Cover image courtesy of Racing SA
“We may have a Melbourne Cup horse on our hands,” were the words uttered by trainer Philip Stokes after Wigmore’s (NZ) (Sweynesse) note perfect victory in the G1 South Australian Derby at Saturday’s Morphettville meeting.
Those words are music to the ears of syndicator OTI Racing, who purchased the horse just two months ago after his fourth placing in the G1 New Zealand Derby.
It was a quick turnaround from trans-Tasman purchase to another Group 1 in the navy blue and gold silks of Terry Henderson’s syndication company, whose long association with Kiwi gallopers grows more fruitful every year.
Identifying a Cups horse
“You’re almost a bit more nervous when the turnaround is that quick from purchase to Group 1 race,” said OTI Director Gus Boyd.
“We viewed the Derby as a bit of a bonus when we bought him, since he was still in his first preparation. He's still quite a narrow and immature horse, so we sent him to Philip Stokes, knowing that with his farm and his way of doing things, there was probably a chance of continuing the preparation.
“We viewed the Derby as a bit of a bonus when we bought him (Wigmore), since he was still in his first preparation.” - Gus Boyd
“I'm glad that's paid off, because to win a Derby so quickly is just amazing.”
Debuting late last spring, it was clear to Wigmore’s original trainer Caley Myers that the horse would relish getting out in distance, evidenced by his debut run over 1400 metres where he finished fifth.
The gelding was initially a NZ$1700 weanling purchase on Gavelhouse for Ralph Thoroughbreds, who pinhooked him to Myers for NZ$25,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, and Myers has reaped the rewards of being patient.
Wigmore (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Wigmore stepped up to the mile at his next start for a third placing, and knocked off his maiden at start number three over the same distance in early January. It was this victory that put him on the radar of OTI and bloodstock agent Phil Cataldo, who helped facilitate the final purchase.
“We've actually tried to buy him a couple of times in the last six months,” said Boyd. “But the Myers knew they had a good Derby horse on their hands and were pretty keen to hold on to him until then. He won his maiden in Benchmark 65 grade and we made an offer, but they stuck fast and they got their reward with him running so well in the Derby and us obviously having to pay a little bit more for him.”
“We've actually tried to buy him (Wigmore) a couple of times in the last six months, but the Myers knew they had a good Derby horse on their hands.” - Gus Boyd
Given a tickover trial, Wigmore was then stretched out to 2200 metres for a second placing by a short neck, and followed it with a fifth back down at 2060 metres before his tilt at the New Zealand Derby.
It was that fourth placing - beaten just two lengths by Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus {Ire}) - that cemented Wigmore’s destiny across the Tasman.
“Terry (Henderson) and Campbell (Wansbrough) were actually on course at Ellerslie for the New Zealand Derby and they could see in the pre-parade how much maturing the horse still had to do,” Boyd said.
“His capacity to stay in what was a brutally run Derby really jumped out at us. We thought he could suit two miles in time and the way he enjoyed the staying test on a testing surface on Saturday is probably proof that a Cups tilt will suit him in time.”
Gus Boyd | Image courtesy of OTI Racing & Bloodstock
Not that the team is in a hurry to get into a G1 Melbourne Cup; there is plenty of racing to be enjoyed while Wigmore furnishes further.
“If we're being realistic, we would be looking at a Cup next year rather than this year,” Boyd said. “We haven’t planned too far ahead yet. He was 40 to one on Saturday after all, so we were going in more hopeful than confident.
“But we really do respect Phil Stokes's opinion because the record he's built with our stayers over the past few years is remarkable. So if he tells us a horse can be a Cups horse, then we certainly take that with a bit of faith.”
“If he (Stokes) tells us a horse can be a Cups horse, then we certainly take that with a bit of faith.” - Gus Boyd
And there's plenty to believe in, when Stokes also prepared Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}) to carry OTI's colours to victory in the same Derby 12 months ago.
The Kiwi connection
Wigmore is far from OTI Racing’s first success with New Zealand horses. Just last year, Henderson commented that over 60% of horses acquired and racing by OTI since 2022 came from the country. Dual Group 1 winner I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) remains the poster horse for what the organisation aims to achieve, having bought him off a trial performance in his home country.
