Breeding Snippets | August 13, 2026

This week’s Breeding Snippets explore six winners whose recent performances underline the value of patience, family depth and generations of careful breeding. From the increasingly prominent influence of Captain Crunch through to enduring maternal lines associated with names such as Luxury Liner, Elsu, Delightful Lady and Roman Gladiator, each winner carries a pedigree rich in proven performers.

Amazing Captain rewards patient approach

So many of the progeny of Captain Crunch are coming to the fore with time as their friend, reflecting that sire’s high position on the four-year-old stallion charts.

Yet another example was Amazing Captain, who won her second race at Auckland on Friday night.

She placed five times as a two-year-old and was given a light racing programme as a three-year-old by her breeder, Stonewall Stud, making just six starts. After being freshened since she last raced in March, she has obviously benefited from this patient policy by her connections.

Bred by Stonewall Stud and still owned by that entity, she is out of its Bettor’s Delight mare Better B Amazed, who won 18 races on the track and banked more than $211,000 in stakes for her breeder.

As a broodmare, the first four foals from Better B Amazed have all made it to the races, with Amazing Captain her third foal.

Akatea has won seven races and earned $147,000. Being by Art Major, she is likely to become an addition to the stud’s broodmare band herself.

Half-brother BB King, by American Ideal, has won three races from just 10 starts, while there is a yearling filly by Downbytheseaside and a weanling colt by Captaintreacherous in the wings.

Better B Amazed is currently in foal to three-time Miracle Mile winner King Of Swing.

The second dam, Amazed, by Christian Cullen from Disco Lass, was also bred by Stonewall Stud. She was lightly raced, recording two placings, and had only four foals. All four qualified, with two becoming winners.

Further back in this pedigree, we find a direct connection to NZ Cup winners Luxury Liner and Christopher Vance, along with a host of other very good performers for trainers Roy and Barry Purdon and the Reid brothers of Pukekohe.

This was indeed a very commercial family during the 1980s and 1990s.

MONTARA MAKES AN ENCOURAGING BEGINNING

Montara, by What The Hill from Far From True, has kicked off her racing career with a win at Addington at just her third start after placing on debut.

She is the second foal from her dam, who is owned by Woodlands Stud marketing manager Stacey White, wife of David White, Montara’s trainer, and HRNZ manager Matt Peden.

Far From True won three races from 19 starts, including placing as a two-year-old, before going on to become a broodmare.

The grey mare, by Monkey Bones from Nowhere To Go, has some staunch family background when her pedigree is researched.

Nowhere To Go, by Pernod Eden from Jenny’s Comet, could manage only a couple of minor placings from 27 starts, but she did leave the handy Sundons Comet, a winner of four races in New Zealand.

His full-brother Fiery Comet also looked promising, recording a win and two placings from just four starts before his racing career ended prematurely.

Jenny’s Comet, bred and raced by Maurice O’Leary, was a very honest mare, winning six races and recording a further 18 placings.

At stud, her clear standout performer was Mamalu, by Grant Our Wishes, who won 11 races before going to the United States, where he was also a winner.

Jenny’s Comet was a half-sister to Jenny’s Rocket, winner of eight races, Chas Luney, winner of 16 races, and a further three winners.

It all goes back to broodmare gem Zenover, who left both top pacers and top trotters.

Harvey Wilson was a freakish young talent during the 1970s, winning six of his 11 starts as a trotter before being sold to the United States for big money.

Motoring Magic won a Sires’ Stakes Final as a three-year-old pacer, while five-race winner Interchange left the likes of Elsu and Revonez among a very commercial band of close relations.

What family ability Montara has inherited remains to be seen, but the early signs are very promising.

REDBACK BOB MAINTAINS PERFECT RECORD

Phil and Bev Williamson have produced another very promising trotter in Redback Bob, by Majestic Son from Dwindle Mist.

Bred and owned by Bev and trained by Phil, the three-year-old is now unbeaten in two starts after clearing out to win impressively at Invercargill over the weekend.

The dam, Dwindle Mist, was no slouch on the track, winning six races and recording a further 11 placings from 27 starts.

