Kingsclere Stables

Kingsclere Stables Kingsclere Stables is one of New Zealand's leading Thoroughbred Racing Stables and is home to top training duo Roger James and Robert Wellwood.
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RICH ELLERSLIE PRIZE BECKONS EMERGING MAREBy Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskGifted four-year-old She’s A Dealer is...
28/12/2025

RICH ELLERSLIE PRIZE BECKONS EMERGING MARE

By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Gifted four-year-old She’s A Dealer is in the right order to make a successful challenge for higher honours on New Year’s Day.

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare is unbeaten this preparation and will bid for a hat-trick of wins when she steps out in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie.

The daughter of Ace High has won four of her seven starts and finished a gallant fifth in last season’s Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm.

“Her work has been terrific and this race comes up at the right time, conditions suit and it’s an appropriate race for her,” Wellwood said.

She’s A Dealer was bred by race sponsor Rich Hill Stud, who race her with Mark Neill, Richard Kidd, Ian Hart and Peter Merton.

She enjoyed a decent break following her Australian venture and was a dominant resuming winner over 1400m at Ellerslie before she again trounced her Rating 75 rivals over 1500m at Te Rapa.

“She’s very exciting and has been great in her last two starts and it would be nice to see her add black type to her record,” Wellwood said.

The stable will also be double handed in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) with Dance The Night and Della Ricci to be ideally suited by a rise in trip.

The former broke her maiden in fine style at Pukekohe before the Almanzor filly came from well back to finish fifth in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day.

“Her run the other day pointed toward New Year’s Day and she’s come through the race very well,” Wellwood said.

Ocean Park’s daughter Della Ricci showed good improvement on her debut sixth at New Plymouth when a luckless last-start third over a mile at Matamata.

“She will have blinkers going on and it will suit her down to the ground going 2000m,” Wellwood said.

Young stablemates Incandescent and Spellbound are acceptors in the Gr.2 SkyCity Eclipse Stakes (1200m), but a trip south is also in the mix.

“We could also look at Wellington (Listed JR & N Berkett Wellesley Stakes, 1100m), we’re very happy with both of them,” Wellwood said.

Incandescent made the perfect start to his career at Ellerslie last month with a commanding performance to score over 1100m while Spellbound has already been black type placed when third in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m).

Meanwhile, the stable has Road To Paris in the Eagle Technology (1600m) on New Year’s Day, but Trentham on Saturday is the preferred destination.

“Ideally, he will go to the Levin Classic (Gr.2, 1400m) with Ellerslie a back-up in case he didn’t get in at Wellington,” Wellwood said.

“Obviously, he didn’t get any points last time with Masa (Hashizume) coming off and if he gets in the Classic, that’s where he will head.”

The Circus Maximus gelding had the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at his mercy last time out at Otaki before he veered out sharply close to home and dislodged his rider. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

📸She's A Dealer will contest the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

27/12/2025

The Precursor got the job done at New Plymouth today. Having started his career in Australia he’s been super consistent since arriving in NZ, with two second placings before today’s win.

Congratulations to owner Graham Stewart, and thanks to Craig Grylls for the winning ride 👏.

Confesara is still a bit green but she’s got her first win on the board today in the first race from Te Rapa and we thin...
19/12/2025

Confesara is still a bit green but she’s got her first win on the board today in the first race from Te Rapa and we think she has plenty more in store.

The 3YO daughter of Toronado was runner up in her first to starts and went into today’s race the favourite.

Congratulations to owners Ali and Graeme Andrew and thanks to Matt Cartwright for the successful ride 👏.

Cosmic Dream was given a dream ride to lead all the way under George Rooke and get her first win pretty comfortably at T...
15/12/2025

Cosmic Dream was given a dream ride to lead all the way under George Rooke and get her first win pretty comfortably at Trentham yesterday. 💫

The 3yo filly by Cosmic Force was having just her second start but looks to be a filly with a lot of upside over the coming season.

