Breeding Snippets for October 9th 2026

Record setting mares and long established families run through this week's column, with winners tracing back to the Kamwood band of Diane Wood, the Rain Girl line, the Arden dynasty built by Noreen Stiven, Sir Roy McKenzie's imported Diedre trotting family, the Party Party clan and the American import For The Boys. Several of the dams involved set NZ records of their own before heading to the broodmare paddock, while Yabby Dam Farms and its Wai Eyre Farm partnership continue to make their presence felt on this side of the Tasman.

Suzanne and the Kamwood family

The win of Suzanne at Addington was quite a surprise at odds of 48 to 1, perhaps because the previous 14 runs had generated just two third placings, but if one was to analyse the 4yo mare's Downbytheseaside – Lancewood Lizzie pedigree, it would become less of a shock.

The fourth foal of her dam, who won 13 races and set a NZ record winning $258k in stakes, Suzanne is a full sister to the promising Lizzie Borden (2 wins to date) and a half sister to American Hammer (11 wins to date plus $105k plus 1:52), with a total now of four winners from five foals of racing age.

Second dam Kamwood Elsie (by Falcon Seelster) produced eight foals with seven of them getting to the races, including Ideal Funding (by American Ideal), who was good enough to win in 1:49.4 in America. This was a family developed over a long period by northern breeder Diane Wood, with the Kamwood name carried by many of the horses she bred. Bold Kamwood (16 wins plus $133k), Kamwood Cully (4 wins plus $160k), Kamwood Belle (8 wins) and Kamwood Girl (11 wins plus $148k) are just a few of the good winners directly stemming from this family.

The nature of Suzanne's win suggested more could be in store for the 4yo mare.

Mediator and the Rain Girl line

The Matty White trained Mediator is developing a nice horse's record. At Auckland on Friday night, the Captaintreacherous 4yo gelding notched win no.5 from just start no.13.

Dam Willow was no slouch, winning 13 races, four of them in Australia, and was another to set a NZ record as a 3yo while banking $314k and recording a best winning MR of 1:51.4. Owned by Breckon Farms, the Bettor's Delight – Listen To The Rhythm mare has produced her first four foals to be all winners, with Wild Willow (5 wins to date) also currently doing well for the Stapleton team from Mid Canterbury. There are two full sisters to Mediator coming through the ranks, a 2yo and a yearling, while the mare is back in foal to Downbytheseaside.

Listen To The Rhythm was handy enough, winning three races, and her dam Cosmic Rain won six before leaving another six winners herself. The latter was a Soky's Atom daughter of cup class mare Rain Girl (12 wins plus $107k), who was trained by top northern horseman Robert Mitchell. At stud, 11 of her 12 foals got to the races, headed up by top Aussie pacer Atitagain (26 wins plus $735k), while Rain Again (9 NZ wins plus $105k) and Rain Warrior (7 wins) were more than handy.

Rain Girl was by Andover Rainbow, an imported son of Overtrick, who stood at Nevele R during his time here in NZ in the late 70s.

Taketheplunge closes out the Winter Rose story

Addington winner Taketheplunge was impressive in winning race no.6, and the $100k benchmark now looks well within the scope of the Downbytheseaside – Winter Rose 5yo. One doesn't have to go very far back in this pedigree to find good horses.

Bred by the Wakefields, Winter Rose (In The Pocket – Bella Chip) won once in a brief nine start career, but at stud she became a real star for Southland breeder Noreen Stiven. First foal Bettor's Strike was a very good open class pacer (16 wins plus $890k), and Belle Arden (5 wins) and Southwind Arden (9 wins plus $150k) followed soon after. Later on, Rocknroll Arden (6 wins plus $171k) and Arden's Choice (7 wins plus $282k) flew the Arden banner with great success, and Ned's Beach (31 wins to date) is still doing the business in Australia.

In total, Winter Rose had 14 foals, and Taketheplunge is her 14th and last. Thirteen of those foals got to the races with 11 of them taking sub 2:00 times. Now her daughters are leaving the next generation of winners, with Winter Strike, Arden Caviar and Arden's Choice all having left winners at their earliest opportunities in the broodmare paddock, continuing a long line of success for the well known Stiven family from Tapanui.

This pedigree has been highly commercial for a number of years. Winter Rose was from Bella Chip (9 wins), making her a full sister to Bella's Boy (16 wins plus $473k). Her dam Orbell also left the unraced Abbeybell (by New York Motoring), who in turn left Awesome Armbro ($649k plus 1:49.8), and a number of other fillies from this family tree have continued to leave winners.

With Taketheplunge owned by former kiwi John Curtin, there is every chance the Reid trained runner might end up taking a very smart mile time states side.

