The Moore family has a long-time and extensive involvement with the Karaka (South Auckland) property which now operates as the leading thoroughbred stud, Soliloquy Lodge.
Dick Moore started as a worker on the property working for Dick Urquhart prior to World War II. After fighting in the war he returned to New Zealand and once again worked the farm for Mr Urquhart.
He put his name down for the ballot farms and told Mr Urquhart of this. The very next day Mr Urquhart offered to sell him some of his farm, an offer which was taken up and subsequently more of the property was acquired.
Following Mr Urquhart’s death, Dick Moore bought the rest of the farm which is now known as Soliloquy Lodge.
It was first established as a cattle and sheep farm but Dick Moore soon developed an interest in horse racing and met with success as an owner of the likes of Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Ravenwood.
When Richard Moore was 15 years old, Sir Woolf Fisher of the famous breeding establishment, Ra Ora Stud, gave him a few mares and among them was Pay Packet.
From Pay Packet Richard bred a colt by Ismone which was to become known as Osmarin. He was sold at Trentham for 1000 guineas and brought by Geoff Murphy. Osmarin won eight races and was stakes placed.
Richard also bought a mare called Gaberdine (by Gabador) who was carrying Princess Patine (Pakistan II). He sold the foal at foot for 1000 guineas.
When Princess Patine was a weanling Richard was called up into the Army so he sold her to Gerald Fell who pinhooked her and sold her to Messrs Max and Wiltshire and they raced her.
Richard kept in contact with them and after Princess Patine was retired from racing Moore Senior and Junior made a deal with the owners to look after the mare.
The Moores sent Princess Patine to Sobig and she subsequently produced a brown filly who was named Soliloquy.
A high-class racehorse, Soliloquy won 13 races including the Group 1 Lion Brown Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa. Her other notable group race wins included the Lowland Stakes and she was runner-up in the Group 1 Railway Handicap at Ellerslie.
Soliloquy had 11 foals to the race and nine of these have been winners. The best performed of her foals was the 1985 New Zealand "Filly Of The Year", Solveig (NZ) (Imposing x Soliloquy by Sobig), who even surpassed the achievements of her dam with 14 wins including three Group 1 successes in the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham, Avondale Cup at Avondale and DB 1600 at Trentham.
Other successful foals left by Soliloquy have included Solstice (9 wins), Soltanto (7 wins) and Reasoning (3 wins).
Recent Group winners bred by the Moore family at Soliloquy Lodge include Gr.1 winners Captivate, Culminate and Eileen Dubh, as well as Gr.3 winners Solvini and Do You Think.