HISTORY

If you’re looking for a farm that epitomises what a thoroughbred stud should be, you need look no further than New Zealand’s Trelawney Stud. Founded in 1930 by Mr Seton Otway, it is New Zealand’s oldest commercially operated stud farm.

Taking a look through the history books reveals a record seven Melbourne Cup winners - Hi-Jinx, Galilee, Silver Knight, Hiraji, Foxzami, MacDougal and Polo Prince - who all spent the early part of their lives at Trelawney before going on to win the great race. Arguably the most famous horse to carry the Trelawney brand is Tulloch. Bred, reared and sold by Trelawney, Tulloch was trained by the legendary Tommy Smith.

Owned and operated by the Otway family for a majority if its existence (the farm was founded in 1930), first through Seton Otway and then his son Jim, Trelawney Stud rose to prominence as one of New Zealand’s leading thoroughbred nurseries.

One of the first thoroughbred stud farms set up in the Cambridge area, Trelawney rose to prominence under the guidance of Seton Otway through the successful sale of yearlings through the Trentham Sale ring, to the standing of stallions at the farm.

Once the home and now the resting place of the remarkable sire Foxbridge (GB) (Foxlaw), Trelawney Stud has seen a number of successful stallions come through the farm gate to each make their mark on the New Zealand breeding industry.

Foxbridge was super-sire of his era heading the New Zealand sire’s premiership for 11 seasons. He dominated New Zealand racing in the 1940’s and his impact on the New Zealand breeding industry was highlighted through the success of his daughters at stud when he headed the broodmare sires’ table – also for a period of 11 years.

Another stallion to prove very successful in New Zealand was Alcimedes (GB) (Alycidon). Recognised as mainly a sire of stayers, among his first crop were VRC Derby-winner Prince Grant (NZ) and Melbourne Cup-winner Galilee (NZ). Alcimedes progeny were often raced in Australia and he produced another Melbourne Cup-winner in the form of Silver Knight (NZ).

Trelawney Stud was purchased by the Taylor family in the early 1990's. Managed by Brent Taylor, the farm has seen a period of development both in management and also investment.

Trelawney now has a broodmare band of more than fifty, all of which carry world class bloodlines to keep Trelawney at the forefront of the Australasian breeding and racing industry.

Over the last five years, Trelawney Stud has bred at least one Group One winner each season. In addition, Trelawney Stud have also reared and sold on behalf of clients, numerous Group and Stakes winners. This success helps to reinforce the breeding decisions that have been made and the Stud’s vision for the future.

In 1993, Trelawney purchased the stallion Dance Floor (USA) (Star De Naskra) from North America and syndicated the horse to stand in New Zealand. Since that time other horses to stand at the farm include Al Akbar (Aus) (Success Express), Kingdom Bay (NZ) (Otehi Bay) and Van Nistelrooy (USA) (Storm Cat).

For a number of years Trelawney has joined forces with other local studs to bring stallions to New Zealand.

Carnegie (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) began his southern hemisphere stud career at Trelawney Stud and to date, has produced his best performers from his time in New Zealand. Some of these horses include VRC Derby-winner Amalfi (NZ) and dual Group One-winner Carnegie Express (NZ), Doomben Cup-winner Perlin (NZ) and Queensland Guineas victor Regent Street (NZ).

Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) commenced his stud duties in New Zealand at Trelawney Stud in 2004. Elusive City boasts a remarkable 77% winners to runners ratio from his first Southern Hemisphere crop including Return to Sender, winner of the Group two SAJC Queen of the South Stakes.

Other stallions Trelawney have been involved in include Soviet Star (USA) (Nureyev), sire of international Group One winner Starcraft (NZ), Marju (Ire) (Last Tycoon), Bigstone (Ire) (Last Tycoon) and College Chapel (GB) (Sharpo).

In more recent years Trelawney Stud have not stood a stallion but have been concentrating investment into enhancing and expanding the gene-pool of breeding stock which now includes several successful race-fillies that have been retained by the Taylors such as Group One-winner Boundless (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy), Group One Queensland Oaks winner Vouvray (NZ) (Zabeel), Group- winning Ruud Van Slaats (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy) and fourth generation Trelawney Stud filly, Group-winning Martini Red.