We didn't do too badly last year selecting six to follow over the summer months so let s go again. Our older staying and sprinting ranks are devoid of any real depth this season so I can see our neighbours from across the ditch taking home the thick end of the Railway and Telegraph purses however Booming and rising talent Innocent Lady should test any comers in the Cups.
Nippin: caught the eye as a stayer of some promise with the way he attacked the line when breaking his maiden over 1400m in late October at New Plymouth - at just his second start. The son of Pins from a high class female middle distance family was unlucky at his next start, also over 1400m; just failing to run down the highly promising Kiwi Lady, after struggling to find clear galloping room until well into the Trentham straight. Holds a nomination for the New Zealand Derby and has the racing profile and pedigree to make the start line at Ellerslie on the first Saturday in March.
Innocent Lady: one of those mares who sometimes grow another leg during spring and early summer as the combination of sunshine and natural strengthening with age lift their form many lengths. It takes a good horse to break 2.16 for 2200m at Ellerslie these days but Innocent Lady accomplished that easily when dealing to a decent enough rating 80 field in mid November before coming out at Te Rapa on Saturday and scoring a facile win in a rating 90 2400m with 58kgs. When her usually conservative trainer labels her a significantly better staying prospect than his dual Auckland Cup winning mare Prized Lady, it pays to sit up and take note. A major player in races such as the City of Auckland and Wellington Cups during January.
Keenly: may have slipped under the radar of a few when quietly fashioning a decent record away from stakes company in October and November but the form around those performances and the way the daughter of Keeninsky from a Zabeel mare has been finding the line over those 1400m - 1600m assignments suggest the Robert Priscott trained filly should be ultra-competitive in races such as the Eight Carat and Royal Stakes over New Year even allowing for the real depth in our three-year-old filly crop this season.
Kings Rose: If the interference suffered by We Can Say It Now and the fallout from the Magic Briar interference seemed to overshadow Kings Rose's tough performance to win in the 1000 Guineas then her emphatic win in last Saturdays Eulogy Stakes after sitting three wide for a greater part of the 1600m contest should have silenced any doubting her true class. With WCSIN seemingly set to target WFA racing at home before a possible Australian campaign, Kings Rose looks to have a mortgage on the remaining Filly Of The Year races and this weeks announcement that she may target the New Zealand Derby should have put a shiver down the spine of connections of the leading Derby contenders. At $12 currently in the Derby market the temptation will be too great for a number of Futures players who will know all too well that should she line-up her odds will conceivably one-third of the current quote.
Leica Scotch: With justification some of you maybe feeling that this chap is becoming one of those sucker horses who roar home early in their campaigns over seemingly unsuitable distances going by the horses pedigree and racing pattern; doing enough for you to withdraw your superannuation and re mortgage your mother-in-laws home, only for you to find that those late finishing bursts fail to translate into success in supposedly more suitable races. In other words he is what is commonly referred to in racing circles as a "gunna". But in fairness to Leica Scotch he has had his share of problems throughout his abbreviated 12 race career, although at five years of age and well down the handicappers ratings the Zabeel gelding is never going to get a better chance to live up to the high opinion the stable has had for him from an early three-year-old. He needs to land a nice PQ race and do it convincingly over the next couple of weeks to have any chance of landing a start in races such as the City of Auckland and Wellington Cups but if he does he can be a legitimate lightweight danger to the likes of Red Ruler, Booming and Innocent Lady.
Planet Rock: The well hyped colt Super Easy was all out to beat Planet Rock when they both made their debuts at Trentham earlier this month. With four and a half lengths to the third horse and a track record to boot it should be a top form guide to two-year racing over the next few months at least. The Fastnet Rock filly also didn't help herself by wanting to lay out for a greater part of the straight while the winner went as straight as a pool-cue. Befitting a $280,000 yearling buy the filly is an athletic sort with plenty of physical scope to improve, which when married with the experience gained from more racing should make the Christchurch trained filly very competitive against the best juvenile company.
Near misses for the six-pack were On The Level and Fireside.
Away from town-hall company but a few with their foot firmly on the till at the moment are Billy Bingo, Punt Hill (particularly if we get some rain), Platinum Princess, Diamonds In Time and Elite Street.
Just to finish I got along to Ellerslie last Sunday mainly to see if there were any horses in the Championship Stakes who could be legitimate contenders for the Derby in March. While the winner won well I feel he beat very little and he needs to find another 2 lengths to be competitive. If there was a horse on the card that took my eye it was the Keeninsky gelding Rimsky - he really picked-up in the straight and looks a lovely genuine type with maybe a touch of something.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
2000 Guineas: A Lot at Stake
These days a decent stallion prospect from the NH fetches more than a developing nations GDP, so more than ever it's to within their own ranks that local studmasters are looking for that next special colt. While potential suspects for the mantle of the next Darci Brahma or Alamosa need good form at two, it's Classic success at three and below 2000m that really gets the calculators out.
The increased significance of the breeding consideration has seen the Group One NZ 2000 Guineas grow in statue as a race and it's little co-incidence that four of the leading chances for this afternoon's 1600m Classic have been spared the cruelest cut of all. A win later today by either of Jimmy Choux, Cellarmaster, Maradona or He's Remarkable will be worth considerably more to connections than the $600,000 first prize-money.
Jimmy Choux is easily the best male product to date of Thorn Park, a group one winning son of Spinning World, from an unraced daughter of Champion Broodmare Stallion Centaine - sire in that capacity of 20 group one winners including budding stallion Alamosa.
The Centaine factor is probably going to be the most important selling point of the colt s female line with the 1998 Avondale Guineas and Wellington Stakes winner Mr Danamite - from a half sister to Jimmy Choux's second dam - easily the best representative of a family somewhat light on black-type.
Line-breeding purists will enjoy the presence of four crosses of Star Kingdom within Jimmy Choux's pedigree.
Not necessarily the type to bowl you over with his looks in the birdcage, Jimmy Choux is nonetheless an extremely well balanced colt, of medium size with a game, genuine head and eye. And while his breeding does not suggest as much, he may well get over 2000m and further, such is his relaxed disposition.
Cellarmaster has a comparatively similar pedigree profile to Jimmy Choux although his sire Dubawi has made a superior start to his stud career than Thorn Park, largely on the back of his NH stock which have left him in the highly enviable position for a sire with only three crops of racing age in Europe of sitting in sixth-place on stakemoney won and 2nd to Oasis Dream in the number of Pattern winners.
Withdrawn from the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale and retained by his breeder, Cellarmaster is the 7th foal of the unraced Sound Reason mare Oneology, dam also of the useful Australian performer Our Bahare, a winner of nearly $250,000 and third in the VRC Derby of his year to Elvstroem. Further back it's a family responsible for the high class stayer Second Coming and the Breeders Cup Turf winner and leading sire In The Wings.
Like his two-year-old sparring partner, Cellarmaster is not an overly tall or long horse but he's well balanced and very strongly made - especially through the girth and shoulder.
Maradona's immediate pedigree has been detailed in a 14 September posting. While the presence of disappointing stallions Anziyan and St Hilarion as sires of his first two dams is not going to do wonders for the Mr Nancho colts stud appeal, both mares have shown a real affinity to out perform their pedigrees and Cashcade in particular looks capable of taking her branch of a solid old family to a another level.
A taller and longer horse than Cellarmaster and Jimmy Choux, Maradona is a heavier, slightly showier version of his half sister Ekstreme, rangy and workman like rather than necessarily attractive.
He's Remarkable's pedigree has been detailed in a 13 September posting. By a well and truly proven stallion in Pentire and from a Zabeel mare whose dam is a Centaine full sister to the 2007 NZ Broodmare of the Year, He s Remarkable has the most fashionable pedigree of the four colts.
Given the tough examination that is a stallions pedigree, Jimmy Choux, Cellarmaster and Maradona regardless of todays result are probably going to have to win another group one contest, and preferably this autumn in Australia in a race like the Randwick, Rosehill or Australian Guineas - never an easy ask against the local foe - whereas a win by He's Remarkable this afternoon may well tempt a profile farm to at least take a majority position in the Roger James trained colt.
With the current almost unprecedented demand for staying types not expected to abate anytime soon and being by a proven middle distance sire in his twilight years and without a son at stud, plus having the presence of two of the most significant names in post war NZ breeding in his female line, all lends itself to He's Remarkable having the most at stake today.
The increased significance of the breeding consideration has seen the Group One NZ 2000 Guineas grow in statue as a race and it's little co-incidence that four of the leading chances for this afternoon's 1600m Classic have been spared the cruelest cut of all. A win later today by either of Jimmy Choux, Cellarmaster, Maradona or He's Remarkable will be worth considerably more to connections than the $600,000 first prize-money.
Jimmy Choux is easily the best male product to date of Thorn Park, a group one winning son of Spinning World, from an unraced daughter of Champion Broodmare Stallion Centaine - sire in that capacity of 20 group one winners including budding stallion Alamosa.
The Centaine factor is probably going to be the most important selling point of the colt s female line with the 1998 Avondale Guineas and Wellington Stakes winner Mr Danamite - from a half sister to Jimmy Choux's second dam - easily the best representative of a family somewhat light on black-type.
Line-breeding purists will enjoy the presence of four crosses of Star Kingdom within Jimmy Choux's pedigree.
Not necessarily the type to bowl you over with his looks in the birdcage, Jimmy Choux is nonetheless an extremely well balanced colt, of medium size with a game, genuine head and eye. And while his breeding does not suggest as much, he may well get over 2000m and further, such is his relaxed disposition.
Cellarmaster has a comparatively similar pedigree profile to Jimmy Choux although his sire Dubawi has made a superior start to his stud career than Thorn Park, largely on the back of his NH stock which have left him in the highly enviable position for a sire with only three crops of racing age in Europe of sitting in sixth-place on stakemoney won and 2nd to Oasis Dream in the number of Pattern winners.
Withdrawn from the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale and retained by his breeder, Cellarmaster is the 7th foal of the unraced Sound Reason mare Oneology, dam also of the useful Australian performer Our Bahare, a winner of nearly $250,000 and third in the VRC Derby of his year to Elvstroem. Further back it's a family responsible for the high class stayer Second Coming and the Breeders Cup Turf winner and leading sire In The Wings.
Like his two-year-old sparring partner, Cellarmaster is not an overly tall or long horse but he's well balanced and very strongly made - especially through the girth and shoulder.
Maradona's immediate pedigree has been detailed in a 14 September posting. While the presence of disappointing stallions Anziyan and St Hilarion as sires of his first two dams is not going to do wonders for the Mr Nancho colts stud appeal, both mares have shown a real affinity to out perform their pedigrees and Cashcade in particular looks capable of taking her branch of a solid old family to a another level.
A taller and longer horse than Cellarmaster and Jimmy Choux, Maradona is a heavier, slightly showier version of his half sister Ekstreme, rangy and workman like rather than necessarily attractive.
He's Remarkable's pedigree has been detailed in a 13 September posting. By a well and truly proven stallion in Pentire and from a Zabeel mare whose dam is a Centaine full sister to the 2007 NZ Broodmare of the Year, He s Remarkable has the most fashionable pedigree of the four colts.
Given the tough examination that is a stallions pedigree, Jimmy Choux, Cellarmaster and Maradona regardless of todays result are probably going to have to win another group one contest, and preferably this autumn in Australia in a race like the Randwick, Rosehill or Australian Guineas - never an easy ask against the local foe - whereas a win by He's Remarkable this afternoon may well tempt a profile farm to at least take a majority position in the Roger James trained colt.
With the current almost unprecedented demand for staying types not expected to abate anytime soon and being by a proven middle distance sire in his twilight years and without a son at stud, plus having the presence of two of the most significant names in post war NZ breeding in his female line, all lends itself to He's Remarkable having the most at stake today.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Hastings Observations
I got to Hawkes Bay for the last day.
I couldn't have backed Tridane in a month of Sundays but his win does show how certain horses can come right at the same time each year.
