Originally Posted by
eliteblood
Viv,
If you look at the results you will find that a lot has changed in the last 10 years. The constant plundering of our group races by NZ bred horses has dried up. No race bears that out more emphatically than the Vic Derby, a race that always attracts the very best 3YO's from both countries. For 8 years in succession from 1996 to 2003 it was won by a NZ bred colt. In the 10 years since then it has been won only 3 times by a NZ bred colt and 7 times by an Aust bred colt.
The first 5 runnings of the Chariots of Fire were won by NZ bred colts. In the 13 runnings since then it has been won 8 times by an Aust bred and only 5 by a NZ bred.
What has changed in recent years that might explain the shift ?
It is not the grass and it is not the broodmare bands. What has changed very significantly is the quality of the stallions now available to Australian breeders. Over the years, a succession of very good stallions stood in NZ (including In The Pocket, Holmes Hanover, Smooth Fella, Vance Hanover, Falcon Seelster, Christian Cullen and most recently Bettors Delight and Mach Three). By contrast Australia based stallions were generally not in the same ball park. The status quo changed however when unlimited books were allowed in Australia along with the use of transported semen. Not only could Aust breeders access the same stallions that NZ breeders had available to them by way of chilled semen but they could also now afford to acquire the very best USA stallions and stallion prospects. Along came Fake Left followed a little later by Grinfromeartoear and Art Major. In the last few years Australian stallion ranks have been boosted by the presence of Somebeachsomewhere, Rocknroll Hanover, Sportswriter, Rock n Roll Heaven, Shadow Play and Roll With Joe. In the same time NZ studs have acquired ............?
The world has changed Viv. The resurgence of the Australian bred pacer has a full head of steam and the kiwi studs need to do something in a hurry if they don't want to be left behind.