Red Carpet weekend for North Canterbury breeder

The 2026 Yearling Sales are upon us and during this time the bigger commercial breeders often take the spotlight with their well credentialled young stock. But let’s not forget the ‘smaller’ breeders, and Balcairn enthusiast Graham Rugg fits modestly into that mould.

In the weekend just passed over Waitangi Weekend, Rugg was responsible for breeding two winners at two different venues, a result that would be the envy of any operation regardless of scale.

First at Rangiora, warm order My Wingman in the hands of Blair Orange took no prisoners, winning his third race from 20 starts and showing every indication there is more to come from the much improved son of Captain Crunch from the Bettor’s Delight mare Robin’s Delight.

“I’ve been in the game for 50 plus years and I still get great excitement seeing our horses win for other people,” Rugg shared.

Rugg purchased Robin’s Delight at an Autumn Mixed Sale a few years back, with My Wingman being her first foal. A group of local mates, including trainer Baz Borcoskie and prominent greyhound trainer Dave Fahey, got together and leased the Captain Crunch gelding for racing purposes.

Robin’s Delight qualified but did not race. She is from Classy Fleet (In The Pocket – Esprit Noir) and belongs to the famed Black Watch family which, during the 1970s, was arguably the most commercial ‘tribe’ in the New Zealand stud book.

After My Wingman, Rugg bred a foal by Lochaburn, but unfortunately the resultant youngster had an altercation with a fence when only a couple of days old and was lost.

Then at Wairio on Sunday, Spiritinthesky turned in a monster effort after racing three wide in the open for the first lap before streeting her rivals by some 9.25 lengths to win her third race. She has now amassed over $57,000 in stakes from 44 starts, along with a further 13 placings.

Rugg initially raced her from good mate Kevin Townley’s stable, but when she did not quite measure up to Canterbury classes she was moved south, with Murray Swain and trainer Kirsten Green becoming the benefactors.

By Father Patrick from Rosedorae, the latter was purchased by Rugg in 2016 as a broodmare prospect after leaving the very handy BD Khaosan (seven NZ wins) and BD Yasothon (three NZ wins).

Rosedorae has done a super job at stud, with all 10 of her foals making it to the races. Rugg currently has her final two foals racing as maiden trotters. Speakeasy (by Volstead) is trained by Borcoskie, while Kayleebelle (by Marcoola) is with Amber Lethaby. To date, both have recorded minor placings in their respective short racing careers.

A fan of the straight-out trotter, Rugg has also raced a close relation of Rosedorae in Geena’s Girl (three wins) with the Townleys, and admits to having a soft spot for her sire Crazed. At stud, her first foal is Geena’s Gift (also by Father Patrick), who won once from the Townley stable before being moved south to the Lyndon Bond barn.

Never afraid to invest as a breeder, Rugg purchased Hit The Spot (Bettor’s Delight – Tuapeka Christa) after she had won four races before being sold at a Tuapeka Lodge dispersal sale some 10 years ago. She had made a very promising start to her broodmare career before being lost.

Her foals included Hit The Beach (three wins), Paytons Rock (nine wins) and Gandalf (three wins), with the latter two both recording 1:54 performances.

A couple of years ago, to compensate for that loss, Rugg borrowed a full sister to Hit The Spot in Tuapeka Toff (one win) and bred a filly by Fear The Dragon, who is now an untried two-year-old.

Another broodmare purchase in A New Sensation (Christian Cullen – Radiant Guest) delivered two colts by Fear The Dragon and The Storm Inside respectively. The Fear The Dragon colt, named Dragon Ball, is in work with Brent McIntyre at Macca Lodge, while The Storm Inside gelding is spelling on the Rugg lifestyle block at Balcairn.

Her half-sister Tremendous Sensation (by Betting Line) has been a standout across the Tasman, at one stage winning seven races in succession in Queensland, nine in total, banking over $100,000 in stakes and recording a winning mile rate of 1:50.8. Two other half-brothers, Itz My Generation (17 wins) and The Dude (15 wins), have also been highly successful in Australia with combined earnings exceeding $125,000.

Time stops for no man, and the Rugg breeding programme has certainly slowed in recent times. But when you have the bug, you have the bug.

And when the mates gather at the Sefton Hotel on Tuesday nights, there is already a strong rumour circulating that Graham Rugg may well be putting the dam of My Wingman back in foal next season.