Wexford Stables

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Wexford Stables

Ensuring a legacy that extends beyond our rich history, affirming our status as a leading player in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing industry.
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21/01/2025

Home track racing for the team this afternoon! Lining up at Matamata Racing Club... 🏇

SOLANE SQUARE (Marc Lerner, barrier 5) will line up in race 3 at 3.20pm. His recent efforts have been disappointing. Stepping up over distance today, we're hoping to see an improvement in performance.

PHEOBE BUFFAY (Kevin Stott, barrier 5) will line up in race 5 at 4.30pm. She hasn't run a bad race yet and is capable of breaking through for a well deserved win today.

SAN MARCO (Kevin Stott, barrier 2) will line up in race 6 at 5.05pm. His fresh up run was encouraging and he's taken good improvement from that outing. He'll be aided by a low gate and in form jockey.

EVER CHARM (pictured) (Ngakau Hailey, barrier 11) will line up in race 8 at 6.21pm. He broke through for a well deserved win last start on this same track. He steps up in class today.

CUPID'S ARROW (Kevin Stott, barrier 2) will also line up in race 8. She put in a pleasing performance to finish second last start at Te Aroha. From a good gate, she can go one better today.

20/01/2025

Wexford Weekly - 20/1 🏇

Between announcing our horse for The NZB Kiwi slot race, a few trips to the winners' circle and looking at yearlings, it's been a week of excitement in the Wexford camp!

We started the week with the final few on-farm yearling parades ahead of the Karaka Yearling Sales that kick off this Sunday. The team are starting to form their shortlists and this week will be onsite at the Karaka complex, completing second looks and viewing the drafts of South Island studs, or those we didn't get to during the on-farm yearling parades. It's a tedious process, but one that's all worth it when you purchase the next stable star!

The team had a busy day at the Matamata trials on Tuesday. Ellerslie-bound MOSINDAVER, CHEAHA and HANKEE ALPHA all put in pleasing, quiet trails in preparation for the big dace this Saturday.

On Thursday we headed to Te Rapa and picked up two nice wins with CARDI BEE and DESERT MYSTIC both impressing. It was a case of back-to-back wins for Desert Msytic, who's found himself in a purple patch of form for team Rich Hill.

Thursday evening we announced the horse we will be taking in the Wexford Stables slot for The $3.5million NZB Kiwi - CHECKMATE. He's 2/2 at the course/ distance of the looming slot race and we're thrilled to be partnering with fantastic clients of Wexford Ross and Corrine Kearney, who bred and own Checkmate. We're in a fortunate position to have a number of talented 3YO's in our barn and by naming our runner early, we're hoping we may have another horse or two picked up by follow slot holders.

Carrying the in-form colours of The Oaks Stud, CYPHER finished our week on a high with an impressive win at Pukekohe Park. This exciting 3YO filly has now had two starts for a 2nd and a win, and following Sunday's performance, something tells us that won't be her last.

With the TAB Karaka Millions on this Saturday at Ellerslie, it's ALL SYSTEMS GO! Keep an eye on this page as we preview every runner. Go well!

19/01/2025

In those famous The Oaks Stud colours, CYPHER was a dominant winner in just her second start today at Pukekohe Park.

The way she won today, we’re sure there will be more trips to the winners circle on this classy filly 🥂

18/01/2025

The team is heading to Pukekohe Park this afternoon, with six horses on the truck 🏇

GRANDE GALLO (pictured) has been late scratched due to track conditions.

JAFFIRA (Rory Hutchings, barrier 2) will also line up in race 2. Getting better with racing, his next will be his best. Once he gets out to the mile, he'll be one to follow.

FOXGLOVE (George Rooke, barrier 4) will line up in race 3 at 2.50pm. Our best winning chance of the day, she's worked well heading into today. She's taken good improvement from her fresh up run and from a good gate, should be right there.