Congratulations to her breeders, and large ownership group, including the Kingsclere Lunching Ladies & Pavillion Racing. Another beautiful ride by in form jock George Rooke 🤞🏻❤️

ACE HIGH MARE ON TARGET FOR LUCRATIVE PRIZESA fresh approach will be key to She’s A Dealer’s bid for higher honours duri...
15/12/2025

ACE HIGH MARE ON TARGET FOR LUCRATIVE PRIZES

A fresh approach will be key to She’s A Dealer’s bid for higher honours during her summer preparation.

The exciting daughter of Ace High confirmed plans for two major targets when she romped to a Rating 75 victory at Te Rapa on Saturday, the fourth victory of her seven-start career.

She’s A Dealer is prepared by Roger James and Robert Wellwood for breeder Rich Hill Stud, who race the mare with Mark Neill, Richard Kidd, Ian Hart and Peter Merton.

The four-year-old will firstly aim for an appropriate success at northern headquarters on New Year’s Day.

“She’s gone to the next step, I think she has a bright future and might be a spring and autumn horse,” James said.

“I don’t know that the really hard tracks are going to be her friend, but we are planning on racing her at Ellerslie and that doesn’t get too hard, so that might really suit her.

“She’ll go to the Rich Hill Mile (Gr.2, 1600m) and then hopefully the Aotearoa Classic (Gr.3, 1600m).”

She’s A Dealer is also expected to be a major force to be reckoned with when she steps up in trip in time.

“We’re purposefully keeping her as fresh as we can, I have no doubt that her forte will be further than the mile as she proved last season,” James said.

“She is a stronger mare now, but they are worthy of races trying to keep her fresh for.”

Out of the two-time Group One-winning Pentire mare Say No More, She’s A Dealer won twice last season before crossing the Tasman.

Against older opposition, she finished runner-up over 1800m on a heavy Randwick track and was then a creditable fifth on soft ground in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).

Meanwhile, stablemate Cosmic Dream completed a weekend double for the stable when she was a dominant maiden winner over 1000m at Trentham.

“She was impressive and really kicked away the last bit, so I was pretty happy with her,” James said.

“She jumps and gets travelling very quickly and there’s a three-year-old race over 1200m for her at Ellerslie that we’ll look at.”

James and Wellwood purchased the daughter of Cosmic Force out of Polar Lodge’s draft for $45,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in 2024.

She is out of the Rock Of Gibraltar mare A Little Prayer, whose half-brother Romantic Touch won an edition of the Gr.1 JJ Atkins (1600m).

– By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

📷: She's A Dealer winning at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

13/12/2025

She’s A Dealer and she’s selling wins. The four-year-old daughter of Ace High produced back-to-back wins, taking out the last on the card at Te Rapa this afternoon.

Thanks to Sam McNab for the well timed ride.

Congratulations to her ownership group which includes breeders Rich Hill Thoroughbreds as well as Mark Neill, Richard Kidd, Ian Hart & Peter Merton.

Rich Hill Stud

ORCHESTRAL RETIRED By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskDual Group One winner Orchestral has been retired.The Roger J...
07/12/2025

ORCHESTRAL RETIRED

By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Dual Group One winner Orchestral has been retired.

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare suffered an atrial fibrillation when running 10th in last month’s Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), and the decision was made to bring the curtain down on her racing career.

“Unfortunately, she had an atrial fibrillation in the race and her heart hasn’t come back to a normal rhythm,” Wellwood said. “That counts her out as being a racing prospect, so she has been officially retired and is going to be a mum.”

Orchestral was a standout on the track, particularly as a three-year-old, when she strung together five consecutive wins, including the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), before placing in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m).

Last season she went on to win the $1 million Aotearoa Classic (1600m) and placed in the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m), bringing her career tally to seven wins and four placings from 18 starts, with earnings north of $2.7 million.

“She has been a wonderful mare,” Wellwood said.

“When you look back through her record you pinch yourself that you are involved with a horse like her.

“The Karaka Millions was very exciting, that is probably when she announced herself. To be able to win a Derby with Roger was a dream come true. I joked with him when we first started training together that he needed to teach me how to win a Derby and I remember when he came down the stairs after the Derby he said, ‘job done’.

“To win a Group One in Australia too just capped it off, she really showed her class. She is certainly one out of the box and you feel very privileged to be involved with a horse like her.

“It has been a dream run and although it is gutting to not have another season with her, we look forward to the Litt family hopefully breeding some superstars from her.

“We have unfortunately missed this (breeding) season. She will have a nice break for 10 or 11 months and look for a boyfriend in the new season.”

While disappointed to lose Orchestral from his barn, Wellwood was pleased with his team’s efforts over the weekend, recording three wins over as many venues.

Regally-bred filly Dance The Night got the stable off to a winning start when taking out the Dunstan Horsefeeds 1600 at Pukekohe at just her third start.

A daughter of Group One winner Stolen Dance, Dance The Night has shown good progression, finishing seventh on debut in a stacked three-year-old maiden field at Taupo in September before finishing runner-up behind stablemate Ariadne over a mile at Pukekohe last month.

She returned to the South Auckland venue on Saturday, where she was backed into a $5.30 second favourite by punters, and duly delivered against older rivals.

“She is a nice filly,” Wellwood said. “It is always hard for those fillies against those older horses. She was only getting 3.5 kilos from a four-year-old gelding. I thought it was a tough effort and she is probably only going to get better from the run.”

Attaining black-type has become the focus with the filly, and her trainers are eyeing some stakes targets with her over the holiday period.

“We need to sit down and have a talk with the owners, but whether we go to one of those miles, the Eulogy (Gr.3, 1600m) or Boxing Day (Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic, 1600m), or whether we look at heading to New Year’s Day over 2000m (Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes),” Wellwood said.

“Hopefully she is going to be able to pick-up some black-type in one of those races.”

At Trentham on Saturday, stablemate Foreverintime made a winning return to New Zealand in the Wellington Seamarket Sprint (1200m), having previously raced out of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s Pakenham barn, for whom she won one of her 10 starts across the Tasman.

The Barneswood Farm-raced mare was previously in the care of Peter and Dawn Williams in New Zealand, for whom she won on debut before running fifth in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).

“She looks very exciting,” Wellwood said. “We didn’t really know what to expect as it was her first run for the stable and we gave her a very quiet trial.

“Peter and Dawn Williams had her in New Zealand, and I know they had a high opinion of her when she was here. For whatever reason she didn’t quite fire in Australia, but it was great for her to come back here and do that.

“Off that effort you would like to think that she can put her hand up in some nice races going forward.”

On Sunday, the stable celebrated the maiden win of four-year-old mare Honour Mission in the Mike Fraser-Jones @ Bayleys 2200 at Te Aroha.

“She did that nicely, but I think with more time she could make into a nice staying mare,” Wellwood said.

Looking ahead to this coming weekend, Wellwood is excited to head to Te Rapa on Saturday with last start stakes performer Spellbound and three-win mare She’s A Dealer, while stakes performer Dealt With will head to Trentham on Sunday. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

📸: Dual Group One winner Orchestral.
Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

It was mission completed ✔️ for Honor Mission today. Taking out the second race, the Mike Fraser-Jones @ Bayleys 2200 on...
07/12/2025

It was mission completed ✔️ for Honor Mission today. Taking out the second race, the Mike Fraser-Jones @ Bayleys 2200 on a beautiful day at Te Aroha.

Congratulations to her group of owners Glenn Kane, Robin Beeby, Brandon Allen, Peter Hogg and Dean Skipper and thanks to Vinnie Colgan for the winning ride 👏.

06/12/2025

Foreverintime bookended the day for us, taking out the last, the Seamarket Sprint (1200m) at Trentham.

Congratulations to owners Barneswood Farm Ltd’s Sarah Green & Ger Beemsterboer.

06/12/2025

😅 Dance The Night won the first from Pukekohe Park, the Dunstan Horsefeeds 1600.

