G1 NZ 2000 Guineas, NZ$500,000, 1600m
He needed luck in the run home but Noverre (NZ) (Savabeel) ended up making his own - hooking out and charging home to an impressive success, his third from just seven starts.
The exciting colt, one of Waikato Stud's G1 W.S Cox Plate winner's 118 stakes winners, was bred by Chittick Investments and purchased by David Ellis for NZ$800,000 from Book 1 at last year's New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale.
Sharing the name of a UK Group 1 winner, he is the first foal for the G3 Taranaki 2-Year-Old Classic winner Magic Dancer (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) whose dam is the dual Listed winner Dazzling Belle (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}).
Noverre is bred on a 4 X 5 cross of Nureyev (USA), also boasting a strain of that great horse's three-quarter brother Sadler's Wells (USA) - giving him a 5 X 6 X 6 cross of the famed matriarch Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}).
And another highlight of his pedigree is the combination of the relations, both descendants of the legendary Selene (GB) by Chaucer (GB), Sir Tristram (Ire) and Star Way (GB).
Magic Dancer has only ever visited Savabeel and has another two colts by him including a 2-year-old colt who was purchased for $190,000 by Import Racing at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale this year.
Listed Metropolitan Trophy H., NZ$75,000, 2500m
Getting clear from the 200 metres, Mr Intelligence (NZ) (Niagara) was a soft winner at nice odds of this feature - a deserved black-type success off a consistent career that has seen him win six of his 29 starts.
Bred by G.R Cunningham, he is the fourth stakes winner for The Oaks Stud's regally bred Niagara, the G2 Ajax S. winner by Encosta De Lago from Redoute's Choice's family.
His dam is the G3 Sweet Embrace S. runner-up All Knowledge (Knowledge) who has been represented by three winners from four to race. Sadly this fellow is her final foal as she died after being served by Ferlax (NZ) that season.
The city-winning All Knowledge is one of seven winners (from as many to race) for Clontarf Beach (Sea Road), sister to the terrific mare Seawinnie who won 16 races including the G2 BATC Foster's Cup and five Listed races.
Mr Intelligence is bred on a 6 X 6 cross of the influential matriarch Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}), fifth dam of Niagara and grandam of Knowledge's grandsire Try My Best (USA). He is also 5 X 5 Nijinsky II (Can) whose sixth dam Torpenhow (GB) (Torpoint {GB}) is Best In Show's fourth dam.
Listed Pegasus S., NZ$60,000, 1000m
"She's a sprinting powerhouse" declared the caller as Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) recorded an easy all-the-way victory as an odds-on favourite; her fifth successful from just 11 starts.
Bred in Victoria by Bloodstock Resources Ltd, she has also won at Group 3 level and is one of the 22 stakes winners sired by her Vinery Stud-based sire; the four times Group 1-winning half-brother to Black Caviar (Bel Esprit).
She is the final foal produced by the winner You Can't Say That (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) whose six to race have all found the winner's circle including the dual Group 3 winner Darci Be Good (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
You Can't Say That's dam is the two-time Group winner What Can I Say (NZ) (Khozaam {USA}) who also produced the dual Listed winner Gibraltar Campion (NZ) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and five-time Group winner Only Words (End Sweep {USA}) who in turn has produced the Group 2 winners Chat (Deep Field) and Holy Snow (Fastnet Rock).
Australian Co-Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Invader (Snitzel) also hails from this family as does the classy Hong Kong sprinter Not Listenin'to me (Dylan Thomas {Ire}).
Babylon Berlin carries a 6 X 6 cross of the wonderful mare Fanfreluche (Can) (Northern Dancer {Can}) via her descendant Flying Spur (Danehill {USA}) and son L'Enjoleur (Can) (Buckpasser {USA}).
Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint, NZ$60,000, 1200m
Three wide throughout but too good at big odds was Raposa Rapida (Foxwedge) who was gutsy to the line.
Bred in New South Wales by Ascot Heath Pty Ltd, the 23rd stakes winner for her Woodside Park Stud based G1 William Reid S.-winning sire is stakes winner number three for his G3 Blue Diamond Preview-winning dam Bardego (Barathea {Ire}).
Retired last season after producing a full brother to Raposa Rapida, Bardego is also dam of the G1 Railway S. winner Volce Velope (also by Foxwedge) and Listed Black Opal S. winner Delago Bolt (Delago Brom).
Making his way through the sales ring on two occasions, Raposa Rapida was purchased for $155,000 by Muskoka Farm at the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale and by Go Racing New Zealand for $150,000 at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
A descendant of the influential Admiration (GB) (Saraband {GB}), Raposa Rapida carries a 6 X 5 Sir Tristram (Ire) cross whilst also carrying duplications of the excellent mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}).
