Date posted January 18, 2010 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
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ZabeelMelbourne, Vic (Jan 18th, 2010) - The competition for New Zealand’s richest race, the $2.2 million Telecom New Zealand Derby, is heating up with top names from Australia and New Zealand heading the latest order of entry.
Zarzuela (Zabeel ex Star Satire by Volksraad) winner of the Group 2 AURC Great Northern Guineas (2100 m.) heads the ballot order followed by Time Keeper (Stravinsky ex Organdy by Our Emblem) and Prince of Wales (Bachelor Duke ex Serenity Princess by Encosta de Lago), head the order after scoring exemption from ballot with placings in Group 2 feature on Boxing Day.
AJC Champion Stakes and VRC Derby winner, Monaco Consul (High Chaparral ex Argante by Star Way ) is the next on the order with more than a million in earnings to date. The impressive colt is followed by New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series leader, Katie Lee ( Pins ex Miss Jessie Jay by Spectacularphantom), with fellow filly series competitors St Germaine (Keeper ex Selenium by Straight Strike) and Blonde Bombshell (Towkay ex Millie Munroe by Grosvenor) also in the top 20.
Australians, Umatain (Umatilla ex Rain in Settain by Torrential), winner of the VRC The MoÉt & Chandon (1700 m.) trained by Clinton McDonald, and, Encosta Belief (Encosta de Lago ex Plaisir d’Amour by Danehill), winner of three races up to 1400m trained by Peter Moody, are high in the order and could be looking to make the trip across the Tasman while compatriots Finishing Card (Platinum Scissors ex Helen by Quest for Fame) and Pheromone (Zabeel ex Shovoff by Danehill) are well down the order of entry and need to win a few dollars.
“We’re still over sixn weeks out from the Derby and with just $15,500 between 15th and 25th places on the order, the competition will be fierce. There are still plenty of opportunities to improve positions on the order as well as ballot exemptions available to the first four home in the Group 2 Championship Stakes here at Ellerslie on 20 February,” said Auckland Racing Club Director of Racing Andrew Castles.
