O'Reilly

An outstanding finishing burst has enabled two-year-old filly Pussy Willow (O’Reilly - Octapussy, by Octagonal) to become the 53^rd individual stakes winner for Waikato Stud sire O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) in the Group Challenge Stakes (1200m) at Trentham.

Pussy Willow made her ride Samantha Spratt earn every cent of her riding fee after racing greenly for the first three-quarters of the race before the two-start veteran found her groove with 200 metres to run. Pussy Willow made light of a six-length deficit at the 200 metres to score by a half-length over Hazel (Handsome Ransom - Elfonze, by Krasnopolski).

Pussy Willow failed to reach her $250,000 reserve at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale but her two wins have returned her owners, Sir Patrick Hogan and Lady Justine Hogan and Peter Walker, more than $NZ50,000 with the promise of much more to come. The trio will offer a half-sister to Pussy Willow at the upcoming NZB Premier Sale.

Pussy Willow’s trained Steven McKee said Pussy Willow’s early waywardness was no surprise to him.

“That’s sort of what I expected,” Ardmore trainer Stephen McKee said. “I thought she might get lost over the crossing and she pretty much did, but she’s absolute top class.”

O’Reilly enjoyed more juvenile success across the Tasman Sea when the Danny O’Brien-trained Shamexpress (O’Reilly - Volkrose, by Volksraad) posted a four-length win in the opening event at Flemington.

O’Brien paid $130,000 for Shamexpress at the 2011 NZB Premier Sale and expects the colt to perform at a higher level over more ground during his three-year-old season.

Waikato Stud stallion O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) may have another possible stakes contender after Notice Received  (O’Reilly - Classique Royale, by Royal Academy) stayed undefeated with her success at Sandown on Wednesday.

Power O’Raylee (O’Reilly - La Banca, by Grosvenor) stamped herself ready for the jump to stakes grade with a demolition of her opposition at Flemington last Saturday.

Notice Received won a Geelong maiden but trainer Andrew Noblet had enough confidence in the $135,000 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase to throw her into the deep in in the city.

The filly raced midfield before stretching out strongly in the straight to post a decisive victory in the Cove Hotel Handicap (1400m).

“Not many horses do that, come out of a maiden and win next start,” Noblet said.

“She’s an immature horse and she has got plenty to do so it was very exciting. Hopefully, we will see how far we go with her this time around but I am sure she will be better next time.

“She’s very professional. She has been like that since day one. She is great to handle and has a great attitude, which goes a long way. She is bred to get 2000 metres-plus, which is great for her and the way she is in herself defines that.”

Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien continued his strong association with the progeny of Waikato Stud sires after preparing a double with Pins’s (Snippets - No Finer, by Kaoru Star) offspring at Wednesday’s Geelong meeting.

O’Brien has enjoyed terrific success with the produce from Waikato Stud sires. The trainer has won stakes races with the likes of Gallopin (Pins - Carla Rossi, by Spectacular Love), Breezy (Pins - Zephyr Magic, by Zephyr Bay), Glam Slam (Pins - Gio, by Centaine) and Keano (Pins - O’Really, by O’Reilly).

O’Brien claimed the Geelong News Maiden Plate (1500m) with the $145,000 purchase Higuain (Pins - Heads Or Tales, by Tale Of The Cat) posted an impressive win.

Higuain hails from the same family as Group 1 winners Good Faith (Straight Strike - Head Of The River, by Shirley Heights) and Daffodil (No Excuse Needed - Spring, by O’Reilly).

Muchos Respectos (Pins - Lookatmelads, by College Chapel) completed O’Brien’s Geelong double with his success in the Baby And Child Handicap (1200m).

O’Brien paid $45,000 for the gelding at the 2009 NZB Premier yearling Sale.

Meanwhile, Caulfield trainer Andrew Noblet produced a smart winner by another Waikato Stud stallion, O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court), when Notice Received (O’Reilly - Classique Royale, by Royal Academy) powered home to win the Geelong Advertiser Maiden Plate (1200m).

