred Report will reflect on the 2024/2025 season in New Zealand and see who came out on top for Champion honours in their respective categories.

Champion New Zealand General Sire - Savabeel

Long-established Waikato Stud Champion stallion, Savabeel, has once again claimed the prestigious Grosvenor Award, presented to the stallion whose progeny earn the most in New Zealand. This season, his offspring have amassed an impressive NZ$5,976,534 in earnings, well ahead of Rich Hill Stud's Proisir in second with NZ$3,538,442, Almanzor (Fr) placed third with NZ$2,880,132, and Shocking and Belardo (Ire) rounded out the top five.

Proisir previously won the premiership in 2022/23 and finished ahead on winner counts this season, as he collected 53 winners from 76 races, and a top haul of seven stakes winners, narrowly outpacing Savabeel, who had six stakes winners.

Savabeel has previously dominated the Premiership, collecting it eight times between 2014 and 2022, while stablemate O’Reilly (NZ) claimed the title in 2013/14.

Amongst Savabeel's 32 winners included the standout performers Damask Rose (NZ) who was the inaugural winner of the NZ$3.5 million R. Listed The Kiwi, Savaglee (NZ) who won the G1 2000 Guineas, Provence (NZ) the winner of the G1 Thorndon Mile, and the G1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, and Atishu who was successful in the G1 Empire Rose Stakes.

A champion son of Zabeel (NZ), Savabeel joins a storied lineage: Zabeel won this title four consecutive times between 1997 and 2001, while Sir Tristram (Ire) claimed it just once in 1986/87, despite most of his progeny racing in Australia, where he won the premiership three times, his grandson the outstanding Lonhro has also won it.

Now entering his 21st season at stud, Savabeel boasts a remarkable 73% winners-to-runners strike rate, 10.9% stakes winners, and 35 Group 1 winners, among 151 stakes winners.

He also captured the Dewar Award, which accounts for progeny earnings across both New Zealand and Australia. This season, Per Incanto (USA) claimed the Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings.

Champion New Zealand 3‑Year‑Old Sire - Savabeel

Savabeel leads again as Champion New Zealand 3‑Year‑Old sire. Ten of his 3‑year‑olds won 18 races, with three stakes successes. Headliners included the previously mentioned Damask Rose, Savaglee, and Hinekaha (NZ) who won the Listed Oaks Prelude.

Gallery: Savabeel's talented 3-year-olds

His New Zealand–based 3-year-olds earned $3,331,289, with only one other stallion, Grangewilliam Stud’s Derryn, crossing the million-dollar mark with NZ$1,063,595, thanks largely to Leica Lucy (NZ), who bagged NZ$1,014,260 on her own.

Proisir placed third in this category with NZ$981,080 from 22 winners, led by Vegas Queen (NZ), the victress of the G2 Wellington Thoroughbred Breeders’ Guineas.

Champion New Zealand First Season Sire - Hello Youmzain

Cambridge Stud’s shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain (Fr) has won the New Zealand First Season Sire title with distinction. The Royal Ascot Group 1 winning son of Kodiac (GB) produced 18 local runners, and five winners of eight races, earning NZ$341,685.

His standout progeny include Platinum Diamond (NZ) who won the Listed Castletown Stakes and the Listed Ryder Stakes, and Lucy In The Sky (NZ), the Tony Pike-trained, dual-winner, including the Listed Champagne Stakes filly owned by Brendan and Jo Lindsay.

Only one other NZ-based stallion, Windsor Park Stud’s Circus Maximus (Ire), had two juvenile winners and a Listed winner in Towering Vision (NZ).

Australian stallions Lucky Vega (Ire), Bivouac, and Cool Aza Beel (NZ) finished second to fourth by earnings. Bivouac sired Intention (NZ), winner of the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes.

Champion New Zealand 2‑Year‑Old Sire - Super Seth

Waikato Stud’s Super Seth was crowned Champion New Zealand 2‑Year‑Old sire after previously claiming the First Season title last season. Though he had only two juvenile winners locally, one of them was star filly La Dorada (NZ), who won four races and over NZ$1.05 million.

Her victories included the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, G2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes, R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO Classic, and a juvenile maiden at Te Rapa. She also placed in the G2 Eclipse Stakes behind Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}).

Runner-up was Snitzel who had six juvenile winners, all winners themselves, including standout Return To Conquer, unbeaten across four starts, all at stakes level, culminating in the G1 Sistema Stakes. Hello Youmzain did a great job as a first-season sire, finishing third in this category.

Champion New Zealand Second Season Sire - Super Seth

Super Seth added the Champion Second Season Sire title, continuing Waikato Stud’s dominance. From 31 runners, he produced 14 winners including stakes winners La Dorada, Sethito (NZ) the G3 Bonecrusher and Listed Uncle Remus Stakes winner, and Poetic Champion (NZ) who won the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy.

Super Seth was the only stallion to break the NZ$1 million mark in earnings with NZ$1,837,495. Alabama Express was second with NZ$634,040, thanks to star filly Alabama Lass, while Ten Sovereigns (Ire) placed third NZ$581,473 via Pivotal Ten (NZ), the winner of three Listed South Island races.

Champion New Zealand Broodmare Sire - O'Reilly

Despite his passing in 2014, O’Reilly (NZ) claimed his sixth Champion Broodmare Sire title. Offspring from his daughters earned a staggering NZ$8,062,298, well ahead of Savabeel with NZ$4,637,379 and Pins with NZ$3,653,675.

Top earner from his broodmare line was El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking), winner of the G3 Balmerino Stakes, Listed Fulton Family Stakes, G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes, G1 Otaki‑Maori WFA Classic, and G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes. He was one of eight stakes winners from 16 stakes races produced by O’Reilly mares this season.

Champion New Zealand vendor at the NZ Sales - Haunui Farm

Haunui Farm topped the NZ Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale for Book 1 and Book 2, selling 37 of 49 lots for NZ$7,343,000, at an average of NZ$198,459, and including a top price of NZ$2.4 million for a Savabeel full sister to Orchestral (NZ).

Waikato Stud came in second as they sold 54 of 57 lots offered for a total of NZ$6,225,500, at an average of NZ$115,287, and including a highest price of NZ$380,000.

At the 2024 NZ Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, Riversley Park ruled with 35 lots sold for NZ$6,945,000, averaging NZ$198,429, with a top lot of NZ$650,000.

Champion New Zealand Breeder - Waikato Stud

For the eleventh time, Waikato Stud was crowned the Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan New Zealand Breeder of the Year. They bred 135 individual winners this season, including eight stakes winners, five at Group level with another 12 stakes-placed performers. Standouts included Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel), La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth), and Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel).

Champion New Zealand Trainer -Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson

Te Akau Racing, led by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, topped the trainer rankings with 131 wins, 27 ahead of runner-up Stephen Marsh who collected 104 wins. Their 6.38 strike rate delivered 218 placings and NZ$9,273,590 in prizemoney. They also notched 18 Group or Listed victories during the season.

Champion New Zealand Jockey - Craig Grylls

Craig Grylls captured his first premiership with 141 winners, including 15 stakes winners, at a 5.67 strike rate. His standout mount was Leica Lucy, which he rode to victory in every appearance, all stakes races, including G3 Eulogy Stakes, G3 Desert Gold Stakes, G2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic, G2 Lowland Stakes and G1 NZ Oaks.

He also partnered Orchestral to victory in the NZ$1 million Listed Aotearoa Classic at Karaka Millions night.