New Plymouth, G3 Powerworx Taranaki Cup, NZ$80,000, 1800m
Race summary:
Group 2 winner Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) extended his winning streak to five on Saturday when taking home the G3 Taranaki Cup at New Plymouth Raceway.
The gelding raced in the second half of the field in the 1800 metre race, running about 10l off of the leader. Opie put Prise De Fer in a dream position and had clear sailing throughout the race running outside the field.
As they rounded the far turn, Bosson let his mount cruise closer to the leaders and looked confident in the stretch. Prise De Fer showed a big kick to reach the front and gallop away from Jessiegee (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) to win by 0.75l in easy style.
Pedigree notes:
Te Akau’s successful association with Savabeel was on full display at last weekend’s Karaka Millions races and it continued here with Prise De Fer, who has won two Group stakes for the ownership group. They purchased the gelding for NZ$100,000 at the Karaka National Yearling Sale in 2017.
Prise De Fer is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Belong To Many (Belong To Me {USA}) and two other winners from Foiled (Snippets). Foiled herself is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Sword (Switch In Time) with that horse the best under Prise De Fer’s first five dams.
The 22-year-old Foiled has an unnamed 3-year-old Sacred Falls (NZ) colt with a 2-year-old filly by the sire her final foal.
New Plymouth, G3 Woburn Farm 2YO Classic, NZ$70,000, 1200m
Race summary:
Bonita Aurelia (NZ) (Sweynesse) broke her maiden in fine style at New Plymouth on Saturday when winning the G3 Woburn Farm 2YO Classic in her second start.
It wasn’t an easy win for Bonita Aurelia, who was desperately chasing down the leader in the shadow of the wire. She headed Piaggio (NZ) (Vespa {NZ}) inside the final 25 metres to win by a long neck with Danielle Johnson aboard.
Amosia (Squamosa) had made the late run with Bonita Aurelia but wasn’t able to close as fast as that rival and finished 1.5l back in third in the tight finish.
Pedigree notes:
It was a new stakes winner for a freshman sire in New Zealand with Bonita Aurelia the first for Sweynesse, who only has six runners to date.
Bonita Aurelia’s dam is the Listed placed Cassie May (NZ) (Red Clubs {Ire}), who has two other winners for a 100 per cent winner to runner rate. One of two winners from two to race from her own dam, Cassie May is a great-granddaughter of G1 Blue Diamond third Sudden (Boucher {USA}), who is also the dam of Champion 2-Year-Old Burst (Marauding {NZ}).
Bonita Aurelia is quickly proving to be a bargain, purchased for only NZ$500 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka May Sale as a weanling.
Cassie May’s youngest foal is a yearling colt by Jakkalberry (Ire), with the mare not served the last two seasons.
New Plymouth, Listed Fastrack Insurance Oaks Prelude, NZ$55,000, 1800m
Race summary:
It was another tight finish in the Listed Fasttrack Insurance Oaks Prelude at New Plymouth Raceway on Saturday with Seven Seas (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}) just edging out Nothing Compares (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) by a short head.
Seven Seas wasn’t in a big hurry in the 1800 metre mark, putting herself in the back of the pack under Rosie Myers. Sitting a few paths off the rail, Seven Seas had a lot of ground to make up at the top of the straight but she was up to the task when moved to the outside of the field.
The filly showed an impressive late burst to get up at the wire in a six-way photo for the win with only a little over 0.5l separating all six. Heart of the Ocean (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) took the third spot behind Seven Seas and Nothing Compares - just a short head behind second - when the judges flashed the placings.
Pedigree notes:
Seven Seas was half of a double for sire Roc De Cambes (NZ) on Saturday and is one of four stakes winners by the stallion.
Her unraced dam Just Keepher (Keeper) is a half-sister to New Zealand Horse of the Year Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and a full sister to Group 1 winner and stakes producer Keepa Cruisin (NZ). Just Keepher is the fourth daughter of Just Cruising (Broad Reach {NZ}) to produce a stakes horse with both her stakes winning sisters and another half-sister all joining the stakes producer ranks as well.
Seven Seas has a 2-year-old half-brother by Darci Brahma (NZ) and her dam returned to that stallion in 2019.