Noblet paid$135,000 for the filly at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Trans-Tasman trainer Mike Moroney says Chicharita (Towkay - Trisynd, by Sir Tristram)  has forced the stable to consider a late entry for the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) after her comfortable success in Sunday’s Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.

Chicharita is not nominated for the New Zealand Oaks but the daughter of Little Avondale Stud resident Towkay (Last Tycoon - Princess Tracy, by Ahonoora) showed terrific staying prowess to beat a strong field, which included Group 1 winner Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock - Akris, by Zabeel).

Moroney, who trains Chicharita in partnership with Andrew Clarken, said Chicharita could travel to Australian to compete in Sydney during the autumn carnival.

“We have got a couple of smart fillies and we are going to split them,” Moroney said. “One is in the paddock and will probably head to Queensland but this filly  is still on target for the (NZ) Oaks.

“She could go for an AJC Oaks or something like that. I think she is going to be well up to it. She is out of Sir Tristram mare and very much like Sir Tristram”.

Chicharita became the 11^th stakes winner for Towkay.

Earlier, Silent Achiever (O’Reilly - Winning Spree, by Zabeel) booked her trip to Sydney for the Group 1 Storm Queen Stakes (2000m) with her success against the males in the Group 2 Championship Stakes (2100m).

Waikato Stud stallion O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) earned his 52^nd individual stakes victor when Silent Achiever posted a comfortable win over Shuka (Bachelor Duke - Alabama Rose, by Cape Cross).

O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) mare Power O’Raylee (O’Reilly - La Banca, by Grosvenor) looks likely to provide enormous value for her $95,000 purchase price, judging by her emphatic win at Caulfield on Wednesday.

Typical of many of the breed Power O’Raylee has taken until her four-year-old season to hit her straps but the mare should continue to race through her classes. Power O’Raylee sat behind the leaders early in The Age Handicap (1800m) before showing neat acceleration to post a 1-3/4-length win.

The mare made light of the jump from maiden class to 0-72 racing against males on Wednesday. Her trainer, Peter Moody, said Power O’Raylee should continue to progress through the staying ranks in Melbourne.

“She has matured as a racehorse, it has just taken her a little while,” Moody said.

“She has been a late developing type of mare and this preparation; she has started to put it all together.”

John Foote Bloodstock signed for Power O’Raylee at the 2009 NZB South Island Sale.

Waikato Stud featured prominently in Tuesday’s racing action with a quartet of successes spread across both sides of the Tasman Sea.

Savabeel (Zabeel - Savannah Success, by Success Express) and O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) provided two legs apiece. The duo combined for a double at the Awapuni meeting in New Zealand.

Lego (O’Reilly - Legs, by Pins) took out the Knottingly Farm Maiden (1400m). Lego is the first foal of Legs (Pins - River Century, by Centaine), who was the Joint Top Filly on the 2005-06 New Zealand Free Handicap with wins in the Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) and New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Legs is a half-sister to the WA-based Group 1 winner Guyno (O’Reilly - River Century, Centaine).

Trophy Head (Savabeel - Saxaphone, by Jetball) completed Waikato Stud’s Awapuni double with his win in the Tui Brewing Legends Maiden (1600m).

O’Reilly’s Gold (O’Reilly - She’s All Gold, by Prized) was O’Reilly’s second winner of the day after the four-year-old won the DHA Rural Sales Handicap (1516m) at Lismore while Karamea (Savabeel - Ballet Honours, by Honor Grades) comprehensively won the Patinack Farm Maiden Handicap (1100m) at Scone.

Imported galloper December Draw (Medecis - New York, Danzero) will start as the favourite for Sunday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

December Draw is a warm favourite for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). The Mark Kavanagh-trained gelding has drawn barrier eight in the 14-strong field for the $500,000 feature.

