NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Racing

Racing: Boutique stable nabs spoils

NZ Herald
13 Nov, 2016 04:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

La Diosa was too strong for the northern fillies in the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday. Photo / Trish Dunell

La Diosa was too strong for the northern fillies in the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday. Photo / Trish Dunell

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Group one win No 1 for Mandy and Matt Brown in Saturday's $300,000 Gavelhouse 1000 Guineas at Riccarton - the result of sticking to your principals.

The childless Browns are widely known for the remarkable individual care they provide their horses.

"Their horses are their children, it's really remarkable," said senior owner of La Diosa, Terry Archer yesterday. "It's so impressive. I've never really seen anything like it."

It's a long way from Whangarei, where Archer bred Le Diosa, to the Brown's North Canterbury stable, but the jungle drums work well in the thoroughbred world.

"I worked out very early that this was a very busy filly, the type that was not going to do that well in a big stable. We had to try and find her a relaxed atmosphere."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Enter Waikato's Gordon Calder, who now shares in the filly's ownership. "Gordon has had a fair bit to do with Matt and Mandy and he convinced us that would be the perfect stable for her. He wasn't wrong."

Archer bred La Diosa (by So You Think) from his former fine racemare Star Affair, which he and trainer Frank Ritchie plucked from a Karaka sale for $55,000.

The vendors were the Dennis Brothers and the filly was from the family of The Kurd, which the boys have developed into what is regarded as one of the finest in the Stud Book. Star Affair won a Travis Stakes at Te Rapa.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Archer sold an O'Reilly filly out of Star Affair to Waikato Stud for $600,000, who raced in Australia as Thy and got to black type status.

La Diosa he decided to keep and the wisdom of that call was there for all to see on Saturday.

Sharing in the ownership with he and Calder are Whangarei lawyer Grant Currie, Auckland financial advisor Mike Gibson, his friend Brooke Sipos and Bruce Honeybone.

Perhaps understandably, Mandy Brown was emotional yesterday. Other trainers achieve group one winning status in less time than the Browns, but few with such a small team. "Matt and I rarely have more than eight to 10 horses in the stable and that's intentional. We have to turn horses away. I like that level because I really like to get to know each horse individually, because they are all different and they can have funny quirks.

Discover more

Racing

Group glory for Cuneen

12 Nov 04:00 PM
Racing

Mare set to go out in style

12 Nov 04:00 PM
Racing

Sister act in marathon battle for Cup honours

12 Nov 04:00 PM
Racing

$1m sweetener for clean sweep

15 Nov 04:00 PM

"If I had any more horses I would never feel I was dong each one justice."

It's impossible to make money out of such a small team and Brown quickly admits that doesn't happen.

"We have to subsidise the stable and we are able to do that through our other business."

That business is the Rangiora New World supermarket, which Mandy and Matt half own with Matt's brother Robin. "We are lucky," says Mandy.

The closest the pair previously came to group one glory was when classy act The Jewel beat their filly Chestpeak in the 2002 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.

There is an irony there. The Jewel was the next foal after Star Affair to be bred by the Dennis Brothers from The Grin.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But this is a story fully of irony.

No one makes plans the day after a group one victory and nothing has been decided for La Diosa beyond now spelling. An autumn campaign will be put together with: ""A possibility of including Sydney", says Terry Archer.

There was no love lost between Kelly McCulloch and Rosie Myers at the end of a testing New Zealand Cup later on the card.

The sisters fought out a desperate finish in the marathon with the older sibling gaining the upper hand aboard Pump Up The Volume by half a head.

Trained by part-owner Ralph Manning, the genuine son of Savabeel came wide on the home turn and he finished doggedly to take the major prize from Myers' mount Perfect Start.

"He got a bit lost out there on his own and I thought Rosie may have nabbed me," McCulloch said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The key to these two mile races is to put them to sleep and he had no trouble. He's a great horse and a pleasure to ride."

Perfect Start also settled at the tail-end but, unlike her sister, Myers came between runners on the Wayne Hillis-trained outsider and that nearly proved a winning move.

Imperium ran on gallantly to take third money from Gentil Tonton and Nymph Monte was next home.

Group one glory

La Diosa gave Matt and Many Brown their first group one win on Saturday at Riccarton.

The couple restrict their stable to between eight-10 horses.

Pumped Up The Volume held out Perfectly Ready to win the New Zealand Cup.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

- additional reporting, NZ Racing Desk.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Racing

Racing

Mick On Monday: Pike pair could be two new stars of the saddle

06 Jul 06:13 PM
Racing

Brosnan stable stars with jumping double at waterlogged Te Rapa

05 Jul 05:00 PM
Racing

Caitlyns Wish claims seventh win in Te Rapa sprint race

05 Jul 06:26 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Racing

Mick On Monday: Pike pair could be two new stars of the saddle

Mick On Monday: Pike pair could be two new stars of the saddle

06 Jul 06:13 PM

Two talented young jockeys from very different back rounds have become stablemates

Brosnan stable stars with jumping double at waterlogged Te Rapa

Brosnan stable stars with jumping double at waterlogged Te Rapa

05 Jul 05:00 PM
Caitlyns Wish claims seventh win in Te Rapa sprint race

Caitlyns Wish claims seventh win in Te Rapa sprint race

05 Jul 06:26 AM
Bosson in right head space and weight range for racing return

Bosson in right head space and weight range for racing return

04 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP