Archives

Master Elite Strikes Again »
Timely Stallion Coup For Fairdale »
Zavite, Stayer of the Year »
Fully Fledged to stand at Fairdale »
History making Zavite on Gr.1 trail »
Zavite just too tough »
Karaka Yearling Sales 2008 »
The beginning of a new era! »
Big Profit (NZ) Strikes Win Hat-Trick in HK Sale Challenge »
Fairdale breeds Canterbury Belle Stakes winner »
Gerald Fell honoured »
Steady stream of winners continues for Howbaddouwantit »
Master Elite Wins In Hong Kong »
Stable Adds To Success With Family »
Howbaddouwantit In Top 10 Sires Of NZ »
Needuask Wins Listed Newmarket Handicap »
Success Spreads To Hong Kong »
Spratt Has Big Opinion Of Needuask »

Master Elite Strikes Again
March 2010

Master Elite posted a deserved victory at Sha Tin on Sunday night when he recorded his second career success in Hong Kong. The lightly-tried five-year-old is a graduate of Fairdale Stud and was a $90,000 Premier Sale yearling at Karaka in 2006. He was purchased by Michael Chang Racing and made one trial appearance in New Zealand before he was transferred to Hong Kong.

Master Elite has only once failed to weigh in from his 10 appearances and has banked more than $375,000. He is by Van Nistelrooy from a prolific Fairdale family with his dam, the winning Oregon mare Pageant, a daughter of the former top-class racemare Harp. Pageant is also a half-sister to Encore, who in turn left the triple Gr 1 winner Miltak (BMW Stakes, Auckland Cup, NZ Oaks).

Timely Stallion Coup For Fairdale
NZTM Feb 2010

Nom du Jeu possessed the pace to win as a juvenile and the class and staying ability required to meet and beat the best three-year-olds in Australasia. He trained on as an older horse to again star on both sides of the Tasman under handicap and weight-for-age conditions and acted on all types of going. That versatility combined with a rich pedigree and ideal temperament make him a top-quality and timely acquisition for Gerald and Duncan Fell's Fairdale Stud. Nom du Jeu has been secured for stud duty by their successful Palmerston North establishment where he will stand his first season this year at $6000 + GST.

His arrival comes hard on the heels of a major increase in demand for potential classic performers at the recently concluded NZ Bloodstock National Yearling Sales. "Nom du Jeu was an exceptional racehorse, has wonderful looks and boasts a fantastic pedigree," Gerald Fell said. "He's the perfect stallion type for New Zealand with the pronounced shift toward our middle distance horse emphasised so clearly by their popularity at the sales series this year."

Prominent Australasian owner Rob McAnulty was among the buying bench at Karaka to echo those sentiments "There's a big swing back to buying horses for races like the Rosehill Guineas and the AJC Derby," he told the New Zealand Herald. "You can make a lot of money now with a stayer and any New Zealand breeder who breeds staying horses and classic horses is going to be rewarded."

Nom du Jeu is by Sadler's Wells' champion son Montjeu, who has enjoyed outstanding success after a glittering career on the track. He was the six-time Gr 1 winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Prix du Jockey Club, Prix du Saint-Cloud, Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Irish Derby. Montjeu was an immediate success at stud with his first Northern Hemisphere crop including Gr 1 winners Hurricane Run, Motivator, Scorpion, Montare, Corre Caminos and Falstaff. Subsequent elite level winners have numbered Authorized, Fame And Glory, Jukebox Jury, Frozen Fire, Jan Vermeer, St Nicholas Abbey and Montmartre. In New Zealand he is the sire of Gr 1 winners Wall Street, Tavistock and Sharvasti with Roman Emperor and Speed Gifted in Australia. Wall Street confirmed his standing as one of the country's hottest racing prospects with his dominant victory in the recent Gr 1 Thorndon Mile at the expense of a brave Tavistock. Out of the dual Gr 1 winning Prized Gem (Kelt Capital Stakes, Brisbane Cup), Nom du Jeu's second, third and fourth dams were also multiple winners.