Four years ago almost to the day the Danelove gelding ran in the Guineas and while ninth of 13 to Alamosa he was beaten less than four lengths and beat home Run Like Al and Go Danny. They ran 1.20.86 that day so Tridane has run around 1.22 and nothing that he met Saturday fortnight ago would get within three lengths of him if he ran to that form.
A few horses who I thought looked well but could improve with another run under their belts were Manonamission, Platinum Princess and Cellarmaster.
Interestingly the first two are both in the Lisa Latta stable and in general all her horses looked well. She invariably does well at Christchurch and I'm picking she'll have another good carnival.
Manonamission has always struck me as a miler on type and race pattern, but most of his runs since been stepped up in distance last season have been full of merit, including his latest effort at the Bay. He holds a nom for the NZ Cup and at $10 is worth considering.
The first six home in the Guineas with luck should all win a good race. More unsettled (ask Andre Neil) than on the second day, Maradona is still a big kid. He looked like he would drop out once they turned for home but picked himself up like a good horse. I suspect Christchurch maybe just a tad soon for him but the Telegraph could be more his go given his speed, especially from the gates.
Cellarmaster is my pick to win the 2000 Guineas. He looked a shade pretty and ran to them at the 200m like he d win at Hastings but peaked on his effort. I couldn't get over the way he had developed in six months. While a natural enough athlete to be competitive at two, he was on the light side with a slight baby like face but now he s much more mature, in fact he s quite imposing, with an exceptional girth.
The Starcraft filly did well for such an inexperienced type and as a long and almost rangy type she should be a stunning individual come the autumn.
I dropped into Taupo on the way home. A few reputations were dented, not the least Maccavity and Rockandready. Maybe Maccavity's an autumn horse for she didn't look the same filly I saw back in April. If the Bakers get Rockandready to Riccarton next month, they are even better trainers than I give them credit for. She s a very leggy type and doesn't carry much condition yet.
Finally, while he s no So You Think, Wall Street is a seriously good galloper. He showed at Hastings how he can still be competitive racing to another pattern, and given his distance versatility - the Telegraph finish would have been interesting if he d stayed on his feet - and an affinity for most track conditions, he s arguably the most complete male WFA horse we ve had for a few seasons. He's actually developed into a very attractive horse now too, in fact I'd almost argue he s more athletic than the other good Montjeu's I've seen.
I couldn't have backed Tridane in a month of Sundays but his win does show how certain horses can come right at the same time each year.
Four years ago almost to the day the Danelove gelding ran in the Guineas and while ninth of 13 to Alamosa he was beaten less than four lengths and beat home Run Like Al and Go Danny. They ran 1.20.86 that day so Tridane has run around 1.22 and nothing that he met Saturday fortnight ago would get within three lengths of him if he ran to that form.
A few horses who I thought looked well but could improve with another run under their belts were Manonamission, Platinum Princess and Cellarmaster.
Interestingly the first two are both in the Lisa Latta stable and in general all her horses looked well. She invariably does well at Christchurch and I'm picking she'll have another good carnival.
Manonamission has always struck me as a miler on type and race pattern, but most of his runs since been stepped up in distance last season have been full of merit, including his latest effort at the Bay. He holds a nom for the NZ Cup and at $10 is worth considering.
The first six home in the Guineas with luck should all win a good race. More unsettled (ask Andre Neil) than on the second day, Maradona is still a big kid. He looked like he would drop out once they turned for home but picked himself up like a good horse. I suspect Christchurch maybe just a tad soon for him but the Telegraph could be more his go given his speed, especially from the gates.
Cellarmaster is my pick to win the 2000 Guineas. He looked a shade pretty and ran to them at the 200m like he d win at Hastings but peaked on his effort. I couldn't get over the way he had developed in six months. While a natural enough athlete to be competitive at two, he was on the light side with a slight baby like face but now he s much more mature, in fact he s quite imposing, with an exceptional girth.
The Starcraft filly did well for such an inexperienced type and as a long and almost rangy type she should be a stunning individual come the autumn.
I dropped into Taupo on the way home. A few reputations were dented, not the least Maccavity and Rockandready. Maybe Maccavity's an autumn horse for she didn't look the same filly I saw back in April. If the Bakers get Rockandready to Riccarton next month, they are even better trainers than I give them credit for. She s a very leggy type and doesn't carry much condition yet.
Finally, while he s no So You Think, Wall Street is a seriously good galloper. He showed at Hastings how he can still be competitive racing to another pattern, and given his distance versatility - the Telegraph finish would have been interesting if he d stayed on his feet - and an affinity for most track conditions, he s arguably the most complete male WFA horse we ve had for a few seasons. He's actually developed into a very attractive horse now too, in fact I'd almost argue he s more athletic than the other good Montjeu's I've seen.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Written Tycoon: Auspicious Start
About this time last year at Little Avondale Stud in Masterton a couple of friends and I watched half a dozen yearlings career around a large paddock. One yearling stood out; while the Written Tycoon filly was often slow to get underway, it didn't take her long to get into her long floating stride and run past her paddock mates with deceptive ease.
The first two-year-old trials of the new season in Australia were held this week and the
stallion on every ones lips is Written Tycoon with trial winners at Randwick and Cranbourne on Monday and another at Newcastle on Wednesday. Buoyed by this and with three of his progeny breezing up under the 11 second mark at the Gold Coast earlier this week in readiness for the upcoming Ready To Run Sale, Magic Millions took the unusual step for a stallion without a runner to the races, in naming Written Tycoon as their Stallion of the Week.
The first two-year-old trials of the new season in Australia were held this week and the
stallion on every ones lips is Written Tycoon with trial winners at Randwick and Cranbourne on Monday and another at Newcastle on Wednesday. Buoyed by this and with three of his progeny breezing up under the 11 second mark at the Gold Coast earlier this week in readiness for the upcoming Ready To Run Sale, Magic Millions took the unusual step for a stallion without a runner to the races, in naming Written Tycoon as their Stallion of the Week.
Written Tycoon is a rare thoroughbred. He ran up to his looks. As attractive a horse as you could wish to see, he moved like an athlete, effortlessly, with a lovely fluid action.
Described by trainer John O Shea as the fastest horse he had trained to that point, the highlights of Written Tycoon's career came in his first preparation culminating in victory in the Group Two Todman Slipper Trial with Domesday (now a promising sire) second. Interestingly the Slipper Trial is proving to be a very good pointer to stallion potential with it's winners including Luskin Star, Maruding, Octagonal, General Nediym and Exceed and Excel.
While not possessing a "fashionable" pedigree, Written Tycoon's bloodlines are proven in Australian conditions: by a successful homebred speed stallion (Iglesia) from the prolific Last Tycoon sireline, from a daughter of leading broodmare stallion Kenmare and containing male and female lines of Star Kingdom and Vain respectively. And with only one line of Northern Dancer (through Last Tycoon), he offers options for owners of Northern Dancer/Danehill mares.
Iglesia was a significant loss to the Queensland breeding industry when he died prematurely in 2006 after just five seasons at stud. The one time Australian record holder for 1200m still became a prolific sire of winners whose stock are re known for their speed and durability. Nova Star who won the Group One Winter Stakes in Brisbane has been his best performer to date.
Last Tycoon's influence down-under needs little extrapolation. While in these parts it s been as a broodmare sire that his impact has been most pro nounced, his male-line influence, despite the premature deaths of Iglesia and Just Awesome, looks set to prosper for some considerable time thanks to O'Reilly and to a lesser degree Towkay.
The filly described in the introduction to this piece was eventually sold at this years Karaka Select Yearling sale to Timothy Kemp Bloodstock for $56,000 - the highest price Written Tycoon filly yet sold at auction. A decent sized filly with a fair bit of leg she is currently spelling after being broken in by Joe Yorke. Ironically there is still a small share available in the filly - Tim can be contacted on 021 243 3045.
While about the only thing that can be read into this start is that Written Tycoon's progeny have an early aptitude and natural speed, it s still a promising beginning by a stallion, many of whose progeny showed enough physical scope at the sales to suggest they would be far from just early season flashes in the pan. Time will tell.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Zennista: Oaks Fit
I'm finding that the fillies and mares events are providing more and more of our best racing. With so many of our better colts and geldings exported now and the well bred colts that stay home more sparingly raced with stud careers in mind, it s a man drought - at least in the quality department.
Take a look at the recent record of four-year-old mares in the Hawkes Bay Triple Crown. Five years ago the young girls weren't getting a look in - how times have changed.
The three-year-old Filly of the Year events are the nursery for this change, full of mouth watering pedigrees and physiques to match. A front-row birdcage posse is essential viewing.
Despite the freakish late winter and spring weather hindering so many preparations, a quality field lined up in yesterdays Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings.
While all honours were with the winner - the seasoned Rememba Howe - the runner-up Zennista struck me as a filly to follow.
From the first NZ crop of former Japan Cup winner Zenno Rob Roy (ZRR), the Lisa Latta trained charge is a gorgeous moving type who relaxes well in her races, factors that will stand her in good stead when stepped up over more ground.
It s very early days for ZRR in NZ but he's made an encouraging start to his stallion career in Japan siring first and third in the Japanese Oaks back in May. With the stallions Sir Tristram and Touching Wood featuring in Zennista's female pedigree she has the staying bloodlines to support a racing style which suggest a race like the New Zealand Oaks in March would suit.
Lisa Latta has been steadily compiling a good record from her Awapuni base and one feature race she s shown an uncanny knack in targeting with success has been the NZ Oaks. From six starters she's had the 2004 winner Wharite Princess: the 2009 runner-up Can't Keeperdown; a third with Lady Annaliesse in 2003; the fourth place-getter Princess Annaliese and the desperately unlucky Fiaba - sixth in 2002 and still looking for a gap.
Zennista still has to prove herself on-top of the ground but if she can, she looks an ideal type to give Lisa Latta her second NZ Oaks.
Take a look at the recent record of four-year-old mares in the Hawkes Bay Triple Crown. Five years ago the young girls weren't getting a look in - how times have changed.
The three-year-old Filly of the Year events are the nursery for this change, full of mouth watering pedigrees and physiques to match. A front-row birdcage posse is essential viewing.
Despite the freakish late winter and spring weather hindering so many preparations, a quality field lined up in yesterdays Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings.
While all honours were with the winner - the seasoned Rememba Howe - the runner-up Zennista struck me as a filly to follow.
From the first NZ crop of former Japan Cup winner Zenno Rob Roy (ZRR), the Lisa Latta trained charge is a gorgeous moving type who relaxes well in her races, factors that will stand her in good stead when stepped up over more ground.
It s very early days for ZRR in NZ but he's made an encouraging start to his stallion career in Japan siring first and third in the Japanese Oaks back in May. With the stallions Sir Tristram and Touching Wood featuring in Zennista's female pedigree she has the staying bloodlines to support a racing style which suggest a race like the New Zealand Oaks in March would suit.
Lisa Latta has been steadily compiling a good record from her Awapuni base and one feature race she s shown an uncanny knack in targeting with success has been the NZ Oaks. From six starters she's had the 2004 winner Wharite Princess: the 2009 runner-up Can't Keeperdown; a third with Lady Annaliesse in 2003; the fourth place-getter Princess Annaliese and the desperately unlucky Fiaba - sixth in 2002 and still looking for a gap.
Zennista still has to prove herself on-top of the ground but if she can, she looks an ideal type to give Lisa Latta her second NZ Oaks.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Paydirt for Breeder
Hawkes Bay's Alan Jackson fashioned a successful business career from backing his hunches, so when he went on last year's Manawatu Stallion Parade and liked what he saw in a stable box at John O'Brien's Newmarket Lodge property, he didn't muck around.
Jackson had taken an instant fancy to a weanling colt by Mr Nancho from the Anziyan mare Cashcade. A keen follower of the races again since selling up his business interests about 12 months previous, he had been impressed with the potential of the filly Ekstreme whose resume at that stage included a win the Group Three Lowland Stakes win and a group two placing from a just concluded Brisbane winter campaign.