GIPPSY GOD (Nichola Yuen, barrier 15) will line up in race 4 at 3.25pm. Getting better with racing and now up to a trip that suits, we're expecting to see her running on today. It's great to have Hong Kong jockey Nichola Yeun having her first ride for the stable and claiming 2kgs.

CYPHER (Craig Grylls, barrier 6) will line up in race 5 at 4pm. She's gone the right way since her pleasing debut, where she finished second. She's taken good confidence from that run, has worked on well and should be hard to beat here.

INCREDIBLE (Kevin Stott, barrier 8 ) will line up in race 7 at 5.10pm. Shooting for back-to-back wins today, he steps up in class but is a promising staying horse that should be right in the thick of things again. He's raced well at Pukekohe in the past and we're expecting a strong performance to finish our day.

17/01/2025

“Best competitor ever” on Celebrity Treasure Island - we’ll take it, Dame Julie Christie 🙌🏼

Competitive on and off the track!

17/01/2025

500 wins in partnership! 🥂

Although both Lance and Andrew each have winners to their name outside of this brilliant partnership, 500 wins together is an epic achievement. Broken down, this looks a little like…

* 500 “Nice 👍” texts from Lance to Andrew
* 500 Times the staff at home have screamed at the stable tv
* 500 Proud Strappers
* 500 Trips to the winners circle
* 500 “Extra” pats
* 500 Names on the Whiteboard
* 500 Shorter drives home
* 500 Thrilled owners & connections

A huge thank you to all of those who have supported this duo over the years - dedicated staff (some who have been with us almost as long as the entire partnership!), loyal owners, vets, farriers, breakers, supporters, the list goes on! Most importantly, to the horse. They do the running and whether it’s a midweek maiden or blacktype feature, Lance and Andrew get the utmost satisfaction from seeing a horse perform at their own best.

Here’s to more wins on the board! 💛

16/01/2025

We’ve made our move on The NZB Kiwi! We’re thrilled to confirm CHECKMATE will represent Wexford Stables slot in the Southern Hemisphere’s richest 3YO contest♟️

LOVERACING.NZ Reports:

Wexford Stables’ red-hot form across a stable of talented three-year-olds in recent months has built widespread anticipation over which of their talented stars would emerge to represent the Matamata barn in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi.

Training partners Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have ended speculation, making the decisive move to select hugely promising galloper Checkmate to fill their slot in the inaugural running of the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race.

Checkmate has made a big impression in just five appearances to the races, notching three victories including the Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m) and an open three-year-old 1500m last Sunday at Ellerslie.

“Checkmate is a horse that gets around Ellerslie, which is important. He’s won at the trip and just ticked a lot of boxes,” Lance O’Sullivan said.

“He should acquit himself well, we’re happy with him and his condition, although he’ll have another run before then. We’re still undecided where (he will race next), we have a couple of options to work through, but the horse will tell us what he needs.

“He’s a nice horse for the race and one of many chances,” he said.

The O’Sullivan and Scott partnership already has Sought After (NZ) in the feature under Waikato Stud’s slot, while fellow three-year-old stable performers including Sethito (NZ), Hankee Alpha (NZ), Prosegur (NZ) and Cheaha (AUS) also feature in futures markets for the race.

O’Sullivan hopes others in the stable will get their opportunity now that the son of Mongolian Khan has been locked in.

“That was one of the reasons why we went early,” he said.

“We have some nice horses there and we felt it was best to state who we were going to take in case anyone else had any interest in the others.

“It’s nice to be able to produce horses that warrant running in the big event. It’s going to be a very exciting day.”

A former Champion Jockey and multiple Group One-winning trainer, O’Sullivan is looking forward to seeing what the NZB Kiwi does for an industry he has spent most of his life immersed in, and more importantly, having the Wexford brand play a major role.

