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.
(1)

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)

29/11/2025

📺: Roger caught up with Trackside NZ at Ellerslie.

29/11/2025

Two races down today for two wins!

Very pleasing to see 2yo Per Incanto gelding Incandescent score on debut for MyRacehorseAU.

Congratulations to everyone involved and thanks to Masa Hashizume for the winning ride clap 👏.

29/11/2025

The Terry Archer-bred and co-owned La Prima Dama got our weekend off to a winning start at Whanganui.

Congratulations to her group of owners: Alpha Power Connections Ltd, D W Armitage, M W Bayly, Calder Bloodstock Ltd, Miss J L Dunlop, GS Bloodstock Ltd, R A James, Kauri Bloodstock Limited, SG Bloodstock Ltd, T W Archer Trust & R O Wellwood.

Thanks to Elen Nicholas for the winning ride 👏.

DEALT WITH TO MAKE RACEDAY RETURN By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskDealt With stamped himself as one of the most ...
28/11/2025

DEALT WITH TO MAKE RACEDAY RETURN

By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Dealt With stamped himself as one of the most exciting three-year-old prospects last season, earning himself a slot in the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), but he was withdrawn at the 11th hour through injury.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for his connections, with the son of Ace High looking a strong contender after previously winning his first two starts before placing in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m).

Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood have taken a patient approach with his return and they are looking forward to him resuming his career at Otaki on Sunday in the Levin Truck Services Levin Stakes (1200m).

“He had multiple soundness issues and it has been a long, slow process but hopefully we are back for the long haul,” James said.

“He is certainly in nice order, albeit he is a big, burly fellow and he will derive considerable improvement out of the run on Sunday.”

Dealt With finished runner-up in his resuming trial over 1000m at Avondale last month, and James expects him to race kindlier from barrier two this weekend.

“It was typical him, he was bull-headed, bullish and hard going, but I think with that trial under his belt he will be more amiable on Sunday,” James said. “He has drawn well enough to help him a little bit in that regard.”

Dealt With was replaced in the NZB Kiwi by stablemate Zormella, who returned to form when runner-up over a mile at Pukekohe this month, and James is hoping she can go one better in the Treadwell Gordon 1600 at Wanganui on Saturday.

“It was one of those races where she got there very easily and then floated around a little bit and got run down late,” James said. “It was still a good run and she has trained on very well since.”

Zormella will have plenty of supporters this weekend courtesy of her Frac Club micro-share syndicate, and James is looking forward to another micro-share horse in Incandescent making his debut in the Independent Traffic Control 1100 at Ellerslie on Saturday for MyRacehorse.

The son of Per Incanto was purchased by TAB Racing Club out of Little Avondale Stud’s Book 1 Yearling Sale draft at Karaka earlier this year for $200,000 and was quickly snapped up by MyRacehorse when the TAB Racing Club began its dispersal.

He was runner-up in his 900m trial at Taupo last month and has opened an equal $3.70 favourite for his debut alongside the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Dashing Dixie.

While James wasn’t expecting his juvenile gelding to be dominating the early market, he does have plenty of time for him and is hopeful of tackling some lofty targets later this season.

“He has opened up favourite, which does surprise me,” he said. “I hope he is a Karaka Millions (1200m) prospect, but I see him more as a 1400 to 1600m horse.”

James is also looking forward to heading to Ellerslie on Saturday with Sweynesday, who will resume in the Harrisons 1100.

The five-year-old gelding has been a model of consistency so far in his career, winning three and placing in three of his six starts to date.

He hasn’t been sighted on raceday since his runner-up effort over 1200m at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, with his trainers taking a cautious approach with his return after battling soundness issues.

Their patience looks to have paid off, with the son of Sweynesse winning his resuming trial over 1000m at Avondale earlier this month.

Sweynesday is nominated for the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in January, and his connections are hoping he continues his upward trajectory towards that elite-level target.
“He has always been a talented galloper,” James said. “I thought his trial was very good and his work since has been very good as well.

“He has got 61kg on his back, but we have chosen to claim three (courtesy of apprentice jockey Sam McNab), and that should level it out a little bit. He goes into the race in great order.

“His form line is very good and he has done nothing wrong in his career other than the fact that he had an unusual soundness issue last season, hence the long time between runs. We are very happy that he is back to the form that he was when he went out.”

He will be joined on Saturday by stablemate Osteria, who was victorious over 1300m at Tauranga earlier this month.

“Osteria probably hasn’t got the same talent as Sweynesday, but is weighted (56.5kg) accordingly,” James said.

“There is no reason why he can’t pop up and be competitive in a field like this.

“He is an interesting horse. We tried him once over 1400m when he was perhaps a bit of a weaker horse and it could be a road that we take with him as we get deeper into the season.”