Recognising that Cashcade was the dam of Ekstreme, and after establishing that Newmarket Lodge in fact owned Cashcade, Jackson negotiated a package to acquire the mare and her weanling colt. Once Jackson had the seal of approval on confirmation from his bloodstock advisor Cambridge agent Michael Wallace, the deal was done and the fun started.
About the time Ekstreme returned to the racetrack for her new season campaign, Jackson was getting wind that Opaki trainer Andrew Campbell had quite an opinion of unraced two-year-old colt in his stable. The link for Jackson was that the colt happened to be Cashcade's second foal, by Mr Nancho and a full brother to the younger brother he had acquired a few months earlier.
By this stage Jackson was keen to track down the whereabouts of Cashcade's second foal - an unraced year younger full sister to Ekstreme - and his hunt resulted in a call to Matamata trainer Paul Jenkins who had the Ekraar filly and a pretty fair opinion of her too. Lining up for her racecourse debut in mid November last year at Rotorua, the well backed filly, by then named De Colletage, unfortunately injured herself in the running and wasn't a factor in the race, however Jackson's disappointment was quickly tempered when just a few weeks later Ekstreme confirmed the potential he had seen in her all along and then some, by taking the Group One Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham.
Boarding his mares at Masterton's Little Avondale Stud, Jackson gets down regularly to see his flock so started making a point of stopping in at the Opaki track to keep up with the progress of the Andrew Campbell charge. After a number of growing pains the colt -by then named Maradona - finally debuted in a two-year-old race at Foxton in July this year and despite the wet track, which he detested according to jockey Jonathan Riddell, battled on very gamely for second.
The three-year-old open event on the first day of this years Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival was Maradona's next start and despite another wet track, connections persevered with a start knowing that any chance of making the Hawkes Bay Guineas rested on a good performance. Producing one of the better efforts of the day, from a wide draw Maradona had to do a fair bit of work to get a position on the outer, challenged the leader wide on the home turn before surrendering second late in the race.
Meanwhile De Colletage was back in training after her long injury induced layoff and a trials win at Cambridge in July preceded a very much under wraps second place finish at the Te Teko trials on 12 August. De Colletage is down to make her second career start at Counties this Sunday in a maiden 1300m and while she doesn't have the same wet track inclination as her full sister her class should still have her in the finish.
So what s happened to Maradona's full brother that Jackson bought in the package deal? Recently turned two and still unnamed, he s just about to commence a second preparation with Hastings trainer Patrick Campbell and has done everything asked of him to date although it s too early to say if he s inherited the family genes.
Two weeks ago the jewel in the crown Cashcade delivered her owner the Pentire filly shown in the top photo of this blog and the mare is currently at Darley Stud in Victoria where she ll be served by Domesday anyday. With her genes the Pentire filly is one very valuable girl but one imagines her insurable value and that of her mum, can only get bigger and it may start that climb as soon as this weekend.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Taupo: Talent Unearthed
It maybe not quite Tattenham Corner but the home-turn at Taupo has bought many an inexperienced horse undone; it falls away into quite a dip on the point of the turn before an abrupt rise, leaving only about 150m for a horse to get balanced and find the line.
Therefore there was a lot to like about the wins on debut of He's Remarkable (Pentire-Axiom)and Rockandready (More Than Ready-Bumps) at the lakeside circuit last week, coming as they both did from well off the pace and wide on the home-turn.
It seems almost impossible to fathom now but only four or five years ago John Thompson was seriously considering not continuing to bring Pentire down on his southern hemisphere shuttle so significant a shun was he receiving from local breeders. Serving less than 100 mares between the seasons 2002-2004 and leaving only 44 live foals, the former high-class European stayer was being heavily penalised for a slow start to his breeding career.
Pentire's standing with local breeders changed significantly after the 2004/2005 racing season during which the career of the near champion Xcellent commenced with group one victories in the NZ Derby and Zabeel Classic and his Australian trained daughter Recurring took the Group One Railway Handicap after earlier placing second in the Group One Sallinger Stakes at Flemington. The floodgates had suddenly opened for Pentire - he had gone from a stallion acknowledged by breeders as capable of leaving slower maturing middle distance-staying types to one who could throw serious WFA and sprinting horses.
Using the expression career defining to describe the next couple of seasons for Pentire's progeny would be putting unwarranted expectations on a stallion who has already reached heights most studmasters can only dream about, but it will be fascinating to monitor their progress, coming as they do from far and away his biggest and best books of mares.
Unraced due to an eye injury, Axiom is a Zabeel daughter of the dual Australian group two winning Centaine mare Arletty, a leading three-year-old filly of her year in NZ before transferring to become an inaugural member of the O'Sullivan stables short-lived Sydney operation from where she tasted further group race success as a four and five-year-old. Arletty's best performer to date from her nine foals is the three win Zabeel gelding Maythehorsebemagic.
Arletty is a half sister to the 2007 NZ Broodmare Of The Year winner River Century the dam of group one winners Legs and Guyno while she's a three-quarter sister to group one winner Sixty Seconds and group three winner Spottswoode. Adding further credence to a most prolific family is Arlettys full sister Rivertaine, the dam of three individual winners in Hong Kong including multiple group placed performer Regency Horse and the five times winning O'Reilly Rally.
Axiom's first foal is the promising Melbourne trained mare Fashion Black, a winner twice including a city victory, and two placings from just five starts. Her next foal was the $360,000 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale graduate He's Remarkable, followed by a full brother who sold to Fashion Black's trainer Danny O'Brien for $160,000 at this years Karaka Sale. She is due to foal again to Pentire this spring after failing to get back in foal to him the previous season.
Another stallion on an ever increasing upward surge in popularity over recent seasons has been the Australian based More Than Ready who just a matter of days after his daughters Taupo success registered his 73rd stakeswinner worldwide when a two-year-old son won a group three event in North America. Like Pentire, most of More Than Ready's sire success has been generated off his down-under shuttle service where he demands a service fee of $121,000 Aus (down from last years pre recession $148,500), a jump from $40,000 in 2007 largely courtesy of consecutive Champion Australian Two-Year -Old Premierships in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009, and a significantly higher fee than the $30,000 US he currently commands Stateside.
Rockandready is bred on a very similar cross to More Than Ready's second Golden Slipper winner Phelan Ready whose dam is a daughter of the Scenic stallion Blevic.
Bumps an unraced daughter of Scenic from the Christmas Tree mare Final Claus has fashioned a most respectable record at stud with Rockandready her sixth individual winner from the eight of her nine foals to make it to the racetrack. Two of her earlier progeny - both by Rory's Jester - were stakesplaced while her 2006 son by Fastnet Rock named Therock already has a fourth to his credit in a listed event after only 6 lifetime starts.
Final Claus's hails from an imported family which has crossed successfully with Australian speed influences. Her dam the imported Northfields mare Life At Last left a VRC St Leger winner in Full At Last and a daughter Imposing Life is the grand dam of Group One Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort while Betty Box, a full sister to Life At Last, is the dam of Aynda who in turn is the grand dam of Waikato Stud stallion Fast N Famous.
Rockandready was sold as a yearling at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale to Grant Searle for $190,000 before being re sold in the yearling section of the 2009 National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale for $75,000 and again in the two-year-old section of the same sale this year for what could well turn out to be a bargain price of $90,000. While the financial plight of her co-breeders is likely to have had something to do with the unusual ownership changes the filly doesn't seem to have taken the passing around personally judging by her Taupo win.
Conclusions:
He's Remarkable - from a stable not reknown for having their charges wound up to win first time out, the colt looks just the type to make up in a Derby horse in the autumn and further enhance the reputation of his sire for leaving middle-distance Classic performers.
Rockandready - big long legged type who never looked suited to debut venue at any stage but overcame that with raw natural ability to win easily and while the 1000 Guineas may come around a little too soon for her, she may just be good enough to give the race a huge shake.
Therefore there was a lot to like about the wins on debut of He's Remarkable (Pentire-Axiom)and Rockandready (More Than Ready-Bumps) at the lakeside circuit last week, coming as they both did from well off the pace and wide on the home-turn.
It seems almost impossible to fathom now but only four or five years ago John Thompson was seriously considering not continuing to bring Pentire down on his southern hemisphere shuttle so significant a shun was he receiving from local breeders. Serving less than 100 mares between the seasons 2002-2004 and leaving only 44 live foals, the former high-class European stayer was being heavily penalised for a slow start to his breeding career.
Pentire's standing with local breeders changed significantly after the 2004/2005 racing season during which the career of the near champion Xcellent commenced with group one victories in the NZ Derby and Zabeel Classic and his Australian trained daughter Recurring took the Group One Railway Handicap after earlier placing second in the Group One Sallinger Stakes at Flemington. The floodgates had suddenly opened for Pentire - he had gone from a stallion acknowledged by breeders as capable of leaving slower maturing middle distance-staying types to one who could throw serious WFA and sprinting horses.
Using the expression career defining to describe the next couple of seasons for Pentire's progeny would be putting unwarranted expectations on a stallion who has already reached heights most studmasters can only dream about, but it will be fascinating to monitor their progress, coming as they do from far and away his biggest and best books of mares.
Unraced due to an eye injury, Axiom is a Zabeel daughter of the dual Australian group two winning Centaine mare Arletty, a leading three-year-old filly of her year in NZ before transferring to become an inaugural member of the O'Sullivan stables short-lived Sydney operation from where she tasted further group race success as a four and five-year-old. Arletty's best performer to date from her nine foals is the three win Zabeel gelding Maythehorsebemagic.
Arletty is a half sister to the 2007 NZ Broodmare Of The Year winner River Century the dam of group one winners Legs and Guyno while she's a three-quarter sister to group one winner Sixty Seconds and group three winner Spottswoode. Adding further credence to a most prolific family is Arlettys full sister Rivertaine, the dam of three individual winners in Hong Kong including multiple group placed performer Regency Horse and the five times winning O'Reilly Rally.
Axiom's first foal is the promising Melbourne trained mare Fashion Black, a winner twice including a city victory, and two placings from just five starts. Her next foal was the $360,000 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale graduate He's Remarkable, followed by a full brother who sold to Fashion Black's trainer Danny O'Brien for $160,000 at this years Karaka Sale. She is due to foal again to Pentire this spring after failing to get back in foal to him the previous season.
Another stallion on an ever increasing upward surge in popularity over recent seasons has been the Australian based More Than Ready who just a matter of days after his daughters Taupo success registered his 73rd stakeswinner worldwide when a two-year-old son won a group three event in North America. Like Pentire, most of More Than Ready's sire success has been generated off his down-under shuttle service where he demands a service fee of $121,000 Aus (down from last years pre recession $148,500), a jump from $40,000 in 2007 largely courtesy of consecutive Champion Australian Two-Year -Old Premierships in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009, and a significantly higher fee than the $30,000 US he currently commands Stateside.
Rockandready is bred on a very similar cross to More Than Ready's second Golden Slipper winner Phelan Ready whose dam is a daughter of the Scenic stallion Blevic.
Bumps an unraced daughter of Scenic from the Christmas Tree mare Final Claus has fashioned a most respectable record at stud with Rockandready her sixth individual winner from the eight of her nine foals to make it to the racetrack. Two of her earlier progeny - both by Rory's Jester - were stakesplaced while her 2006 son by Fastnet Rock named Therock already has a fourth to his credit in a listed event after only 6 lifetime starts.
Final Claus's hails from an imported family which has crossed successfully with Australian speed influences. Her dam the imported Northfields mare Life At Last left a VRC St Leger winner in Full At Last and a daughter Imposing Life is the grand dam of Group One Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort while Betty Box, a full sister to Life At Last, is the dam of Aynda who in turn is the grand dam of Waikato Stud stallion Fast N Famous.
