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SOLD - Almanzor Colt

The team are thrilled to have purchased Lot 298 - Almanzor (FR) – Caminadora (USA), Bay Colt. By a first season sire who has been selling incredibly well, out of a More Than Ready Mare, this cracking colt is athletic, a great walker and has a real sense of class about him. He had a spotless set of X-rays and was purchased to trade. He looks like he'll do the job as an Autumn 2YO. Secured for $130,000, we thought this was exceptional value for the quality of horse he is. Shares are available! ...

Shares Available - Beautiful Staying Filly

Introducing Lot 363 Contributer (IRE) – Due Diligence (NZ) bay filly, secured for $110,000 at the Karaka yearling sales. We purchased and trained her dam 'Due Diligence' (by Danasinga), who was a group 2 winner. This filly is a replica of her mother! She’s got a good mind, walks well and will be one for the Karaka Million Mile as a 3YO. She is a lovely mile/staying type of filly and looks like she will run a guineas trip. She vetted very clean. Shares are available in this lovely filly by a ...

SOLD - Cracking Trade Colt

A neat horse with great athleticism and a big walk (you know what they say - if they can walk, they can gallop!), he was purchased with trading in mind. He’s got some of the best bloodlines, with Fastnet Rock and Danehill on his pedigree page. Purchased for $100,000, he was incredibly good value for a Contributor in this sale. The stallion on the rise has proven to be very popular and $100,000 is on the lower end of the scale for what people are prepared to pay for a Contributor. He was purch...

SOLD - Vadamos Colt

By an up and coming stallion who has really impressed us, out of a young Commands mare that goes back to Galileo (the best sire in the world!) and Foxwood (one of New Zealand’s more prolific families) we were drawn to this colt's pedigree page. He’s a strong dark colour, with a big flat shoulder and an enormous walk. He’s from a top farm in Valachi Downs, where yearlings get the best possible start. He has clean X-rays and good scope. He looks like he’ll make a beautiful late 2YO. Secur...

Shares Available - Karaka Million Filly

Wexford have struck early at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yealing Sales! The team are thrilled to have secured lot 12 - Iffraaj x Oscar’s Shadow, brown filly for $70,000. From a fast family and by a leading 2YO sire, this filly will get up and run and will be aimed at the 2022 Karaka Million. With shares available, get in touch with the team for more info. Andrew - 0273602276Lance - 021488884Lisa Dunbar (office) - wexford@xtra.co.nz...

Rocket Spade delivers Guineas repeat

Owners Hermitage Thoroughbreds and trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have gone back-to-back, scoring their second consecutive victory in the Gr.2 SkyCity Auckland Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie on Friday.The combination captured last year’s edition of the three-year-old feature with Dragon Leap, and have struck Guineas gold again 12 months later with Rocket Spade.Making his first start since a close fifth behind Aegon in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in early ...

Asano quickly off the mark in northern stint

Leading South Island apprentice Kozzi Asano wasted no time in registering his first win for Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott when he guided Spring Heat (More Than Ready) to an impressive victory at Ellerslie on Saturday. Asano, who is indentured to trainer Andrew Carston at Riccarton, has moved north for a few months to spend time with Wexford Stables and to be mentored by O’Sullivan during that time.Runner-up in last season’s jockeys’ premiership with78 wins...

Summer Passage: From Retirement to Winner's Stall

Trainer Lance O’Sullivan was beaming after former top juvenile Summer Passage made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure at Matamata on Saturday, when striding clear in a rating 74 1200m contest. O’Sullivan, who prepares the Snitzel gelding in partnership with Andrew Scott, was brimming with confidence before the race having labelled the former top juvenile as a near certainty based on his recent trackwork and an impressive run over 1000m at the Rotorua trials last month. “We’re c...

Dragon Leap side-lined

(Article by NZ Racing Desk) Kiwi four-year-old Dragon Leap has suffered a set-back that will curtail his Sydney spring campaign. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained gelding had looked in for a good preparation, having found the line well for eighth in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) , beaten just two lengths, and was on target for the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). “It’s a minor injury and certainly nothing of any note that is going to have any long-term effect on his racing career...

Strong Win by El Roca Filly

(Article by NZ Racing Desk) One of the more impressive winners on the program at Matamata on Wednesday was the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained filly Escudo. The daughter of El Roca had been placed once as a two-year-old when splitting Yourpoint and Vernazza and showed good progression from two to three when winning the GCM Feeds (1200m) maiden in good fashion. “It was pleasing how she settled well and quickened in what looked to be an even little field,” Scott said. “The way sh...

Dragon Leap bounces through fresh up assignment

Lance O’Sullivan, who trains in partnership with Andrew Scott, was pleased with the fresh-up run of quality four-year-old Dragon Leap, who finished 8th in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.The son of Pierro was only two lengths from the winner Dreamforce and will derive plenty of benefit from the hit-out.“I was very pleased with the run and how close he finished to the winner, albeit there wasn’t a great margin first to last,” O’Sullivan said.“There is plen...

Dragon Ready to Leap the Tasman

The lightly-tried gelding is expected to be best suited to a mile as an older horse and topped off his preparations with an exhibition gallop between races at Matamata last Saturday.“We were happy with him,” O’Sullivan said. “It was testing conditions (heavy10) and he ran nice time considering the ground.“He has pulled up well and we’re very pleased.”Dragon Leap is set to commence his campaign in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 5 and could be aimed at one o...

Wexford team building with Sydney ambitions

Quality gallopers Charles Road and Dragon Leap are making good progress ahead of their spring campaigns. Lucrative Sydney targets are high on the agenda for the duo should COVID-19 immigration challenges to enable staff to travel from New Zealand to Australia be overcome. “Charles Road and Dragon Leap are both in the same boat, we’re trying to get to Australia,” O’Sullivan said. Group One performed stayer Charles Road was back in action at the Te Rapa trials last week, where he finished ...

