Cover image courtesy of Kia Ora Stud
It was a remarkable afternoon at Rosehill for Kia Ora Stud, as the star 2-year-olds Pembrey (Prague) and Warwoven (Sword Of State) delivered back-to-back Group 3 victories in the Magic Night Stakes and the Pago Pago Stakes respectively, to thrust the Hunter Valley operation firmly into the Golden Slipper conversation.
For Kia Ora Stud Bloodstock and Breeding Manager Shane Wright, the moment was one that captured both the ambition and achievement of the boutique farm.
“It was a big day and a fantastic half an hour or so for the farm, to win two Group 3 races in a row and have two horses in the Golden Slipper with the Kia Ora brand is a huge thrill. It’s very exciting and very satisfying knowing we can do this as more of a boutique style of farm with 50–60 foals per year.”
“It’s very exciting and very satisfying knowing we can do this (breed two Slipper runners) as more of a boutique style of farm with 50–60 foals per year.” - Shane Wright
The team had quietly gone into the meeting confident their runners could improve after luckless recent efforts.
“Going into the day we knew we had two realistic chances that didn’t have a lot of luck at their last starts, Pembrey was very unlucky and Warwoven hasn’t had an ideal preparation after a setback so we thought he could improve off that run.”
Shane Wright | Image courtesy of Inglis
That misfortune earlier in their preparations now means both juveniles are set to attempt the demanding task of backing up into the Slipper.
“That touch of bad luck meant they had to go again, and back-up into the Slipper which isn’t ideal but had to be done. It will be a bit of a long week, both of them deserve their place, they still have to go through the barrier draws, vetting, final gallops etc, but fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.”
Pembrey – An excitement machine and a boost for Prague
The Group 3 win of the Tony Gollan-trained Pembrey (Prague) carried added significance for Kia Ora as the filly is a homebred, raced, and by the farm’s resident stallion Prague, offering a timely headline result for the young sire.
“It was a nice cherry on top with Pembrey being by Prague, he has had some nice winners in recent times and now he has a headline horse,” Wright commented.
“It was a nice cherry on top with Pembrey being by Prague, he has had some nice winners in recent times and now he has a headline horse.” - Shane Wright
Her story is also a reminder of the unpredictability of the yearling market. Pembrey was originally offered at the sales before being retained to race by her breeders.
“Pembrey is out of a good race mare we have had for a while, we are very much breeders and they are there to sell, she had a small reserve and everyone had a chance to put their hand up, so we were more than happy to back our product and race her and it’s worked out well.”
Pembrey | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Wright believes the filly’s success could be an important moment for Prague as his early crops continue to gather momentum.
“Australian racing is all about 2-year-old racing and Prague took a while last season to get going but he has some really nice ones now and is by no means written off. Hopefully this filly can go on with the job and keep the stallion in the spotlight.”
“Australian racing is all about 2-year-old racing and Prague took a while last season to get going but he has some really nice ones now.” - Shane Wright
Pembrey is out of the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner Se Sauver (Bel Esprit), who has produced eight winners from nine runners to race, including the three-time winner Amplify (Microphone). The mare is also a half-sister to the G1 South Australian Derby winner Escado (Casino Prince).
Purchased by Kia Ora Stud for $460,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Patinack Farm Dispersal, Se Sauver has proven a valuable addition to the broodmare band. Pembrey herself was offered by Vinery Stud at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Book 2 but failed to meet her $20,000 reserve.
Pembrey as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Warwoven delivers on the promise he has shown
While Pembrey provided a boost for a home stallion, the Bjorn Baker-trained Warwoven (Sword Of State) showcased Kia Ora’s broader breeding strategy, particularly their willingness to source mares internationally and explore new bloodlines.
His dam Needle And Thread (Makfi {GB}) was purchased by Wright on behalf of Kia Ora Stud for NZ$410,000 at the Valachi Downs Unreserved Broodmare & Stallion Share Dispersal Sale before being mated with Cambridge Stud’s Sword Of State, a stallion in which Kia Ora holds a share.
“We always have liked New Zealand-bred mares and Sword Of State was a stallion we bought a share in with our friends at Cambridge Stud.
“We identified Needle And Thread in a dispersal sale as an ideal mare to go to Sword Of State and then we bought her over to Australia.”
Warwoven | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
The resulting colt made an immediate impression from the moment he arrived.
“Warwoven was in fact the first foal born by Sword Of State, and he was a lovely colt, I quickly rang up the boys at Cambridge Stud and said I was very impressed.”
“Warwoven was in fact the first foal born by Sword Of State... I quickly rang up the boys at Cambridge Stud and said I was very impressed.” - Shane Wright
“He developed beautifully and was in high-demand at the sales, there must have been about 10 people bidding on him, and in the end Jim Clarke, Bjorn Baker and the Ridgmont team paid really good money for him.”
Warwoven was eventually purchased for $380,000 from the Kia Ora Stud draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is the first foal out of the Group 2-winning mare Needle And Thread. The mare is also a half-sister to the Listed winner and multiple Group 1-placed stallion Savile Row (NZ), while the wider family includes the dual Group 1 winner and stallion The Gurkha (Ire) and the Group 1-placed Arrogant (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Warwoven as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Even as a newborn, Wright believed the colt possessed rare quality.
“He’s genuinely as a good a maiden foal as you could hope for,” Wright commented back in 2023 to the NZ Racing Desk.
Now a Group winner and the first at that level for Sword Of State, Warwoven has already enhanced his own future prospects as a potential stallion of the future.
“He (Warwoven) is a class colt and if he is to become a stallion one day we would be very proud to have the Kia Ora brand on him.” - Shane Wright
“He is a class colt and if he is to become a stallion one day we would be very proud to have the Kia Ora brand on him, we have Tropicus who we bred and raced and he is in that category as well, it is very fulfilling and rewarding if a homebred can make it to that level.”
The continued search for quality mares
Behind the success of both juveniles lies Kia Ora’s long-standing commitment to continually strengthening its broodmare band, often by sourcing mares from diverse international markets, disperal sales, private sales or the more standard broodmare sales.
“Investing in broodmares from all over the world is something Mr Krishnan had always done before he passes away and he really believed in it.
“He went all around the world, and sent us also, to find different bloodlines. It's something we have been very keen to do and had a lot of success with. A high number of mares in our broodmare band come with international pedigrees.”
Dispersal sales, in particular, have often proven fertile ground.
“The industry is getting smaller, international bloodstock agents attend sales all over the world, and there are so many opportunities. So we are always looking and willing to look at all sorts of sales.”
“The industry is getting smaller... So we are always looking and willing to look at all sorts of sales.” - Shane Wright
That global approach has already produced promising results, including the emerging stallion prospect Tropicus.
“Tropicus is an example of the international breeding world, we bred his dam, an Exceed And Excel mare to the shuttling stallion Too Darn Hot, and he is the colt we have got.
Tropicus winning the G1 Oakleigh Plate | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He ran enormous in the Oakleigh Plate with a big weight, in one of the best weight carrying efforts in the last decade or so and that race has been won by the likes of Snitzel and Fastnet Rock.”
“So we have a potential exciting stallion with our brand on him.”
“So we have a potential exciting stallion with our brand on him (Tropicus).” - Shane Wright
Wright also emphasised the long-term effort required to produce elite racehorses.
“To breed these quality horses is very exciting but also a big effort is put in by the whole team on the farm, it can be a four to five year process, finding the mating, raising them, and turning them into a racehorse.
“For a boutique farm we have been getting great results and our percentage of stakes performers is very high.”
Exciting times ahead with Easter around the corner
While the farm continues to savour its latest racetrack success, attention is already turning toward the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where Kia Ora will offer a select draft of 13 yearlings - 10 fillies and three colts.
“It’s very exciting, with the condensed sales calendar this year you don’t get much chance to breath, but we are now heading into Easter which is the last of the big yearling sales.”
“It’s very exciting, with the condensed sales calendar this year... we are now heading into Easter which is the last of the big yearling sales.” - Shane Wright
The filly-heavy draft was not by design, according to Wright, but simply the way the season unfolded.
“It was very much a filly season that is for sure, and we have also sold a couple of nice colts early in the sales season.
“There is plenty of quality within the draft, nice, fast, forward-looking fillies and some nice colts.”
“There is plenty of quality within the draft, nice, fast, forward-looking fillies and some nice colts.” - Shane Wright
Among them, one youngster stands out.
“I think the Farnan colt out of Nakataan is the best colt we have produced from that crop, he is a really nice colt. I thought something very similar with Warwoven at the time, so let's see if this one pans out just as good.”
Savouring victory and hoping for Slipper glory
For now, however, the focus remains on the week ahead and the possibility of Golden Slipper glory. Wright was quick to acknowledge the Kia Ora team after Saturday’s memorable double and the celebrations that followed.
Connections of Pembrey after winning the G3 Magic Night Stakes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Saturday was fantastic, to go back-to-back and we were lucky that a fair few of the team were on course as people could probably see from the sight on the podium.
“Saturday was fantastic, to go back-to-back and we were lucky that a fair few of the team were on course as people could probably see from the sight on the podium.” - Shane Wright
“They don’t give away these big wins just for fun, so you have to celebrate accordingly and it is very special to do it with horses the farm has bred.”
With Pembrey and Warwoven now preparing for the biggest test of their young careers, the dream remains alive for the boutique operation.
“I think both of them will be right up there if they are able to show their best, let’s hope the week goes well and they are there in the big one on Saturday in top form.”