Rockandready was sold as a yearling at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale to Grant Searle for $190,000 before being re sold in the yearling section of the 2009 National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale for $75,000 and again in the two-year-old section of the same sale this year for what could well turn out to be a bargain price of $90,000. While the financial plight of her co-breeders is likely to have had something to do with the unusual ownership changes the filly doesn't seem to have taken the passing around personally judging by her Taupo win.
Conclusions:
He's Remarkable - from a stable not reknown for having their charges wound up to win first time out, the colt looks just the type to make up in a Derby horse in the autumn and further enhance the reputation of his sire for leaving middle-distance Classic performers.
Rockandready - big long legged type who never looked suited to debut venue at any stage but overcame that with raw natural ability to win easily and while the 1000 Guineas may come around a little too soon for her, she may just be good enough to give the race a huge shake.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Waikato Stallion Parade 28 & 29 August
I was well overdue a Waikato Stallion Parade. After our long winters you do yearn for some quality live racing and Mudgway Day has won out in recent times. Not this year; with the number of new stallions a weekend getting reacquainted with the picturesque farms of our breeding heartland won out.
For a townie like me those maps in the Stallion register are gold when you re trying to find the likes of Scott Eagleton's property in the hills west of Matamata. After a few roadside stops I managed to find the farm literally as new stallion Tiger Prawn was been led from his box. A medium sized athletic type with a generous barrel and girth he should be popular particularly with those looking to bred to race or trial.
Next stop was Ancroft where we viewed the un-raced full brother to El Segundo in El Hermando. If ever there was a case for seeing a stallion in the flesh rather than in a photo then it's this son of Pins; clearly a more athletic and strongly coloured bay than in his photos, it s not hard to see why he fetched $500,000 as a yearling. Steve Till from Windsor must be acknowledged for showing catching skills worthy of the Black Caps.
It hardly seemed worth moving the car for our next appointment but I'm glad I did; the driveway to the stallion facilities at the old Fieldhouse and Java property next door to Ancroft is a decent stretch. The farm and it's ample facilities are back in good shape and if they are any indication, Stoneybridge Waikato will be around for a while yet.
Ekraar surprised me with his quality - once again he s probably let down by average photography in his promotional material- although I gather not shuttling to the NH this year helped. Not as rangy or coarse as I expected, he s another fine physical example of the emerging Red Ransom sire-line. Mr Nancho is a bull of a horse with some quality in front of the saddle but a little limited behind. Of the rest of the Stoneybridge roster, father time has been kind to Ustinov; the son of Seeking The Gold reminding me why I once rated him one of the more attractive stallions I'd seen.
Waikato Stud around the corner was our next stop and as a farm it s quality never ceases to amaze me - and if it were possible, it just seems to get better. At 1200 acres and with some of the best pasture anywhere in the country, it s value must be enormous.
I was kind of hoping Rios may have suddenly shot up in the height stakes since I last saw him as a three-year-old. Sadly he hadn't, but it still shouldn't deter breeders with the right type of mare; his head and eye and a well developed crop feature in an otherwise excellent physical package.
Across to the other side of town to Rich Hill for the last stop on the day. I covered the Waharoa farms stallion line-up in some detail in a posting this time last year so won't repeat myself. In a nice touch to finish, we were shown half a dozen Any Suggestion yearlings; peas to a pod with nice walks and well developed hindquarters - the pick was a colt from a Pentire full sister to Railway winner Recurring.
In contrast to Saturdays balmy weather, Sunday dawned dark and threatening. Full of saturated fats and tannins from a Saturday night stopover with my mum in Tauranga, I managed to navigate my way down the Kaimai's and across the Matamata plains to Brighthill for the early start.
Eagle Mountain was a pleasant surprise. Taller, with more bone and quality than I had assumed from his racing photos, he s also a nice walking animal. There maybe slightly more Darshan about him than Rock of Gibraltar; something breeders will probably warm to, given that he's the dam sire of High Chaparral.
I hadn't seen Perfectly Ready in the flesh since his third-place finish in the Blue Diamond as a two-year-old. The muscular bodybuilder I saw then has morphed into a less defined individual with the girth and shoulder now of a retired All Black tight forward but he s still a very imposing individual and clearly a superior walker than the other Southern Halo stallion Mr Nancho.
Completing the line-up was Patapan and it wasn't hard to see why Brighthill have had little trouble attracting big books of mares so far to the speedy and durable son of Stravinsky. He s medium sized but stands over a bit of ground for a sprinter. Like his Brighthill barnmates he looks to have a wonderful temperament.
For a townie like me those maps in the Stallion register are gold when you re trying to find the likes of Scott Eagleton's property in the hills west of Matamata. After a few roadside stops I managed to find the farm literally as new stallion Tiger Prawn was been led from his box. A medium sized athletic type with a generous barrel and girth he should be popular particularly with those looking to bred to race or trial.
Next stop was Ancroft where we viewed the un-raced full brother to El Segundo in El Hermando. If ever there was a case for seeing a stallion in the flesh rather than in a photo then it's this son of Pins; clearly a more athletic and strongly coloured bay than in his photos, it s not hard to see why he fetched $500,000 as a yearling. Steve Till from Windsor must be acknowledged for showing catching skills worthy of the Black Caps.
It hardly seemed worth moving the car for our next appointment but I'm glad I did; the driveway to the stallion facilities at the old Fieldhouse and Java property next door to Ancroft is a decent stretch. The farm and it's ample facilities are back in good shape and if they are any indication, Stoneybridge Waikato will be around for a while yet.
Ekraar surprised me with his quality - once again he s probably let down by average photography in his promotional material- although I gather not shuttling to the NH this year helped. Not as rangy or coarse as I expected, he s another fine physical example of the emerging Red Ransom sire-line. Mr Nancho is a bull of a horse with some quality in front of the saddle but a little limited behind. Of the rest of the Stoneybridge roster, father time has been kind to Ustinov; the son of Seeking The Gold reminding me why I once rated him one of the more attractive stallions I'd seen.
Waikato Stud around the corner was our next stop and as a farm it s quality never ceases to amaze me - and if it were possible, it just seems to get better. At 1200 acres and with some of the best pasture anywhere in the country, it s value must be enormous.
I was kind of hoping Rios may have suddenly shot up in the height stakes since I last saw him as a three-year-old. Sadly he hadn't, but it still shouldn't deter breeders with the right type of mare; his head and eye and a well developed crop feature in an otherwise excellent physical package.
Across to the other side of town to Rich Hill for the last stop on the day. I covered the Waharoa farms stallion line-up in some detail in a posting this time last year so won't repeat myself. In a nice touch to finish, we were shown half a dozen Any Suggestion yearlings; peas to a pod with nice walks and well developed hindquarters - the pick was a colt from a Pentire full sister to Railway winner Recurring.
In contrast to Saturdays balmy weather, Sunday dawned dark and threatening. Full of saturated fats and tannins from a Saturday night stopover with my mum in Tauranga, I managed to navigate my way down the Kaimai's and across the Matamata plains to Brighthill for the early start.
Eagle Mountain was a pleasant surprise. Taller, with more bone and quality than I had assumed from his racing photos, he s also a nice walking animal. There maybe slightly more Darshan about him than Rock of Gibraltar; something breeders will probably warm to, given that he's the dam sire of High Chaparral.
I hadn't seen Perfectly Ready in the flesh since his third-place finish in the Blue Diamond as a two-year-old. The muscular bodybuilder I saw then has morphed into a less defined individual with the girth and shoulder now of a retired All Black tight forward but he s still a very imposing individual and clearly a superior walker than the other Southern Halo stallion Mr Nancho.
Completing the line-up was Patapan and it wasn't hard to see why Brighthill have had little trouble attracting big books of mares so far to the speedy and durable son of Stravinsky. He s medium sized but stands over a bit of ground for a sprinter. Like his Brighthill barnmates he looks to have a wonderful temperament.
The hallowed manicured surrounds of Cambridge Stud were next. Tavistock paraded first - a very different type to Nom Du Jeu and Guillotine - one can see where he generated his sustained closing speed when you see the elasticity in his walk particularly through the hind legs. I ve seen Zabeel a couple of times in recent years and thought him almost ageless but on Sunday I thought he was looking his 24 years. Hopefully his heated stall and blankets can see him safely through his restricted book of 65 mares this spring.
Chequers was a trip down memory lane - I recall seeing Vice Regal there as a pimply teenager. He s well down on his hocks now and a bit tucked up but stalwart Deputy Governor still looked in pretty decent shape for 26. New boy Battle Paint would have wooed a few breeders. He s quite a big horse, generously barrelled but pretty athletic with an attractive head; built more in the mould of a Trusting than a Tell A Tale. He strikes you as more a three-year-old type than the Group 1 placed juvenile he was. If he leaves stock like himself they won't be hard to trade as youngsters.
It's hard not to share the enthusiasm The Oaks GM Rick Williams has for their latest arrival Roc De Cambes. Showing remarkable constitution for one fresh from the plane and quarantines in Japan and USA, on Sundays performance the son of Red Ransom deserved to have worked his way into the thoughts of breeders looking for a staying orientated sire. RDC looks every bit his listed 16.2 hands but he balances that nicely with good bone and width in his barrel. He s not overly rangy- I guess you could describe him as built like the modern fast stayer - with a very intelligent head and eye.
If there s pressure on Darci Brahma to be the future of our breeding industry it doesn't affect him. It s hard to reconcile but each time I see him there seems to be more quality about the son of Danehill. My pick of the weekend.
Mastercraftsman maybe fully booked for next season but Windsor will have taken bookings for next season based on his Sunday parade. Rarely do you see a big horse move as well as this guy. During his parade he spotted an opportunity to get his front leg over his lead after his handler momentary relaxed the slack and his leg moved quicker than a blink of your eye. Thewayyouare is also an impressive type, shorter coupled and lighter boned than his fellow shuttler, he s thrown quite a bit to his dam sire Sadlers Wells.
It s good for our industry to have three well credentialed sons of Montjeu at stud and all different types. Grey s can put some breeders looking to the sale-ring off but Guillotine has a lot going for him to overcome such a prejudice. He has good bone but retains plenty of athleticism. There s a fair bit of Defensive Play in his physical make-up which makes it all the more surprising he was so well backed for the Golden Slipper of his year.
Last stop for me before heading back up SH1 was Paxton Park. Shinko King was a smaller type than I d envisaged but nicely in proportion with the pronounced wither and arched neck so typical of the Fairy King line however the lasting impression as I drove off into the threatening northern sky was his honest eye.
The crowd which built to a peak of around 120 at The Oaks should have left with plenty of options for their mares. Some trends I thought the weekend may have highlighted: it s hardly new but a continuing move towards more outcross blood - a swing back towards the Mr Prospector sireline through his grandsons and the sourcing of stallions from racing and breeding markets we are not as familiar with, such as Hong Kong, South Africa and Italy.
Thanks to the Waikato branch of the NZTBA for putting on the weekend and a big bouquet for the timeliness of the schedule and the food options at The Oaks were an inventive touch. It doesn't reflect on the organisation but more farms would benefit from a solid surface to walk their stallions. With the inevitable rain around at this time it s odds on that a stallion won't walk for his handler on grass and seeing a stallion walk is important.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Makaraka: Saved By Old Age
In an ironic twist the aging but character rich racecourse at Makaraka on the outskirts of Gisborne, has been saved by a retirement village.
My inaugural road trip to the Gisborne races was in the late 1990's and since then it's always been one of my most looked forward to racing experiences each season. You don't miss the racecourse; on the flat alluvial plains that stretch from the towns limits to the Urewera's, it's tall main grandstand stands out like an NBA player on the streets of Tokyo.
While it's as far removed from the hospitality suites at Flemington as the Topp Twins are from Heff's mansion, the Poverty Bay Turf Club's home has a charm all of it s own. The exteriors of the two stands and brick totalisator building seem untouched from when they were built some 100 years ago, and the setting is complemented by a copse of old willow trees behind these buildings.