He was trained throughout his career at Cambridge by Murray and Bjorn Baker for four wins and 10 placings and stake earnings of nearly $2.5 million. "He's just a beautiful, strong horse - extremely good-looking and a lovely dark brown colour and 16.2 hands," Murray Baker said. "He's got a lovely temperament and my four-year-old grandson has been on his back in the box." Nom du Jeu's career highlight was victory in the Gr 1 AJC Derby at Randwick and he was also Gr 1 placed in the Caulfield Cup, Kelt Capital Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. "He could go on any ground and won the Waikato Guineas on a very firm track and his Caulfield Cup effort was another terrific run when he came from last on the bend," Baker said. "He had a lot of speed and won his only two-year-old start coming from last to first - he was a complete package." Nom du Jeu was bred and raced by Billie Morton, of Brisbane, whose family have retained a 50 percent holding in the stallion with fellow stakeholders Fairdale and Goodwood Studs New Zealand Bloodstock is managing the syndication of the remaining shares.

For further information: Contact Gerald Fell 0274 472134, Duncan Fell 0274 604132
NZ Bloodstock: Danny Rolston 021 473209 Bruce Slade 021 02568282

Zavite, Stayer of the Year
NZTM August 2009

'Fairdale-bred stayer Zavite (NZ) (Zabeel) took the title of Stayer of the Year at the New South Wales Owners' Association's 'Night of Champions' Awards Dinner in Sydney earlier this month. Fittingly, the Stayer of the Year award was presented by New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing.

Trained by Anthony Cummings, the well-travelled Zavite (NZ) was rewarded with the supreme distance acclaim following his outstanding triple Cup-winning season, which ultimately saw him bankroll over A$640,000 in stake-earnings. Outlining his class with a dominant win in the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup, Zavite demonstrated his ability over the two-mile test, romping home to a 2.3 length win when carrying 57.5kg. It was Zavite's first attempt at the 3200m, but the tough son of Zabeel had clearly inherited plenty of the "Z" factor as he seemingly cruised convincingly to the line.

Toughness and durability were also apparent of the Cummings-trained galloper - his Adelaide Cup success came hot off the heels of a solid performance to win the Gr.3 Launceston Cup (2400m), with victory in the Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) coming three starts prior.
A close second to fellow home-bred stayer Gotta Keep Cool (NZ) in the Gr.3 Hobart Cup narrowly denied Zavite a fourth Cup title last term.

All told, the talented million-dollar-earner has won eight from 38 starts, with additional black-type success counted in the 2007 Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Handicap, and the Listed WJ McKell Cup two seasons ago. Bred in New Zealand by Fairdale Stud, Zavite was sold to a bid of A$80,000 from Anthony Cummings at the 2004 Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale. Initially labelled by Cummings as a Melbourne Cup horse, Zavite's path to its 2008 running went awry after developing a muscle tear when third in last October's Listed Bart Cummings Hcp (2520m) at Flemington.
"I basically bought him to win a Melbourne Cup," said Cummings of the now seven-year-old. "Things went wrong last year, it was supposed to be his year, but it didn't work out," he said.

Twelve months prior Cummings had plotted a campaign to assure Zavite a start the 2007 Melbourne Cup, but came-up agonisingly short of making the field. Following a second-place effort in the Gr.2 Winning Edge Presentation Stakes, and a narrow defeat in the Gr.3 Geelong Cup, Zavite was unfortunately 29th in the Melbourne Cup elimination order for the field of 24. Already qualifying for this year's renewal, 2009 could well be Zavite's year.

With the benefit of two trial outings under his belt, Zavite will kick off his 2009 Melbourne Cup campaign in Saturday's Gr.2 Warwick Stakes at Royal Randwick in Sydney.
"He has come back stronger this time around and his work is up to its usual high standard," Cummings reported. "We will look at running him in the Chelmsford at Randwick and then the Hill Stakes before he heads to Melbourne. He'll run in the Caulfield Cup, then the Mackinnon prior to the Melbourne Cup. He keeps improving and the two miles is what he is bred for," concluded Cummings, whose dad, Bart, has won a record 12 Melbourne Cups - 8 of those with New Zealand-bred horses.

10 things to know about ZAVITE (NZ)

1. He is the first horse in history to complete the Launceston Cup - Adelaide Cup double
2. 14 of his 16 starts last season were in races carrying a stake of $100,000 or greater.
3. He equalled the modern-day weight-carrying of 58.5kg's when winning the Gr.3 Launceston Cup
4. His time of 3.22.71 in the Adelaide Cup (3200m) was one second faster than Efficient's 2007 Melbourne Cup winning time.
5. He raced in four different states last season. (NSW, Melbourne, South Australia, Tasmania)
6. He travelled over 4000kms last season!
7. He is owned by Mrs N K Falconer, Ms J L Clare, G Clare, Ms S I Dalling, M J Dalling, K S Ince, Ms J M Ince & A Blood
8. He is one of 121 stakes-winners for his super sire Zabeel (already sire of 3 Melbourne Cup winners)
9. He is one of three winning foals to race for his dam Miss Vita
10. Currently in foal to Savabeel, Miss Vita will visit Alamosa this season
    

Fully Fledged to stand at Fairdale
NZTM 12th May 2009

View pedigree & race record for Fully Fledged (PDF file)

High profile galloper Fully Fledged has been secured by Palmerston North's Fairdale Stud to commence stud duties in the coming season.

Pace and class combined with the looks to match his precocious pedigree have made Fully Fledged a perfect stallion fit for Fairdale Stud. The Fell family's Palmerston North operation have secured the handsome chestnut for stud duty this season.

"Fully Fledged had speed, brilliant two-year-old form and is an outstanding-looking individual," said Fairdale studmaster Duncan Fell.

"We are very fortunate to get him as he possesses all the ingredients necessary to make a successful stallion."

Fully Fledged was retired as the Gr 1 Ford Diamond Stakes winner of three races and was also placed four times in his 13-start career. His racing career was prematurely ended by injury during his three-year-old autumn campaign in Sydney.

"That was a great shame because he was a top-class animal and never had a lot of luck," Cambridge trainer Murray Baker said.

"He's a gorgeous-looking horse with a ton of quality about him and a lovely temperament."

Fully Fledged finished third in Australian Listed company in both the Fireball Quality and Strada Stakes - each time giving weight under his 58kg. He then ran a gallant fourth, again from a wide barrier, in the Gr 2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill behind Gr 1 Australian Guineas winner Hearts Of Dreams.

"He raced very well in strong company and drew the outside all the time - that makes it so tough in Sydney," Baker said.

"The form out of all his races was outstanding and it went to show with no luck at all how good he was."
He's a gorgeous-looking horse with a ton of quality about him and a lovely temperament
His fourth placing in the Phar Lap was all the meritorious as he suffered the career-ending tendon injury during the race.

Fully Fledged had six starts as a two-year-old and began his career with a runaway win at Taupo and stepped up to end his campaign with back-to-back Gr 1 starts. He was an impressive winner of the Ford Diamond Stakes and then ran fifth when hampered by a shifty track in the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni.

Fully Fledged returned as a three-year-old to finish runner-up in the Gr 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas before a stylish victory in the Listed Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa. He further showed his class when second against the older horses in the Listed Newmarket Handicap at Ellerslie.

Fully Fledged hails from a family of top-quality sprinters on both sides of his pedigree.
His sire Align, by the Northern Dancer horse Night Shift, won the Gr 1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes and the Gr 2 Todman Slipper Trial. Align was the champion two-year-old of his year and headed the 1998-99 Australasian Free Handicap. He met with instant success at stud with his son Nightlign heading the NZ 2YO Free Handicap after victory in the Gr 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.

Fully Fledged is out Fledged, a winning daughter of the European Gr 1 winning sprinter Bluebird (King's Stand Stakes). He is also the dam-sire of hot young stallion Thorn Park (Gr 1 Stradbroke Handicap) and Gr 1 winning sprinters Yell and Universal Queen. This season's Randwick and Rosehill Guineas winner Metal Bender is also out of a daughter of Bluebird.

Gr 1 winning two-year-olds and stallion sources of speed are plentiful in Fully Fledged's immediate pedigree with his maternal line also including Snippets and Lunchtime.

"It's a pedigree full of speed and high-class sprinting form," Fell said.

"Fully Fledged is a horse that that will suit breeders looking for two-year-old speed and precocity at an affordable fee."

Fully Fledged will stand his first season at Fairdale at $4000 + GST alongside proven sire Howbaddouwantit.