The Lloyd Williams-owned Macedon Lodge operation has accepted to start three runners in the Turnbull Stakes.

Williams will run the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient (Zabeel - Refused The Dance) in the race as well as At First Sight (Galileo - Healing Music, Bering) and Linton (Galileo - Our Heather, by Centaine).

Group 1 AJC Australian Derby winner Shamrocker (O’Reilly - Bohemian Blues, by Blues Traveller) will be out to produce an improved performance after her disappointing effort in the Group I Underwood Stakes (1800m) on September 17.

Click here for the full fields for Sunday’s Turnbull Stakes and the support card for the Flemington meeting.

The Danny O’Brien trainer mare Placement (Savabeel - Lucida, by O’Reilly) withdrew her claim as Australia’s best maiden after breaking through at Friday’s Geelong Synthetic meeting.

Placement finished third in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington last year among three stakes placings but remarkably took 18 attempts to win her first race.

Placement looked to be in trouble with 100 metres of the unsuitably short race to run but the mare lifted late to beat the plucky Birkin (Sequalo - So Chic, by Fasliyev) by a long head.

O’Brien paid $65,000 for Placement at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The mare’s win took her prizemoney to more than $200,000.

Placement’s effort provided an Australian leg to a trans-Tasman treble for Waikato Stud with the operation’s consistent sire Pins (Snippets - No Finer, by Kaoru Star) providing the other two wins.

The Jason Bridgman-trained Manny Pacuiao (Pins - Georgiana, by Nassipour) comfortably won the IRT Maiden Handicap (1300m) at Taupo before Frockstar (Pins - Nicole’s Niner, by Forty Niner), from the John Bary stable, won the Cambridge Stud Tavistock Maiden (1200m) at the same venue.

Frockstar is a half-brother to the former Singapore Horse of the Year, Currency (Spinning World - Nicole’s Niner, by Forty Niner) as well as the Melbourne city winner Sparkling Satine (O’Reilly - Nicole’s Niner, by Forty Niner).

Waikato Stud finished its trans-Tasman season in fine style with its stallions providing eight winners over the final weekend of the season.

Winning doubles to Savabeel (Zabeel - Savannah Success, by Success Express) and No Excuse Needed (Machiavellian - Nawaiet, by Zilzal) propelled the New Zealand operation to a quintet of successes on Saturday.

Snow Excuse (No Excuse Needed - Kirkberg, by Mighty Avalanche) provided the highlight of the weekend when the two-year-old provided No Excuse Needed with his 11^th individual stakes winner when the filly claimed the Brancott Estate - Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Saturday’s Otaki meeting.

The Danny O’Brien-trained Lopov (Savabeel - Prickle, by Pins) stamped himself as a future stakes winner with his emphatic success in the Yalumba Masters (2400m) at Caulfield.

No Excuse Needed was among the winners again on Sunday. His three-year-old son Anotherexcuse (No Excuse Needed - Kristabeba, by Kris) claimed the Laurel Function Room Maiden Plate (1736m) at Sale.

Spooked (Scaredee Cat - Beat The Fade, by Maroof) produced another victory for Waikato Stud sires when the three-year-old filly claimed the Turnbull Plumbing Maiden Plate (1008m). Noonan paid $130,000 for the daughter the Group 2 winner Beat The Fade (Maroof - Dawn Run, by Sir Tristram).

Pins (Snippets - No Finer, by Kaoru Star) gelding My Quilter (Pins - Sound Lover, by Sound Reason) completed Waikato’s eight-win weekend with his effort to take out the Quad Services Maiden Plate (1200m) on the Sunshine Coast. My Quilter is a half-brother to stakes-winning stayers Philosophe and Men At Work (both Zabeel - Sound Lover, by Sound Reason).

New Zealand operation Waikato Stud had plenty to celebrate on Thursday after its stallions produced a Trans-Tasman trio of successes.