Over the years I recall seeing the debuts of Chieron, Marook and one-time Melbourne Cup favourite Native Jazz at Makaraka. It's easy sometimes to underrate the value of provincial racing carnivals in developing our horses. Gisborne for one is a long way from anywhere and a road trip plus a 3-4 day stay in unfamiliar surroundings can do wonders for the minds of young thoroughbreds.
Hopefully it's still a few years away but I think I might just have to put my name down for this village and in particular the unit at the 400m mark. And who knows, if I take my medication, maybe I'll see Kindergarten come out of the fog on the plough one morning.
My inaugural road trip to the Gisborne races was in the late 1990's and since then it's always been one of my most looked forward to racing experiences each season. You don't miss the racecourse; on the flat alluvial plains that stretch from the towns limits to the Urewera's, it's tall main grandstand stands out like an NBA player on the streets of Tokyo.
While it's as far removed from the hospitality suites at Flemington as the Topp Twins are from Heff's mansion, the Poverty Bay Turf Club's home has a charm all of it s own. The exteriors of the two stands and brick totalisator building seem untouched from when they were built some 100 years ago, and the setting is complemented by a copse of old willow trees behind these buildings.
Over the years I recall seeing the debuts of Chieron, Marook and one-time Melbourne Cup favourite Native Jazz at Makaraka. It's easy sometimes to underrate the value of provincial racing carnivals in developing our horses. Gisborne for one is a long way from anywhere and a road trip plus a 3-4 day stay in unfamiliar surroundings can do wonders for the minds of young thoroughbreds.
Hopefully it's still a few years away but I think I might just have to put my name down for this village and in particular the unit at the 400m mark. And who knows, if I take my medication, maybe I'll see Kindergarten come out of the fog on the plough one morning.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Avondale: End of The Line
I had wanted to get to Avondale to pay my respects but had a family commitment out of town. Sadly I think they'll struggle to get racing back. The dates that have gone to other clubs will be harder to prize back than a politicians credit card reimbursement.
I hope they come up with constructive ways to keep the assets - particularly the land- productive. Selling our assets to fund stakemoney and keep other facets of our industry going is too short term thinking. Maybe it can be developed as a training and trials centre like Cambridge.
Avondale holds special memories for me; first venturing there in the early 80's and including my first taste of raceday ownership. Three of my favourite performances are:
1986 Avondale Cup: The quality of Avondale Cup fields has lessened markedly in recent years but from the mid 70's to the end of the 90's it was undeniably the toughest middle distance handicap in the land. Solveig was a wonderful little mare, particularly potent when the summer tracks were at their hardest and she could roll along on a fast tempo. This day she took a sit behind the leader before sprinting to the front 500m from home, running her last 1200m in 1.11 and giving none of those behind her any chance.
1989 Concorde: Maybe not a classic Concorde but for me the most memorable because my dad was co breeder of the winner Testament. Injury plagued throughout his career he had returned from almost a year out on this occasion to beat the 'useful' Mr Tiz, Festal and Zephyr Magic amongst others.
2005 Concorde: With it's uncambered bends Avondale tendered to favour front runners and the courses history is littered with stellar performances from some of our more re known tear aways such as Jans Beau, Oranmore and Greene Street however it will always be hard to trump this performance. An immensely talented and teak tough gelding who was cruelly cut down just days after this breathtaking performance when preparing for the Railway, the aptly named Run Like The Wind burst from a wide gate this day and found the rail after less than 200m before burning off many off the country's best sprinters with a sustained display of strength and speed that was so pronounced that I'm sure he could have carried the success even easier out to 1400m so strongly did he find the line.
I hope they come up with constructive ways to keep the assets - particularly the land- productive. Selling our assets to fund stakemoney and keep other facets of our industry going is too short term thinking. Maybe it can be developed as a training and trials centre like Cambridge.
Avondale holds special memories for me; first venturing there in the early 80's and including my first taste of raceday ownership. Three of my favourite performances are:
1986 Avondale Cup: The quality of Avondale Cup fields has lessened markedly in recent years but from the mid 70's to the end of the 90's it was undeniably the toughest middle distance handicap in the land. Solveig was a wonderful little mare, particularly potent when the summer tracks were at their hardest and she could roll along on a fast tempo. This day she took a sit behind the leader before sprinting to the front 500m from home, running her last 1200m in 1.11 and giving none of those behind her any chance.
1989 Concorde: Maybe not a classic Concorde but for me the most memorable because my dad was co breeder of the winner Testament. Injury plagued throughout his career he had returned from almost a year out on this occasion to beat the 'useful' Mr Tiz, Festal and Zephyr Magic amongst others.
2005 Concorde: With it's uncambered bends Avondale tendered to favour front runners and the courses history is littered with stellar performances from some of our more re known tear aways such as Jans Beau, Oranmore and Greene Street however it will always be hard to trump this performance. An immensely talented and teak tough gelding who was cruelly cut down just days after this breathtaking performance when preparing for the Railway, the aptly named Run Like The Wind burst from a wide gate this day and found the rail after less than 200m before burning off many off the country's best sprinters with a sustained display of strength and speed that was so pronounced that I'm sure he could have carried the success even easier out to 1400m so strongly did he find the line.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Roc De Cambes: Inside Information
While NZ Bloodstock would have wished for more of a financial return from the larger than usual Japanese turnout at this years Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, a conversation with the team at The Oaks Stud will clarify the reason for their numbers; something clearly not lost on the farms GM Rick Williams when he received word earlier this year that their home bred Roc De Cambes was on the market as a stallion prospect.
As one of the more form savvy studmasters around these parts, Williams for one would have appreciated the true value of the colts race record in Japan, however even he was allegedly moved by the steady stream of visitors from the land of the rising sun - many of them here to see geysers and glowworms rather than thoroughbred yearlings - who trod a path to Barn D at Karaka earlier this year to see RDC's half brother by Darci Brahma. The colt - a cracking type - could have been three legged for all the tourists cared; their motivation solely to see the close relation to a horse, that despite a career cut short by injury, had obviouly still managed to capture the imagination of the Japanese racing public.
As one of the more form savvy studmasters around these parts, Williams for one would have appreciated the true value of the colts race record in Japan, however even he was allegedly moved by the steady stream of visitors from the land of the rising sun - many of them here to see geysers and glowworms rather than thoroughbred yearlings - who trod a path to Barn D at Karaka earlier this year to see RDC's half brother by Darci Brahma. The colt - a cracking type - could have been three legged for all the tourists cared; their motivation solely to see the close relation to a horse, that despite a career cut short by injury, had obviouly still managed to capture the imagination of the Japanese racing public.
Even allowing for their first class international record including the quinella in the 2006 Melbourne Cup at then and still their only genuine major race campaign down under, Japanese form still probably doesn't get the same kudos here as say American and European does so the marketing staff at The Oaks have a challenge to convince local breeders about the legitimacy of RDC's race record, made more the harder by the fact that his winning runs are only classed internationally as listed events.
Staying races in Japan are no place for the faint hearted with many of their feature events producing sectionals that would make the resumes of many of our leading milers and overall times that would saturate the record books in Australasia. When RDC ran fourth- coming from well off the pace - in Japan's biggest race the NZ 4 million Group One Arma Kinen at 2500m, the overall time was 2.31.3 with the last 600 off the front run in 33.7 - the NZ record for the distance is 2.32.41 held by Frequent.
The Red Ransom factor should appeal to local breeders who will have watched of late the demand for his sire sons in Australia which has come on the back of very encouraging starts by Charge Forward and Doomsday. And in Ekraar - his only sire son with progeny of racing age here - he has a staying performed son doing the job; with his oldest still only four and already represented by group one winner Ekstreme, recent VRC St Leger winner Exceptionally, 2000 Guineas third-place-getter Clapton and the promising but ultimately ill fated Revoke.
RDC's looks a particularly well timed acquisition by The Oaks coming as it does on the back of a resurgent demand for staying bred yearlings and an emerging sire-line.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Fireside Favourites
What with the weather and falling stakemoney our racing scene at the moment looks about as bleak as a Shane Jones credit card statement so it's a good time to sit back and remind ones self that we have plenty of promising horses taking a break before the spring. Here are ten that caught my eye; no real criteria just horses that I feel can go onto a better rating next season - without focusing on some of the more obvious suspects.
Single Currency: It's been a while between drinks for trainer Chris Wood but this Bachelor Duke three-year-old looks the type to get the Cambridge conditioner back in the spotlight. Following facile wins at Taupo -on debut - and Hastings, the gelding stepped up to stakes company in a very strong edition of the Arnie Sarten Memorial on Labour Day. Outside the winner Katie Lee I thought Single Currency's effort was the next best in the race; posted three-wide throughout on a good pace and only fading late to be beaten 4.5 lengths into ninth position. It would have been interesting to see where the three start veteran ended up rated amongst the three-year-olds had he stayed in work post Te Rapa.
Lion Tamer: Early season two-year-old form can often be dubious however this seasons early maturing juveniles were a high class bunch as evidenced by their form right through the season and Lion Tamer - winner on debut of the Listed Murdoch Newel in October - although failing in the Manawatu Sires, signed off his season in style with another storming finish to take the Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie in April. Somewhat of a pity the long striding colt wasn't then taken to Sydney for their Champagne Stakes, as the 1600m journey on spacious Randwick and against a less than vintage field would have given the Murray Baker colt every opportunity. The Storming Home colts physical make-up and style of racing suggests he'll only get better at three. A most exciting prospect.
MacCavity: Our two-year-olds rarely match their Australian counterparts for size and strength so imagine my surprise when I found two juveniles who would have stood out in a Golden Slipper lineup making their debuts in a two-year-old maiden at Ellerslie in late March. One of the afore mentioned duo turned out to be the eventual winner The Diamond Duke who post race was singled out for very high praise by his trainer Sean Ritchie, all of which makes the narrowly beaten runner-up and second part of the handsome pair, MacCavity, clearly an interesting prospect for next season. By reputation Roger James rarely has his horses ready to win first-up and judging by MacCavity's appearance in the Ellerslie parade ring he hadn't over taxed the Keeper filly in the build-up to her debut. It's difficult to get a line from one start on what distance MacCavity will excel at and although a half sister to the Australian group-one winning filly Velocitea (by Volksraad) and built like a sprinter, the filly may relish the 1600m of the 1000 Guineas.
Mr Charlie: The Dunstan Stayers Final has been quite some revelation as a form race since it's inception and the narrowest of runner-ups in this years contest Mr Charlie looks set to continue the trend judging by the comprehensive nature of his win just two starts later in the NZ St Leger; although down in quality on recent renewals the Golan gelding won with such ridiculous ease and in one of the quicker times in recent history to suggest he can take the step to major cup handicaps next season.
Blonde Bombshell: thoroughly genuine filly who showed her speed and class when stepping up to stakes company and setting a hectic pace in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic yet still boxing on for third to Katie Lee and Adaline. Although by a noted sire of sprinter-milers, with a bit more maturity and strengthening of her lengthy barrel she's more than capable of running 2000m in group company.
Cellarmaster: should be recognised as the nations leading two-year-old when the awards get handed out in August and deservedly so. A busy customer lining-up on nine occasions between September and finishing with a second placing in the Manawatu Sires in April, the Dubawi colt performed consistently well against the best juveniles on right and left handed tracks and on firm and soft surfaces. While he looked more of a natural two-year-old than most of his contemporaries his sires stock are training on in the NH and close relatives on the female side of his family get better with age notably Second Coming and Our Bahare so he should have scope for further improvement. His natural speed and ability to race on the pace make him an ideal candidate for the early guineas races.