Meanwhile, James said the stable’s star mare Orchestral suffered an atrial fibrillation when 10th in last Saturday’s Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), and they are currently working through her next steps.

“She fibrillated on Saturday and she hasn’t gone quite in the direction we had hoped since,” he said. “We are right in the midst of addressing what we do from here, but hopefully by the middle of next week we have got more positive news on that.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

📸: Dealt With will resume in the Levin Truck Services Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

KINGSCLERE 3YOS CHASING BLACK TYPE GLORYKingsclere Stables will have representation in all three three-year-old stakes r...
28/11/2025

KINGSCLERE 3YOS CHASING BLACK TYPE GLORY

Kingsclere Stables will have representation in all three three-year-old stakes races this weekend, and trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood are hopeful they can get their hands on some of the spoils.

Circus Maximus gelding Road To Paris has made quite the impression on the Cambridge horsemen, which was enhanced by his last start victory over 1400m at Avondale.

They have taken a patient approach with the gelding to date, and they are looking forward to testing him over a mile for the first time when they head to Otaki on Sunday in the Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m), with his performance dictating future plans.

“He is guy with a real future,” James said. “We have taken the slow road a little bit. He is a later maturing three-year-old and we are going to find out a little more about him on Sunday.

“We don’t really know what his best distance is. At the end of his two-year-old year we thought he was our Derby horse for next year.

He has got a bit of sharpness about him, and does he need to go a mile-and-a-half? We are going to learn that the deeper we go into his preparation.

“With three-year-olds that can hopefully run a sharp mile, which we will find out on Sunday, there are a lot of options open to them. He is a very interesting runner.”

James is also excited about the prospects of unbeaten filly Fairy Dream in the Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui on Saturday.

The daughter of Proisir won on debut on the synthetic at Cambridge in September, and while she is untested on the grass on raceday, James believes she will be better suited on that surface.

“I don’t think the turf will be of any concern as long as it is in good order,” James said. “I think she will be better on the turf than on the poly.

“She is a light-framed filly who we have purposefully given good time to given that we hope there are a lot of options ahead of her this season.

“She had a quiet trial the other day and I thought for a one-win horse the trial was very good.

“It is not the easiest field, there are three or four there with good credentials and she is going to have to live up to what we think of her to win it. She is back to three-year-old fillies company and we do like her.”

The stable will also be chasing age group success at Ellerslie on Saturday with three-year-old Per Incanto gelding To The Max in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m).

To The Max is another last-start winner, having been victorious over 1230m at Arawa Park earlier this month, and James believes he will lap up the extra distance this weekend.

“He was very impressive last start, albeit he covered no ground,” James said. “He did sprint quickly when he was asked.

“This race has come up quick enough, but we are happy to be there. I think the 1500m will really suit him. He was a bit outpaced early the other day and I think the greater distance will really play into his hands.”

By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

📷: Road To Paris will contest the Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki on Sunday.
Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

TRACK A CONCERN FOR HIGH CLASS PERFORMER Expectations for Orchestral will be kept in check when the outstanding mare res...
20/11/2025

TRACK A CONCERN FOR HIGH CLASS PERFORMER

Expectations for Orchestral will be kept in check when the outstanding mare resumes at Pukekohe on Saturday.

The two-time top-flight winner will resume in the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) with underfoot conditions a major question mark.

Opposing her will be talented stablemate Arabian Songbird, who has come through the grades in grand style.

“Orchestral will probably run and definitely wants a better track, but we really need to get going and get her prep on the road,” said Robert Wellwood, who trains in partnership with Roger James.

“The other mare will handle some cut in it, both are certainly a lot better and proven on good tracks though.”

Orchestral won the Listed Aotearoa Classic (1600m) and finished third in the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) during her last preparation.

“She has come back in very good order and looks as big and strong as we have ever seen her,” Wellwood said.

“She had a nice gallop at Te Aroha the other day and George (Rooke, jockey) was very happy, she is just going to be a mare that will be better when she goes over a mile and 2000m on a firmer surface.

“If it was a firm track, perhaps we would see a little more than we can now expect. If she hits the line strongly, we will be very pleased.”

The stable has yet to firm up the direction the Savabeel mare will take through the summer.

“There’s some nice options around Christmas and into the New Year, we would love to think we can get her to the Zabeel Classic (Gr.1, 2000m),” Wellwood said.

“We’ve got a pretty open mind about her program going forward, certainly if she was to run nicely then we would give her a mile in December and then get to the Zabeel on Boxing Day.”

Arabian Songbird has won half of her 10 starts and was unbeaten in two spring appearances.

“She is putting together a pretty impressive record and 1400m is right up her alley and she’s been very effective at both Pukekohe and Ellerslie,” Wellwood said.