History making Zavite on Gr.1 trail
Tuesday Mar 10, 2009

The purple patch of form enjoyed by the Fairdale Stud-bred gelding Zavite (NZ) (Zabeel) added another chapter on Monday...it’s most important so far.

Previously victorious in the Gr.3 Launceston Cup (3200m), the Anthony Cummings-trained galloper entered Australia’s racing archives earlier in the week as the first horse in history to subsequently land the jewel of Adelaide’s racing calendar, the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m).

Ridden handy to the pace by regular pilot Nash Rawiller, Zavite (NZ) thrived at what was his first attempt over 3200m on Monday, opening the field up by 3 lengths in the straight and holding the advantage to the line.

Describing Zavite (NZ) as a tough competitor who just loves to win, Cummings has now earmarked the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 18 for the Zabeel galloper.

Interestingly, the Adelaide/Sydney Cup double has only ever been achieved by one horse - Zavite’s paternal half-brother Gallic.

Owners Mrs N K Falconer, Ms J L Clare, G Clare, Ms S I Dalling, M J Dalling, K S Ince, Ms J M Ince & A Blood could well be treated with an additional Gr.1 outing prior to this however, with a start in the BMW (2400m) at Rosehill two weeks earlier also deemed likely.

Initially bought by Cummings as a Melbourne Cup horse, Zavite’s path to its 2008 renewal went awry after unthinkably developing a muscle tear when 3rd in last October’s Listed Bart Cummings Hcp (2520m) at Flemington.

In all, Zavite (NZ) – an A$80,000 yearling purchase, has recorded four domestic Cup wins. Namely, the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m), the Gr.3 Launceston Cup (2400m), the Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) and the Listed STC WJ McKell Cup (2400m).

Successful also in the Gr.3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2520m), and the Listed VRC Better Boy Hcp (2000m), Zavite’s career record now reads 36 starts for 8 wins, 7 placings and boasts a healthy stakes earnings figure of A$972,000.

Tough from the get go, Zavite’s Fairdale Stud breeder Gerald Fell was arguably the first to see the innate fighting qualities that would later be unleashed on the track.
“He was strong willed right from the very start,” said Fell. “My son Duncan took him to the sales and he was very difficult”.

In keeping with the Palmerston North based stud’s policy of acquiring well pedigreed mares, Zavite's (NZ) existence came to be after a phone call had between Fell and the expatriate New Zealander and now independent Bloodstock agent in Ireland and England, Larry Stratton.
“I bought Zavite’s dam Miss Vita (USA) from Ireland, sight unseen over the phone,” said Fell.
“We are very keen on mares with strong taproots and she had this in spades being out of a mare who was a 3/4 sister to the Champion galloper Suave Dancer, who was himself the winner of the 1991 Gr.1 Prix de L’ Arc De Triomphe (2400m) and the Gr.1 Irish Champion Stakes (2400m).

Landing in New Zealand at a cost of approximately NZ$70,000 – NZ$80,000, Miss Vita (USA) (Alleged) was sent to Zabeel in her first season for the respectively winners Mybigfatgreekhorse (NZ) and Zavite (NZ).

Subsequently sent to Stravinsky in 2004 for the Brisbane winner Trescorpioni, Miss Vita (USA) later patronised Fairdale Stud’s own Gr.1 sire Howbaddouwantit in 2006, producing a yet unnamed colt that is based in West Australia.

Looking ahead, high expectation should follow the Savabeel foal that the three-from-three producer currently carries.

The Cox Plate winning sire is a son of Zavite’s own Champion sire Zabeel – a producer of no less than 39 individual Gr.1 winners.

In 2009, Miss Vita (USA) will visit the Australian Gr.1 winning sire Alamosa (NZ) (O’Reilly) who upon racing retirement will reside locally at Palmerston North’s Wellfield Lodge.

Zavite just too tough

Thursday Feb 26, 2009

The underlying toughness of the Fairdale Stud-bred galloper Zavite (NZ) (Zabeel) was made plain to see in the Gr.3 AAMI 2009 Launceston Cup (2400m) in Tasmania on Wednesday.

Having suffered a float mishap en route, Zavite (NZ) paraded with abrasions to his hips, but just as had been earlier concluded by the track vets, they proved no impediment to his win ability.

As was the case in his Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) win two starts earlier, Zavite (NZ) dictated proceedings from the front for the most part of the Tasmania Gr.3 feature.

