There was no resting on laurels for New Zealand Bloodstock after November’s record-shattering Ready to Run Sale. Instead, the release of the catalogues for Karaka 2024 has launched the countdown to the pinnacle event on the sales calendar.
It was somewhat of an homecoming for Diego Velazquez when he wore the Sangster family silks to victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois-Gr1, 1600m at Deauville last year, the same colours so famously donned by his breed-shaping great grandsire Sadler’s Wells.
It’s not entirely unheard of for thoroughbred industry participants to be involved in other activities, but few have such an interesting and diverse range of skills as highly respected Ballarat veterinarian and studmaster Kim McKellar of Wyndholm Park.
I was asked to list the most influential ancestors affecting the genotypes of today’s major stakes winners on turf. Now aged 84, I have experienced racing in many countries and I spent ten years in Kentucky meeting all the leading horse breeders in North America.
A day at the races with a friend led Scott Darby to discover horse racing. Time spent working for Clarry Conners meant meeting Tierce and Burst and resulted in a lifelong obsession with the Golden Slipper. Fast forward to 2026 and Darby Racing has had nine runners in the Golden