Redback Bob is her fourth foal and fourth winner.

Her first foal, Dwindle Star, won seven races, while Harry Stamper did an even better job in Australia, winning 13 races and earning $254,000 along the way.

There are colts by Royal Aspirations, now a two-year-old, Timoko, a yearling, and Majestic Son, a weanling, coming through behind them.

Dwindle Mist is by champion sire Sundon from the six-win mare Iris Pointer, who has also done a fine job as a broodmare.

Young Pointer, by Evander’s Gold, won 13 races and earned $210,000. Rhythmic Sun, also by Sundon, won 11 races, with another two winners produced from just seven foals.

Iris Pointer left only two fillies, and Dwindle Mist is the only daughter currently being bred from.

As her name suggests, Iris Pointer was by colonial sire Pointer Hanover, by Bachelor Hanover from Worthy Scott.

Pointer Hanover won 14 races when trained by South Canterbury horseman George Shand. George had considerable success with the progeny of Worthy Scott, as she left another 10 winners besides Pointer Hanover.

For now, Redback Bob will continue on his merry way under the careful guidance of the Williamson family.

CHRISTIAN BALE DELIVERS OVERDUE MAIDEN VICTORY

Now a five-year-old, Christian Bale has had his challenges along the way, but he has finally delivered his maiden win with a big finish to get over the top of his rivals at Ashburton recently in a 1:58.7 mile rate.

The son of Vincent is out of the very good mare Helena Jet, a winner of 13 races and $163,000.

He is a half-brother to the smart Nicholas Cage, winner of nine races, $144,000 and the holder of a 1:50.7 mile record; Our Benson, winner of 12 races and $126,000; and Tyson, winner of eight races to date and $144,000.

Owned by long-time northern breeder Pat Laboyrie, Helena Jet was served by Pebble Beach during the most recent breeding season and has untried young stock by Always B Miki, a yearling and a weanling, in the wings.

The second dam, Matai Marlene, had all nine of her progeny qualify to race, with the Hopes at Woodend Beach often given the responsibility of training them.

She was a half-sister to the very smart Matai MacKenzie, winner of 30 races and $407,000.

Another half-sister, Matambra, by Armbro Operative, left full siblings Angelina Jolie, winner of four races and $108,000, and James Cagney, winner of 11 races and $116,000.

Both horses were by Art Major and trained by the Hopes.

Angelina Jolie was held in very high regard by her trainers but had only 25 starts. She has already left a good horse in Maria Allegonda, by Sweet Lou, who won seven races, recorded a further 29 placings, earned $136,000 and took a 1:51.9 mile record.

Matai Jewel, the dam of Matai Marlene, won nine races herself and belongs to a very staunch pedigree developed over the years in Southland by the Milne and Hunter families.

Some might remember the top southern pacer of the late 1970s, Matai Dreamer, who won 17 races for Alec Milne.

Christian Bale might not reach those heights, but the family tree suggests he can go on to further success.

HEAVEN CELEBRATES MILESTONE IN STYLE

Horses are always likely to run time when racing at Ashburton, arguably New Zealand’s fastest track, and Heaven celebrated his 10th victory by recording a 1:52.7 mile rate over the mobile 1700m.

The win came with newly crowned Junior Drivers’ Championship winner Wilson House in the sulky.

It was also the 100th start for the Robertson-trained six-year-old gelding, who is by Rock N Roll Heaven from Kotare Yedo.

The dam, by leading broodmare sire Falcon Seelster, was bred by Kotare Downs. She qualified but did not race and produced only three foals before being lost.

Despite her limited opportunities, Kotare Yedo produced three good winners. They included Sonny Weaver, who won approximately 42 races, earned $641,000 and recorded a 1:49.2 mile mark in the United States.

The second dam, Kotare Yoyo, by Presidential Ball, won one race during a short career before producing five winners from seven foals.

Her best performers included Kotare York, winner of 16 races and $134,000, and Kotare Yarra, who won 21 races and earned $235,000.

Through her dam, Extra BG, by Butler BG from Tanisa Vance, Kotare Yoyo ranks as a half-sister to several smart performers.