Rated to perfection by Nash Rawiller, Zavite (NZ) kept finding in the run to the line, eventually repelling the challenge of Centurytwentyone by 0.75 of a length, with last year’s NZ-bred winner Ista Kareem (NZ) (Germano) a neck away in third.

"This horse is so tough and he proved that yet again today," Rawiller said.

"Just when they think they've got him he finds another gear and then digs deep to fight them off. He's a marvel"

In total, the six-year-old gelding’s 7 wins and 6 placings have netted A$717,850 in earnings for owners Mrs N K Falconer, Ms J L Clare, G Clare, Ms S I Dalling, M J Dalling, K S Ince, Ms J M Ince & A Blood.

Trained by Anthony Cummings, Zavite (NZ) had previously rewarded his A$80,000 yearling price tag with black-type wins in the Gr.3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2520m), the Listed AJC Australia Day Cup (2400m), the Listed STC WJ McKell Cup (2400m) and the Listed VRC Better Boy Hcp (2000m).

Looking to stakes starts ahead, it is likely that Zavite (NZ) will pin his ears back in the Group Two $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on March 9

Zavite (NZ) is by the prolific Gr.1 sire Zabeel and is out of the Alleged mare, Miss Vita, who has produced three winners from as many to race.

Karaka Yearling Sales 2008

Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, 26th + 27th January
Click here to view the lots on offer from Fairdale Stud.

Karaka Select Yearling Sale, 28th, 29th & 30th January:
Click here to view the lots on offer from Fairdale Stud.

The beginning of a new era!

10 December 2008

Fairdale introduces a new studmaster…
To read more, click here.

Big Profit (NZ) Strikes Win Hat-Trick in HK Sale Challenge

NZTM 8 December 2008
The smart Howbaddouwantit gelding Big Profit (NZ) gave rivals a galloping lesson at Sha Tin on Saturday, flying home for a dominant win in the HK$1.6 mil International Sale December Challenge (1400m).
Taken straight to the front by Brett Prebble, Big Profit (NZ) dictated terms throughout and had his rivals off the bit in the run to the line, winning by 3.75 lengths.
The win added to his last start win in the HK International Sale November Challenge (1200m) and was his third consecutive success.
Purchased originally by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for NZ$160,000 at the 2007 Premier Yearling Sale, Big Profit (NZ) was later resold at the Hong Kong International Sale for HK4.3mil, where successfully purchased by Yem Ming.
With just eight starts under his belt, the 3YO gelding has already made significant inroads into this outlay, with HK2, 687,000 achieved here so far.
Bred by Fairdale Stud, who stand his sire Howbaddouwantit, Big Profit (NZ) is a full brother to Howmuchyacharging - a Gr.3 winner of the 2005 Hawke's Bay Highview Stakes (1200m).

Standing for NZ$6000 plus GST, Howbaddouwantit (USA) has been best represented to date by the Gr.1 galloper Mi Jubilee and has a 58.3 per cent winners-to-runners ratio.

Fairdale breeds Canterbury Belle Stakes winner
22 September 2008

METROPOLITAN, a 3yr old filly by Elusive City out of Our Diva by Oregon, won the listed Canterbury Belle Stakes on Saturday 20th September at Riccarton.

METROPOLITAN is a product of the Fell family's Fairdale Stud, successful breeders for over 60 years, who have owned five generations of METROPOLITAN's family. She descends from Ajasco, a Group 1 winning daughter of Fairdale's great sire Pakistan ll. Grand dam Concert, a Group 3 winner, was also bred and raced by the Fell family as was Our Diva by another Fairdale sire, Oregon. This family also includes Group 1 winners Silver Liner and Petrava (champion 3 yr old in South Africa) and is strongly represented in the Fairdale broodmare band.

Fairdale holds a 20% share in Elusive City who has been very successful with his first crop of 2 yr olds in the Northern Hemisphere and is shuttled to Haunui Farm.

METROPOLITAN is raced by Mr. Phil Bayly, a long time supporter of Fairdale Stud. The manner of her win suggests that there are many more to come.

Gerald Fell honoured
NZPA 2 June 2008

Manawatu breeding and racing administrator Gerald Fell believes the foundations have been laid for the success of racing in the lower North Island.