First winner for Pure Champion

The maiden victory of the John Sadler-trained three-year-old Manhattan Spector at Ballarat on Sunday provided his Group One-winning sire Pure Champion with his first winner.Ridden by Regan Bayliss, Manhattan Spector sat outside the leader throughout and out-toughed his rivals over 1500m, having placed at his previous outing at Werribee.Pure Champion retired to Mike and Barbara Cooney’s Willow Glen Stud in Waimate in 2015 and Manhattan Spector is one of 15 foals from his first crop.A son of Foo...

Welcome back Wexford

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott are preparing to welcome 25 to 30 horses back into the stable over the coming week, following the COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand.  Wexford will look to gradually build from an initial winter team when training resumes on Tuesday as New Zealand comes out of a full Alert level 4 lockdown due to the Covid-19 outbreak. “There is a little bit of uncertainty out there, but we will bring back the horses that don’t mind getting their feet wet when they’re...

O'Sullivan looking forward to Dragon taking Leap

The Matamata stable of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott is preparing to welcome 25 to 30 horses back into the stable over the coming week, with boom three-year-old Dragon Leap (Pierro) not far away from a return to training. If there is a silver-lining to the lockdown period, O’Sullivan believes the additional time to mature for the son of Pierro, can only make for a better horse next season. The Hermitage Thoroughbreds-raced gelding has won three of his five starts to date, inclu...

Unforgettable Cox Plates for O'Sullivan

Former champion jockey Lance O’Sullivan will never forget his first ride in the Gr.1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) and neither will racing fans throughout New Zealand and Australia. As this year’s Cox Plate trophy begins a week-long New Zealand tour (starting on Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie on Saturday), it’s certain the most discussed Cox Plate will be that 1986 edition in which O’Sullivan had to settle for second on (Our) Waverley Star, going down a neck to the mighty Bonecrusher in an all-N...

Spring Heat Delivers in King's Plate

Article by NZ Racing Desk: Lightly raced mare Spring Heat finally delivered on her undoubted promise when she produced a barnstorming finish to capture the Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie. The More Than Ready five-year-old came into the race off the back of a placing at the highest level after finishing third to Avantage in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham last month. Back to the track where she had won the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) as a three-year-old, the Lance...

Dragon to Leap Lance into Derby History

Article by NZ Racing Desk:The impressive Dragon Leap gives New Zealand Racing Hall of Famer Lance O’Sullivan a great opportunity to add another notable achievement to his CV at Ellerslie on Saturday. O’Sullivan has won the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) on two occasions as a jockey, first with Surfers Paradise in 1990 then three years later with Popsy. Both the two winners of the feature were trained by his father, Dave, and brother Paul, and this weekend he will attempt to win the Vodafone-...

Waddell confirmed for Dragon Leap in Derby

In-form jockey Jason Waddell has been confirmed as the rider for Dragon Leap in the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on February 29.Dragon Leap’s co-trainer Lance O’Sullivan had advised last week that Waddell had been offered the ride on the $2.20 Fixed Odds favourite for the blue riband three-year-old classic with Waddell confirming he had accepted the mount on Sunday morning.While delighted with the opportunity presented to him, Waddell admits he was left with a slightl...

Dragon Leap franks Derby credentials at Ellerslie

Anyone who thought that Dragon Leap might be below his best at Ellerslie on Saturday had those doubts well and truly extinguished when the exciting staying talent bolted away with the Gr.2 Jamieson Park Avondale Guineas (2100m).The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Pierro gelding had missed his preferred Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) lead in run when an elevated temperature on race morning saw him scratched from the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) last weekend.Plan B for his Mat...

Dragon ready to fire in Guineas

Winning Saturday's Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas isn't a critical element of Dragon Leap's campaign, according to Matamata trainer Lance O'Sullivan.O'Sullivan, who trains the rising star Pierro three-year-old in partnership with Andrew Scott, has made it clear that this month's Gr.1 $1 million Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie is the first of two big goals. But while Saturday's Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa is a stepping stone to the Derby and the Gr.1 Australian Derb...

Te Rapa Runners - 8/2

The track is currently graded as a dead 4 and rail is out 3m. JEWEL OF PATCH(Jason Waddell, barrier 7) will line up in race 2 at 1pm. He's been racing in great form, finishing second fresh up before putting in a strong effort to win last start at Wellington. He steps up in class today but we still expect him to be competitive against a strong field. VOLER POUR MOI (Taiki Yanagida, barrier 4) will line up in race 4 at 1.35pm. She has been racing well, without getting any luck. She's better than ...

SHARES AVAILABLE | Lot 1131 - Vespa - Harmonize (AUS), Colt

 Lot 1131 - Vespa – Harmonize (AUS), Chestnut Colt, purchased for $75,000 from the Valachi Downs draft.We were immediately drawn to this colt by his sheer presence. He is a very athletic type, who has a great walk. He is a big strong individual who looks like the type that could race in Hong Kong. This horse was purchased with the intent to trade at some stage.The mare bloodline is very strong, with the 1st dam being by Fastnet Rock and the 2nd dam by Zabeel.If you would li...

SHARES AVAILABLE | Lot 1059 - Per Incanto (USA) – Creil, Filly

Introducing Lot 1059 - Per Incanto (USA) – Creil, Bay Filly, purchased for $30,000 today at the Karaka Yearling Sale.We were immediately drawn to this filly's athleticism and wonderful temperament. She is from a great family, being by one of New Zealand's leading sires and out of a group 1 winning mare. We were very surprised she was not in book one and at $30,000, was great value.If you would like more information on this filly or to secure your share, please email wexford@xtra.co.nz....