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Posted by admin | Filed under Bel Esprit, Exceed And Excel, Racing and Breeding, SDB
Eliza Park stallion Bel Esprit (Royal Academy - Bespoken, by Vain) may have another Group 1 prospect after Bel Sprinter’s (Bel Esprit - Gavroche, by Snippets) brilliant win in Saturday’s Listed W J Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.
Bel Esprit is already the sire of the world’s best sprinter Black Caviar (Bel Esprit - Helsinge, by Desert Sun) and Group 1 winner Bel Mer (Bel Esprit - Drop Anchor, by At Talaq). However, the stallion has not sired a male Group 1 winner but Bel Sprinter could change that fact.
Bel Sprinter came from well back in the field to beat Kulgrinda (Exceed And Excel - River Crossing, by Bellotto) to post his fifth win from six starts. The victory also booked the gelding’s place in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25.
“Options are everywhere, I think he gets into the Oakleigh Plate with no weight and that has been our plan all the way through,” Warren said.
“I think we are better placed now we have had that run.
“I spoke to the handicappers today and we get in with 53.5(kg) because today is only a Listed race and our plan was to give him three weeks between runs so we are right in it.”
Warren paid $140,000 for a brother to Bel Sprinter at last month’s Magic Millions yearling sale on the Gold Coast.
Posted by admin | Filed under Racing and Breeding, SDB, Zabeel
Bolton (Zabeel - Real Success, by Success Express) became the 139th individual stakes winner for super Cambridge Stud sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) with his sharp win in Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m).
Original owner Lloyd Williams paid $425,000 for Bolton at the 2008 Australian Easter Yearling Sale before unloading the gelding a new syndicate of owners that includes Katie Davenport, a part owner of powerhouse sprinter Hay List (Statue Of Liberty - Sing Hallelujah, by Is It True).
Bolton settled midfield before showing a neat turn of foot to open a gap on his opposition soon after entering the straight. The consistent stayer Montgomery (Montjeu - All Zalute, by Zabeel) finished off well but could only get within three-quarters of a length of Bolton on the line.
Bolton’s trainer Stephen Brown said he would resist the temptation to run the five-year-old in the Listed Mornington Cup over 2400 metres, a race that carries automatic qualification to the Caulfield Cup (2400m) to the winner.
“People keep saying the Mornington Cup but 2400 (metres) appears to be a bit beyond him,” Brown said.
Bolton is the second stakes winner out of Real Success (Success Express - Pas de Course, by Pas Seul). The mare also threw the Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner Vouvray (Zabeel - Real Success, by Success Express).
Posted by admin | Filed under Bernardini, SDB, Staff Favourites
Godolphin-owned Gamilati (3 f Bernardini - Illustrious Miss, by Kingmambo) produced an ultra-impressive performance to win the Listed UAE 1,000 Guineas (1600m) on the all-weather surface at Meydan on Friday night.
Last year’s Gr 2 Cherry Hinton winner was given a super-cool ride from a confident Dettori, sweeping from last to first in smooth style. She was chased home by free-going stablemate Pimpernel (Invincible Spirit) and Alsindi (Acclamation), who won the Oh So Sharp Stakes for former trainer Clive Brittain last term.
“After that win all options are now open with Gamilati,” said Sheikh Mohammed. ”The Newmarket Guineas was mentioned, but we will have to think about the UAE Oaks now and perhaps then Royal Ascot.”
Winning jockey Frankie Dettori said, “I was obviously very hopeful but I did not expect that - I was swinging off her turning for home and she picked up very well indeed off a steady pace. I was pleasantly surprised and that was impressive.”
Posted by admin | Filed under SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
The 2012 Select Sale traded strongly across the past three days, the results have held up strongly to end up just ahead of last year’s Sale. A total of 415 horses have sold for $19,114,500 (up from $19,107,000 for 418 sold in 2011) at an average of $46,059 (up from $45,711 in 2011) and a clearance of 74% (up from 73% in 2011).
New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela is pleased with how figures have held up against last year. ”After a particularly strong session yesterday (Thursday) we were prepared for today to be a quieter day but to have exceeded last year’s aggregate and average while maintaining a stronger clearance rate is a great result. Selling felt solid right throughout the three days with a good number of international buyers staying on to compete with the locals.