Savabeel (Zabeel - Savannah Success, by Success Express) has enjoyed a terrific run in Queensland during the Brisbane winter carnival. The sire’s form extended to Rockhampton when Hampden (Savabeel - Operavega, by Stravinsky) took out the Fine Wine Partners Class 1 Handicap (1200m).

Across the Tasman, Waikato Stud sires No Excuse Needed (Machiavellian - Nawaiet, by Zilzal) and O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) combined for a winning double. Three-year-old filly Zumba (No Excuse Needed - Nautical, by Yachtie) took out the Connors Family Maiden Plate (1200m) before A Real Prince (O’Reilly - Ceecee Princess, by Cape Cross) proved too strong fro his older opposition in the Lennox Clan Handicap (1340m).

Meanwhile, Blue Gum Farm stallion Elvstroem (Danehill - Circles Of Gold, by Marscay) proved hard to beat in home state with a double at Thursday’s Ballarat meeting.

Leading trainer Mark Kavanagh produced Instalment (Elvstroem - Brightcut, by Octagonal) to claim the James & Son 2YO Maiden (1000m) on debut before Thou Shall Conquer ploughed through the heavy track to win the James & Son Custom Feeds Maiden (1400m).

A double to Cox Plate winner Savabeel (Zabeel - Savannah Success, by Success Express) has provided a foundation for a quartet of successes for Waikato Stud on Friday.

The well-related Savaging (Savabeel- Gio, by Centaine) started Waikato’s impressive day with his win in the Centrebet Handicap (2000m) at the Geelong Synthetic track.

Gio (Centaine - Celia Leigh, by Sound Reason) has thrown three stakes winners by Waikato Stud sires - Arenti (O’Reilly - Gio, by Centaine), Crepe De Chine (Pins - Gio, by Centaine) and Glam Slam (Pins - Gio, by Centaine).

The Graeme Rogerson-trained Marabeel (Savabeel - Marley Magic, by Carnegie) completed the young stallion’s double when the three-year-old took out the Rotorua Club Maiden (1200m) at Arawa Park in New Zealand.

O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) chimed in with a success of his own at the Sunshine Coast meeting. O’Reilly’s Gold (O’Reilly - She’s All Gold, by Prized) scored a comfortable win in the Contour Consulting Engineering Handicap (1400m).

The Mike Moroney-trained Gospel (Pins - Worship, by Irish River) completed Waikato Stud’s quarter of winners when the gelding claimed the Kawerau Cosmopolitan Club Maiden (1400m) at Arawa Park.

New Zealand operations Waikato Stud enjoyed a wonderful run of success on Saturday with three of its stallions producing seven winners between them, including a new stakes winner for O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court).

O’Reilly earned his 49^th individual stakes winner when Hammer Down (O’Reilly - Our Prized Rose, by Prized) won the Group 3 Windsor Park Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa. O’Reilly also earned his third two-year-old victory for the season when Pussy O’Reilly (O’Reilly - Octapussy, Octagonal) took out the Cambridge Equine Hospital Maiden (1200m), also at Te Rapa.

Waikato Stud stallions quinellaed the race when Pins (Snippets - No Finer, by Kaoru Star) filly Orutan (Pins - Naturo, by Postponed) filled the second spot. Pins had his own success later in the day at Te Rapa when Aspinal (Pins - Clermont Rose, by Sound Reason) began a trans-Tasman double for the stallion in the Maneline Cambridge Handicap (1200m).

The John O’Shea-trained Glintz (Pins - Glitzy, by O’Reilly) led all the way to win the Blakes Marine Handicap (1400m) at Hawkesbury. Savabeel (Zabeel - Savannah Success, by Success Express) got into the act in the next race at Hawkesbury when the Gai Waterhouse-trained Tullamore (Savabeel - Trocair, by Flying Spur) took out the Richmond Club Provincial Stayers’ Final (2250m).