Fell was the first chairman of the Race group (Racing Awapuni Combined Enterprise), which initially was a partnership of four Manawatu racing clubs.

It has since expanded to six clubs, including the Wellington Racing Club, and Fell believes it was part of the reason he was today named a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to racing in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

The Race group started out as combination of the Manawatu, Rangitikei, Feilding and Marton racing clubs but has since been joined by the Wellington and Otaki-Maori racing clubs.

"The thing I'm most proud of is helping create Race and putting those clubs together," Fell told NZPA yesterday.

"I think it will prove the saviour of racing clubs in the lower North Island."

The assets of each club are shared by the partnership as well as raceday profits and losses. Racing tracks can be shared and racing dates moved amongst the different clubs.

Fell said it took some work to convince clubs to put aside their parochial stances but he believed it had helped retain racing's strength in the lower North Island.

"It took quite a lot of massaging to encourage the clubs to put all their assets together," he said.

"But I'm sure it has helped retain horses and horsemen in the area.

"Instead of being club versus club it is now all for the common good of racing in the region."

Fell was involved in setting up racing's Hall of Fame, is a past president of the Manawatu Racing Club of which he has been a member for more than 50 years and for five years was a director of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.

But he is best known as a breeder through Fairdale Stud in Palmerston North.

The stud came to national prominence through the spectacular success of sire Pakistan II in the 1960s but the horse died prematurely at the age of 13. Fairdale Stud also bred 1979 Melbourne Cup winner, the Bart Cummings-trained Hyperno.

Steady stream of winners continues for Howbaddouwantit.
12 June 2008

Consistent sire Howbaddouwantit made it four winners in three different countries last week adding to what has already been a very successful season.

First up was D'Mighty General who won over a mile in Malaysia, continuing his good run of form. Eager Chat was next at Tauranga who fought hard to win at just his second start. This was followed on the same card by the promising galloper Pactus, who made it two wins from two starts. Rounding out the week was All Ready Got It, a very impressive winner of the $70,000 VRC Eugene Morgan Handicap at Flemington, making three wins on end for her trainer Mike Moroney.

Also in Singapore, Aces and Aces formerly known as Needuask, went under in the last stride to finish second in the $500,000 GR1 Singapore Turf Club Patrons Bowl. This adds to his already impressive CV, having won at GR 2 and Listed level and a GR 1 second in the Railway Handicap in New Zealand before being transferred to champion trainer Laurie Laxon.

Fairdale Stud-bred Master Elite (Van Nistelrooy x Pageant) won in fine style on debut in Hong Kong in the Class 1 Juvenile Sprint Trophy on Sunday night.

Fairdale Stud-bred Master Elite (Van Nistelrooy x Pageant) won in fine style on debut in Hong Kong in the Class 1 Juvenile Sprint Trophy on Sunday night.

Michael Chang Racing purchased Master Elite from his breeders, Fairdale Stud, at the 2007 New Zealand Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$90,000 and he is now raced by owner Chan Chau Fai.

Master Elite is a half-brother to Listen Pal (Tale of the Cat) who was third in the Group 3 BTC Doomben Classic and is from the family of the outstanding filly Miltak (McGinty).

The Busuttin stable added to a fine record with the family of Revere who won at Ruakaka on Wednesday.

The Busuttin stable added to a fine record with the family of Revere who won at Ruakaka on Wednesday.

The Riviera three-year-old filly is a daughter of former outstanding racemare Plume who was trained by Paddy Busuttin.

Plume was the winner of 12 races including the Group 1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton and she was also runner-up in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham.

Trent Busuttin, who is now in partnership with his father Paddy, recalls the brilliance of Plume on the racetrack.

"She was a wonderful racemare and Dad always speaks very highly of her as one of the best horses he has trained during his career," said Trent Busuttin. "I was about 10 or 11 years old at the time and realised that she was something out of the ordinary."

Revere has obviously inherited some of the family ability. Her sire, Riviera, is a son of Kris and stands at Fairdale Stud near Palmerston North which bred Revere. It was the second winner in recent weeks for Riviera who was also represented by True Intentions in the winners circle earlier in the month.

Revere had registered her first success two starts earlier at Awapuni and then lined up in the New Zealand Oaks but did not finish in the money in that event. "She got well back in the Oaks and made up ground alright at the finish but nothing came from behind that day," Busuttin said.

