Monthly Archives: January 2012

New Bernardini stakes winner

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Darley shuttle-stallion Bernardini (A P Indy) is now the sire of 11 stakes winners following the win of Algorithims in Sunday’s $400,000 Gr 3 Holy Bull Stakes over a mile at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Algorithims (3 c Bernardini – Avaknowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance) relished the sloppy track to run out an emphatic five-length winner over last season’s champion US juvenile Hansen (Tapit).

“This race was going to tell us where we were with him, running against the 2-year-old champion,” Pletcher said. “Now he‚Äôs done everything we‚Äôve asked him to. It‚Äôs too early to say what we might do with him at this point.¬†He is by Bernardini and I don‚Äôt think he‚Äôll have distance limitations. So we just have to sort things out from here.‚Äù

Algorithims is from the second crop of Bernardini who is now the sire of eight Graded winners, four of them at Grade 1 level – A Z Warrior, Biondetti, Stay Thirsty and To Honor And Serve.

Bernardini’s oldest Australian crop are two-year-olds of 2011/12.

High Chaparral stock in demand

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High Chaparral (Ire) had his offspring sell well on Day 1 of the NZB Premier Sale with three of the top five lots sold, headed by a colt and filly fetching $650,000 apiece.

The first came at Lot 130, when the Lyndhurst Park colt from Creil (Frenchpark) was knocked down to the bid of Hong Kong agent Willie Leung acting for Hong Kong owner Mr WK Lee.

“We thought he was the best High Chaparral in the Sale and we were very keen to get him. Mr Lee wants a tough stayer and has been looking for a long time for a horse like this,” Leung said.”We paid a premium to get him but in order to get such a quality horse that is sometimes necessary.

“The horse will remain in New Zealand for at least 18 months for training and we will race him here in New Zealand before deciding whether he is good enough to send to Hong Kong.”

Less than an hour later the filly from the five-time winning Danehill mare Diamond Like was secured privately by Gai Waterhouse & James Harron Bloodstock shortly after the filly was passed through the ring.

A half-sister to the $2 million 2010 Karaka sale-topper, the filly was offered by Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud.

High Chaparral is the most represented of any sire at the 2012 Premier Sale, with 35 yearlings entered from his last New Zealand conceived crop. So far today 25 have sold for an average of $200,800.

$740,000 Stravinsky tops at Karaka

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A filly by Stravinsky (USA) sold for $740,000 late in the day to be the top-priced lot on Day 1 of the NZB Premier Sale at Karaka on Monday.¬†The filly from Cambridge Stud was out of Magic of Sydney mare Jesmond’s Gift, an unraced half-sister to Canny Lad and Canny Lass and closely related to the Golden Slipper Stakes winner Sepoy.

Stravinsky - Jesmond's Gift filly

Stravinsky - Jesmond's Gift filly

“She is a beautiful filly with a lovely outlook and a lot of class and we are thrilled to be training her,” commented Ellis on his purchase. “You have got to be prepared to pay for the best fillies and we were prepared to do that today. She was a bought for a very good client who has had many fillies with Te Akau over the past 20 years.”

“Stravinsky is a very good international sire of fillies and we are going to aim her for the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, which Te Akau has a great record with having won four of the last six titles.”

Ellis was the leading buyer of the day with 14 purchased for $2,402,500 at an average of $171,607. His second top price was $200,000 paid for Lot 46, the Danehill Dancer colt from Thunder Gulch mare Anatomy – a half-sister to last Saturday’s Group 2 Wellington Cup winner Six O’Clock News (Zabeel) – offered by Pencarrow Stud.

There were 170 lots sold on Monday at an aggregate of $24,817,500 at an average of $145,985 and the clearance rate of 70%

The sale continues on Tuesday.

Ambitious Dragon stunning in Stewards Cup

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Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year Ambitious Dragon (6 g Pins РGolden Gamble, by Oregon) swept to a scintillating victory in the HKG1 Stewards’ Cup on Sunday.

The Tony Millard-trained Ambitious Dragon headed into the 1600m contest, the 1st Leg of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown, with a point to prove after tasting defeat in his two previous outings, most recently when fourth to the Tony Cruz-trained California Memory in the 2000m G1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup at the track on 11 December.

