Hailstones hits the ground running for Noverre
Waikato Stud stallion Noverre was represented by his first winner when two-year-old gelding Hailstones (NZ) (Noverre) ran out a strong winner of a maiden handicap (1300m) at Scone on Tuesday for Annabel and Rob Archibald.
Ridden by Braith Nock, Hailstones sat outside the leader before hitting the front soon after straightening and proved too good for his older rivals as he withstood the late challenge of race favourite Leovanni.
“He has always shown something from day one, but it was nice to see him put it together on debut,” Rob Archibald said.
“He is a lovely athletic type of horse and he’s got plenty of scope, so you’d like to think there is plenty of improvement to come and whatever we are seeing now is a bonus.
“He is just a really athletic good moving horse on the up, so it’s nice to start his racing career like that and hopefully there is plenty more to come.
“I suspect we will probably give him one more run as a two-year-old and then put him away and he will come back and make a very nice three-year-old and probably get out over a little bit of ground.”
Hailstones is by Savabeel’s son Noverre, the winner of the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).
The two-year-old is out of the stakes winning One Cool Cat mare Cool Storm, making him a half-brother to Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Ocean Billy (NZ) (Ocean Park).
The Archibalds, in partnership with Will Johnson Bloodstock, went to $150,000 to secure the youngster from the draft of Waikato Stud at the 2025 Book 1 Yearling Sale at Karaka.
With nine runners to date, Noverre has also been represented by stakes-placed juvenile Bella Bonita (NZ) (Noverre), who caught the eye when third in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie.
Archibald said Hailstones isn’t the only progeny by the first-season sire that had made a positive impression in the stable.
“I haven’t seen Noverre in the flesh, but they tell me he is a magnificent individual,” Archibald said.
“We have another one by him that we really like as well, a filly out of Candelabra called Chatoyer.
“She’s a little bit more temperamental than he is, but she looks to have plenty of ability and she’s just taking that little bit longer and is another one to look out for.” - NZ Racing Desk
Moody hopeful Lightning can strike again in Stradbroke
Proud Queenslander Peter Moody would love nothing more than to win another Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and Kiwi gelding Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) will provide the champion trainer with a solid chance in the state’s greatest race on Saturday.
Desert Lightning finished eighth in the Gr.1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm a fortnight ago, beaten less than two lengths, and Moody, who trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman, has ensured the six-year-old has been kept up to the mark since.
“He is in great order and he worked super this morning at Eagle Farm,” Moody said.
“He has got to find a length or two but I probably left him a bit soft after his win in the Goodwood (Gr.1, 1200m) and he peaked on his run here the other day. He is 110 percent and we’ve just got to be good enough.”
It has been 12 years since Moody's Mid Summer Music upset Buffering and Happy Zero to become the first mare since 1936 to win the Stradbroke.
“It’s Queensland’s iconic race day, it’s tremendous,” he said. “12 years ago I won the Cup, the Derby and the Stradbroke all in one day so it’s probably my biggest day ever on a racetrack.
“It’s just a special day. I love getting back up here and of course us blokes from the southern states, it’s 17 or 18 degrees here at trackwork this morning and with a pullover on I’m nearly sweating.”
Raced by Barneswood Farm, Desert Lightning has drawn perfectly in barrier 5 and will again be ridden by stable stalwart Luke Nolen.
“He loomed to win the other day,” Moody said. “He followed Jimmysstar into the race and I thought Luke probably presented him a bit early and I gave him a little bit of a spray for that.
“He turned around and said I presented him a bit soft in condition, so he gave me a bit of a spray for that.
“We will probably ride him a length more patient and hopefully I have got him fitter.”
Desert Lightning finished fourth in last year’s Stradbroke Handicap won by War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) and after some rain this week, should get footing to suit.
“If it’s a 4 or 5, as long as it's not like a road, he is happy under those conditions,” Moody said.
Desert Lightning was bred by German native Wessel Van der Scheer under the Mahoenui Partnership banner and is by Pride Of Dubai out of the High Chaparral mare Isstoora.
Presented by Little Avondale Stud as a yearling at Karaka, Desert Lightning was purchased by original trainers Peter and Dawn Williams for $150,000.
The gelding made his way to the Moody-Coleman yard as a Group One winner in his native New Zealand after the Williams retired from training, and the 33-start veteran has been a great money spinner for connections, with A$2,239,317 in prizemoney to his name. - NZ Racing Desk
Duchess threads a new path for Savile Row
Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford has thrown her support behind emerging stallion Savile Row (NZ) (Makfi) with the Group One performed son of Makfi to relocate to Brighthill Farm this season.
The now 12-year-old entire was bred by the late Kevin Hickman and originally retired to stud at his Valachi Downs in Matamata.
However, upon Hickman’s passing and subsequent sale of the Matamata property, Savile Row has resided at Mapperley Stud for the past four seasons.
Trained by the late Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard, Savile Row was a three-time Group One runner-up, placing in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m), the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and the Levin Classic (1600m).
From limited opportunities, Savile Row has sired 14 winners from 25 runners, including stakes-placed fillies She Suits Herself and Perfectly Suited, in addition to Group Two fourth Suit Yourself.
“Many will think I have gone a bit mad, however he is a stallion in whom I really believe, as did his breeder, my friend Kevin Hickman,” Bedford said.
“Tragically Kevin died in August 2024 and due to his illness was never able to promote him as he would have wanted.
“Kevin bought his dam Fleece from me at the Tattersalls December Sales, so I have always felt in a way that I had played a role in his very existence.
“I kept in touch with Kevin’s wife Jo and about a month ago went to see her about Savile Row, as I knew she was anxious about his future.
“To cut a long story short, I asked if I could buy him and it was a combination of relief and delight for all parties, including Kevin’s daughter Jasmine.”
Savile Row is out of the winning Daylami mare Fleece and is a full brother to the highly talented Group Two winner Needle And Thread, who shot to prominence as the dam of classy juvenile Warwoven.
“He has arrived at Nick King’s Brighthill Farm where he will be standing for $2,500 plus GST, and he arrived in superb condition from Simms Davison’s Mapperley Stud,” Bedford said.
“He was a winner at his only start at two and a tough and sound Group One horse.
“I love the fact he is free of Danehill blood, with his grandsire the extraordinary breed-shaper Dubawi.
“To me, the most exciting part is what he has achieved with limited opportunities to date, with 14 winners and two black-type performers from juts 25 runners. That statistic really caught me by surprise and hopefully it will pique the interest of others in a similar way.
“We have already sent two of my best mares to him and have a winning three-year-old out of Next called What Next.
“In the coming season we’ll be sending a number of mares to him, including additional members of my Mrs Moss family that has produced the likes of Tavistock and Precedence.
“I am keen that he get every opportunity and fingers crossed he will be recognised one day as a good stallion.” - NZ Racing Desk
Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith
