Equine royalty to be paraded on foal walk

ON PARADE: Nigel Auret shows off a Cape Blanco-Saint Cecile colt which will be on display during Sunday's foal walk in southern Taranaki. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

YOUNG equine royalty will be out for a stroll on Sunday during the annual Taranaki-Wanganui Thoroughbred Breeders' Association foal walk.

This year, the focus is on studs and breeding barns in the southern region keen to showcase their potential racetrack champions.

A free bus will be available to make the trip more fun and ensure the timetable is followed and to stop people getting lost. The bus will leave the Stratford War Memorial Hall carpark at 9.30am and will make a pick up at the Furlong Hotel in Hawera at 10am.

First stud on the tour is Grangewilliam at Waitotara where eight colts and fillies will be paraded, including a Guillotine colt out of Brilliant Kiwi. The mare already has progeny racing successfully in Hong Kong.

Judy Hewitt's property just across the road is the next stop where colts by Zed and Nom du Jeu will feature before the foal walk moves to Bill Stewart's Martindale Stud in Maxwell and then to Alastair Murdoch's in Westmere where an Iffraaj colt out of the well-bred mare Summer Nymph is on show.

The thoroughbred train then moves to Peter Smith's farm in Papaiti where youngsters by Zed and O'Reilly will be showcased, including a full sister to group winner O'Fille.

Letham Thoroughbreds on the Marangai (SH3) is next where Nigel and Adaire Auret will parade the largest number of foals, including a son of multiple group winner Saint Cecile by Cape Blanco. Progeny from other black type performers Mini Pearl and Floasha are among the 11 on show at Letham.

The final destination is Wayne Keenan's O'Ceirin at Upokongaro where youngsters by Tavistock, Postponed, Any Suggestions and Tobique will be shown. Keenan's stallion Dial A Prayer, whose first progeny hit the ground this year, will also be paraded.