“We are really excited to see her have a chance at stakes level.”

The stable also has track concerns with their Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) contender Spellbound, who was runner-up on debut in trying conditions at Otaki.

“He’s a horse that probably wants a firm surface and he was very impressive at the trials at Ellerslie and then on a very wet track he didn’t operate very well,” Wellwood said.

“His work has been superb, and we do have a high opinion of the horse.

“We may reconsider running if is on the worse side of side of heavy, but we can’t make that call yet until closer to Saturday.”

Meanwhile, Della Ricci is due to make her first appearance at New Plymouth on Friday in the Entain/NZB Pearl Series Maiden (1400m).

“She’s been very good at the trials, very professional and a nice filly whose work has been good,” Wellwood said.

“She’s a filly that we could see in some of the three-year-old staying races at Christmas, New Year and beyond.”

– By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

📷: Orchestral will resume in the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe on Saturday
Photo - Kenton Wright

15/11/2025

To The Max got our Sunday off to a perfect start, winning the first from Rotorua, the Lance Lawson 1230m.

Congratulations to his breeder/owner Joan Eagan and thanks to George Rooke for the winning ride.

The 3yo son of Per Incanto out of Penny Bright was having just his second race day start today.

1️⃣2️⃣ A quinella for our girls in the third from Pukekohe. Ariadne gets the win over Dance The Night. Congratulations t...
08/11/2025

1️⃣2️⃣ A quinella for our girls in the third from Pukekohe. Ariadne gets the win over Dance The Night.

Congratulations to the winning owners Ron and Fran Dixon and thanks to Masa Hashizume for the winning ride.

Also a quinella for Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor.

ROAD TO THE DERBY FOR PARIS Cambridge trainer Roger James is already the most successful trainer in the history of the G...
07/11/2025

ROAD TO THE DERBY FOR PARIS

Cambridge trainer Roger James is already the most successful trainer in the history of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) with six wins to his credit, and on Thursday he and training partner Robert Wellwood unveiled another Classic type when Road To Paris swept to victory at Avondale.

The three-year-old son of Circus Maximus relished the step up to 1400m when winning the Funtime Catering Maiden after finishing seventh over 1200m on debut at Ellerslie in October.

“We said at the end of his two-year-old preparation that we thought he was potentially a Derby horse for next year,” James said.

“We weren't disappointed by the first run at all. We thought he might have to go a mile before he broke maiden ranks, but he was quite impressive at Avondale. He ran a good time and won by a good margin and there was quite a margin back to the third horse.

“He's still feeling his way and he's got a lot of upside. He relaxes beautifully, breathes beautifully and he trotted up this morning nice and free.”

Road To Paris is now likely to step into Group company as he extends in distance.

“He surprised us yesterday, very pleasantly, so the Derby is certainly firmly in the back of our minds,” James said.

“He's probably the sort of horse that won't take a lot of runs, but having said that if all goes well, we will step him up to a mile next start at Otaki in the Gr. 3 Wellington Stakes (1600) on November 30.

“That gives him a nice break until then, and then he'll progress quietly from there. He’s a quality animal and we are lucky to have him.”

Bred and raced by Ron and Judi Wanless, Road To Paris is out of the four-time winning Savabeel mare Spirit Of Heaven, who is a three-quarter sister to Gr.1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) winner Lights Of Heaven.

Road To Paris is by Windsor Park Stud’s promising young sire Circus Maximus, a triple Group One winning European miler by Galileo.

“Ron and Judi are quite involved in New Zealand and have a number of broodmares over here and we have always had an association with them, we buy the odd one for them,” James said.

“They breed to race and this guy was just one that they sent us last year and Ron's got a philosophy that if they're not up to Group company in New Zealand, he'll take them to Queensland, where he lives.

“But you would think this one would stay. We had a horse last year in Oceana Dream who went to the Derby as second or third favourite for them after placing in the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m).

“Unfortunately he choked down at about the 600m and didn't take another breath and dropped out.

“We thought he was a big hope and things didn't go right. We’d love to win a major for them and hopefully this is the horse that can do it.” – NZ Racing Desk

📸: Impressive three-year-old Road To Paris winning at Avondale. Photo: Kenton Wright (Racing Photos)

Another exciting 3yo in the stables with Road to Paris (Circus Maximus) breaking his maiden very easily, in just his sec...
06/11/2025

Another exciting 3yo in the stables with Road to Paris (Circus Maximus) breaking his maiden very easily, in just his second race day appearance at Avondale this afternoon.

Road to Paris is raced by his owner/breeders Rod and Judi Wanless. He was ridden to victory by in form jockey George Rooke.

Another winner for Windsor Park Stud’s exciting young sire Circus Maximus.

Congratulations to everyone involved 💥

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

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kingsclere Stables posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category

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.