“Overall I think we can be very satisfied with how the week has gone given the current climate. I hope we can carry some of that momentum into our final day on Sunday.”
The leading buyer for the Select Sale is John Chalmers Bloodstock from Western Australia with eight purchases for $570,500, including his sole purchase today of Lot 1034, the Falkirk colt bought for $35,000. Chalmers also purchased 13 yearlings from the Premier Sale earlier in the week to bring his tally to 21 yearlings for $2,930,500 at an average of $139,584 including a top price of $400,000 paid for the High Chaparral colt at Lot 69.
Just behind him on the buyers list was New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin who is enjoying a surge in support following his successful season with Group 1 VRC Derby winner Sangster. He purchased a total of 11 yearlings at this session for $550,000 at an average of $50,000, including a top price of $115,000 paid for the colt by Thorn Park at Lot 543.
Rich Hill Stud’s freshman sire, Sir Percy (Mark of Esteem), is the leading first season sire of the Select Sale with eight entries sold for an average of $49,625. At $120,000 today’s Lot 963 was the top price of the Sale for the Group 1 English Derby winner. Queensland agent John Foote paid the top price of the week for Sir Percy’s progeny when Lot 458 of the Premier Sale was knocked down to him for $150,000.
Heading the vendor tables by average for the Select Sale has been Mark & Shelley Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm who sold yesterday’s $200,000 Dubawi colt at Lot 912. In total the stud has sold nine entries for an average of $79,056.
With 25 horses sold, including the top lot, Haunui Farm is the leading vendor by aggregate at this session with turnover of $1,477,000 at an average of $59,080.
Posted by admin | Filed under Pentire, SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
A colt by the proven Gr 1 sire Pentire (GB) topped New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 Select Sale when selling for $230,000 on Friday afternoon. Out of the Zabeel mare Sunshine Gold, the colt from Haunui Farm was secured by Hawkes Racing, adding to the stable’s total haul of seven yearlings bought from Karaka this week for $1.4 million.
Commenting on their sale-topper, Wayne Hawkes says they were initially attracted to the pedigree by a close relative that they had previously purchased at Karaka. ”We bought Luck of Smiling - the half-brother by Elusive City - for $40,000 as a yearling and he went up to Macau and he’s about the fourth best horse up there.”
Pentire - Sunshine Gold colt
“Dad took one look at this colt and said we had to have him. He’s a better sort than Luck of Smiling and he’s by a proven sire in Pentire so we were sold. We like the Pentires - we bought the highest priced Pentire in New Zealand last year for $520,000, out of Platinum Blonde, and we really like the way he is coming along.
“We always love coming to New Zealand and buying those kiwi staying horses and are really happy with what was there this year.”
Hawkes Racing, represented at Karaka by John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, paid a top price of $420,000 for the Zabeel colt at Lot 152 of the Premier Sale. This contributed to the team ending up in the top five leading buyers for the week.
Pentire has provided three of the top five prices of the Select Sale. The other two were the $170,000 filly purchased by John White Bloodstock for his Australian client at Lot 724, and the $170,000 colt bought by Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing at Lot 1120.
Posted by admin | Filed under Henny Hughes, Racing and Breeding, SDB
Lil Red Corvette (Henny Hughes - Speedy Rossa, by Testa Rossa) became the second winner for young Darley stallion Henny Hughes (Hennessy - Meadow Flyer, by Meadowlake) when the filly scored at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Bertie’s Bells (Henny Hughes - Jamelden, by Kenny’s Best Pal) was the sire’s first winner in Tasmania in December last year before Lil Red Corvette opened the stallion’s account on the mainland with a brave win.
Lil Red Corvette showed good pace to share the lead before outlasting the David Hayes-trained Popular Acclaim (Exceed And Excel - Rekindled Applause, by Royal Applause).
The filly’s success was training partners Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra’s fourth two-year-old success of the season. Lil Red Corvette had one previous start for a third at Flemington in October before shin soreness forced the stable to tread carefully with the filly.
“It’s always an advantage when they race in the spring and come back and had the run under their belt with the seasoning,” Ellerton said.
“It helps when you have got a few numbers, getting them in and out and sorting them out, who is ready and who isn’t.