“It’s exciting to have the biggest prizemoney in the Southern hemisphere for three-year-olds, who would’ve thought that would happen?” O’Sullivan said. “It’s great for the industry, it’s new and creates a lot of interest.

“It’s important for Wexford, we wanted to be a part of the big dance and to have two horses in the race, it’s fantastic.”

Owned and bred by Okaharau Station, Checkmate currently holds equal favouritism for the NZB Kiwi at $8, alongside Australian-trained Evaporate (NZ) and star c**t Savaglee (NZ).

16/01/2025

Three cheers for DESERT MYSTIC, bringing up back-to-back wins with a dominant 4 Length victory today at Te Rapa! 🎉

A big congratulations to owners Rich Hill Stud and P M Merton on another top win from the gelding we call ‘Eddie’.

Desert Mystic was ridden by Ngakau Hailey and strapped by Pratap Singh.

16/01/2025

CARDI BEE has us buzzing following that performance 🐝

This smart 3YO filly put 3.3 lengths on rivals to win comfortably at Te Rapa Racing today. Congratulations to her owner and breeder Maurice Scown on a lovely win!

Cardi Bee was ridden by Matt Cartwright and strapped by Pratap Singh.

15/01/2025

The team is bound for Te Rapa Racing today! 🏇

CARDI BEE (Matt Cartwright, barrier 3) will line up in race 3 at 2.07pm. She put in a top run on debut, flashing home to finish less than a length from the winner. She's taken good confidence from that outing and we're expecting another competitive performance today.

SLOANE SQUARE (Rory Hutchings, barrier 8 ) will line up in race 6 at 3.57pm. He was disappointing last start. We've added blinkers to his gear and have seen good improvement in his work with the addition of blinkers. We'll look to ride him more positively today and hopefully get a more positive result.

PEERLESS (Matt Cartwright, barrier 1) will also line up in race 6. He was running on in his debut. The extra 200m in distance should suit and the 1 barrier is a nice aid.

DESERT MYSTIC (pictured) (Ngakau Hailey, barrier 4) will line up in race 7 at 4.34pm. He built to a top win last start! Staying in the same grade, there's no reason he can't repeat the dose today.

WOUNDER (George Rooke, barrier 5) will also line up in race 7. She's put in two very good runs to date and won well last start. She faces a rise in class today, but we believe she has the ability to handle the step up and will be very competitive again today.

VIVACE (Matt Cartwright, barrier 4) will line up in race 8 at 5.12pm. He's had a quick freshen following two encouraging performances. He looks healthy, good in the skin and has trained on well at home. He should make a good account of himself and finish the day strongly.

14/01/2025

A bit of a case of Déjà Vu, as we enter our second week of yearling inspections! The team are doing the hard yards to find our next generation of stable stars.

Keen to get involved? Whether you’re a seasoned owner or just stepping into the game, there’s a place for you in the Wexford journey.

Register your interest via: https://www.wexfordstables.co.nz/expressions-of-interest/

13/01/2025

Wexford Weekly – 13/1 🏇

TOMODACHI, TRISTAR, SOUGHT AFTER, and CHECKMATE – all winners last week and all horses to follow!

Carrying the famous Pencarrow Stud colours, TOMODACHI made a dazzling return to the track at Tauranga on Friday. One race later, the talented 3YO filly TRISTAR stepped into the spotlight with a dominant win.

KELLY COE flew the Wexford flag in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham on Saturday, giving us plenty to cheer about down the home straight! She finished just 1 length behind the winner. This grand mare always gives her all and we couldn't have been prouder of her performance.

At Ellerslie on Saturday, two class 3YOs impressed. Waikato Stud's NZB Kiwi Slot horse, SOUGHT AFTER, delivered a polished (and winning!) rehearsal for the big dance in March. It was pleasing to see him navigate Ellerslie so well. CHECKMATE maintained his flawless '1500m at Ellerslie' record, with another win at HQ. Both horses have come through their runs in great order.

