Buoyant (NZ) Heads NZB Haul at South Island Awards

Graduates of New Zealand Bloodstock Sales collected four trophies in Friday evening’s Christchurch Casino South Island Racing Awards, headed by the 2022-23 Horse of the Year Buoyant (NZ) (Dalghar).

Trained and part-owned by Southland’s Sabin Kirkland, Buoyant had five starts during the 2022-23 season and recorded three wins and two placings.

An eye-catching third in the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) on the opening day of the New Zealand Cup Carnival on November 5, the four-year-old gelding backed up a week later and romped to victory by almost four lengths in the Group Three Stewards’ Stakes (1200m).

A second stakes success followed at Wingatui on Boxing Day, where Buoyant took out the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1200m).

Buoyant was offered by Brighthill Farm as a weanling at the 2019 Karaka May Sale, where he was passed in with a reserve of only $3000. He has earned more than $190,000 in prize-money, with $134,425 of that coming last season alone.

In addition to his Horse of the Year honours, Buoyant was also named the South Island’s Champion Sprinter of 2022-23.

The Champion Miler was Live Drama (NZ) (Ghibellines), who was bought by the No. 8 Syndicate for just $8500 from the 2018 South Island Sale. She has banked $297,390 so far in a 32-start, nine-win career.

Trained by Lance Robinson at Riccarton, Live Drama contested nine races during the 2022-23 season. She recorded two wins and three placings, earning $120,650 in stakes. She won the Group Three South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and was runner-up in the Group Three White Robe Lodge (1600m), the Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) and the Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m).

The Champion Two-Year-Old was Penvose Lad (U S Navy Flag), trained by Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong at Riccarton.

Bought by Champagne Racing for $80,000 from Inglewood Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2022, Penvose Lad had three starts in his two-year-old season for a win and two second placings. He was runner-up in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) on his home track on May 6.

Photos: Race Images South