“She pulled up very shinsore when she raced. She has had a break and come back, she has grown up a bit. She looks like she has got a bit of bottom to her too.”
Posted by admin | Filed under Dubawi, SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
With the average price $44,690 after two days of the three-day Select session, at a clearance rate of 77%, the figures are stacking up well against last year which saw a final Select Sale average of $45,711 and a clearance rate of 73%.
The aggregate is currently $13,049,500 with 206 lots remaining to be offered tomorrow.
$200,000 Dubawi - Mlada colt
The leading buyer on Thursday was Paul Moroney with seven purchases, including a top price of $80,000 paid for the Don Eduardo colt at Lot 813. Moroney has made eight purchases in total at the Select Sale so far in addition to four purchases at the Premier Sale earlier in the week.
The leading buyer over the past two days is John Chalmers Bloodstock of Western Australia, with seven purchases for $535,500 including yesterday’s $160,000 Any Suggestion colt at Lot 576. Chalmers also bought 12 yearlings at the Premier Sale.
With one of the top prices of the Sale, Dubawi heads the sires table by average with his three entries all sold for an average of $88,333.
Posted by admin | Filed under SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
Two yearlings sold for $NZ200,000 on the second day of the NZB Select Sale at Karaka on Thursday.
The first came when the No Excuse Needed filly at Lot 901was purchased by in-form Palmerston North trainer Lisa Latta. From the five-time winning O’Reilly mare Miracle Miss, the filly was offered by Waikato Stud, home of both No Excuse Needed and O’Reilly.
“I loved her right from the first minute,” a delighted Latta said. “I looked at both Premier and Select and while we did miss out on a few fillies in the Premier Sale I thought she was the pick of the Select fillies and am very happy to have got her. I have nominated her for the Karaka Million, however she was selected on pedigree and residual value so that is not a priority.”
“The nice horses are reaching their value but I am happy with the way the Sale has gone for me so far and I will be back again tomorrow.”
The top price was matched by the sole Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) colt in the Select Sale, from the Danasinga mare Mlada offered by Lyndhurst Farm and bought by Willie Leung’s Magus Equine (Hong Kong).
“Dubawi is doing so well in Hong Kong, Europe and the southern hemisphere which is why we wanted to get one. This is probably the last Dubawi crop in the southern hemisphere and this colt looks good, strong and athletic and is from a good family so we were prepared to pay a bit more.”
“This year we looked for quality horses which is why I have purchased the horses I have so far. We will be back here tomorrow as there are a few more that we want.”
Three lots sold for $160,000 on a solid day of trade. Leading trainer Roger James purchased a filly by O’Reilly from the Stravinsky mare Holiday in Goa on behalf of Kevin Hickman of Valachi Downs. That price was matched by the Darci Brahma colt at Lot 840. Offered by Phoenix Park, the colt from six-time winning Stravinsky mare Lady Classique was secured by Andy Williams’ Worldwide Bloodstock and the third came at Lot 910 with The Oaks Stud’s colt by their first season sire Sakhee’s Secret bought by Aquanita Racing, Victoria.
Posted by admin | Filed under SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
With the first of the 164 Select Sale entries being sold on Wednesday, 146 sold for $6,684,750 at an average of $45,786, at a clearance rate of 76%.
New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said the auction house is very pleased with how the session has started.
“It’s been a good strong start to the Select Sale with lots of Australian and Asian buyers still here from the Premier Sale and a few more that have arrived particularly for this session. Also the local buyers are out there competing which is encouraging for the few days ahead.”
“Our clearance rate is holding up very well which is pleasing and our figures are in line with last year so if we could maintain that momentum for the next two days it will be a good result.”
John Chalmers Bloodstock banner, it is Chalmers who is currently the leading Select Sale buyer with four bought for $347,500 at an average of $86,875. Chalmers also secured 11 yearlings at the Premier Sale. Also with four purchases so far is local buyer Trent Busuttin, the trainer of VRC Derby winner Sangster and recent Gr 2 winner Six O’Clock News. Today he paid a top price of $115,000 for the Thorn Park colt at Lot 543.
Standing both Pentire and Any Suggestion, John & Colleen Thompson’s Rich Hill Stud is having a strong hand at the Select Sale so far, with Pentire the leading sire of the session and the stud currently the leading vendor by aggregate.
