The champagne was flowing at Westbury Stud’s table at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards in Auckland on Sunday night following Sharp ‘N’ Smart being crowned IRT Champion Three-Year-Old of the Year and SENZ Horse of the Year.

The Rich Hill Stud stallion roster was to the fore when the 2022-23 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards category winners were unveiled.

Imperatriz will remain a Valley girl this spring with Te Akau Racing ruling out a bid at the A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14.

It only seems fitting that a horse carrying the Aquis stud brand should be selected to represent them in the $20million Everest on October 14.

A Karaka graduate has been named New Zealand’s Horse of the Year for the ninth season in succession, with Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) claiming the coveted title in Auckland on Sunday evening.

Australian triple Group I winning Fastnet Rock mare Sea Siren is back at Coolmore Australia enjoying the spring with a new foal by Home Affairs, while her high class daughter Warm Heart has been racing up a storm in Europe winning the Group I Yorkshire Oaks last month and in France on Sunday she took the Group I Prix Vermeille (2400m) at Longchamp.

Blue Point (IRE) might have been the Darley shuttler producing winner after winner with his first European runners this year, but it was his barn mate Too Darn Hot (GB) that has delivered the first Group I winner with his progressive filly Fallen Angel taking out the Group I Moyglare Stud Stakes (7f) at The Curragh on Sunday.

The Group I National Stakes (7f) for two year-old colts and geldings at the Curragh was robbed of race favourite City of Troy with the son of Justify (USA) withdrawn due to the deteriorating conditions after rain arrived, but Aidan O’Brien had a good replacement in blue-blood Dubawi colt Henry Longfellow.

Here is the full list of 66 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

Champion sire I Am Invincible made his presence felt at the first Hong Kong meeting of a new season when his three year-old gelding Champion Method made a winning debut at Sha Tin on Sunday.

They always say ‘weight will stop a train’ and it stopped one of the world’s best sprinters at Sha Tin on Sunday when Lucky Sweynesse stepped out for the first time in a new season at Sha Tin only to taste defeat at the hands of a talented horse carrying 9kg less than him.

Australian owned Cox Plate contender Light Infantry was a well supported favourite in the Group III Superior Mile (1m) at Haydock overnight, but he came up short when beaten comfortably by quality Wootton Bassett stallion Chindit.

There were two Group I races run at Leopardstown in Ireland overnight and they both produced exceptional three year-old winners by champion sires Deep Impact and Siyouni.

The Group III Sirenia Stakes (6f) was run overnight at Kempton in the UK with victory going to two year-old Zoustar colt Starlust, who became the 40th stakes-winner for his Widden Stud based sire.

Here is the full list of 123 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

Champion sire I Am Invincible has sired a lot of outstanding Group I performers, but none have won more G1 races than his five time G1 winner Imperatriz, who was utterly spectacular at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Back to the form that saw him start as a popular pick in the Group 1 Australian Guineas and earn a spot in the All-Star Mile, the Street Boss (USA) gelding Pinstriped showed his love for the Moonee Valley track in Saturday’s Group II Clamms Seafood Feehan Stakes (1600m).

After an indifferent autumn campaign, the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas hero Golden Mile was back on his pedestal in Saturday’s Group II Toyota Forklifts Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

Multiple Group One performer Young Werther has relished racing in lesser-grade, with the Danny O’Brien-trained son of Tavistock lumping 61.5kgs to score in the Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Handicap (2040m) at The Valley on Saturday.

Godolphin’s top-quality Exceed And Excel colt Cylinder pulled it out of the fire in Saturday’s Group II James Squire Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill.

Already enjoying a red-letter day at Hastings on Saturday after completing stakes victories with Tokyo Tycoon and Quintessa, it got even better for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson when progressive mare Skew Wiff got the upperhand on her last start nemesis, Dragon Leap, to collect the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m).

The highest priced filly at the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, I Am Invincible filly Charm Stone  made it back to back stakes wins when taking out the Listed MVCRC Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Luckless when a fast-finishing third in the Group III Up And Coming Stakes, the Capitalist gelding Encap finally received all the breaks when shedding his maiden status in Saturday’s Group III ACY Securities Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill.

