New Zealand Bloodstock Pay Tribute to Sir Patrick Hogan

Media Release - Sunday January 8

With the passing of Sir Patrick Hogan, the New Zealand thoroughbred industry has lost a legendary studmaster, breeder, racehorse owner and king of the Karaka sale ring.

An inductee into both the New Zealand and Australian Racing Hall of Fame, Sir Patrick Hogan established the world-famous Cambridge Stud in the 1970s and went on to wield an influence over the Australasian breeding and racing landscape that few others have matched.

Sir Patrick Hogan

“In my lifetime there has been no greater influence in the New Zealand breeding industry than Sir Patrick Hogan,” commented Sir Peter Vela, principal of New Zealand Bloodstock.

“Sir Patrick was instrumental in coming to Philip and I to take the responsibility for the sales company back in 1996. He was inspirational with his guidance in the subsequent years to ensure that the industry was developed in the way that was most beneficial for New Zealand.

“This country was so fortunate to have someone like him; he was a great horseman, his knowledge, what stallions to develop and how to grow the industry, so from every point of view his passing is just so sad.

“He was a hugely significant man for the things we can see and also for his generosity which was perhaps less well known, whether it was someone in need or the many people he shared his knowledge with.

“His name and persona was, and always will be, synonymous with the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding industry and his massive contribution to putting this country on the world stage.”

“He will be sorely missed but never forgotten and his legacy will last forever,” Vela said.

Sir Patrick had an extraordinary skill for finding superstar sires, putting together a stallion roster that produced over 130 Group One winners and earned 50 individual champion sire awards, including:

  • Foundation stallion Sir Tristram, who overcame relatively humble beginnings – an initial crop of 37 foals, standing for an introductory service fee of $1,500 – to become one of New Zealand’s all-time greats. Commanding a peak service fee of $200,000, he sired a total of 45 individual Group One winners. His highlights include Golden Slipper (1200m) winner Marauding (NZ), along with three winners of the Melbourne Cup (3200m).
  • Sir Tristram’s sensational son Zabeel (NZ), who continued the family dynasty with 46 Group One winners of his own, including champion gallopers Octagonal (NZ) and Might And Power (NZ), superstar sire Savabeel, and a Melbourne Cup quinella with Jezabeel (NZ) and Champagne (NZ).
  • A series of other stallions who all sired multiple Group One winners, such as Tavistock (NZ), Burgundy (NZ), Cape CrossStravinsky and Keeper.

Together with his wife Justine Lady Hogan, Sir Patrick Hogan himself bred 40 individual Group One winners and earned five New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeder of the Year Awards.

A prized member of their star-studded broodmare band was the iconic Eight Carat (Pieces Of Eight), who was one of only two broodmares in history to produce five individual Group One winners – Octagonal, Marquise (NZ) (Gold And Ivory), Diamond Lover (Sticks And Stones), Mouawad (NZ) (Zabeel) and Kaapstad (Sir Tristram).

Advertisement

Through her daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters, Eight Carat features on the pedigree page of more than 50 stakes winners, including champion stayer Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) and notable sires CommandsDeep Field and Shooting To Win.

Sir Patrick Hogan also achieved significant success as an owner with his distinctive two-tone green colours, perhaps most notably with Katie Lee (Pins). A spur-of-the-moment purchase by Sir Patrick for $340,000 at Karaka 2008, the super-talented grey won eight races including an unprecedented Group One double in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

A Karaka Kingpin

The loss of Sir Patrick Hogan will be particularly felt when the Australasian thoroughbred industry convenes at Karaka later this month for New Zealand Bloodstock’s 98th New Zealand National Yearling Sales Series – an event that the revered studmaster made his own through 40 years of selling yearlings at Trentham and Karaka.

With Sir Patrick at the helm, Cambridge Stud was leading vendor at New Zealand’s National Yearling Sales for 32 years in a row between 1981 and 2012.

He had a hand in multiple slices of New Zealand thoroughbred auction history, including leading the first million-dollar yearling through the ring at Karaka in 1989 – a colt by Sir Tristram out of Surround (NZ) (Sovereign Edition), who was ultimately knocked down for $1.2m.

At Karaka 2000, Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud set a record that still stands to this day. Their colt by Zabeel out of Diamond Lover was sold for an extraordinary $3.6m. Named Don Eduardo (NZ), he went on to win the Group One Australian Derby (2400m) and later stood at stud.

Overall, Sir Patrick Hogan sold 11 yearlings at Karaka for $1 million or more. Throughout Cambridge Stud’s 40 National Yearling Sales Series under Sir Patrick’s ownership, they came away with no fewer than 24 sale-toppers.

Group One winners sold by Cambridge Stud at Karaka during Sir Patrick Hogan’s era include the likes of Octagonal, Marquise, Tristalove, Champagne, Don Eduardo, Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock), Tarzino (NZ) (Tavistock), Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel), O’Marilyn (O’Reilly), Linky Dink (NZ) (Keeper), Jessicabeel (NZ) (Zabeel), Fiumicino (NZ) (Zabeel), Kindacross (NZ) (Cape Cross), Keeninsky (NZ) (Stravinsky), St Reims (NZ) (Zabeel), Shower Of Roses (NZ) (Zabeel), Giovana (NZ) (Blues Traveller), Toccata (NZ) (Maroof), Danske (NZ) (Danehill), Foxwood (NZ) (Centaine), Millward (NZ) (Defensive Play), Zacheline (NZ) (Zabeel), Irish Chance (NZ) (Sir Tristram), Isolda (NZ) (Sir Tristram), Dupain (NZ) (Sir Tristram), Popsy (NZ) (Sir Tristram) and Hulastrike (NZ) (Straight Strike).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Swettenham Stud Delighted with Lofty Strike Foals
Swettenham Stud are delighted with the growing buzz of excitement surrounding the first foals for young gun sire Lofty Strike.
Bryce Bevan Appointed Head of Digital at Magic Millions
Magic Millions' commitment to conduct online thoroughbred auctions has received a huge boost with today's announcement that Bryce Bevan has been appointed as Head of Digital.
420k NZ Ready to Run Purchase Looks the Goods
Progressive three-year-old Sulek notched his first victory when landing the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday for trainer Dominic Sutton.
2025 G1 The Metropolitan Field and Barrier Draw
Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher are set to have half of the Group I Metropolitan field between them with the Waller trained Birdman an easing favourite after drawing a wide gate for Saturday’s race.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 30
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
King’s Legacy Filly Salutes for Yulong
The first stakes-winner for her sire King’s Legacy when winning the Group III SAJC David Coles AM Stakes (1200m) last season, Steel Trap was subsequently purchased by Yulong privately and she posted her first win in their colours at Sandown on Wednesday.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.