Sam & Catriona Williams’ Little Avondale Stud is heading the vendors list by average with five sold for $372,000 at an average of $74,400. Both Studs have a number of entries still to be offered today and Friday.
Selling will resume today from 11am, with Lots 726 to 930. The final day of the Select Sale will continue on Friday with Lots 931 to 1136.
Posted by admin | Filed under Pentire, SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
A filly by Pentire (GB) topped the opening session of the NZB three-day Select Sale today at Karaka,when offered as the second to last lot of the day.
Offered by Mark & Denny Baker’s Hallmark Stud, the filly from Redoute’s Choice mare Eyes Light Up at Lot 724 was secured by John White Bloodstock. “She was just a real smart filly, purchased for Bevan Laming in Queensland. ”He’ll think about it over the next few days whether he sends them to his Brisbane or Melbourne stable.”
Pentire - Eyes Light Up filly
Two lots sold for $160,000 earlier in the day. The first came at Lot 576, when the colt by freshman sire Any Suggestion (Lion Hunter) was knocked down to the bid of Western Australia trainer Wally Mitchell. With Any Suggestion claiming Sunday night’s Karaka Million winner, Ockham’s Razor, Mitchell identified this colt as an ideal prospect for next year’s $1 million incentive race.
“We bought him mainly for the Karaka Million and we will be aiming for that. He will stay with Murray Baker in preparation for the big race. We nearly made the field this year with Testimonial Mac and we are keen to have another go at it. He had a strength that drew me to him, I owned Placid Ark who was Horse of the Year and he reminded me a lot of him with a similar build through the shoulder.”
“We were also the under-bidder on the three-quarter brother to So You Think and we were disappointed to not get him as we got to $775,000. We ended up purchasing Lot 69 by High Chaparral, the three-quarter brother to Monaco Consul (Lot 69), and overall we are very happy with what we’ve got at Karaka.”
Later in the Sale Lot 665 shared the top spot when knocked down to South African agent Andy Williams’ Worldwide Bloodstock. The colt by Towkay, offered by Little Avondale Stud, is from the Dance Floor mare Dancing Daze.
Posted by admin | Filed under Casino Prince, Commands, Exceed And Excel, Husson, Racing and Breeding, SDB
Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) has eight of the 64 youngsters remaining in contention for this month’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
The Darley organisation itself has five of Exceed And Excel’s progeny among the third declarations for Victoria’s richest juvenile event, including the smart debut winner Applegate (Exceed And Excel - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat).
Applegate won at Listed level during the Flemington spring carnival to be among the leading fancies for the Blue Diamond Stakes.
Another Darley stallion Commands (Danehill - Cotehele House, by My Swanee) is the sire of the ruling Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Jimando (Commands - Finko, by Caerleon).
Patinack Farm sponsors the $1 million feature. Its two first- season sires Husson (Hussonet - Villa Elisa, by Roy) and Casino Prince (Flying Spur - Lady Capel, by Last Tycoon) have five and three runners remaining in the Blue Diamond Stakes respectively.
Caulfield will host the Blue Diamond Stakes on February 25.
Click here to view the 64 third declarations for the Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes.
Posted by admin | Filed under Fastnet Rock, High Chaparral, SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
Te Akau Racing David Ellis sparked the NZB Premier Sale into life on Tuesday afternoon when outlasting Coolmore for a colt by Fastnet Rock out of Nureyev’s Girl (USA) at $NZ1.75 million to top the sale.
Vendor Sir Patrick Hogan predicted the Cambridge Stud-consigned colt to be the star of the show before selling started at Karaka this week and that’s how it played out with a heated bidding duel between underbidders Coolmore Stud and Ellis of Te Akau Stud.
The sixth seven-figure yearling ever bought by Ellis at Karaka, he admits he paid more than he expected he would. ”I did expect a high price for this colt, and I thought I would get him for about $1.5 million, but the others went beyond that. Demi O’Byrne is a world renowned judge of yearlings and he said this colt is the best he has seen at a sale in the last 10 years,”
“I wanted to secure him for the New Zealand racing and breeding industry, it is essential that we retain horses like this in New Zealand. He is an outstanding individual and the fact that he’s by such a great sire out of a Nureyev mare gives him the potential to win Group 1 races.
