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Summer Passage to stand at Mapperley Stud

Mapperley Stud has added Snitzel’s Group One winning son, Summer Passage, to their five-strong stallion roster ahead of the 2019 breeding season, where he will stand for a fee of $8,000+GST. An A$800,000 yearling, Summer Passage was a high-class juvenile, winning the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper (1200m) before showing sustained speed when crossing from the outside barrier to win the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) in emphatic fashion. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained colt then pro...

Dave's Story

Article by Loveracing.nz Dave O’Sullivan is solid gold, a true champion who’s had a long and illustrious career training legions of world-class record breaking racehorses. Success at this level is fascinating, it propels people into another realm, making them appear almost god-like. How do they do it? What are their secrets? We spoke with Dave O’Sullivan at his farm in Matamata to hear his story and see if we could find out his secrets - and we did.At 15, determined to become a jockey...

Sleeping Beauty claims deserved Stakes Victory

Consistent mare Sleeping Beauty finally got the major race win she deserved when she took out the Gr.3 ISCL Rotorua Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained six-year-old has proven a model of consistency throughout her career, having finished inside the top three in two-thirds of her 21 career starts before Saturday’s Rotorua feature. Included in that record was a narrow defeat in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) at Ellerslie two starts ago where she beat al...

Wexford Targeting Rotorua Features

Wexford stables have a strong chance of taking home the silverware at Arawa Park - Rotorua Racecourse on Saturday where Giovanno Canaletto and Sleeping Beauty will represent the Matamata barn in the two feature races.Group One performer Giovanni Canaletto will contest the Gr.3 Rotorua Cup (2200m) and his connections are hoping the regally-bred son of Galileo can replicate his form from February where he finished third in the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) at Matamata.The Lance O’Sulliv...

Quality Stayer Primed for Sydney Cup Assault

Sir Charles Road will be looking to continue his love affair with Sydney on Saturday when he lines up in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick.The Matamata galloper has a great association with Randwick, having won the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) there last year before running third in the Sydney Cup behind Who Shot Thebarman.The five-year-old gelding returned this year to finish fourth behind Gallic Chieftain in the Chairman’s Quality and his connections are happy with him heading int...

Spring Heat in Search of More Black Type

Wexford Stables will be in search of more black-type on home soil for Group Three-winning mare Spring Heat when she competes in the Listed NZB Finance Sprint (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday.The Hermitage Thoroughbreds-owned daughter of More Than Ready finished midfield last start in the Gr.3 Waikato Stud Plate (1200m) and her connections are hoping for an improved performance from their mare.“She’s had a little bit of a let-up after her last run and there is no doubt that she wants a bit of ...

Australian Easter Yearling Sale Purchases

Wexford has continued our strong association with Hermitage Thoroughbreds, recently purchasing two yearling colts with an eye towards Hong Kong.“We are very pleased, they are two nice horses that are both going to take time,” Lance said.“It’s fantastic (to get the support from Hermitage), it’s a great opportunity. If their horses are any good they do go to Hong Kong. They are hoping to buy a horse that can one day be good enough to compete up there at a good level.” Check out ou...

Meet the Team - Andrew Scott

Andrew embarked on his career as a trainer in partnership with Wexford graduate Mike Moroney at Ballymore Stables in the late 1990s.  Following a very successful period at Ballymore’s Matamata base when the pair trained 10 Group One winners, Andrew took up a position at Wexford Stables at the start of the 2006-07 season training in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan.  Andrew continued as the sole trainer for the Wexford operation when Lance stepped back in 2009, and his successes co...

Meet the Team - Lance O'Sullivan

The O’Sullivan name is synonymous with excellence in thoroughbred racing.  Hall of Fame member Lance O'Sullivan exemplified that in his career as a champion jockey, with a record tally of New Zealand premierships and major wins not only in New Zealand but also in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong.  Lance is a son of that doyen of New Zealand training, Wexford Stables founder Dave O’Sullivan, and the brother of multiple New Zealand champion trainer Paul O’Sullivan.  In 2004 Paul...

Charles Road Chasing Higher Honours

Charles Road will earn another knighthood if he can run up to expectations in Saturday's Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie.Third in last year's Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) under his Australian racing name of Sir Charles Road, the son of Myboycharlie again has the Randwick $A2 million April 13 feature on his programme.But first he needs to showcase his staying potency in an Ellerslie feature he finished fifth in last year."He's entered for Sydney but he's first got to show tha...

Pakistan Star joins Paul O'Sullivan

Hong Kong favourite and dual Group One winner Pakistan Star has joined expat New Zealand trainer Paul O’Sullivan’s Hong Kong stable.The erratic galloper has been transferred from Tony Cruz’s stable, along with Pakistan Friend, following a decision made by owner Kerm Din.O’Sullivan is excited to have such a high-quality horse join his barn and is looking forward to targeting some Group One races this season with his new acquisition.“When it comes to Group One horses, I am a bit light at...

Taming The Shrew Scores on Home Track

The Matamata Racing Club celebrated its centenary this week, and fittingly the locals were to the fore in the first race on the card – the $22,500 Valachi Downs 1600.Taming The Shrew is trained on the track by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and was ridden by their apprentice Taiki Yanagida.Her 15-strong ownership group includes some Matamata locals, and she is a daughter of the local Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking. Runner-up Effervescent is by the late Rich Hill icon Pentire.A winner of...