Masa Hashizume, who has ridden more horses for Wexford than any other jockey this season, had a nasty fall on Saturday. Masa walked away with a broken collarbone, and we were grateful to spend the day with him at Ellerslie on Sunday, cheering SOUGHT AFTER home from the stands - a horse he has partnered in every other start to date. We wish you a speedy recovery, Masa, and can’t wait to see you back in the saddle sporting the Wexford colours soon!

Karaka yearling inspections are in full swing! These are long but exciting days, attending stud farm parades in the hunt for our next champion. This sale consistently produces top-tier talent, including recent Wexford-trained Group 1 winners, GRAIL SEEKER and MOLLY BLOOM. Keen to get involved? Register your interest via our website to be the first to hear about syndication opportunities, or feel free to contact Lance or Andrew directly.

Finally, a big congratulations to Emily Farr on gaining her New Zealand residency! Emily has been a vital part of our team for many years. She’s a top-class trackwork rider with a special knack for handling our more challenging horses. Horses find a friend in Emily and grow in confidence under her guidance.

We're looking forward to a busy day at the Matamata trials tomorrow, with some talented types ready to further their racing careers. We're racing at Te Rapa on Thursday and Pukekohe on Sunday. Keep an eye on this page as we preview every runner. Thank you all for your continued support. Go well!

12/01/2025

CHECKMATE - Too good today at Ellerslie! ♟️

A big congratulations to owners Ross and Corrine Kearney on yet another top win from this exciting 3YO.

Checkmate was ridden by Warren Kennedy and strapped by Nathan Trumper.

12/01/2025

That Ellerslie winning post suits you, SOUGHT AFTER 😍

A lovely dress rehearsal from this smart 3YO for the looming $3.5 million NZB Kiwi, where he will represent owner-breeders Waikato Stud’s slot.

Sought After was ridden by Wiremu Pinn and strapped by Linda Burton.

11/01/2025

We're looking forward to a Sunday session at Ellerslie today 🏇

SOUGHT AFTER (Wiremu Pinn, barrier 4) will line up in race 3 at 2.35pm. Our best winning chance of the weekend, his sectionals last start were off the clock. We’re introducing him to Ellerslie ahead of the NZB Kiwi and are expecting a bold performance.

WHO ROX THE HOUSE (Craig Grylls, barrier 4) will also line up in race 5. The bolter of the weekend! She’s gone the right way since her debut and it wouldn’t surprise us if she filled a place at longer odds.

CHECKMATE (pictured) (Warren Kennedy, barrier 7) will line up in race 6 at 4.20pm. He’s had no favours with the barrier draw. Back out to the 1500m and with better fortune in the run, he’ll be more competitive today. He’s going the right way and will be right in the finish, as he always is.

SMOKESHOW (Warren Kennedy, barrier 10) will line up in race 8 at 5.35pm. He’s taken good confidence from his last start win. He goes up a grade today, but we think he can handle the step up in class. He’s a promising horse that can go close to winning again today.

10/01/2025

We're chasing Group 1 glory this afternoon! KELLY COE (Masa Hashizume, barrier 2) will line up in the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile at 4.51pm.

Following her win in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint, she’s been flying on the training track. She had a nice exercise gallop at Te Aroha last Saturday and is primed to run a strong mile today. She's won at Trentham in the past and Masa knows her well.

Go well, Kelly!

10/01/2025

That’s the TRISTAR we know and love! 🔥

Following a freshen, promising 3YO filly Tristar was once again gracing the winners circle with an impressive win at Racing Tauranga today.

Sporting those famous colours carried to Group 1 glory only six days ago, the beautifully bred Tristar was purchased by team Wexford at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sales for $220,000.

10/01/2025

She’s been off the racing scene for 229 days and today TOMODACHI returned in winning style!