Dullingham: Good horses invariably move like Alberto Junatorena and it was the stride and economy of movement that first attracted me to the son of Pins in a maiden 1600m on the middle day of the Auckland Xmas Carnival; despite finishing down the track in that contest behind the winner Green Supreme, there was sufficient merit in way the four-year-old stretched out between spates of greenness to suggest he wouldnt last long in that class. He next walloped an average maiden field at Hastings by seven lengths before venturing to Wairoa to score an easier than it looked success over the handy Hawkes Bay Cat and Cat Woman. Not seen since, look for the Jim Collett trained gelding to go quickly through to open class if he's not sold to Hong Kong in the meantime.
So Pristine: Slow maturing Zabeel mare who looks set to capitalise from typically patient handling by trainer Richard Collett. Inclined to over race when tried over ground this season and quite claustrophobic when racing in a field the mare has therefore done well to already record three wins especially bred the way she is. With more maturity look for the mare to come into her own next season at five and ultimately get 2000m and further.
Gaston: Strongly made son of Charge Forward who first came to notice when, despite an average beginning - something to which we would become accustomed - he comprehensively won his NZ debut over 1100m, beating the well regarded pair of Thundermore and Rampant in the process. Put aside after failing at his next start in the Guineas at Wanganui on a wet track the gelding returned in late summer for two starts - running third then second at Te Rapa, both in very strong company over 1200m. Possessing a big finishing kick it's likely Gaston will be even better suited by further next season.
Leica Scotch: The subject of quite a bit of spruking by his stable for the 2009 NZ Derby before going badly amiss, the Zabeel gelding resumed this season after a years convalescence and showed enough potential over distances ultimately shorter than his optimum to inspire potential as a cups contender next season.
Others to narrowly miss the cut were Our Ella Belle, Eileen Dubh, On The Level, Ishka Baha, Mr Spock and Veronica Franco.
Single Currency: It's been a while between drinks for trainer Chris Wood but this Bachelor Duke three-year-old looks the type to get the Cambridge conditioner back in the spotlight. Following facile wins at Taupo -on debut - and Hastings, the gelding stepped up to stakes company in a very strong edition of the Arnie Sarten Memorial on Labour Day. Outside the winner Katie Lee I thought Single Currency's effort was the next best in the race; posted three-wide throughout on a good pace and only fading late to be beaten 4.5 lengths into ninth position. It would have been interesting to see where the three start veteran ended up rated amongst the three-year-olds had he stayed in work post Te Rapa.
Lion Tamer: Early season two-year-old form can often be dubious however this seasons early maturing juveniles were a high class bunch as evidenced by their form right through the season and Lion Tamer - winner on debut of the Listed Murdoch Newel in October - although failing in the Manawatu Sires, signed off his season in style with another storming finish to take the Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie in April. Somewhat of a pity the long striding colt wasn't then taken to Sydney for their Champagne Stakes, as the 1600m journey on spacious Randwick and against a less than vintage field would have given the Murray Baker colt every opportunity. The Storming Home colts physical make-up and style of racing suggests he'll only get better at three. A most exciting prospect.
MacCavity: Our two-year-olds rarely match their Australian counterparts for size and strength so imagine my surprise when I found two juveniles who would have stood out in a Golden Slipper lineup making their debuts in a two-year-old maiden at Ellerslie in late March. One of the afore mentioned duo turned out to be the eventual winner The Diamond Duke who post race was singled out for very high praise by his trainer Sean Ritchie, all of which makes the narrowly beaten runner-up and second part of the handsome pair, MacCavity, clearly an interesting prospect for next season. By reputation Roger James rarely has his horses ready to win first-up and judging by MacCavity's appearance in the Ellerslie parade ring he hadn't over taxed the Keeper filly in the build-up to her debut. It's difficult to get a line from one start on what distance MacCavity will excel at and although a half sister to the Australian group-one winning filly Velocitea (by Volksraad) and built like a sprinter, the filly may relish the 1600m of the 1000 Guineas.
Mr Charlie: The Dunstan Stayers Final has been quite some revelation as a form race since it's inception and the narrowest of runner-ups in this years contest Mr Charlie looks set to continue the trend judging by the comprehensive nature of his win just two starts later in the NZ St Leger; although down in quality on recent renewals the Golan gelding won with such ridiculous ease and in one of the quicker times in recent history to suggest he can take the step to major cup handicaps next season.
Blonde Bombshell: thoroughly genuine filly who showed her speed and class when stepping up to stakes company and setting a hectic pace in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic yet still boxing on for third to Katie Lee and Adaline. Although by a noted sire of sprinter-milers, with a bit more maturity and strengthening of her lengthy barrel she's more than capable of running 2000m in group company.
Cellarmaster: should be recognised as the nations leading two-year-old when the awards get handed out in August and deservedly so. A busy customer lining-up on nine occasions between September and finishing with a second placing in the Manawatu Sires in April, the Dubawi colt performed consistently well against the best juveniles on right and left handed tracks and on firm and soft surfaces. While he looked more of a natural two-year-old than most of his contemporaries his sires stock are training on in the NH and close relatives on the female side of his family get better with age notably Second Coming and Our Bahare so he should have scope for further improvement. His natural speed and ability to race on the pace make him an ideal candidate for the early guineas races.
Dullingham: Good horses invariably move like Alberto Junatorena and it was the stride and economy of movement that first attracted me to the son of Pins in a maiden 1600m on the middle day of the Auckland Xmas Carnival; despite finishing down the track in that contest behind the winner Green Supreme, there was sufficient merit in way the four-year-old stretched out between spates of greenness to suggest he wouldnt last long in that class. He next walloped an average maiden field at Hastings by seven lengths before venturing to Wairoa to score an easier than it looked success over the handy Hawkes Bay Cat and Cat Woman. Not seen since, look for the Jim Collett trained gelding to go quickly through to open class if he's not sold to Hong Kong in the meantime.
So Pristine: Slow maturing Zabeel mare who looks set to capitalise from typically patient handling by trainer Richard Collett. Inclined to over race when tried over ground this season and quite claustrophobic when racing in a field the mare has therefore done well to already record three wins especially bred the way she is. With more maturity look for the mare to come into her own next season at five and ultimately get 2000m and further.
Gaston: Strongly made son of Charge Forward who first came to notice when, despite an average beginning - something to which we would become accustomed - he comprehensively won his NZ debut over 1100m, beating the well regarded pair of Thundermore and Rampant in the process. Put aside after failing at his next start in the Guineas at Wanganui on a wet track the gelding returned in late summer for two starts - running third then second at Te Rapa, both in very strong company over 1200m. Possessing a big finishing kick it's likely Gaston will be even better suited by further next season.
Leica Scotch: The subject of quite a bit of spruking by his stable for the 2009 NZ Derby before going badly amiss, the Zabeel gelding resumed this season after a years convalescence and showed enough potential over distances ultimately shorter than his optimum to inspire potential as a cups contender next season.
Others to narrowly miss the cut were Our Ella Belle, Eileen Dubh, On The Level, Ishka Baha, Mr Spock and Veronica Franco.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Ekstreme: Latest Win a Turning Point
Taranaki trained four-year-old mare Ekstreme had already displayed rare ability to transition from three-year-old filly to WFA racing with wins earlier this season in the Group Two Cal Isuzu Stakes and Group One Captain Cook stakes, both at 1600m, but last Saturday weeks facile win in the Group Two Travis Stakes at 2000m could well turn out to be a more significant success as far as the rest of this season and beyond is concerned.
While I wasn't as confident as trainer Bryce Revell who answered äfter 200m" when asked post race at what stage did he feel she had Saturday's feature won, I can't recall the last time I saw a horse travelling so well in a major race.
Wet track form even in stakes races can often be dubious but despite her long odds there was a rare ease about Ekstreme's win in last seasons Lowland Stakes at 2100m on a heavy track that showed her to be well above average and certainly most adept on wet ground.
While her subsequent form has been a little patchy she has never struck the same race conditions until her latest Te Rapa performance. One though must be careful not to define her as a wet tracker, in fact nothing could be more inappropriate for she has also shown rare ability on top of the ground and at distances arguably short of her optimum trip, winning the Captain Cook and the Travis at Te Rapa breaking 1.34 for 1600m.
Stepping up to somewhere near her best trip and striking a decent wet track saw her start a very warm favourite for the Travis Stakes but for the initiated there were still question marks about her ability to relax in the slower tempo of distance racing, a trait that had raised itself in last years Queensland Oaks and was again noticeable in the Zabeel Classic this season. Apparently a notorious puller in trackwork, Ekstreme had a habit that needed breaking if she was to be competitive with the very best at 2000m plus and while she needs to be able to demonstrate this consistently her latest Te Rapa performance is clearly encouraging.
Judging by the noise on course each time Ekstreme wins her owners The Waimea Racing Syndicate sound like they are getting an immense thrill out of racing the high class mare but another very interested party is Hawkes Bay breeder Alan Jackson who purchased Ekstreme's yearling half brother by Mr Nancho and their dam Cashcade privately just before last year's Captain Cook Stakes; Jackson's astute transaction has potential to be even more sweeter if the private reputation of Ekstreme's yet unraced two-year-old half brother Maradona can come to fruition - owned by the same syndicate which raced Tavistock, his trainer Andrew Campbell makes no secret how highly he rates the Mr Nancho colt.
I saw Maradona's yearling full brother (Cashcades third foal) and the second part of Alan Jackson's package purchase at Greg and Jo Griffin's operation on the old Okawa Stud property just before Xmas and while a little plain in appearance -not unlike his half sister - there s a rawboned masculinity about the tough natured gelding who Hastings trainer Patrick Campbell will be entrusted to fine tune when he enters his stable shortly.
As her Captain Cook victory showed Ekstreme is one of the country's leading milers however she indicates from the glimpses we have had of her on a wet track and in the right frame of mind that she is capable of taking an even more significant prize at 2000m with conditions to suit.
Volksraad: Fine Season Continues
Last Sunday's Goodwood Handicap win by Velocitea gave the stallion Volksraad the unique record of having sired group one winners in Australia at 1100, 1200 and 1400m. Dantelah from Volksraad's first crop took the Oakleigh Plate in 1999 and Orange County the Sir Rupert Stakes in 2008.
Volksraad has been taken for granted a little throughout most of his career. At last count he had 54 individual stakewinners and Sunday's success was his 13th individual group one winner.
On track for his eighth NZ Sires Premiership there's a school of opinion that Volksraad's inferior record in Australia stops him from being ranked with the great NZ stallions of his generation but how inferior is that record when you consider it alongside his contemporaries most of whom sire middle distance performers. Volksraad's bread and butter are his sprinter/milers and to compete against their Australian counterparts means taking on arguably the best speed horses in the world in their own backyard.
Granted all three group ones are handicaps but it's still a significant achievement in it's own right and I imagine one would have to go back to the days of Sovereign Edition or possibly even Pakistan 11 to find it's equal.
Volksraad has been taken for granted a little throughout most of his career. At last count he had 54 individual stakewinners and Sunday's success was his 13th individual group one winner.
On track for his eighth NZ Sires Premiership there's a school of opinion that Volksraad's inferior record in Australia stops him from being ranked with the great NZ stallions of his generation but how inferior is that record when you consider it alongside his contemporaries most of whom sire middle distance performers. Volksraad's bread and butter are his sprinter/milers and to compete against their Australian counterparts means taking on arguably the best speed horses in the world in their own backyard.
Granted all three group ones are handicaps but it's still a significant achievement in it's own right and I imagine one would have to go back to the days of Sovereign Edition or possibly even Pakistan 11 to find it's equal.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Pentire: Success as a Broodmare Sire
Both two-year-old events at the two Saturday meetings in NZ were taken out by horses from Pentire mares.
The Bachelor Duke colt Gamble who took the race at Te Rapa is the second foal of the two win mare Penny Hill while the Trentham winner L'Armour is a Towkay filly from the one win mare Penthouse Blue- that mares first foal.
Penny Hill's whose two wins were at 1600m and 2175m ran in the Warstep and Wellington Stakes of her three-year-old season. Penthouse Blue's only success in her 16 start career came over 2100m at Otaki.
