Pins 2yo hits winning note

4 August 2015

The steady improvement showed by Chopin’s Nocturne was capped off nicely at Kranji on Sunday night with his maiden success. The juvenile struck gold at just the third time of asking and came off a runner-up finish at his previous appearance.

“His last run was good, but he was running after the leading horses from out wide and ended up over-racing,” trainer Michael Clements said. “I was confident he would do well. I am really excited to see what else this horse can do. At this stage, he is one of the best young horses in my stable, if not the best.”

Chopin’s Nocturne was bought out of WS’s Select Sae draft to Karaka in 2012 for $115,000 and is a son of Pins and the Danasinga mare Etoile Centieme. She is also the dam of the Australian stakes winner and Group performer Delta Girl.

Tivaci’s Movie Night steals the show at Newcastle

A sister to the Gr.1 ATC Flight Stakes (1600m) winner Never Been Kissed, the Waikato Stud-bred and raced Movie Night (NZ) was rewarded for her consistency, breaking her maiden with an all-the-way win over 1400m at Newcastle for trainer Tom Charlton.

9 July 2026

Oilman’s stud stake could change course of NZ breeding

Eighteen months ago, Texas oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt walked through the lush Waikato pasture of Matamata’s Balcarres Stud and announced he wanted some just like it for his own.

Today he has-360 acres about a mile down the road which has been transformed from a dairy farm to one of New Zealand’s leading horse and cattle breeding establishments.