Exciting galloper Quintessa provided the blue and tangerine silks of Te Akau Racing with their second stakes victory and third win in succession at Hastings on Saturday when she stormed home from near the back of a quality field to take out the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).

Talented Invader mare Sunshine in Paris closed out her three year-old season with a win in the Group I ATC Surround Stakes and was then sold at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for a whopping $3.9million to James Harron Bloodstock.

The Paul Preusker-trained Steparty stretched his unbeaten record to four with a dominant performance in Saturday’s Listed McMahon's Dairy McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Vally.

Well named So You Think mare Howgoodareyou has been making swift progress through her grades and took another step forward when leading all the way to win the Benchmark 78 event over 1800m.

Last season’s outstanding two-year-old Tokyo Tycoon showed he is right on target for some lofty goals this season with a professional display to dispose of his three-year-old rivals in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings.

Talented Kiwi bred four-year-old Savabeel gelding Bunker Hut provided his new connections with a dream start when he powered to a first-up victory at Rosehill on Saturday in the Darby Racing colours.

Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

The G1 filly North Star Lass (Zoustar) has been joined by a host of well-bred mares including one from a brilliant Juddmonte family - as well a share in exciting young stallion Supido and G1 galloper Detonator Jack - on a long highlights list for the Inglis Digital September (Early) Online Sale.

This expensive Snitzel colt chased some good horses home in Group races last season and was duly sent out a short priced favourite at Goulburn on Friday.

In 2022, Lyndhurst Stud added the brilliant Group winning juvenile Barbaric to their roster and 12 months on his first foals are making a great impression.

At this early point in the Sydney spring it’s often about Everest horses showing their hand and promising colts stamping their ticket as future sire prospects and we saw a couple of each in action at the Randwick trials on Friday morning.

Last season’s standout juvenile Tokyo Tycoon is set to get his spring preparation underway when he heads to Hastings on Saturday to contest the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).

Stablemates Orchestral and Paragon hold upcoming Group One nominations, although connections are approaching the business end of the spring with flexibility.

Last season’s superstars have given them a hard act to follow, but the class of 2023-24 get their time to shine when the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series kicks off in Saturday’s $120,000 Group Three HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings.

A homebred for the Aga Khan, two year-old Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Zabiari scored a powerful win in the Group III Prix des Chenes (1600m) at Longchamp overnight beating another Group winning son of the Coolmore shuttler in Grey Man.

Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

On a memorable day for the Waterhouse/Bott stable, the wraps were taken off the highly regarded Snitzel colt Royal Tribute in an 1100m maiden at Hawkesbury, and he let no one down.

Pride of Dubai is one of those sires that breeders are coming back to given results of the past 12 months and he had two new winners on Thursday that highlighted one of his very best nicks that runs at 84% winners to runners!

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Harvest Moon will be given the chance to emulate her Group 1 VRC Oaks-winning dam Pinot after breaking her maiden at start two over 1300m at Cranbourne on Thursday.

The ninth running of the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday honours one of the greats of modern times whose deeds on the track and at stud left us baying for more.

The Street Cry (IRE) sireline has become one of the most influential in Australia in terms of producing elite performers with his sons producing six individual Group I winners last season and one of those sons that sired two of those G1 winners is the subject of this story.

A rousing trackwork gallop at Te Rapa on Tuesday has convinced Hamilton trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson that their stable star Sharp 'N' Smart is at the top of his game leading into his first Group One assignment of the season.

Talented filly Impendabelle has enjoyed a faultless preparation ahead of her three-year-old debut at Hastings on Saturday.

Pier will be looking to get his spring campaign back on track when he heads to Hastings this weekend.

Here is the full list of 41 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

Much missed champion New Zealand sire O’Reilly has an exciting young sire son in Australia in Kiwi bred Grunt, who has three entries for the just released 2023 NZB Ready to Run Sale including one bred on similar lines to his Group III MRC McNeil Stakes winner Veight.

On the back of a highly successful promotion last spring, Aquis Farm and Kristen Manning were again pleased to team up to find the perfect mares for the exciting young stallion GLENFIDDICH.