G1 Queensland Derby winner Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}), initially a NZ$75,000 Karaka graduate, was also purchased from a trial win, while G1 New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}) was sourced by Phil Cataldo at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for a similar price tag.
Warmonger (NZ) winning the G1 Queensland Derby | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
While initially an Australian yearling purchase G1 Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker started his career in New Zealand under the steerage of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, where he won the Listed Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie over the mile before OTI's acquisition.
“We are always looking for Group quality horses and New Zealand is now a massive part of our acquisition process,” Boyd said. “Funnily enough, our last three Group 1 winners before the Derby were all yearling purchases, so to deliver a Group 1 with one of our tried horses from New Zealand is brilliant. This is exactly what we are trying to buy.”
“We are always looking for Group quality horses and New Zealand is now a massive part of our acquisition process.” - Gus Boyd
In October 2025, OTI announced they had been granted a syndicator licence in New Zealand, further strengthening the company’s association with the country.
“We have had plenty of runners in New Zealand, but this is a great chance to cater to the New Zealand owners,” Boyd said. “We haven't changed our core business model, but it is another market we can be active in. It’s also a chance to have horses in training with trainers we have previously bought from.
“It’s off to a very positive start. We've only been buying untried horses over there so far, but I think the model is going towards offering people the chance to get into a tried horse that's staying in New Zealand. The way the New Zealand racing industry is trending is very positive.
“We've had a lot of industry support since it's happened, and I think people are pleased that, while trading is very important to the New Zealand industry, we aren’t just buying horses that leave the country.”
“I think people are pleased that we aren’t just buying horses that leave the country.” - Gus Boyd
If you can’t buy them, join them
The downside for OTI in New Zealand has been that the industry’s positive trends and prizemoney increases mean that owners are less likely to part with their horses - however, this is just all the more incentive for the syndicator to dive headfirst into having horses in the country themselves.
“It's been a bit trickier to buy those young progressive horses, certainly trickier than it was three to four years ago,” Boyd said. “There’s a bit more incentive for owners to hang onto horses and chase the money on Karaka Millions night or the NZB Kiwi or go to the Derby.
“It's been a bit trickier to buy those young progressive horses, certainly trickier than it was three to four years ago.” - Gus Boyd
“Wigmore is an example of this - but on the other hand, the Myer's got a big run in the Derby and then they got what they deserve for the horse at the end of the day.”
The trend has been similar with purchasing in the Northern Hemisphere; OTI have long been active at European sales, both purchasing and racing horses across Europe before typically exporting them down to Australia.
Their current headline act is G1 Queen Anne Stakes winner Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}). Fifth in the 2024 G1 Cox Plate, the globetrotter has since run in England, France, Japan, and Hong Kong, most recently running third to My Wish (Flying Artie) in the G1 Hong Kong Champions Mile.
Docklands (GB) | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“There’s no doubt, it’s getting tougher,” Boyd said. “We still put a lot of work into Europe, Terry and I usually do three to four trips over a year and we've got great relationships with trainers and agents over there.
“The market has become so much more competitive there with money from Asia and the Middle East, and the Wathnams of the world buying those progressive 3-year-olds in particular, so it's a terribly tough task.”
Those relationships built over the last 25 years have become all the more important to facilitating success, both on the track and with the chequebook.
“A lot of the time, we have trainers saying to us, ‘this horse is for sale, but I want to keep it’,” Boyd said. “And we're lucky that we have the ability to buy the horse and to keep it with the trainer for six, nine months, or more before we bring them to Australia. That's a scenario where everyone wins. The more competitive the market has become, the more important our relationships have been.”
“The more competitive the market has become, the more important our relationships have been.” - Gus Boyd
Relationships formed in New Zealand will only be strengthened now by similar tactics.
“The trainer has the opportunity to run the horse in the big race they were aiming for before it comes to Australia, or potentially the horse can stay in New Zealand for 12 months or more if the program is there for them,” Boyd said.
“We are very open-minded and we will look at a horse's potential career from all angles. We often say to people, ‘the worst we can say is no’. After all, you never know where these Group horses can pop up.”
