Remarkable NZ breeding partnership ends with Gavelhouse Plus action

A trio of high-quality mares will be offered on Gavelhouse Plus next month, bringing the curtain down on a decorated breeding and racing partnership that has spanned two decades.

Rondinella, Sudbina and Tinnelly are being offered for sale by Haunui Farm and Frantic Bloodstock.

“It’s the end of an era,” Haunui Farm’s managing director Mark Chitty said. “We’re putting up three mares that we own in partnership with Cathy Franich from Frantic Bloodstock.

“We’ve had a really successful racing and breeding partnership that started all the way back in 2006 with Valpolicella. We’ve raced a number of fantastic horses together over the years, like Floria, Misstrum, Rondinella and Sudbina. We’ve bred many others, including a NZB Filly of the Year in Fix.

“Cathy has decided that she no longer wants to be involved with the breeding side of things and would rather concentrate on racing.

“Rondinella and Sudbina are both in foal to Super Seth, and with everything that’s happened with him this year (relocating to Coolmore in Australia and no longer being as directly accessible to New Zealand breeders), we thought the best way to handle things is to take these mares to the marketplace.

“The mares all have 2025 foals that will head through to the Karaka yearling sales in January of 2027.”

Rondinella won four times on the racetrack and was a nine-time stakes placegetter, including in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m), New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and Sydney Cup (3200m).

She has made a stellar start to her broodmare career, with her first foal He Who Dares selling to Te Akau’s David Ellis for $825,000 in Book 1 of Karaka 2024. 

He has already earned that back from a nine-start career that has produced placings in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m), the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) and the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).