David Ellis with the Fastnet Rock - Nureyev's Girl colt
“He is already 90% sold with the remaining 10% to be sold this week and I don’t anticipate that will be very difficult to do. He will be trained by Jason Bridgman with a racing campaign intended to maximise his stud potential. If he’s as good as his sister we will be very happy.”
Earlier in the day Hong Kong-based agent Willy Leung outbid Wally Mitchell from Perth to sign at $800,000 for the three-quarter-brother to So You Think when buying the Windsor park Stud consigned colt by High Chaparral out of La Souvenir (Nuclear Freeze).
“We came here wanting to but a Derby type of horse and I was lucky to have two clients that wanted buy quality horses of this type.” Like his $650,000 High Chaparral purchase on the first day of the sale, Leung said the La Souvenir colt will remain in New Zealand to be broken and possibly race before a decision is made on his future.
Posted by admin | Filed under SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
Despite a much stronger day’s trade on Tuesday, the two-day Premier Sale still finished some way down on 2011 levels. 350 yearlings have sold for $54,137,000 ($65,574,000 in 2011) at an average of $154,677 ($174,864 in 2011) and clearance of 74%. The median for the two-day session was $120,000.
David Ellis was the leading buyer with 27 yearlings bought for $6,262,500 at an average of $231,944. The leading New Zealand buyer at Karaka for the last seven years, Ellis increased his spend significantly on last year where he bought 25 Premier Sale yearlings for $4,433,500.
“I think it has been a very successful Sale with terrific competition on the real athletes. We found it difficult to buy the good horses and think it has been a very successful two days,” commented Ellis.
“To achieve that in a recession reflects very highly on the New Zealand industry. New Zealand Bloodstock, in my opinion, can take great heart that even in very difficult economic times horses have still sold well to a huge international buying bench.”
Fastnet Rock topped the sires table for the 2012 NZB Premier Sale with eight sold for an average of $422,500. The leading New Zealand-based sire was Zabeel with 21 sold for an average of $233,810 and a top price of $600,000 paid by Ger Beemsterboer of The Netherlands for the filly from La Quinta Gold at Lot 281. Beemsterboer has already enjoyed success in New Zealand with his Group 1 winning Fastnet Rock filly Planet Rock.
With a host of sires making their yearling sale debut this season, the leading first season sire is Widden Stud’s Golden Slipper winner Sebring, with six yearlings sold at an average of $155,000.
For the 31st year in a row Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud was the leading vendor by aggregate at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale with 43 yearlings sold for $10,820,000 at an average of $251, 628.
Mark and Shelley Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm, with 12 entries in the Premier Sale, was the leading vendor by average with nine sold for $2,385,000 at an average of $265,000. That included a top price of $650,000 paid yesterday by Willy Leung for the High Chaparral colt at Lot 130.
New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said there were some heartening results from the day. ”We were very pleased to see the market strengthen from yesterday, with a number of the better pedigreed horses coming through the ring today. We have been thrilled with the buyer turnout at Karaka and there was plenty of good competition on the appealing lots.
“It’s disappointing not to have been able to get the clearance rate up a bit higher but hopefully over the course of the next couple of days there’ll be more sales completed from this session.”
Posted by admin | Filed under Bernardini, Racing and Breeding, SDB, Staff Favourites
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’s done everything we’ve asked him to. It’s too early to say what we might do with him at this point. He is by Bernardini and I don’t think he’ll have distance limitations. So we just have to sort things out from here.”
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.
Posted by admin | Filed under High Chaparral, SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites
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.
Posted by admin | Filed under SDB, Sales News, Staff Favourites, Stravinsky
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
“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.
Posted by admin | Filed under Pins, Racing and Breeding, SDB, Staff Favourites
Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year Ambitious Dragon (6 g Pins - Golden 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.
“I don’t think the mile and a half of the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup – 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.”
Posted by admin | Filed under Fastnet Rock, SDB, Staff Favourites
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.”
Posted by admin | Filed under Any Suggestion, Racing and Breeding, SDB, Staff Favourites
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.
Posted by admin | Filed under Fast 'N' Famous, Racing and Breeding, SDB, Staff Favourites
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).