Kotare Mach, winner of 16 races and $268,000, and 1:50.2 performer Kotare Yael were serious racehorses for the Abell family.

The pedigree also traces directly to the likes of Ross The Boss, a winner of 10 races in New Zealand who later recorded a 1:50.1 mile in the United States, and 10-race winner Kotare Jaeger.

Go back far enough and the family also reveals champion mare Delightful Lady, winner of 47 races, 10-race winner Slugger and outstanding northern pacer Tobias, who won 17 races.

They were joined by several close relations who starred for the Butcher family during the 1960s and 1970s.

A young David Butcher might well have thought that was heaven in those days.

ROSARIO PROVIDES ANOTHER WINNER FOR LOCHARBURN

Also at Ashburton, Rosario gained a deserved maiden victory at his 10th start.

In doing so, he became the fifth winner sired by colonial-bred NZ Derby winner Locharburn, whose oldest progeny are now five-year-olds.

The difficult reality facing colonial-bred stallions when competing against their highly promoted American counterparts means Locharburn is no longer available for public service through Grant Beckett at Phoebe Standardbreds for the upcoming breeding season.

The stallion has been returned to his owner, breeder and trainer, Kev Chapman, at Amberley.

Now three, Rosario is out of the race-winning Mach Three mare Mapua Mabel. He is her third winner, while another of her progeny has qualified, from five live foals bred by Richard Aubrey.

The second dam, Ruby Bay, by Albert Albert from Franciscan, was also a winner and produced four winners as a broodmare.

Most notably, Doctor Tim won 20 races from 242 starts and banked $235,000 along the way.

Franciscan became well known as a half-sister to top three-year-old pacer Roman Gladiator, who won 19 races and earned $424,000 for Southland trainer Colin Baynes.

She also produced the lightly raced Funontherun, by In The Pocket, who went on to produce six foals for six very good winners.

They included On The Razzle, winner of 16 races and $167,000; On The Rantan, who won four races in New Zealand and recorded a 1:50.6 mile; and On The Cards, an 11-race winner in New Zealand who later recorded a 1:49.2 mile.

Their dam, four-race winner Assisi, produced another very good horse in Scorching, an 11-race winner trained for much of his career by a younger Cran Dalgety during the early 2000s.

Rosario looks capable of winning more races.

As for Locharburn, the stallion, someone might want to give Kev Chapman a call. It is not too late.

Speaking of Ashburton, Rosario gained a deserved maiden victory at start number 10.

He became the fifth winner for his sire, colonial-bred NZ Derby winner Locharburn, whose oldest progeny are now five-year-olds.

The reality of the task facing colonial-bred stallions against their much-heralded American competition means Locharburn is no longer in public service for the upcoming breeding season through Grant Beckett at Phoebe Standardbreds.

He has been returned to his owner, breeder and trainer, Kev Chapman, at Amberley.

Now three, Rosario is out of the race-winning Mach Three mare Mapua Mabel. He is her third winner, with another qualifier, from five live foals for breeder Richard Aubrey.

The second dam, Ruby Bay, by Albert Albert from Franciscan, was also a winner and left four winners as a broodmare.

Notably, Doctor Tim won 20 races from 242 starts and banked $235,000 along the way.

Franciscan became famous as a half-sister to top three-year-old pacer Roman Gladiator, winner of 19 races and $424,000, who was trained by Southland’s Colin Baynes.

She also left the lightly raced Funontherun, by In The Pocket, who produced six foals for six very good winners.

On The Razzle, winner of 16 races and $167,000; On The Rantan, winner of four races in New Zealand and the holder of a 1:50.6 mile record; and On The Cards, winner of 11 races in New Zealand and the holder of a 1:49.2 mile record, were clearly above average.

Her dam, Assisi, a winner of four races, left another very good horse in Scorching, an 11-race winner who was trained mostly by a younger version of Cran Dalgety during the early 2000s.

Rosario looks capable of winning more races.

As for Locharburn the stallion, someone might give Kev Chapman a call. It is not too late!