Breeding Snippets – April 19th 2026

A mix of emerging performers and deep pedigree strength feature this week, with several mares enhancing their residual value while others continue to build on already proven family lines.

Final Approach rewarding patience

Time has been Final Approach’s friend after being placed just once in seven starts as a promising 2YO. Now as a 4YO the Tactical Landing – Majestic Play gelding has just completed his fourth win from his last five starts, with the promise of much more to come such was the dominance of his latest Auckland win.

Dam Majestic Play has had a chequered career as a broodmare after being unraced on the track. Way back in 2016 she had her first foal by Peak for Canterbury breeders Ken and Ann-Marie Spicer, but it didn’t amount to much, then had three consecutive years of not getting in foal. Final Approach is just her second live foal, but the now 15YO has not been bred from since the latter came along in 2021.

That might change the mind of current owner Philippa Hanley as she belongs to a strong trotting family that has been highly successful over many decades.

Majestic Play, as the name suggests, is by Majestic Son from Arpeggio (Sundon – Chiola’s Lass). That makes Arpeggio a full sister to top mare Allegro Agitato (22 wins) and a half sister to the likes of Cabaletta (7 wins), Rondo (9 wins) and top Australian performer and sire Skyvalley (24 wins).

Chiola’s Lass won 10 of just 17 starts and several branches of this family have established successful lines in their own right. It’s a breed that has been capable of leaving a standout type every so often, and now it will be interesting to follow the progress of Final Approach as the 2026 season progresses.

Always B Kind breaks through

The Blanchard training partnership have a progressive type in Always B Kind and now that she has won her first race, this well bred filly could be expected to go on with the job.

Bred by Jenny Barron, closer scrutiny of her bloodlines reveals a pedigree rich in quality performers. Dam Queen Of The Night (Mach Three – Sirius Flight) was no star on the track, winning just once from 28 starts, but as many breeders know too well, that doesn’t mean she cannot leave a superior offspring.

First foal John Snow (by Washington VC) managed to win a race and the Blanchard filly is just her second live foal. There is a yearling colt by Vincent and a weanling filly by Lather Up coming on for Barron, while the mare is in foal to Legendary Hanover.

Queen Of The Night is a half sister to 1:49.4 pacer Malak Uswaad (9 NZ wins) and the very smart Timeless Perfection (7 wins from 13 starts). The latter has been a star in the broodmare paddock leaving First Class Lady (4 wins), the Artsplace dam of Sires Stakes winner Freeze Frame, Fire Bug (22 wins), Plutonium Lady (11 wins) and Rakero Rebel (16 wins, $452k) amongst her eight winners.

Eternal Perfection, by Art Major, has already been a 2YO winner this season.

Sirius Flight, who won all five of her raceday starts, is a daughter of globe-trotting superstar filly Pacific Flight, who won 47 races in New Zealand and America.

With a pedigree now highly commercial, Always B Kind would appear to have great residual value going forward.

Words building her record

Another mare doing a creditable job on the track, and therefore likely to assure herself of a second career once retired, is the five-year-old Words (Downbytheseaside – Premier Crus). Her latest Auckland win was her sixth from just 18 starts as she closes in on the $100k mark in stakes.

Her dam Premier Crus (Bettor’s Delight – Meursault) was unraced and Words is her first foal. A full brother Cooly Rocks has qualified and after two colts by Sweet Lou and Lather Up respectively, the mare is back in foal to Downbytheseaside.

Meursault (Christian Cullen – Oaxaca Lass) was a three-time winner and her best foal has been Romanee (17 wins, $231k), also by Bettor’s Delight, making him a full brother to Premier Crus.

Oaxaca Lass (19 wins) has been in the limelight in recent times as the grand-dam of star Australian pacer The Janitor, who has been competing with the likes of Leap To Fame this season.

Travel Agent adds to strong family

Ross Gordon has been a major investor in the Diamond Racing juggernaut out of Woodend Beach, with the likes of Got The Chocolates flying the flag in outstanding style in recent times.

The owner and stable partnership notched up another victory at Addington with the 2YO Travel Agent doing the job at just his second start after debuting behind the unbeaten Tour Party.

By Sweet Lou from the unraced Pacing Delight (by Bettor’s Delight), the colt was a $90k purchase by Robert Dunn at the 2025 Karaka Yearling Sale, with Gordon happy to take over ownership following success using the same formula over many years.

Travel Agent, an embryo transfer foal, is the seventh foal and seventh winner from his dam. He is a half or full brother to Virgil (22 wins, $310k), Aladdin (9 wins), Mason’s Delight (24 wins, 1:49.6) and Hadron Collider (7 wins, $182k).

Second dam Pacing Grace (In The Pocket – Jessie Grace) won eight races and at stud nine of her 12 foals have raced, highlighted by All U Need Is Faith (1:49.4, 42 wins, $765k across three countries).

As a 1:58 2YO, Travel Agent should be in for a very positive run for connections who know how to win races.

One Dream family continues to deliver

One Dream (Dream Away – Solitaire) was the benchmark filly of her year, winning 18 of 23 starts and earning close to $900k.

While matching that record was always going to be difficult, nine of her 12 foals have made it to the races and her daughters are now starting to leave a trail of quality performers.

At the recent Cheviot meeting at Addington, two of her daughters produced individual winners.

First, I’m The Boss (Bettor’s Delight – Hopes And Dreams) was a convincing winner of the Leonard Memorial for Team Cullen. Hopes And Dreams (Christian Cullen – One Dream) won seven races and I’m The Boss is her fourth foal and first winner.

The earlier three foals, all fillies, have all made it to the races, with Bettor Dreams just missing behind Lady Tyron earlier in the day.

One race later Captain Cool (Captain Crunch – Dreaminthemaking) won his third race from nine starts for trainer Korbyn Newman.

Dreaminthemaking, also by Christian Cullen, was the first of One Dream’s foals and unraced, but has left four winners to date, with Captain Cool shaping as the best so far. She is in foal to Legendary Hanover for breeder Jill Smolenski.

Eun Sogno, by Captain Crunch and the last foal of One Dream, has won four races from 11 starts for the Dalgety stable.

Kennards investing in Gladamare line

Prominent Canterbury owners Phil and Glenys Kennard know a good horse when they see one, having been part of the ownership of Lazarus during his race career.

They have invested in the first three foals of Gladamare (Mach Three – Delightful Dale) that are of racing age.

Five Crowns (by Bettor’s Delight) won six of 16 starts and just over $101k before injury curtailed his progress.

Last Friday at Addington, Stumblin In (by Always B Miki) won his second race from nine starts, holding out Mostert in the hands of the country’s leading driver.

They also share in Miss Moonshine (by Bettor’s Delight), a progressive 2YO in the Matty White stable.

Gladamare has a yearling colt by King Of Swing, a weanling full sister to Stumblin In, and is back in foal to Sweet Lou.

On the track she won four races and, as a daughter of Delightful Dale, is a half sister to seven winners including I’llhavbubbles (15 wins, 1:49.7), Shandale (8 NZ wins) and recent Methven winner Bettor Go Vinnie.

This is the maternal family tracing back through Dale Elinor, Megaera and Alberfeldy to top mare and producer Black Watch.

Travel Agent & John Dunn