As it was in Australia, the weekend’s racing in New Zealand, was high lighted with the first  Group 1 event of the new season and  Tavistock took the honours in Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Mudgway Partsworld Stakes over 1400m.
   Trained by Andrew Campbell, Tavistock (ex Upstage by Quest for Fame) overcame a field of sixteen, including seven Group 1 winners, to win the $220,000 Mudgway by half a neck.
   In taking the sprint he defeated New Zealand’s Horse of the Year Mufhasa (Pentire - Sheila Cheval) in the first-leg of the rich Hawke’s Bay triple crown.
   By leading international sire Montjeu, Tavistock was good enough to win at two and place sixth in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes before crossing the Tasman to the stable of Mick Price where he ran in strong races leading up to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) as a spring three-year-old.   During his stint in Victoria he recorded a win over the bonny filly Romneya at Flemington over 1400m along with top four finishes behind Fernandina in both the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude and Listed Vain Stakes.  
    Tavistock has clearly improved further this season at four, he jumped from barrier 13 on Saturday with Jason Waddell aboard. Waddell settled the strapping bay entire midfield before applying pressure quickly in the home straight down centre track.
   Mufhasa showed his horse of the year qualities and fought hard to the wire but Tavistock proved too good in a time of 1.22.09.
   Tavistock became the second Group 1 winning son of Montjeu in the Southern Hemisphere following closely on the heels of 2008 Australian Derby winner Nom Du Jeu.
   Though no longer shuttling, Montjeu has three well performed sons who have recently been retired to stud in New Zealand much to the delight of breeders who now recognise the pre-potency of the 1999 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner. These sons include Gallant Guru (Group 2 winner, White Robe Lodge), Guillotine (Group 2 winner, Windsor Park Stud), and Mettre En Jeu (Listed winner and Group 1 placed, Letham Thoroughbreds).
   Tavistock was bred by the Duchess of Bedford’s Bloomsbury Stud and later sold in 2007 to Campbell for $85,000. A direct descendent of Mrs Moss, Tavistock will continue towards New Zealand’s richest spring race the $1,000,000 Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes (2000m) on October 3.

Permalink| Aug 31, 2009

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