Ridden once again by champion jockey Douglas Whyte, Ambitious Dragon consigned those defeats to history as he posted a performance of the utmost class; sprinting clear when asked inside the final 300m and then cruising past the post a length and a quarter clear of the John Moore-trained Xtension, with old rival, the late-closing California Memory, a further three quarters of a length back in third.

“He’s back from that bad experience, that’s the main thing, he’s back!” said a delighted Millard. “I was a bit more confident today. Going into the Hong Kong Cup, we didn’t have a good run-in; he had a bad prep and going into the International race was just too hard.”

Millard, who is confident in the five-year-old’s ability at a range of distances, will now point his charge at the 2nd Leg of the Triple Crown, the HKG1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000m.

“I’m not somebody who puts the cart in front of the horse,” continued Millard, “but we will definitely go for the 2000m and then we will decide what we are going to do, but we are definitely going race by race.

‚ÄúI don‚Äôt think the mile and a half of the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup ‚Äì 3rd Leg) will be a problem the way this horse can turn it on. Even today, I thought that Douglas could have gone a little bit later; he has a phenomenal turn of speed, the way that he can make it up.”

“I think Ambitious Dragon is a true champion – he hasn’t got a (best) distance.”

Rock ‘N’ Pop boosts value

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Rock ‘N’ Pop (3 c Fastnet Rock – Popsy, by Sir Tristram) proved the strongest in the NZB Insurance Karaka 3yo Mile (Listed) over 1600m at Ellerslie on Sunday. The Te Akau Racing owned colt was pushed through a needle-eye opening int the straight and go clear and then find plenty to hold out Mosh Pitt (Scaredee Cat) with Fort Lincoln (Charge Forward) in third.

“There is a lot of improvement to come in this horse,” Te Akau principal David Ellis said. “He is by Fastnet Rock and is worth a lot of money as a stallion prospect so to win a race like this is excellent.”

Ellis paid $NZ1 million for Rock ‘N’ Pop as a yearling at the 2010 NZB Karaka Premier Sale and trainer Jason Bridgman has already prepared the 3yo to win the NZ 2000 Guineas last year. Bridgman indicated that the Avondale Guineas is the next race for Rock ‘N’ Pop.

“He’s good and showed a lot of courage,” jockey Matthew Cameron explained. “He was not suited by the heavy footing last time but today was much better and he will improve a lot for the run. A good effort.”

Ockham’s Razor wins Karaka Millions

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Australian owned and trained Ockham’s Razor (2 c Any Suggestion – Shadow Ray, by Groom Dancer) proved too good for the locals when running home strongly to win the $NZ1 million Karaka Millions (Listed) over 1200m at Ellerslie on Sunday.

The Australian Bloodstock-syndicated colt came from a midfield position into the straight and then came out wide with a well-timed run to run past Silk Pins (Pins) to go on and score with Warhorse (General Nediym) in third.

The win is the biggest in the career for trainer Anthony Freedman. “We didn’t know the form of the locals but we knew we had a good horse and he’s won a bit of money now.”

Purchased for $170,000 as a yearling at last year’s NZB Karaka Sales, Ockham’s Razor was syndicated by Australian Bloodstock who had a large contingent on hand to celebrate the big payday.

“This is just great, just great,” principal Luke Murrell said. “Anthony always said he thought this was the perfect colt for the race and that was the plan. To come here and win it is just a dream and for a lot of these owners it is their first horse, so it is a dream result really.”

Ockham’s Razor is from the first crop of the Australian Group winner Any Suggestion, a son of Lion Hunter, who stands at Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand, with that farm offering a full-sister to Ockham’s Razor later this week at the NZB Select Sale.

Day of firsts for Waikato Stud sire

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Waikato Stud sire Fast ‘n’ Famous (Redoute’s Choice – Zalinda, by Zabeel) broke through for his first stakes winner when Quintessential (Fast ‘n’ Famous – Florette, by Sword Dance) finished strongly to claim the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.

Fast ‘n’ Famous never won over a distance further than 1200 metres in his 13-start career but could have an Oaks contender after Quintessential came from back in the field to beat Capital Diamond (Lucky Unicorn – Diamond Smile, by Zabeel) and Artistic (Darci Brahma – Artless, by Dahar).

Keep The Peace (Keeper – Peace Of Mind, by Wild Rampage) and Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago – Stoneyfell Road, by Soveriegn Red) have both completed the Desert Gold Stakes and New Zealand Oaks double in recent years.

