Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Football
Netball
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Full Noise by SN
Live sport on SN this weekendCambridge Stud family chasing NZB Kiwi success with Zivou
Sport Nation • February 27th, 2026 5:15 pm
Zivou | Photo: Race Images
Cambridge Stud and Kingsclere Stables partnered to win the $1 million Group One Queensland Derby with Pinarello in 2022, and four years on, they are hoping his half-brother Zivou can score another prized three-year-old scalp.
The son of Bivouac will represent Cambridge Stud’s slot in next Saturday’s $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day, and Cambridge Stud representative Scott Calder said farm principals Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay are excited to contest the race with a son of their broodmare gem Zonza, who Kingsclere’s Roger James trained to win five races, including the Group Three Ladies Day Vase.
“We are looking forward to being a part of another big day this year,” Calder said. “It is great to be teaming up with Roger and Rob with Zivou, who is a homebred off the farm, which makes things a lot more special."
“He is from a family that has been extra special to Sir Brendan and Lady Jo. Zivou’s dam, Zonza, has been a fantastic producer for the farm with the likes of Pinarello, Vernazza and Bavella.
“We are hoping he runs up to his pedigree.”
Warriors, Blues, and Auckland FC join forces for 'The People’s Horse' in the NZB Kiwi | Millsy & Guy
Zormella, Kingsclere’s NZB Kiwi contender last year, also hails from the same immediate family, being out of Mamarella, a half-sister to Zivou.
Zivou has shown plenty of promise on the track, posting consecutive victories last month before running sixth in the $150,000 Group Three Eagle Technology Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie behind NZB Kiwi contender Belle Cheval.
“We thought his run in the Uncle Remus had a lot of merit,” said Robert Wellwood, who trains the gelding in partnership with Roger James. “He was trapped wide and didn’t have an easy run, but we thought he stuck on very well. Once we saw he had pulled up nicely it was all go (for The NZB Kiwi).”
The King's Men select Belle Cheval for the NZB Kiwi | Millsy & Guy
Wellwood said they face a stiff task against $1.20 NZB Kiwi favourite Well Written, but he is confident his gelding will be competitive next weekend.
“Well Written looks almost impossible to beat but we thought his effort against what is probably going to be the rest of the field in the Uncle Remus was good, and we felt with a softer run he would have been closer.”
Cambridge Stud have been pleased with Zivou’s progression on the track and they are excited to test him against a strong line-up in the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race.
“We are very grateful to Roger and Rob for getting the horse to the race,” Calder said.
“He has been a little bit of a late maturer, but he keeps taking steps forward and we felt the way he ran last time had merit.
“We are going in there against the likes of Well Written, which makes life difficult, but we are hoping he can be competitive.”
Smithy reacts to Well Written named in TAB slot for the NZB Kiwi | Sport Nation
