Cover image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
G1 Thorndon Mile, NZ$220,000, 1600m
It was a much deserved Group 1 breakthrough for the terrific galloper The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) - and a very easy one too!
Three times Group 1-placed and competitive in Australia's best staying contests, The Chosen One was dominant first-up and no doubt Australian racegoers will be looking forward to again seeing him in the spring.
One of the 124 stakes winners sired by his Windsor Park-based sire, The Chosen One is that G1 W.S Cox Plate hero's 27th Group 1 winner.
Bred by the Dennis family who remain in the ownership, The Chosen One was passed in (a reserve of NZ$150,000) at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.
He is the first of sadly only two foals produced by the Group 3 and four-time Listed-placed mare The Glitzy One (Flying Spur) who died young. Her dam is the New Zealand Champion 3-Year-Old The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), a dual Group 1 winner who also produced the Group 3 gallopers The Diamond One (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and The Precious One (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Bred on a 3 X 5 cross of Sir Tristram (Ire) (Sir Ivor {USA}), The Chosen One hails from one of New Zealand's favourite and most prolific families, one which has also been represented at the elite level by Irish Chance (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), La Diosa (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}), The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel), The Phantom (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}), The Phantom Chance (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}) and The Twinkle (NZ) (Gate Keeper {GB}).
G3 Wellington Cup, NZ$300,000, 3200m
Part of a good day for Rich Hill Stud stallions, Lincoln King (NZ) (Shocking) put in a big run out wide to salute in exciting fashion.
The 17th stakes winner for his G1 Melbourne Cup-winning sire, Lincoln King was bred by Wellfield Holdings who remain in the ownership having withdrawn him from the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale.
He is the second stakes winner for his Listed Manawatu Breeders' S.-winning dam Shi Kin Fly (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}), the first being the dual Listed winner He Kin Fly (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who has also raced with success in Hong Kong.
Served in 2021 by Contributer (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Shi Kin Fly had a couple of years of bad luck at stud with her most recent foal being the yet to race 3-year-old Fabian Hawk (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}).
Shi Kin Fly is a daughter of the Doomben winner Blondini (NZ) (Big Spender {NZ}) whose grandam is the G1 George Adams H. winner Raywood Lass (NZ) (Diplomatic Agent {USA}).
A descendant of the acclaimed matriarch Eulogy (GB) (Cicero {GB}), Lincoln King carries crosses of the outstanding mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G3 Desert Gold S., NZ$80,000, 1600m
It was an easy watch for favourite backers as La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}} raced away to a stunning victory, recording her fourth win from just six starts.
A homebred for the Cassin family, she is the third stakes winner and first Group winner for Rich Hill's G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner Vadamos (Fr), one of the best sons of the great Monsun (Ger) (Konigsstuhl {Ger}).
Her dam is the multiple city winner Destiny Cove whose sire Dubai Destination (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}) has made quite the name for himself as a broodmare sire with his daughters producing 43 stakes winners.
Also dam of the good Metropolitan-class four-time winner Bari (NZ) (Proisir), Destiny Cove was not served in 2021 and 2019, missing in between - making La Crique her most recent foal.
Destiny Cove is a granddaughter of the G2 Prix de Pomone winner Whitehaven (GB) (Top Ville {Ire}) whose son Copeland (GB) (Generous {Ire}) earned the title of Swiss Champion 3-Year-Old with his 11 victories. His half-sister Ennerdale (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) has done a great job at stud locally, producing eight winners including the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Eclair Big Bang (NZ) (Savabeel), the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Samara Dancer (NZ) (Hinchinbrook) as well as three stakes-placed city winners.
Riccarton: Listed Timaru S., NZ$60,000, 1400m
After winning the early speed battle, Monza Circuito (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) was able to dictate and when challenged in the run home the tough mare just kept kicking - recording the sixth win of her 42-start career and her first at stakes level.
The 55th stakes winner for her G2 Gimcrack S.-winning sire who no longer shuttles to Haunui Farm (a Northern Hemisphere resident of Whitsbury Manor Stud), Monza Circuito is a homebred for Hedwood Thoroughbreds.
He is the final foal (and one of the three winners) produced by the unraced Monzahra (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}) who died in 2015. Her dam is the Metropolitan winner Zahra (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), also dam of the dual Group 3 winner Mr Ubiquitious (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and grandam of the G1 ATC Derby winner Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).
Zahra's dam is the New Zealand Filly of the Year Solveig (NZ) (Imposing) who has proven quite the matriarch, her descendants including the Group winners Greig (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}), Anton En Avant (Dubawi {Ire}), Caymans (Secret Savings {USA}), Floria (NZ) (Savabeel) and the G1 Sydney Cup winner Gallic (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Line-bred to the great mares Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}) Monza Circuito is a most apt winner of this race - Timaru being the birthplace of the legendary Phar Lap (NZ) (Night Raid {GB}) whose fourth dam Miss Kate (GB) (Adventurer {GB}) is Monza Circuito's 13th dam!