Wingatui, G3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age, NZ$70,000, 1600m
Race summary:
Ending a big day of racing at Wingatui was Killarney (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) in the G3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age, his first stakes victory.
A six-time winner whose best stakes finish before Saturday was a fourth in the G3 Stewards H., Killarney was ready to roll here.
He went straight to the lead under Tina Comignaghi and opened up multiple lengths in the 1600 metre affair. Comignaghi looked like her mount was full of running as he went around with his ears pricked until they entered the stretch. Shirley Maude (NZ) (Fully Fledged {NZ}) tried to make up a few lengths on Killarney in the final 200 metres but it was no use with the gelding winning by 2.5l. It was closer for second and third with Belle Fascino (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) making a late run to finish third, only a neck behind Shirley Maude.
Pedigree notes:
In a day that saw multiple horses add new black type to their family’s page, Killarney was part of the group. The second foal from Group 2 winner Irish Colleen (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}), he is one of four winners from four to race out of the mare.
A seven-time winner, Irish Colleen and her son are the only two stakes winners in Killarney’s first four generations though there are three stakes horses under his fourth dam. His fifth dam is Australian Horse of the Year and five-time Group 1 winner Maybe Mahal (Maybe Lad).
Killarney is the co-most expensive of four sold out of his dam at NZ$115,000, the same price his year-older full sister brought. Irish Colleen has a 2-year-old Smart Missile gelding named Crosshaven that has yet to race and she was served by Zacinto (GB) last season.
Wingatui, Listed Fire And Mechanical Contracting Ltd, Dunedin Gold Cup, NZ$55,000, 2400m
Race summary:
Sitarist (NZ) (Road To Rock) was another new stakes winner in New Zealand on Saturday when the 5-year-old gutted out a win in the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup.
The mare rocketed to the lead out of the barriers in the 2400 metre race before settling a few lengths off the pacesetter while racing on the rail. She looked as if she may be going backwards in the turn but it provided her an opportunity to get to the outside of the field and give her clear running room.
Once she had a clear track in front of her, Sitarist got down to work in the straight. With big strides, she reached Mr Intelligence (NZ) (Niagara) as they hit the wire and was able to just stick her nose in front to win the photo.
Riviera Rock (NZ) (Road To Rock) had set the pace for much of the race but had to be content with third, giving his sire a first and third finish.
Pedigree notes:
Road To Rock saw his runners place first and third in this race for his fifth and sixth career stakes horses. Sitarist also provided her dam Sita (NZ) (Bertolini {USA}) a first stakes winner with the victory.
Sitarist is the first foal out of her dam, who has two to race. She is also the dam of a yearling filly by Echoes Of Heaven and wasn’t served in 2018 or 2019. Sitarist is from the family of Group 1 winner Barinka (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}) and Group 2 winner Tawlord (NZ) (Tawfiq {USA}).
Wingatui, Listed Mediaworks Dunedin Guineas, NZ$50,000, 1500m
Race summary:
3-year-old gelding El Gladiador (NZ) (Ghibellines) earned his first stakes victory on Saturday in the Listed Dunedin Guineas for owner-breeder-co-trainer Karen Parsons and John Parsons by 1.5l.
Running over 1500 metres, the gelding made easy work of the field with a clear lead running into the stretch. He kept a few lengths on the field until the final 75 metres when Tears Of An Angel (NZ) (Echos Of Heaven) came flying up on his outside to make a play at the lead but it was too late.
Tears Of An Angel crossed the line 1.5l behind the winner with All About Magic (Showcasing {GB}) another 3l behind her. It was one of four wins on the day for El Gladiador’s trainers, who also won the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup and Group 3 White Robe Lodge on the same card.
Pedigree notes:
El Gladiador is the first stakes winner for second season sire Ghibellines, who has two stakes horses from 25 runners.
He is also the first stakes winner from five runners out of his dam Querella (NZ) (Haafiz {Ire}), who produced Listed placed and six-time winner Querer (NZ) (Captain Rio {GB}) among her four winners.
Querella is a full sister to U.S. Listed winner and Grade 2 placed Quemar and comes from a strong extended family that includes Group 1 winner Seamist (NZ) (Beaufort Sea).
El Gladiador is the final living foal out of his dam, who hasn’t been served since 2016.