The dam of Penthouse Blue is the Shirley Heights mare Juliette Heights - represented by a cracking Don Eduardo colt at Karaka earlier this year - giving L'Armour 3 strains of Mill Reef. I've noticed increasing numbers of Mill Reef duplications in local pedigrees of late.
Pentire's only representation at this weeks National Broodmare Sale at Karaka looks sure to be of interest to pedigree buffs. Placed at 3 this season in Australia the filly Stars is from the famed Mrs Moss family and has a duplication of Mill Reef with her dam by Shirley Heights son Darshaan.
The Bachelor Duke colt Gamble who took the race at Te Rapa is the second foal of the two win mare Penny Hill while the Trentham winner L'Armour is a Towkay filly from the one win mare Penthouse Blue- that mares first foal.
Penny Hill's whose two wins were at 1600m and 2175m ran in the Warstep and Wellington Stakes of her three-year-old season. Penthouse Blue's only success in her 16 start career came over 2100m at Otaki.
The dam of Penthouse Blue is the Shirley Heights mare Juliette Heights - represented by a cracking Don Eduardo colt at Karaka earlier this year - giving L'Armour 3 strains of Mill Reef. I've noticed increasing numbers of Mill Reef duplications in local pedigrees of late.
Pentire's only representation at this weeks National Broodmare Sale at Karaka looks sure to be of interest to pedigree buffs. Placed at 3 this season in Australia the filly Stars is from the famed Mrs Moss family and has a duplication of Mill Reef with her dam by Shirley Heights son Darshaan.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Te Aroha: Possibly Not The Usual From Guide
Breeders Stakes Day at Te Aroha is one of the best days on the calendar and this year's edition was no exception although it would pay to be wary of form particularly out of the supporting card as many of the fields lacked their usual depth and a track bias towards the inside rail played into the hands of on pace runners.
Despite it's long straight Te Aroha has always had a propensity to favour horses racing handy but Saturday was even more pronounced.
Nancho Bella despite laying in, made ground stylishly for third in the juvenile race - she had beaten Macavity in a trial. The few Mr Nancho stock that I've seen all look like they'll be better at three and this filly strikes me as no exception. Of the remainder, Murray Baker debuted a tall weakish son of Australian shuttle stallion Rakti in Arakti who may have some potential if he furnishes while Chris Wood's Scardee Cat filly Party Cat is a nice enough type, with more length and rein than a lot of her sires progeny.
Sam's Town has never been a horse I've particularly warmed too. Apparently he's a bit of a clown and often it shows on race day with performances in the birdcage that would make Fred Astaire proud. He was up to his usual tricks on Saturday but his winning performance showed a touch of class and a fair bit of heart, overcoming a significant check in the home straight yet still powering home to win the R90 sprint despite racing well out of his grade. Rarely without a top class sprinter the Otto stable may have found a capable replacement for the aging Atapi although I'm inclined to think Attackum, who co incidentally won the corresponding race last season, is that heir apparent.
Surely it's only a matter of time before we have another fillies and mares race elevated to group one status. The Breeders is currently our only such race yet year in year out it's depth makes for an exciting contest and a great betting race, which is in stark contrast to some of our group one WFA races. Australia has steadily increased such events and races such as the Coolmore Classic and the Mile on Derby Day a Flemington are always ultra competitive contests drawing the best of the fairer sex.
Keeper is having a great season spearheaded by Keep The Peace and in My Keepsake he looks to have another promising type, joining a burgeoning club that includes Finderskeepers, Tanalised, St Germaine and last weeks Ellerslie debutant Macavity. My Keepsake was the only horse all afternoon to make significant ground in the home straight greater than three horse widths off the inside rail and what was especially pleasing was that her run never faltered, sustained as it was from before the turn, right to the post. You could be in clover if you have a nice Keeper yearling come Karaka Sale time next year should Keep The Peace come up at four and some of his promising progeny take the next step.
Racing is littered with good two and three -year-old's who never recapture that form and many, myself included, were probably consigning Juice to that category before Saturdays performance. Expertly placed by John Wheeler, the daughter of Bertolini arrived at the start line fighting fit from three middle distance lead up runs and aided by a nice draw and a typically heady ride by Hayden Tinsley, she was too good for a very brave Culminate.
The runs of the three-year-olds Obsession and Lady Chaparral were excellent lending more weight that this seasons filly crop are the best for some time.
I won't be getting too carried away with the wins by Tinseltown and The Hombre. The former beat very little and ran three seconds slower than the corresponding event last season while The Hombre - given he was more impressive - still didn't look physically as well as he did last spring and there must still be some doubt about him settling well enough to run the distances of the Rough Habit and the Queensland Derby.
Oriental Lad and Better On Top should be in for lucrative autumn campaigns judging by their encouraging fresh up runs on ground firmer than they refer.
If you've yet to visit the track under the mountain I can thoroughly recommend an excursion for the Breeders and take your togs for a dip at the near by hot pools afterwards.
Despite it's long straight Te Aroha has always had a propensity to favour horses racing handy but Saturday was even more pronounced.
Nancho Bella despite laying in, made ground stylishly for third in the juvenile race - she had beaten Macavity in a trial. The few Mr Nancho stock that I've seen all look like they'll be better at three and this filly strikes me as no exception. Of the remainder, Murray Baker debuted a tall weakish son of Australian shuttle stallion Rakti in Arakti who may have some potential if he furnishes while Chris Wood's Scardee Cat filly Party Cat is a nice enough type, with more length and rein than a lot of her sires progeny.
Sam's Town has never been a horse I've particularly warmed too. Apparently he's a bit of a clown and often it shows on race day with performances in the birdcage that would make Fred Astaire proud. He was up to his usual tricks on Saturday but his winning performance showed a touch of class and a fair bit of heart, overcoming a significant check in the home straight yet still powering home to win the R90 sprint despite racing well out of his grade. Rarely without a top class sprinter the Otto stable may have found a capable replacement for the aging Atapi although I'm inclined to think Attackum, who co incidentally won the corresponding race last season, is that heir apparent.
Surely it's only a matter of time before we have another fillies and mares race elevated to group one status. The Breeders is currently our only such race yet year in year out it's depth makes for an exciting contest and a great betting race, which is in stark contrast to some of our group one WFA races. Australia has steadily increased such events and races such as the Coolmore Classic and the Mile on Derby Day a Flemington are always ultra competitive contests drawing the best of the fairer sex.
Keeper is having a great season spearheaded by Keep The Peace and in My Keepsake he looks to have another promising type, joining a burgeoning club that includes Finderskeepers, Tanalised, St Germaine and last weeks Ellerslie debutant Macavity. My Keepsake was the only horse all afternoon to make significant ground in the home straight greater than three horse widths off the inside rail and what was especially pleasing was that her run never faltered, sustained as it was from before the turn, right to the post. You could be in clover if you have a nice Keeper yearling come Karaka Sale time next year should Keep The Peace come up at four and some of his promising progeny take the next step.
Racing is littered with good two and three -year-old's who never recapture that form and many, myself included, were probably consigning Juice to that category before Saturdays performance. Expertly placed by John Wheeler, the daughter of Bertolini arrived at the start line fighting fit from three middle distance lead up runs and aided by a nice draw and a typically heady ride by Hayden Tinsley, she was too good for a very brave Culminate.
The runs of the three-year-olds Obsession and Lady Chaparral were excellent lending more weight that this seasons filly crop are the best for some time.
I won't be getting too carried away with the wins by Tinseltown and The Hombre. The former beat very little and ran three seconds slower than the corresponding event last season while The Hombre - given he was more impressive - still didn't look physically as well as he did last spring and there must still be some doubt about him settling well enough to run the distances of the Rough Habit and the Queensland Derby.
Oriental Lad and Better On Top should be in for lucrative autumn campaigns judging by their encouraging fresh up runs on ground firmer than they refer.
If you've yet to visit the track under the mountain I can thoroughly recommend an excursion for the Breeders and take your togs for a dip at the near by hot pools afterwards.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Ellerslie Prospecting
They may have run a second and a half slower than the other two-year-old race at Ellerslie today but don't be surprised if the race won by The Diamond Duke turns out to be a significantly better guide to three-year-old form next season.
As a race the Legends Fellowship for maiden juveniles was an ordinary affair with the last 600m time of 34.86 hardly noteworthy given the hack tempo of the first half of the contest but one got the impression that the first two horses across the line were far from wound up for their debuts and both certainly possess the breeding and physical makeup to develop into nice prospects for next season.
While Sean Ritchie has deservedly received good press for his emergence as a trainer of real quality this season, his exceptional eye for a yearling has been underplayed slightly by the media with The Diamond Duke another example of this skill. As a $90,000 Karaka Premier yearling, today's winner was considerably more expensive than Military Move, Keep The Peace and My Scotsgrey who all came from the Select Catalogue, but given Ritchie's success it's not hard to predict him having a significantly larger budget when he shops at Karaka next summer.
It's not difficult to understand why The Diamond Duke fetched the equal top price for progeny of his sire Bachelor Duke at last year's Karaka Sales. He's imposing to say the least with a good deal of his dam sire Seattle Slew about him,; probably already 16.1 hands going on 16.2, but well put together and balanced like so many of the good Bachelor Dukes.
As a type he's a typical Ritchie purchase, good sized but athletic with plenty of rein.
The gelding has plenty going for him on pedigree too with his dam the unraced Volksraad mare Doneze Girl a half sister to the highly talented but injury plagued Diamond Deck, who in turn is a three quarter sister to the champion racehorse and now emerging sire Lohnro.
Macavity, the runner-up to The Diamond Duke is also a most striking individual. She's a very well built filly particularly through the neck , shoulder and hindquarter, physical traits more in common with her maternal grand sire than her sire Keeper.
Cat Shmea the dam of Macavity looks an exciting broodmare prospect. Her first foal Velocitea by Volksraad has really found form as a four-year-old mare in Melbourne this season winning twice at group 3 level before a last start second in group one company in Adelaide.
A daughter of the disappointing Storm Cat stallion Felix the Cat, Cat Shmea was a handy three-year-old filly in the South Island winning three times and running third on a wet track in a listed Filly of the Year event at Wingatui. While Cat Shmea's female family would be considered only Festival Sale quality it is a nice blend of stamina and soundness through the presence of successive dam sires Beaufort Sea, Super Gray and Bellborough; the later a particularly underrated presence, featuring as he does in the pedigrees of the likes of Starcraft, Zeditave, Jet Spur and Taras Bulba.
From stables not known for producing two-year-old's and as types certain to improve at three in line with their sires typical get, The Diamond Duke and Macavity are two interesting prospects for next season.
As a race the Legends Fellowship for maiden juveniles was an ordinary affair with the last 600m time of 34.86 hardly noteworthy given the hack tempo of the first half of the contest but one got the impression that the first two horses across the line were far from wound up for their debuts and both certainly possess the breeding and physical makeup to develop into nice prospects for next season.
While Sean Ritchie has deservedly received good press for his emergence as a trainer of real quality this season, his exceptional eye for a yearling has been underplayed slightly by the media with The Diamond Duke another example of this skill. As a $90,000 Karaka Premier yearling, today's winner was considerably more expensive than Military Move, Keep The Peace and My Scotsgrey who all came from the Select Catalogue, but given Ritchie's success it's not hard to predict him having a significantly larger budget when he shops at Karaka next summer.
It's not difficult to understand why The Diamond Duke fetched the equal top price for progeny of his sire Bachelor Duke at last year's Karaka Sales. He's imposing to say the least with a good deal of his dam sire Seattle Slew about him,; probably already 16.1 hands going on 16.2, but well put together and balanced like so many of the good Bachelor Dukes.
As a type he's a typical Ritchie purchase, good sized but athletic with plenty of rein.
The gelding has plenty going for him on pedigree too with his dam the unraced Volksraad mare Doneze Girl a half sister to the highly talented but injury plagued Diamond Deck, who in turn is a three quarter sister to the champion racehorse and now emerging sire Lohnro.
