Written by Trent Masenhelder
Te Akau 2-year-old Sky On Fire handed evergreen stallion Exceed And Excel his 205th stakes winner when she claimed Wednesday’s Listed Riccarton Park Function Centre Welcome S. under visiting Aussie jockey Josh Parr.
Exceed And Excel’s juveniles have been on fire this season, with Barber winning twice in Sydney, Zulfiqar victorious in the Listed Darley Maribyrnong Trial S. at Flemington, while Mach Ten and Aditi have both placed in stakes company.
The Mark Walker-trained Sky On Fire realised $400,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She was bought by David Ellis from the Eureka Stud draft, with Eureka's Harry McAlpine having purchased her dam, Elusive Meteor (Northern Meteor), carrying the filly in utero for $200,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2020.
Sky On Fire is the first foal from the dual-winning daughter of Northern Meteor and she is herself out of Listed scorer Golden Pedigree (Gold Brose).
Sky On Fire leads home a Te Akau trifecta in the Listed Welcome S. at Riccarton | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
A Spirit Of Boom half-sister to Sky On Fire will be offered by Eureka Stud as Lot 823 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sky On Fire led home a 1-2-3 finish for Te Akau, with Rubicon Crossing (Rubick) and Rhetorical (NZ) (Snitzel) filling the placings.
“We are proud of all three of them. They all ran great races and all of them deserve a bit of a holiday now. A stakes performance for their pedigrees is a big help as well,” Walker said.
Mark Walker and Josh Parr after winning the Listed Welcome S. | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“Sky On Fire just had the benefit of going down the chute last start which was a big help. All three have got bright futures.”
Despite likely earning enough prizemoney to guarantee a start in the $2 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Sky On Fire won’t be seen on the Gold Coast.
“She will head back to Te Akau Stud for a nice little break and get ready for the (G2) Matamata Breeders’ S. (1200 metres),” Walker explained.
“She (Sky On Fire) will head back to Te Akau Stud for a nice little break and get ready for the (G2) Matamata Breeders’ S. (1200 metres).” - Mark Walker
“Rubicon Crossing is in the same boat. She is a Magic Millions filly and will also look at the Matamata Breeders’ S. and Rhetorical will go home and get ready for the Karaka Million 2YO.
“I think with her experience she can be a factor in the Karaka Million. She didn’t win today, but she didn’t let us down either. They are all nice fillies.”
Meanwhile, Belclare (NZ) provided Little Avondale Stud resident Per Incanto (USA) with his 25th stakes winner when she took out the G3 Canterbury Breeders' S.
Belclare (NZ) scored an easy victory in the G3 Canterbury Breeders’ S. at Riccarton | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
The Lisa Latta-trained 5-year-old was handled by Michael McNab and proved too good for Avaquinella (NZ) (Proisir) and Fashion Shoot (NZ) (Savabeel).
“Michael thought if she jumped well he would look to get a bit of cover in the three-wide train and everything panned out as he said. She’s got a fantastic turn of foot,” Latta said.
“I knew she still had improvement in her from Awapuni the other day and she had a good blow afterwards and was peaking at the right time and she won so well.”
“I knew she (Belclare) still had improvement in her from Awapuni the other day and she had a good blow afterwards and was peaking at the right time and she won so well.” - Lisa Latta
Belclare will now head to the G2 Manawatu Challenge S. on December 17.
“We’ll see what points they give her for this win and there’s a nice 1400-metre stakes race at Awapuni on her back doorstep so we’ll be able to give her a week in the paddock now,” said Latta.
Belclare’s third dam is the Group 1 winner, Group 2-producer Olga’s Pal (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}).
Trainer Lisa Latta and jockey Kozzi Asano | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Per Incanto is the sire of Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ), who notched her second Group 1 triumph with an upset win in the Champions S. at Flemington on Saturday.
It was a brilliant day at the races for Latta, who also saddled He's A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) to victory in the G3 Coupland's Bakeries Mile later on the afternoon.
