Cover image courtesy of Race Images South
Written by Paul Vettise
Waikato Stud posted a quickfire trans-Tasman breeding double after All Hallows’ Eve (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) struck winning blows within a glorious 10-minute period.
At Randwick, All Hallows’ Eve produced a well-timed finish to land the G3 Mostyn Cooper JHB Carr S. and soon after Atishu produced a sizzling run at Riccarton to come from last to win the Listed Warstep S. going away.
Powerhouse nursery Waikato Stud bred the John O’Shea-trained All Hallows’ Eve with Rosemont Stud and races the filly with the Victorian operation while it bred Atishu, who was purchased by Go Racing at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for NZ$260,000.
The Matamata farm also enjoyed success at Caulfield where the Phillip Stokes-prepared Blue Ocean (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) was successful and he was also bred by the farm with O’Shea’s wife Isabelle. He was sold as a weanling at Karaka for NZ$22,000.
To top off a marvellous day for the Chittick family, Ocean Park’s (NZ) son Kolding (NZ) later produced a gritty display for a hard-fought victory in the G1 Schweppes All Aged S.
Broodmare boost
All Hallows’ Eve was coming off a sixth placing in the G3 PJ Bell S. and showed encouraging improvement to round off strongly from back in the field to post her third career victory and a significant one to boost her future broodmare value.
She is a sister to stablemate and G3 Tibbie S. winner All Saints’ Eve (NZ) and a half-sister to the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel).
All Hallows’ Eve settled in the back half of the field and unwound powerfully for rider Jamie Kah to beat Elizabeel (Power {GB}) by 0.4l.
O’Shea also enjoyed an outstanding day with Intrepidacious (Shooting To Win) scoring at Caulfield and Rocha Clocka (Pierro) also won the Yarraman Park H. at Randwick, where he may have saved the best until last with Lost In Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) claiming the final event, the Fujitsu General Sprint.
“I think he is a serious weight-for-age horse,” he said. “James (McDonald) gave him a nice easy time to the line. He made them look second rate.”
Lost In Running is likely to make his next appearance in the Listed Luskin Star S. at Scone before a break with O’Shea eyeing off major sprint events in the spring.
Lost In Running (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Focus on Oaks
Atishu’s trainer Stephen Marsh will consider a tilt at the G1 Queensland Oaks for the filly, whose Warstep victory saw her crowned New Zealand Bloodstock’s Southern Filly of the Year.
“She is coming home to Cambridge now and will have a few days in the paddock before we make any further plans for her,” he said.
“She (Atishu) is coming home to Cambridge now and will have a few days in the paddock before we make any further plans for her." - Stephen Marsh
“It’s a big trip back by float so she will need the rest, but if she travels well and comes through everything without any harm then a crack at Brisbane is definitely on the cards.”
Atishu was a NZ$260,000 purchase by Go Racing from the Matamata farm’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sale.
After impressive back-to-back victories at Pukekohe and Riccarton through March, she then turned the NZB Airfreight S. into a procession, scoring by a widening 7l.
Atishu was quickly into stride on Saturday before rider Kozzi Asano allowed her to drift back in the field and were last at the top of the straight.
Asano asked the filly for the supreme effort in the closing 350 metres and she responded in impressive fashion to mow her rivals down.