Congratulations to Sir Peter Vela and the team at Pencarrow Stud on the impressive win. She’s an exciting mare 💥

Address

7595 State Highway 27
Matamata
3473

Telephone

+6478887639

Website

http://www.wexfordstables.co.nz/

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Videos

“Best competitor ever” on Celebrity Treasure Island - we’ll take it, Dame Julie Christie 🙌🏼 Competitive on and off the track!

KELLY COE and Emily Farr during their exhibition gallop at Te Aroha on Saturday.

Matamata Runner’s Preview

A big day ahead tomorrow! Lance and Andrew give their thoughts on our runners at Matamata Racing Club 🐎

CHEAHA on debut 🫡 The ultimate professional, this exciting 3YO gets up from last on the bend to win at Arawa Park. A Wexford purchase from Elsdon Park’s draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sales, the future looks bright for this lad!

Dave and Lance reflect on Wexford’s Cox Plate Memories

On the eve of the Cox Plate, we’re reminiscing on Wexford’s long association with the great race, first starting in 1975 with Dave at the helm. In 2022, the team at Ladbrokes sat down with Dave and Lance to record a podcast about Wexford’s victory in the 1991 Cox Plate, the race of the century and what it all meant to the team. Here’s a short clip from that conversation 💛

Wolf Rayet

Warm fuzzies for your Wednesday morning. WOLF RAYET lapping up that retired life 💛 ‘Wolf’ raced seven times, with his best performance being a 2nd at Te Rapa. He is now the mount of a proud teenager. They recently attended their first dressage competition, where they even picked up a ribbon! He looks pretty happy to us in his new environment! Lap it up, Wolfy.

Lance and Andrew - 24/25 Prediction

You heard it here first! Lance and Andrew give their ones to watch for the new season ⭐️

Lance and Andrew: Ta Rapa Preview and New Season Predictions

We head to Te Rapa Racing tomorrow for our final Saturday meeting of the season - and what a season it has been! Hear Lance and Andrew’s thoughts on our runners PLUS the two unraced horses they’re picking to be our stars of the season ahead ⭐️👀 Go well!

Molly Bloom - Queen of Hearts

A special piece on a very special horse 💛 A big thanks to the team at TAB for capturing MOLLY BLOOM's story so beautifully.

Three little pros! Our FARNAN, EARTHLIGHT and TORONARDO fillies had their first jump out this morning and we captured the action ⭐️

Masa Hashizume and KARMAN LINE return to scale following their win in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes.

Incredibly touching watching these horses gallop in silence and made even more special by our very own going on to win the opening event at Te Rapa Racing 💛 Thank you to George Simon and the team at Trackside NZ for this very thoughtful gesture.

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About us

Established in 1961 with legendary trainer Dave O’Sullivan, Wexford Stables is one of the oldest training facilities in New Zealand.

Wexford have won every major race on the New Zealand racing calendar, various group 1s in Australia, including the Cox Plate and the Japan Cup, which at the time was the world’s richest race.

Our highly experienced staff, vets, farriers, chiropractors and trainers ensure that every horse at Wexford is provided with the best care possible. We recognise that every horse is a unique individual and we tailor extensive training plans for each horse, preparing them for specific targets.

Constant communication with our owners is a priority, with Lance and Andrew sending weekly videos, photos and updates of horse's progress via Ardex.

Wexford Stables

21/01/2025

20/01/2025

19/01/2025

18/01/2025

17/01/2025

17/01/2025

16/01/2025

16/01/2025

16/01/2025

15/01/2025

14/01/2025

13/01/2025

12/01/2025

12/01/2025

11/01/2025

10/01/2025

10/01/2025

10/01/2025

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Contact The Business

Videos

Matamata Runner’s Preview

Dave and Lance reflect on Wexford’s Cox Plate Memories

Wolf Rayet

Lance and Andrew - 24/25 Prediction

Lance and Andrew: Ta Rapa Preview and New Season Predictions

Molly Bloom - Queen of Hearts

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