Quintessential’s trainer John Sargent said he would either aim the filly at the New Zealand Oaks or the Brisbane winter carnival.

Fast ‘n’ Famous also earned his first Australian city winner when Bombalatomba (Fast ‘n’ Famous – Carnegie Gold, by Carnegie) claimed the Hilton Manufacturing Handicap (1400m) at Sandown.

Bombalatomba’s trainer Chris Hyland said he could give the gelding a chance in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) if he measures up in the Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m).

Zabeel gelding makes the news in Wellington Cup

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Zabeel (Sir Tristram – Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) seven-year-old Six O’Clock News evoked memories of a former New Zealand champion with his win in Saturday’s Group 2 Wellington Cup (2400m) at Trentham.

Six O’Clock News’s jockey Leith Innes wore the brown and gold colours made famous by the top stayer Castletown (One Pound Sterling – Mona Curragh, by Levmoss), who won the Wellington Cup when the event was run over two miles as a Group 1 event.

Paddy Busuttin trained Castletown while his son Trent oversees Six O’Clock News’s career in partnership with Natalie Young.

Innes had no favours aboard Six O’Clock News, who raced three-wide with cover for most of the race, but managed to get enough out of the durable stayer to beat last year’s Wellington Cup winner Spiro (Pyrus – Radio Rocket, by Harbor Prince) and The Jungle Boy (Jungle Pocket – Ballina Wave, by Lord Ballina).

The win was the second for Six O’Clock News in the space of a week after the gelding won the Group 3 Trentham Stakes. Six O’Clock News broke a three-year winning drought in the Wellington Cup lead-up event.

Cambridge Stud had further success on Saturday when Stravinsky (Nureyev – Fire The Groom, by Blushing Groom) gelding El Chico won the Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton.

Pentire mare claims Thorndon Mile

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Four-year-old mare Say No More ( Pentire – Our Lucy, by Walking Ring) became the latest Group 1-winning miler for Rich Hill Stud stallion Pentire (Be My Guest – Gull Nook, by Mill Reef) in Saturday’s Group 1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham in New Zealand.

Say No More joined the likes of Rangirangdoo (Pentire – She Wishes, by Kenfair), Mufhasa (Pentire – Sheila Cheval, by Mi Preferido) and Penny Gem (Pentire – Gemscay, by Maizcay) as 1600-metre winners at the highest level with her success in the $NZ200,000 event.

Say No More settled midfield for apprentice Rosie Myers before unleashing a terrific sprint to dash two lengths clear of her opposition with 200 metres to run. The margin proved more than enough as Say No More defeated Postmans Daughter (Postponed – Kinjabelle, by Kinjite) and Jetset Lad (Elusive City – Jetset Lass, by Jetball).

The win was the up and coming mare’s fifth in nine starts. Her trainer Paul Duncan said he would probably aim Say No More at lucrative races during the Brisbane winter carnival.

“She’s shown a lot all the way through and has just got stronger and stronger,” Duncan told Trackside.

“There are some nice races like the Winter Stakes over there for this mare and I’d like to take Midnight Oil over too. She had a setback but is coming along now.”

Say No More became the 35th individual stakes winner for Pentire. Her breeders did not offer her for auction at any sale as a yearling.

Raylee’s Classic

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Peter Moody enjoyed a winning night at Moonee Valley with three winners, headed by Black Caviar in the Gr 2 Essendon Mazda Australia Stakes (1200m) and Power O’Raylee (4 m O’Reilly – La Banca, by Grosvenor) who made it five wins in succession when running out the 4 length winner of the $100,000 Sportingbet Carlyon Classic (2040m).

Power O’Raylee ran to the front into the home straight and she was clear, winning eased down by Luke Nolen to defeat Our Serene (Fantastic Light) comfortably with Winged Charm (Hawk Wing) a further 1 1/4 lengths back third.

“She’s done a fantastic job this mare,” Moody said. “Everything we’ve asked of her this time in she’s answered and just kept stepping up. I thought she had had enough after her last win at Flemington but this was a $100,000 race and they don’t come along too often.”

Power O’Raylee was one of two winners on the night for O’Reilly following the win of Rollerball (3 g O’Reilly – Dehere Today, by Dehere) who won the opening race, the $50,000 Mitchelton Wines Handicap (72) over 1600m.