Yabby Dam and the Diedre trotting family

The presence and magnitude of the Australian trotting heavyweight Yabby Dam Farms continues to grow in a positive manner in many aspects of the NZ harness racing scene. Notably, high priced yearlings have garnered much publicity in recent years, and their developing partnership with North Canterbury's Wai Eyre Farm is also a reflection of their strong commitment to the sport on this side of the Tasman especially. And now the racing team is starting to make a strong impression.

The 6yo Love You mare Belle Neige has led the way, with 10 wins to date and $253k in earnings, and she is a legitimate open class trotter for the Wallis and Hackett training partnership.

On Friday night, the Dunn team presented I'm Collected at Addington as a warm favourite to win his second race from just four starts. By Classic Connection, a son of Love You, the 3yo looks a progressive type, good enough to take on the best of his age group in the coming weeks. From the Monarchy mare Ready Set, from Diedre's Best, I'm Collected is the fourth foal of his dam and her first colt. He is a half brother to the very smart I'm Ready Jet, a Group winning mare who won 28 races, banking some $842k along the way.

Knowledgeable breeders would be well educated over the Diedre trotting family imported by the late Sir Roy McKenzie and so successful over a number of years. Diedre Don (10 wins), Diedre's Pride (21 wins) and Diedre Darling, dam of Monbet (23 wins), were great examples of the fire power produced by this family.

Classic Connection, a Group 1 winner in Europe, is available to breeders this season courtesy of Wai Eyre Farm as a chilled semen option. His oldest progeny in Australasia are 3yos and he is already a top six sire on the Australian 3yo list from a very small crop. He did serve 20 mares in NZ last season, and I'm Collected looks a great advert for that number to be built upon in the new season.

Matilda Too and a quiet branch of the Party Party family

Some experts would tell you that there are strong and weaker branches of certain commercial families. We are all aware of the Bee Gee's Dream and Party Party line, with the likes of Republican Party and 2yo Tour Party currently flying the flag high for the pedigree and close relations.

A branch of that pedigree that has been quiet, and therefore flying under the radar in recent years, is the one that belongs to Tipsy Too (Rocknroll Hanover – Dontdrinkthendrive). At Methven last Sunday Matilda Too won her maiden victory at start no.10, thus becoming the fifth winner from five foals from Tipsy Too before her untimely passing. Renegade Rose (by Sweet Lou) showed plenty of promise in recording a 1:52.6 MR in just 17 starts, while Miss Serenade (by Panpacificflight) won nine in WA. Matilda Too, by Art Major, is a full sister to Major GNP (3 wins), now in Australia, and Amazing Tom (2 wins to date).

Their second dam Dontdrinkthendrive won four races before leaving handy sorts in Flying Anvil (6 wins) and Shezza GNP, who was good enough to take a 1:51.8 winning turn in America. Dontdrinkthendrive was by In The Pocket from We Love To Party, the latter being a full or half sister to Party Party (9 wins), Another Party (9 wins) and Champagne Party (14 wins and grand dam of Republican Party).

We Love To Party left 10 winners herself and then produced daughters who have left the likes of Bettors Anvil, from Isabella Anvil, and Christopher Dance, from Just Dance, who is now a sub 1:50 pacer in America. Democracy (7 NZ wins) was a smart pacer by Christian Cullen for Barry Purdon who went on to pace 1:50 in America. Her 12th and last foal Gatecrasher, by Bettor's Delight, has won seven races to date from the North Canterbury stable of Trent Yesberg.

Rising four, Matilda Too, especially since she is by Art Major, might be given the chance to be a broodmare too, now that she is also a winner.

I'm Rockin and the For The Boys family

I'm Rockin justified favouritism at Methven, the fifth win in the career of the 5yo son of Johnny Rock, by Rocknroll Hanover, and I'm Joe King. Dam I'm Joe King is yet another winning producing mare by Art Major, and there is definitely backbone to her family tree.

Second dam For The Don (Christian Cullen – For The Boys) didn't race but left five winners including the very handy For The Ladies (by Jereme's Jet), who won nine races in NZ before getting to America and posting a 1:51.6 winning MR.

For The Boys (Matt's Scooter – L'Eggins) was an imported mare from America in the early 90s and made an immediate impression in the broodmare barn for Templeton horseman Dave Anderson and his partners. She left only seven foals but the first five were all winners, and good winners at that. Sempre Veloce (7 wins) and For The Girls (7 wins) were above average, but the star of this family was Oscar Wild (11 NZ wins plus $145k) from NZ's leading stable of that time, that of Davey and Catherine Butt at Woodend Beach.

Sempre Veloce and Oscar Wild found their way to America, but For The Girls went to stud for Cavalla Bloodstock and her four live foals all became winners. Her only living daughter Bianca (by Dream Away) is breeding on and has left two winners from her first three foals, including Perun (by Betting Line), who has won eight races and race timed in 1:51.1. Bianca is currently in foal to Lazarus.

This pedigree could still be rockin. Still owned by Kevin and Bonnie Williams, I'm Joe King is due to King Of Swing later in the year.