That’s the first win for the Gerald Shand bred and owned daughter of Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor.

Thanks to Matt Cameron for the winning ride 👏

29/11/2025

A truly consistent performer, Sweynesseday has won the seventh at Ellerslie.

That’s win number four for the Helen and Mike Moran-bred and Falcon Racing owned son of Sweynesse.

Thanks to apprentice Sam McNab for the winning ride 👏.

🗞️INCANDESCENT SHINES IN ELLERSLIE OPENERKevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ NZ News DeskTwo-year-old Incandescent put himsel...
29/11/2025

🗞️INCANDESCENT SHINES IN ELLERSLIE OPENER
Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ NZ News Desk

Two-year-old Incandescent put himself in the frame for the rich TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in late January with a comprehensive victory in the opening event at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Independent Traffic Control (1100m).

With the final field of 14 for the $1million two-year-old feature determined by prizemoney won, the $17,250 first place cheque puts the showy son of Per Incanto into ninth place on the current qualifying table which is headed up by the Melbourne-based filly Torture.

Ridden patiently by Masa Hashizume, Incandescent was allowed time to find his feet as he settled second last in the field of six before moving into contention approaching the home turn.

Taken to the middle of the track in the run to the winning post, the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-prepared gelding wound up powerfully to swoop on the trio of She’s No Saint, Enchantment and First Light at the 200m and burst clear for an impressive two-length victory.

James was delighted with the victory for a horse he believes will learn a lot from the experience, although whether he will take his place in the Karaka Millions 2YO is still to be decided.

“It was a good effort as through the middle stages he was a good way off them and looked like he didn’t know what he was there for,” James said.

“To be able to round them up like he did over 1100m is a good effort.

“Personally, and I voiced this opinion to the owners yesterday, I think he is more of a 1400m to 1600m three-year-old.

“To do this is a bonus, so we might have to rethink our programme.”

Hashizume was quick to point out some of the issues his mount overcame to secure the win.

“He jumped well but didn’t have a lot of speed and at this distance you jump and corner straight away,” he said.

“It was the first time for him going right-handed so he didn’t really corner properly and was on the wrong leg, so I had to pull the inside rein to get around.

“He travelled comfortably, but I didn’t expect him to go whoosh in the straight, so it was a good effort first time to the races.

“He passed them easily and although he waited for the other horse, he is going to improve from today and has a very good future.

Despite not a certain starter in the Karaka Millions 2YO, TAB Bookmakers are taking no chances as they reduced him from $17 to the $6 Fixed Odds second favourite for the race that will be held at Ellerslie on the evening of 24 January.

Purchased by the TAB Racing Club for $200,000 out of the Little Avondale Stud draft during Book 1 at Karaka earlier this year, Incandescent is now owned by the MyRacehorse No.1 syndicate, who had a large group on-course to celebrate their triumph. - LOVERACING.NZ NZ News Desk

📸: Incandescent winning the Independent Traffic Control (1100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Address

131 Abergeldie Way
Cambridge
3214

Opening Hours

Monday 5am - 5pm
Tuesday 5am - 5pm
Wednesday 5am - 5pm
Thursday 5am - 5pm
Friday 5am - 5pm
Saturday 5am - 5pm
Sunday 5am - 5pm

Telephone

+64273694938

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We’re passionate about training racehorses

Founded by leading New Zealand trainer Roger James in 1987, Kingsclere Stables have maintained a successful record of training elite racehorses for nearly four decades.

Boasting an impressive Roll of Honour which features over 1100 winners, 28 Group One winners and 134 stakes winners, Kingsclere is among the leading racing stables in Australasia.

Celebrated for being the ‘Derby King’, head trainer Roger James goes down in history for training the highest number of Group 1 New Zealand Derby winners. Roger achieved this feat through the success of multiple Group One winner’s Silent Achiever, Hades, Zonda, Roysyn and Tidal Light.

Among his long list of accomplishments, Roger has received the Champion New Zealand Trainer of the Year award and has become one of New Zealand’s most iconic trainers.