2017 -18 season in retrospect

Group race wins in the breeding and training spheres; outstanding success for Raise The Flag in Australia and a great response to the first crop of sire Ghibellines at yearling sales highlighted the 2017-18 season for White Robe Lodge.

Who Shot Thebarman (Yamanin Vital - Ears Carol), bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton, triumphed in the gr one $A2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick in April.

Tommy Tucker (by Gallant Guru), trained by Brian and Shane Anderton at White Robe Lodge, won the group three White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age at Wingatui in February when ridden by Shankar Muniandy.

Resident sire Raise The Flag sired five stakes winners in Australia during the season - Broadside (g3 Newcastle Cup and listed ATC Cup), Etah James (gr 3 Lord Reims Stakes), Yogi (listed Port Adelaide Cup), Parthesia (listed Bagot Handicap) and Civil Disobedience (listed Tasmanian Derby). He ended the season the leading New Zealand-based sire of stakes winners in Australia for the season.

Patrick Erin (by Gallant Guru), a stablemate of Who Shot Thebarman with Chris Waller, ran sixth in the Sydney Cup. Patrick Erin (by Gallant Guru) won 10 of his 21 races from the WRL stable, including the listed Riverton Cup before his transfer to Australia in February.
Fascinate gave Brian Anderton his 1500^th win as a trainer when successful at Wingatui in November. The stable won 36 races and $776,000 in stakes for the season which ended on July 31.

Fascinate won the listed Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton in April.

Ghibellines made an auspicious start as a sire. Three of his progeny offered by WRL averaged $80,000 in Book 1 at the revamped New Zealand Bloodstock National yearling sale at Karaka with a top price of $115,000. A filly by Ghibellines sold for $A115,000 ($NZ124,000) at the Sydney Classic sale.

The deceased WRL sire Yamanin Vital dominated prestige jumping races with the wins of Upper Cut (NZ Grand National Steeplechase), Wise Men Say (Great Northern and Wellington Steeples) and Ready Eddie (NZ Grand National Hurdles). Gallant Guru sired Max, winner of the Waikato Steeple.

Coulee (by Gallant Guru), the winner of 10 races and $287,202 in stakes, ended her racing career and she will join the broodmare band at WRL after group three wins in the South Island Breeders' Stakes (twice) and White Robe Lodge Handicap.

Highlights for the season for WRL personnel:

Brian Anderton (principal and trainer): "The mare (Fascinate) winning at Riccarton was a big thrill but every win is a win."

Lorraine Anderton (principal): Being very fortunate to receive so much recognition at the 2017 South Island Racing Awards.

Wayne Stewart (stud manager): "Preparing the first crop of Ghibellines, taking them to the sales, seeing how well they sold and how they went to prominent trainers throughout Australia and New Zealand."

Shane Anderton (co-trainer): "Tommy Tucker winning the White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age at his fourth attempt after two minor placings in the race."

Anne Beattie (office manager) "The good sale of horses to Australia and the renewed interest in Raise The Flag."