The most anticipated race anywhere on Wednesday was the match-up between three hugely impressive debut winners, Snow Patrol (Contributer),  Akicita (Grunt), and Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) in the Ladbrokes Hub (Bm64) (1300m) at Sandown-Hillside, and it lived up to the billing.

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have high hopes for Prized Icon filly Tropical Squall, who carried the famed Gooree Stud colours to an impressive first up win at Randwick on Wednesday against older mares.

A Breednet ‘One To Watch’ when breaking her maiden at her most recent start at Cranbourne, the powerfully-made Exosphere filly Austmarr did the right thing by punters in Wednesday’s Ladbrokes Racing Club (Bm64) (1000m) at Sandown-Hillside.

Te Akau Racing will begin a new chapter this weekend when Imperatriz becomes their first representative from their Cranbourne barn at The Valley.

Brighthill Farm stallion Eminent recorded his first win as a sire at Avondale on Wednesday when his daughter Fon Memories scored on debut in the Westbrook Cellar Door 1200.

All roads lead to Riccarton for a trio of Stephen Marsh-trained three-year-olds who will have opportunities to advance their Classic credentials with imminent engagements in the Central Districts.

Big spring plans are in-store for Kiwi-bred Group One winner Atishu if she performs up to expectations in the early part of her preparation, which will kick-off at Rosehill on Saturday.

Three year-old Deep Field colt Rock Empire might not have the most sales commercial of female families, but ability and good looks are plentiful and he showed that when racing to an easy debut victory at Randwick on Wednesday for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.

A field of promising three-year-olds with staying potential went to the post for Wednesday's Ladbroke It Maiden Plate (1500m) at Sandown-Hillside, and the winner, Gold Bullion, has classic aspirations.

Two young stallions in The Autumn Sun and Grunt have both stepped up quickly to post Group winners this spring – Autumn Ballet and Veight - and both have interesting runners on Wednesday looking to set themselves on the path to spring stakes racing.

Racing NSW welcomes you to support retired NSW Thoroughbred racehorses you were connected to, during their racing careers, in the inaugural Equimillion Equestrian Competition.

Here is the full list of 23 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

The retirement of Nature Strip and Eduardo heralds a changing of the guard in the elite sprinters division in Australia and the trials at Rosehill on Tuesday morning offered some insight if you are on the lookout for an Everest contender and we also liked the look of an unraced blue-blood filly by Pierro.

The first week of the NRL finals will keep NZ Warriors assistant coach Stacey Jones occupied this weekend, but he is looking forward to having the distraction of watching one of his horses compete for Group glory at Hastings.

Trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander will head to Hastings with a spring in their step on Saturday knowing the weather forecast won’t dampen their spirits ahead of the first leg of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival.

New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale is a launchpad to racetrack stardom across Australasia and Asia, with an unparalleled honour roll that features two of the highest-rated horses on the planet in 2023. Buyers will have another opportunity to make their Ready to Run dreams a reality this November, with the 383-lot catalogue for the 2023 Sale now online.

We had such a huge response to our story last week highlighting some great proven sires priced at $11,000 and below, we decided to up the ante slightly and find some more of these affordable sires that can help a budget conscious breeder get a dream result.

Here is the full list of 20 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

North Star Lass (Zoustar) – one of the best credentialled 3YO fillies of a stunning crop that featured the likes of In Secret, Zougotcha and Sunshine In Paris – has been entered in the Inglis Digital September (Early) Online Sale.

Karaka horseman Lance Noble has Group One targets in mind for three members of his stable while another will head toward a newly created $1 million summer event.

News that revered Cups legend Makybe Diva will be paraded at Flemington on September 16 as the countdown begins towards the 20th anniversary of her first of three-straight historic Melbourne Cup victories got us thinking about her career at stud and whether her daughters may hold promise for the future.

The accolades were flying for the talented Remarque after he lowered the colours of some of Australia's best sprinters in Saturday's Group III  Concorde Stakes at Randwick.

The Group I Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m) in France overnight delivered a new Group I winner for champion sire Kingman when his three year-old filly Sauterne upset the short priced favourite Big Rock.

