http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.racinghalloffame.co.nz en-us Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:35:33 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/158269/waller-mcdonald-relationship-cemented-with-50th-group-one/ Off all their joint milestones in the heady atmosphere of elite Australian racing, perhaps the most notable achieved by New Zealand Racing Hall of Famers Chris Waller and James McDonald came at Flemington in the first week of November.Combining with Australian Horse of the Year Via Sistina on the final day of Melbourne Cup week, the Kiwi duo took their tally of Group One wins together to 50, underlining something already acknowledged, that they’re one of racing’s most potent partnerships.Tha... Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post158269 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/156256/so-you-think-one-of-a-kind/ It was to some degree appropriate that in the anniversary week of a Cox Plate double that defined him as a rare talent, New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame member So You Think should succumb to liver disease at Coolmore’s Australian headquarters in the Hunter Valley.Even so, 19 years is by no means ancient in thoroughbred stallion terms, particularly when he was riding the crest of a wave in the breeding barn. Having sired more than 750 winners – 12 of them at Group One and 66 black-type – So ... Sat, 08 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post156256 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/145613/vale-syd-brown/ Jess de Lautour, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk19 May 2025Syd Brown, a legendary trainer and member of the New Zealand Racing Hall Of Fame, passed away on Sunday, aged 99.Brown initially dreamed of becoming a jockey, but weight issues prevented this from becoming a reality, prompting him to commence his training career at Te Rapa as a 19-year-old.After marrying his wife Sybil, Brown settled in Woodville, where he would rise to prominence as New Zealand’s leading trainer from 1967 to 1969, setting a n... Mon, 19 May 2025 17:50:33 +1200 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post145613 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/144027/dundeel-to-be-inducted-to-new-zealand-racing-hall-of-fame/ Image: Dundeel (James McDonald) brings the curtain down on his illustrious racing career with victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.... Thu, 10 Apr 2025 18:32:34 +1200 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post144027 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/142460/vale-mike-moroney--new-zealand-racing-hall-of-fame-trainer/ New Zealand Hall of Fame trainer and multiple Group 1 winner Michael Moroney, who won the 2000 Melbourne Cup with Brew, sadly passed away in his sleep on Thursday 27th Feb 2025 aged 66, after previously battling serious illness and associated health issues.Mike Moroney was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2023.At the time Trans-Tasman trainer Mike said it was an honor and that he was pleased his late father Denny, who passed away in the previous year aged 93, was aware o... Fri, 28 Feb 2025 15:56:39 +1300 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post142460 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/141056/the-big-o-was-one-of-a-kind-in-an-era-of-great-racehorses/ The best of his time and the likes of which we will never see again are just two of the many accolades being showered on Octagonal in the week announcing the champion galloper’s induction to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Octagonal raced during an era of great horses, living up to his blue-blooded pedigree and magnificent conformation with 10 Group One wins from two to four years. A member of the first crop of Zabeel from iconic broodmare Eight Carat, he was the champion Australian ... Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:53:55 +1300 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post141056 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/140430/savabeel-the-next-member-of-breed-shaping-dynasty-to-enter-hall-of-fame/ It was perhaps inevitable once he had attained multiple champion status as a stallion, that Savabeel should join his sire Zabeel and grandsire Sir Tristram in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.Completing a sequence that is unique in this country, the Waikato Stud-based 23-year-old will be inducted at the 2025 Hall of Fame function in Hamilton in May, 11 years after his own sire was inducted and 17 years after the breed-shaping stallion who founded the dynasty half a century ago.Sir Tristram wa... Thu, 16 Jan 2025 11:38:52 +1300 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post140430 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/140282/champion-sprinter-imperatriz-recognised-with-hall-of-fame-induction/ Champion sprinter Imperatriz has been paid the ultimate compliment with her inclusion in the 2025 draft of inductees to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.The winner of 10 Group One races in a total of 19 wins from 26 starts and stakes of almost A$7 million, her accolades already included New Zealand Horse of the Year, Australian Sprinter of the Year, and when at the peak of her powers, being rated the world’s best sprinter and best racemare.As the winner of six Australian Group One sprints a... Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:22:05 +1300 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post140282 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/139431/ellis-honoured-by-hall-of-fame-induction/ More than four decades after his first experience as a winning owner, David Ellis has been recognised with induction to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.Since that first success with the Sovereign Edition filly Magnum at Paeroa in 1978, Ellis has been involved at all levels of racing as an administrator, breeder, buyer and his major footprint, as the founder of New Zealand’s most successful racehorse syndication model, Te Akau.“I was in my early twenties when I won that race at Paeroa all... Thu, 19 Dec 2024 16:11:18 +1300 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post139431 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/post/104466/star-studded-10-inducted-into-new-zealand-racing-hall-of-fame/ Six people and four horses were inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame on Sunday night in a gala dinner in Hamilton.They included champion racehorses Verry Elleegant, Melody Belle and Beau Vite, leading trainers Paul O’Sullivan, Michael Moroney and George Price and outstanding jockeys Opie Bosson and Keith Voitre.Also inducted was breeder, auctioneer and administrator Ken Austin along with long-serving Wrightson Managing Director Michael Floyd.Since the inaugural New Zealand Racing ... Fri, 12 May 2023 15:27:53 +1200 http://www.racinghalloffame.co.nz/blog/#post104466