Macavity, the runner-up to The Diamond Duke is also a most striking individual. She's a very well built filly particularly through the neck , shoulder and hindquarter, physical traits more in common with her maternal grand sire than her sire Keeper.
Cat Shmea the dam of Macavity looks an exciting broodmare prospect. Her first foal Velocitea by Volksraad has really found form as a four-year-old mare in Melbourne this season winning twice at group 3 level before a last start second in group one company in Adelaide.
A daughter of the disappointing Storm Cat stallion Felix the Cat, Cat Shmea was a handy three-year-old filly in the South Island winning three times and running third on a wet track in a listed Filly of the Year event at Wingatui. While Cat Shmea's female family would be considered only Festival Sale quality it is a nice blend of stamina and soundness through the presence of successive dam sires Beaufort Sea, Super Gray and Bellborough; the later a particularly underrated presence, featuring as he does in the pedigrees of the likes of Starcraft, Zeditave, Jet Spur and Taras Bulba.
From stables not known for producing two-year-old's and as types certain to improve at three in line with their sires typical get, The Diamond Duke and Macavity are two interesting prospects for next season.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Castelli: Rosehill Guineas win spotlights cheap sire
The phone of Levin studmaster Paul Hobbs deserves to ring more frequently this breeding season. Paul stands Rosehill Guineas winner Zabrasive's lightly raced half brother Castelli and last season the son of Galileo served just 13 mares, most belonging to the stallions majority owner, Hawkes Bay's Lawrence Redshaw.
For those of you with good memories the Murray Baker trained Castelli created enough of an impression in three starts here in the early spring of 2006 to at one stage hold a single figure quote for that seasons VRC Derby.
Unfortunately the colt never made it the Derby after chips in a knee were discovered following a second placing to Old Belvedere over 1600m at Hastings on Mudgeway Stakes day. Ultimately the injury saw the stallion never return to the racetrack, going to stud in 2008 after failing to stand two further training preparations.
Retiring with a sole maiden win (at 1400m) on a slow track from three starts and being a son of Galileo is not a recipe for attracting mares, particularly in this part of the world after Galileo's very disappointing shuttle service to Australia, but the stallion looks good value at his $1,000 service fee.
Castelli is the first foal of his Danehill stakeswinning and group one placed dam Danasia - Zabrasive is the mares fourth foal. As a son of Galileo and with staying influences further back in his female family such as Persian Bold, Exbury (Zammazan's sire), and the former Fairdale stallion Kings Island, Castelli won't sire Karaka Million runners however he showed enough tactical speed in his short racing career to that suggest that with the right type of mare getting an early three-year-old to the races won't be out of the question.
The odds of Castelli making it as a stallion are extremely slim but with his pedigree, the glimpse we got of his ability on the racetrack and a reinvigorated market for staying types, he's a better gamble than a number of his colleagues out there pitched in a similar price bracket.
I gather Windsor Park may agist some Castelli weanlings for a client; if that is the case I shall make a point of dropping in when I'm next down in Cambridge. Even at $1,000 you need to do your homework thoroughly and I recall seeing a couple of Castelli's immediate family as yearlings and they were not impressive types. For instance Zabrasive at Karaka was quite light and a poor walker.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Karaka: After The Gold Rush
What an extraordinary week. Even Tony Robbins or Telecom's PR department would have struggled to predict what took place.
There's been a lot written about why there was so much moolah around at Karaka and I don't disagree that any of it failed to contribute in some shape or form; from our group race performances in Oz last season to the strength of the Ozzie dollar and the catalogues depth, it all played it's part.
I thought a couple of under rated influences were the group one win in Hong Kong by Winning Fellowship the night before the Sale commenced and the release of Bart Cummings book. The later, publicity not even America's Cup syndicates could buy, would have had an immeasurable impact on the demand for staying types.
Some observations:
It's hardly a new trend but just how important a totally clean set of x rays are. I know of a couple of outstanding types that had very minor x ray issues and were crucified in the ring.
I would liked to have seen a bit more leg under the Fast N Famous yearlings. The best of his in this department, the Oh Blue Angel colt in Select, fetched his top price.
I thought the Perfectly Ready's would sell a bit better than they did. They walked well, were on the whole athletic and looked o have good temperaments. I thought they may have been a bit heavier bu I didn't mind that. A comment I heard second hand pre Sale from an Ozzie agent may well have summed up his appeal over the ditch; words to the effect that he was only an eastern state group 3 sprinter and they had many more options in young sires at the next level. Hard to dispute that but I thought they were good buying.
The lack of genuine staying types. Sure what was available sold well but as types I thought buyers were limited to a few Golans, the odd Jungle Pocket and Don Eduardo. I didn't see too many Master O Reillys or Gallopins amongst the plethora of O'Reillys and Pins. Imagine the sale results if High Chaparral had stood the 2007 season here.
It's getting off the subject slightly but I imagine Rich Hill will be feeling quite good about Sir Percy and so will some other studs with newish staying orientated stallions who could do with greater patronage. St Reims and Metre En Jeu come to mind.
The week s results should give breeders the encouragement to invest in stallions after quite some hiatus. I predict the Nom Du Jeu announcement will be the first of a number especially of those with some sort of staying resume. There should be any number of nice staying options on the market. I would love to be a bloodstock agent sourcing them.
How buyers deserted Savabeel. Someone mentioned to me just the other day that his record compares more than favourably with O'Reilly and Pins at the same stage of heir careers. I haven't had the time to check this out. There s still enough trainers saying good words about progeny of his they have but buyers have dropped him quicker than a used match.
If you like sires who leave a line then the Darci's would obviously have featured on your shopping list. They are like peas to a pod, lovely heads, deep girths, medium sized and athletic. I was taken with Michael Wallace's purchase in the Premier Sale, the colt from First of May and Little Avondale had a sweet filly from Tycoon Lover.
I saw some quality types from Pentire mares and he's going to be a significant broodmare influence with the right type of mare.
I know Elusive City had a good run in Hong Kong in the weeks leading up to Karaka but I still though his colts exceeded expectations even allowing for some quality types. His record to date is good without been outstanding but it's his fillies who lead the way in terms of stakes performers so I can only conclude that he has some very promising un raced colts out there.
The Lucky Unicorns are going to take time. I didn't mind some of his types although I can't see too many getting nominated for the Karaka Million.
A lot of pinhookers got hurt. Esker bucked the trend, their overall return helped by the Montjeu colt but their median was strong. Goodwood did well with their two also. Holy Roman Emperor was out of favour at the Magic Millions and the trend continued at Karaka. Sadly a number of pin hookers invested in his weanlings who looked good the handful I saw last year, but came unstuck. His yearlings disappointed me on the whole and maybe they just don't develop. Savabeel left some outstanding foals many of whom didn't quite go the right way through to yearlings. The pinhookers results just go to show how hard it is to get right even in a good market.
I only got to see a couple of hundred horses this year and then only in the outside rings and the auditorium but here s a handful I singled out for their X factor.
Lot 79 - Zabeel- Oh So Precious colt. Wonderfully balanced sort, athletic and not too heavy - a great blend of his sire and Sadlers Wells.
Lot 441 - Fastnet Rock - Haibah colt. More attractive around the head and eye than a lot of his sire s progeny; this mare has left another fine type.
Lot 528 - Volksraad - Mardi Gras colt. In the vein of his best colts Orange County, Vinaka and this colts three quarter brother Military Move, a sweet walking strong bodied handsome individual.
So a number of breeders have cash in their pockets again. Will this encourage a buy up at the Australian weanling sales. It will be fascinating to see the catalogue for our weanling sale. Will breeders hang on or still divest here in May. Good decisions to mull over I guess.
There's been a lot written about why there was so much moolah around at Karaka and I don't disagree that any of it failed to contribute in some shape or form; from our group race performances in Oz last season to the strength of the Ozzie dollar and the catalogues depth, it all played it's part.
I thought a couple of under rated influences were the group one win in Hong Kong by Winning Fellowship the night before the Sale commenced and the release of Bart Cummings book. The later, publicity not even America's Cup syndicates could buy, would have had an immeasurable impact on the demand for staying types.
Some observations:
It's hardly a new trend but just how important a totally clean set of x rays are. I know of a couple of outstanding types that had very minor x ray issues and were crucified in the ring.
I would liked to have seen a bit more leg under the Fast N Famous yearlings. The best of his in this department, the Oh Blue Angel colt in Select, fetched his top price.
I thought the Perfectly Ready's would sell a bit better than they did. They walked well, were on the whole athletic and looked o have good temperaments. I thought they may have been a bit heavier bu I didn't mind that. A comment I heard second hand pre Sale from an Ozzie agent may well have summed up his appeal over the ditch; words to the effect that he was only an eastern state group 3 sprinter and they had many more options in young sires at the next level. Hard to dispute that but I thought they were good buying.
The lack of genuine staying types. Sure what was available sold well but as types I thought buyers were limited to a few Golans, the odd Jungle Pocket and Don Eduardo. I didn't see too many Master O Reillys or Gallopins amongst the plethora of O'Reillys and Pins. Imagine the sale results if High Chaparral had stood the 2007 season here.
It's getting off the subject slightly but I imagine Rich Hill will be feeling quite good about Sir Percy and so will some other studs with newish staying orientated stallions who could do with greater patronage. St Reims and Metre En Jeu come to mind.
The week s results should give breeders the encouragement to invest in stallions after quite some hiatus. I predict the Nom Du Jeu announcement will be the first of a number especially of those with some sort of staying resume. There should be any number of nice staying options on the market. I would love to be a bloodstock agent sourcing them.
How buyers deserted Savabeel. Someone mentioned to me just the other day that his record compares more than favourably with O'Reilly and Pins at the same stage of heir careers. I haven't had the time to check this out. There s still enough trainers saying good words about progeny of his they have but buyers have dropped him quicker than a used match.
If you like sires who leave a line then the Darci's would obviously have featured on your shopping list. They are like peas to a pod, lovely heads, deep girths, medium sized and athletic. I was taken with Michael Wallace's purchase in the Premier Sale, the colt from First of May and Little Avondale had a sweet filly from Tycoon Lover.
I saw some quality types from Pentire mares and he's going to be a significant broodmare influence with the right type of mare.
I know Elusive City had a good run in Hong Kong in the weeks leading up to Karaka but I still though his colts exceeded expectations even allowing for some quality types. His record to date is good without been outstanding but it's his fillies who lead the way in terms of stakes performers so I can only conclude that he has some very promising un raced colts out there.
The Lucky Unicorns are going to take time. I didn't mind some of his types although I can't see too many getting nominated for the Karaka Million.
A lot of pinhookers got hurt. Esker bucked the trend, their overall return helped by the Montjeu colt but their median was strong. Goodwood did well with their two also. Holy Roman Emperor was out of favour at the Magic Millions and the trend continued at Karaka. Sadly a number of pin hookers invested in his weanlings who looked good the handful I saw last year, but came unstuck. His yearlings disappointed me on the whole and maybe they just don't develop. Savabeel left some outstanding foals many of whom didn't quite go the right way through to yearlings. The pinhookers results just go to show how hard it is to get right even in a good market.
I only got to see a couple of hundred horses this year and then only in the outside rings and the auditorium but here s a handful I singled out for their X factor.
Lot 79 - Zabeel- Oh So Precious colt. Wonderfully balanced sort, athletic and not too heavy - a great blend of his sire and Sadlers Wells.
Lot 441 - Fastnet Rock - Haibah colt. More attractive around the head and eye than a lot of his sire s progeny; this mare has left another fine type.
Lot 528 - Volksraad - Mardi Gras colt. In the vein of his best colts Orange County, Vinaka and this colts three quarter brother Military Move, a sweet walking strong bodied handsome individual.
So a number of breeders have cash in their pockets again. Will this encourage a buy up at the Australian weanling sales. It will be fascinating to see the catalogue for our weanling sale. Will breeders hang on or still divest here in May. Good decisions to mull over I guess.
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