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Respected Southland horseman Martin Dennis has passed away, aged 82. Photo: Supplied Vale Martin Dennis Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk 15 February 2026 One of New Zealand racing’s most famous families has lost another member, with the recent passing of Martin Dennis, aged 82. Martin was the youngest member of the Dennis Brothers quartet, with the family facing a particularly tough last six months, with the passing of brother Tony in September. The brothers have been a pillar of South Island thoroughbred racing for more than 60 years, with a plethora of elite equine athletes coming off their Woodlands property. Dennis’ nephew, respected Southland trainer Robert Dennis, the son of the late Tony Dennis, said Martin had a wealth of knowledge on pedigrees and form, with the partnership relying on his expert analysis for their mares’ mating selection. “He was an integral part of their operation,” Robert said. “His strength in the partnership was the breeding and the pedigree side in the later years. Earlier on he was more involved in the training side. “He was extremely knowledgeable about pedigrees and crosses, and he analysed all the stallions and mares, and he had his own rating system. “For me personally, when buying horses, I would call on him to get his opinion on what he thought of pedigrees.” The brothers are well known for their horses carrying the prefix ‘The’, which was made famous by several top-flight performers, spanning more than 60 years. Among their leading flagbearers was the Gr.1 Penfold Chardon Mile (now TAB Classic) winner The Twinkle, while The Dimple and The Fantasy were the stakes winners of a combined 34 races. The breeding side of their operation included the three-time top-flight winner and Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) runner-up The Phantom, and his brother The Phantom Chance triumphed in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), while The Jewel won the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and trained on to claim the Gr.1 Waikato International Stakes (2000m). In more recent times The Oaks Stud resident sire The Chosen One was another elite-level winner who also placed in the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m). It was fitting for Martin to go out a winner, with the octogenarian cheering home a winning double at Wingatui last weekend, with the Dennis Brothers’ colours carried to victory by The Ocean Heart and The Princie One. “Last week we had a double for the brothers,” Robert said. “Martin was at home with a lot of his family and a few friends. Apparently, there was quite a big crowd there and he in particular really enjoyed the day. It was a good sendoff for him.” The brothers’ colours also came close to victory at Ascot Park on Saturday when The Radiant One finished second in the Southland Stakes (1200m), and he will now head to Wingatui in a fortnight to tackle the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m). “It was good to see her back to what we know she can do,” Robert said. “Things haven’t worked out lately for her. We ran in the Hazlett (Listed, 1400m) and she was very wide with no cover the whole way. She got a few more favours yesterday and she was only just beaten. “She is getting a bit older now but she has still got plenty of spring in her step and we might look at heading to the White Robe next.” Martin will be farewelled at a Requiem Mass in St Theresa's Catholic Church, Perth Street, Invercargill on Tuesday, February 17 at 2.30pm. According to Martin's wishes, bright colours are to be worn. Messages can be sent to 161 Edendale-Woodlands Highway, RD1 Invercargill 9871, or to Martin's tribute page at frasersfunerals.co.nz/tributes where a link to the livestream of the Mass will be available. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
David Eustace is looking for Seraph Gabriel to serve up the perfect Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) aperitif when he bids to shed his local maiden in the Class Three Red Packet Handicap (2,000m) at Sha Tin on Thursday. The Saxon Warrior galloper was a one-time winner in the UK pre-import at Lingfield and also posted a huge effort to finish second in the Class Two Golden Gates Handicap (1,993m) at Royal Ascot on his final British start. He has subsequently taken well to racing in Hong Kong, finishing an...View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Impressive Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) winner Autumn Glory (NZ) (Ocean Park) has had an ownership change ahead of her tilt at the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, with the daughter of Ocean Park to sport the colours of Yulong Investments. The late bloomer has been patiently handled by Roger James and Robert Wellwood and the filly dominated her male rivals at Te Rapa last week to advance her record to two wins from three starts, having broken maiden ranks at Ruakaka in January. Bred and raced by the Smithies family under their Monovale Holdings banner, Autumn Glory’s sale this week enhances the Yulong footprint in New Zealand. The well-known green and white silks are now worn by three of New Zealand’s best fillies, with Oaks favourite Ohope Wins and unbeaten Guineas winner Well Written also in the camp. “It’s a privilege to have international owners of their magnitude in the stable, and it’s great to see them becoming involved in New Zealand in a bigger way,” Roger James said. “I think it’s just a reflection on what we can offer them in New Zealand in the way of stakes and high-class horses. “Our aim is the New Zealand Oaks and what happens after that will be discussed after the race, but it is a Group One and that is what we are focussed on. “We’re really happy with the way she’s bounced through the Waikato Guineas. She’s feeding well and looks great in the coat. “She won a maiden and then we threw her straight into black-type racing, because we thought she was well above average, but unfortunately, we struck a bottomless track at Taranaki at her second start. “To the filly’s credit, she came through that trip and hard run well, and we had the confidence to line her up again in the Waikato Guineas. We went into that race with confidence and her work had gone to a different level, and she raced and won accordingly.” Monovale’s Joe Smithies said the sale of Autumn Glory ensures cashflow for their breeding operation. “Yulong has purchased her outright, and she will stay with Roger and Robert for the Oaks, who have done a terrific job,” Joe Smithies said. “We’ve got to stick to our core business model, which is breeding horses for the yearling sales. “Racing for us is probably a by-product of what we do, but having said that, we really do enjoy racing horses, particularly nice fillies like Autumn Glory.” Smithies said the mating of Autumn Glory’s mother Venus’s Dream with Ocean Park had worked well, with successful siblings to the filly including Loveplanet and Existential Bob. “We were consistently getting a good type and selling well at the sales,” Smithies said. “This particular filly, Autumn Glory, we were just a touch behind the eight ball for where we thought she needed to be for the yearling sales. So we elected to hold on to her and just grow her out. “We always really liked her but felt that the sale probably just came a touch too soon for her.” In recent years Monovale have sold the likes of subsequent stakes winners Scarlet Oak (Kermadec) and Goldman (NZ) (Verdi) from their small racing team, while the Smithies still have stakes-winning three-year-old filly Acer (NZ) (Savabeel), who will line up as an outsider in the Oaks. “It’s a huge buzz to have bred two fillies that will run in the Oaks that are both already stakes winners,” Smithies said. “Ultimately, it’s why we do it and these results are not easy to get, so you certainly have to enjoy them. But we’ve been exceptionally lucky. “It was a great yearling sale for us at Karaka this year and to have Acer win the Oaks Prelude (Listed, 1800m) at Taranaki on Karaka Millions night and cement her place in the Oaks field was immensely rewarding.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
A $50,000 carrot is dangling in front of the connections of Timaru gelding Smooth Operator (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) following his victory in the Olphert Contracting Ltd Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m) at Ascot Park on Saturday. It was the second leg of the Southern Cups Bonus Series, where a $50,000 winner-takes-all bonus is up for grabs, and Smooth Operator now sits atop the standings, alongside Gore Cup (2200m) winner In Vegas, on five points. The stakes performer jumped a $2.90 favourite from the ace barrier in Saturday’s contest and was given a rail-hugging ride by jockey Tina Comignaghi for the majority of the journey. He looked blocked in when searching for a run from the 600m, but Comignaghi eventually found a gap at the top of the straight and Smooth Operator quickly took it, bounding up alongside leader Caffeinated before dashing away to a 6-1/4 length victory, much to the delight of his large group of supporters. Smooth Operator ran third in the race last year and trainer Stephanie Faulkner was delighted to go two better in this year’s edition. “I was a little bit worried, there wasn’t a lot of pace on,” Faulkner said. “He was pulling a bit but Tina was patient as ever, gave him a beautiful trip and he was dragged into it at the right time and showed them what he can do.” With the victory, Smooth Operator brought his career tally to seven wins and six placings from 42 starts, with more than $232,000 in earnings. Bred by Go Bloodstock Australia Pty Ltd, Smooth Operator was initially purchased out of KB Bloodstock’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft by Shaune Ritchie for $32,000, and he had four starts for the Cambridge trainer before heading south to Stephanie Faulkner, who has enjoyed a fruitful last three years with the gelding, and she is hoping to add to it in the coming months. The Southern Cups Series marches on to Wingatui next week with the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), which Smooth Operator finished runner-up in last year, before it heads to Gore a fortnight later for the Wyndham Cup (2000m), and culminates at Riverton on April 4, where double points are up for grabs in the series final – the Riverton Cup (2147m). “We will press onto the final at Riverton,” Faulkner said. “It’s really exciting.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Central Districts gelding Enrico (NZ) (El Roca) was rewarded for his consistency when taking home a big winner’s cheque following his victory in Saturday’s $350,000 Comag Wairere Falls (1500m) at Matamata. The Levin galloper trekked north to tackle the lucrative feature following a rich run of form for trainer Ilone Kelly, which included three stakes placings in his previous four starts, including the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m), Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m), and Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m). Despite his recent performances, he was unwanted by punters on his northern venture, drifting out to a 23-1 outsider, but that didn’t deter his regular jockey Madan Singh, who was full of confidence in his charge, and he was intent on making his 53.5kg impost. “I was definitely a little bit confident, but 53.5kg is a bit hard for me,” Singh said. “But I knew he was a good chance and she (Kelly) has always been a big supporter of mine, so that’s why I made 53 to ride this horse.” Singh was positive on Enrico from the jump, entering an early speed duel with Leroy Brown and Vegas Queen, but he elected to ease his charge back to settle in the trail for a softer trip. The pair continued to stalk pacemaker Leroy Brown, and while he kicked clear by two-lengths at the top of the straight, Singh didn’t panic, knowing his charge was capable of making up the deficit. And he did just that, reeling in Leroy Brown in the concluding stages to nab him at the line to win by a head. Singh was rapt to get the result for Kelly and breakthrough for an elusive win following a series of placings. ““It was very good,” Singh said. “He is a nice horse who is always knocking on the door, and he always has wide draws. “We got a nice enough draw (6) and got a nice run and when I asked he gave me a really good response.” Enrico, who was co-bred and is part-owned by respected Horowhenua horsewoman Syliva Kay, has now won seven and placed in nine of his 33 starts to date, with more than $420,000 in earnings. View the full article
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