A month into the new season and the second crop sires list is an interesting one with Widden Stud’s Blue Diamond winner Written By setting the pace for winners with Yulong based Grunt putting himself into the picture with a sensational return for his quality colt Veight in the Group III MRC McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Shamus Award filly Served Cold built on her debut fourth over 1300m at Sandown on August 28 to break her maiden impressively over 1700m at Geelong on Sunday.

Te Akau Racing unveiled yet another exciting juvenile at Wanganui on Saturday, with Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star taking out the opening two-year-old race of the season, the Whanganui Chronicle Maiden 2YO (800m).

The recent Tattersalls August Sale-topper Maximum Dividend (American Pharoah) will head to the stables of John O’Shea after the gavel fell at 200,000gns. If the results of Saturday’s racing are any indication, the European love affair will not end anytime soon.

Anticipation surrounds the appearance of the first Australian bred two year olds by Darley shuttler Blue Point (IRE), who sired his fourth stakes-winner in France on Saturday when Shady Lady won the Listed Craon Prix du Haras de Bouquetot (1600m).

The domination of Inglis 3YOs to start the new Australian racing season continued  with Veight and Tiz Invincible both scoring impressive Group victories.

Here is the full list of 103 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

Trainer James Cummings has pencilled in the Group 1 Epsom Hcp for Pericles after the son of Street Boss (USA) made short work of a quality field in Saturday’s Group II Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

We are just about running out of superlatives for Mr Brightside, who claimed a third win at the elite level in Saturday’s $750,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Brilliant Hellbent mare Benedetta has been looking for a stakes win for some time and got the job done in style when resuming from a spell to win the Group III MRC Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

The decision to stay clear of Giga Kick paid off the connections of Asfoora after the quality daughter of Flying Artie made a winning return in Saturday's Listed The McCafe 1100 Stakes at Caulfield.

The outsider of the field Navajo Peak shocked everyone other than trainer David Payne when he toughed out a victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Group II Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

Royally-bred Snitzel gelding Remarque scored a remarkable win in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group III Concorde Stakes (1100m) at Randwick in what may be a changing of the guard in the sprinting ranks.

Trainer Chrissy Bambry went from frustration to joy in the space of half an hour on Saturday as her classy three-year-old filly Chantilly Lace made it back-to-back stakes victories with a brave win in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).

Soulcombe (GB) made a winning Australian debut in the Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington last November, and the son of Frankel was back to that form in Saturday’s Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield.

The Group II ATC Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday featured a cracking field of fillies and Yarraman Park sires produced the quinella with Tiz Invincible taking the win from Brave Smash (Jpn) filly Kimochi.

Exciting three-year-old Veight looks on target for a big spring after making light of his stakes penalty in the Group III HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

The familiar tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing showed once again they will be a powerful presence in South Island racing over the next two months as they unleashed some serious contenders for higher honours later in the spring at Riccarton on Saturday.

Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.

The $240,000 Listed Wyong Gold Cup (2100m) on Friday produced a first Black Type win for blueblood stayer Benaud, a half-brother to not one but two Group I winners.

Under an inspired ride by Chad Schofield, the five-year-old More Than Ready (USA) mare Mirra View made a successful stakes debut in Friday's Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong.

There's a family tradition for Chrissy Bambry to uphold in Saturday's Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m) with talented filly Chantilly Lace but the Foxton trainer also has the bigger picture in mind.

Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will reveal their newest juvenile prospect at Wanganui on Saturday, with impressive trial winner Bellatrix Star having her race-day debut.

Russian Revolution and Hellbent have been archrivals in the breeding barn over the past two years and one month into a new season and they are going at it again with both to have key runners on Saturday.

A competitive field of three-year-olds contest Saturday’s McNeill Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield with the age-old dilemma of those with a run or two under the belt against those returning from a winter’s break.

Emulating the champion mare Winx’s accolades at Racing’s Night of Champions in 2019, the now-retired Anamoe stole the show by taking out Champion Miler (sponsored by Wild Oaks), Champion Middle Distance Horse (sponsored by Woppitt Bloodstock) and Champion Horse of the Year (sponsored by TAB) at the 2023 edition of the NSW Racehorse Owners Association’s flagship awards night. Havi

Star racemare Kiku has been purchased by one of the world's leading thoroughbred breeders for $1.46 million this evening.