She was freshened up and returned with a three-quarter length win at Ruakaka in the hands of leading apprentice James McDonald.

Revere is owned jointly by her breeders, Fairdale Stud and the Central Districts Thoroughbred Partnership Syndicate.

Howbaddouwantit is enjoying a strong season which sees him among the top 10 New Zealand sires for 2007/08.

Howbaddouwantit, who stands at Fairdale Stud near Palmerston North, is currently among the top 10 leading New Zealand sires for the 2007/08 season.

To date the son of Rahy"s progeny have earned $843,302 in earnings this season. This positions him in 10th position on the sires" table.

Howbaddouwantit has been represented by 28 individual winners in New Zealand in 2007/08. These horses have won a total of 39 races.

The latest success story for Howbaddouwantit came at Hastings on Thursday when four-year-old mare Likenonthinelsie scored in the Tremain Real Estate Sprint Rating 90 1400.

Likeonthinelsie is trained at Waipukurau by Kelly Burne and was ridden by Jason Waddell.

Needuask has won the Listed Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and now shoots for Group 1 glory in the $200,000 Railway Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year"s Day.

Needuask has won the Listed Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and now shoots for Group 1 glory in the $200,000 Railway Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year"s Day.

The Howbaddouwantit confirmed his growing reputation with stylish win and showed that he is one of the most promising sprinters in the country at present.

Co-trainer Richard Yuill said the Railway is a race Needuask can win with a handy barrier draw. "If we get a good barrier draw in the Railway we are a big hope. If we don"t then she (Samantha Spratt) will have to ride him for luck and he can still be very competitive."

Needuask is raced by Auckland couple Barry and Deidre Neville-White. Needuask"s win was his sixth success from only 18 starts.

Bullish Cash has spiralled the success of Fairdale Stud sire Howbaddouwantit to Hong Kong racing with his fine win in the feature event at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Bullish Cash has spiralled the success of Fairdale Stud sire Howbaddouwantit to Hong Kong racing with his fine win in the feature event at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The New Zealand-bred galloper proved too smart for his rivals in the HK$1.6 million Cuckoo Handicap (1800m) for class one horses and was ridden in superb style by in-form rider Marco Chui who settled the gelding three horses back on the rails and pushing his way into the clear at just the right time. It was a perfect ride and one that drew the young rider many compliments.

Bullish Cash is trained by Tony Cruz who celebrates his 51st birthday this week.

Bullish Cash, as the name implies, is raced by the man whose colours terrorised Japan’s best milers in 2006, Wong Wing-keung, of Bullish Luck fame.

Bullish Cash won four of his six starts in New Zealand, where he raced as Wewantit, and looked a sure-fire top grade horse in Hong Kong when he produced a storming run under Robbie Fradd to finish second at his local debut.

Howbaddouwantit is currently in fifth position on the New Zealand general sires" premiership having been represented by 19 individual winners in the country in the 2007/08 season. His progeny earnings stand at $536,535.

Talented apprentice jockey Sam Spratt says Needuask showed blistering acceleration in scoring an authoritative win in the Group 2 Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Avondale on Wednesday.

Talented apprentice jockey Sam Spratt says Needuask showed blistering acceleration in scoring an authoritative win in the Group 2 Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Avondale on Wednesday.

"The way he went past them in the home straight was amazing," Spratt said. "All I did was give him a slap on the shoulder and he had an amazing turn of foot which left the others in his wake."

"He"s improved so much with every race he"s had and is a very talented horse," she said. "He still has a lot of improvement in him and has got a big future in the sprinting ranks," she said.

Spratt, 21, comes out of her apprenticeship time on February 2 and is making every post a winner in her successfual apprenticeship with 155 wins currently to her credit.

Needuask is trained at Pukekohe by Richard Yuill and is a son of Fairdale Stud sire Howbaddouwantit who has been enjoying a fantastic run of results in the 2007/08 season.

Howbaddouwantit is currently lying fifth on the New Zealand general sires" premiership with progeny earnings of $462,923.

He has been represented by a total of 68 individual winners including five individual stakes winners. His other black-type winners have been Mi Jubilee, Final Reality, Howmuchyacharging and Itmaybeyou.