Scarlett Lady (Savabeel - On Call, by Ironclad) had earlier provided Savabeel with his 10^th stakes success when the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained took her winning sequence to four with her comprehensive win in the Group 2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.

No Excuse Needed (Machiavellian - Nawaiet, by Zilzal) did his bit for Waikato Stud when his three-year-old son Aldebaran Star (No Excuse Needed - Hyaded, by O’Reilly) took out the Per Incanto at Little Avondale Handicap (1200m).

Waikato Stud released its 2011 fees yesterday with Group 1 sires O’Reilly and Pins heading the roster.

“The big thing for us is to offer breeders the opportunity to breed the best racehorses that they can and at good value,” Waikato Stud’s Owner/General Manager, Mark Chittick said yesterday. “For us to be able to play a part in the likes of Pat Lowry breeding the Hong Kong Derby winner Ambitious Dragon or with Vern Trillo and his incredible filly Shamrocker, it is just massive!”

Waikato Stud co-owner Garry Chittick is also understandably proud of the sire roster’s consistent record achieved. “Waikato is very fortunate in that it’s able to provide a stallion line-up that offers breeders a consistently proven record,” he said.

“O’Reilly’s ability to produce horses that perform at the highest level annually confirms his 7.1% stakes winners-to-runners figure and he gives breeders a real opportunity to breed that elite horse.

“Then as for Pins, what can you say. He had his 38th individual stakes winner on Saturday and counts the likes of Ambitious Dragon, Katie Lee, El Segundo and Legs amongst his Gr.1 stand outs. Like O’Reilly, his ability to get a topliners is confirmed by an encouraging stakes winners-to-runners figure of 7.4%.”

“As for Paco Boy, he very much embodies the stud’s long held policy of securing stallions that are outstanding milers, who possess a real turn of foot when called upon. We welcome people to come out and have a look at Paco Boy, who I have to say has us very much looking forward to the 2011/12 season.”

Of this season ahead, Mark enthuses, “There is no doubt that the worldwide success of the New Zealand-bred horse bodes well for the future,”

“Waikato has a strict criteria for its stallions and the results have been seen year-in/year out. When you team this with the likelihood of a demand/supply gap ahead, it really does make now an ideal time for people to breed.”

Pins

Waikato Stud’s 2011 Stud Fees:

O’Reilly $50,000 +GST, LFG

Pins $40,000 + GST, LFG

Savabeel $20,000 + GST, LFG

Paco Boy $12,500 + GST, LFG

Fast‘N’Famous $8000 + GST, LFG

No Excuse Needed $8000 + GST, LFG

Rios $5000 + GST, LFG

Scaredee Cat POA

Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien has scored another Group 1 win with progeny of Waikato Stud resident O’Reilly (Last Tycoon - Courtza, by Pompeii Court) when Shamrocker (O’Reilly - Bohemian Blues, by Blues Traveller) took out Saturday’s Group 1 AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.

O’Brien won the 2007 Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) with Master O’Reilly (O’Reilly - Without Remorse, by Bakharoff) and almost won the 2009 edition of the race with Vigor (O’Reilly - Rationable, by Housebuster). Shamrocker had previously won the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington before Saturday’s success.

O’Brien’s bloodstock manager Carl Brown found Shamrocker at the 2009 Karaka yearling sale in New Zealand. Brown secured the filly on O’Brien’s behalf for $60,000. The AJC Australian Derby prizemoney took Shamrocker’s stakes level to more than $1.8 million.

“I had already left New Zealand to come back to Melbourne,” O’Brien said. “Carl just called me from New Zealand and said he had found us a horse.

“I hadn’t event seen her but full credit goes to Carl for finding her.”

Shamrocker’s success was O’Reilly’s first AJC Australian Derby win. O’Reilly’s sire Last Tycoon (Try My Best - Mill Princess, by Mill Reef) sired an AJC Australian Derby winner in 1995 when Mahogany won the staying classic.

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