Cover image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Race-Day Recap
Early drama was no barrier for Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), who danced past her rivals for a historic win in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on Monday afternoon.
Legarto's victory makes Rich Hill Stud's Proisir just the fourth horse this century to sire the New Zealand Guineas double.
Owner/trainer Sabin Kirkland sent out 4-year-old gelding Buoyant (NZ) (Dalghar {Fr}) to produce a dominant performance in the G3 Stewards S.
The 159th G3 New Zealand Cup (3200 metres) was won in a tough display of staying power by the Kevin Myers-trained Aljay (NZ) (Rock ‘N’ Pop).
Legarto simply superior
Trained by Ken and Bev Kelso and running in the colours of Philip Brown’s Ancroft Stud, 3-year-old filly Legarto justified odds-on favouritism to secure a remarkable Guineas double for her sire, Proisir, and she remains unbeaten in four starts.
However, things on the day were far from straightforward, as the filly was particularly wound up in the prelims. After proving difficult to load, her bridle broke and the field had to be unloaded from the stalls, incurring a five-minute delay as the bridle was replaced.
Legarto (NZ) storms home to win the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas at Riccarton | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Fortunately for connections, that’s where the trouble stopped for Legarto. When the field finally jumped, she was a touch slowly away and jockey Ryan Elliot settled her one off the rail towards the rear of the field. Te Akau’s Romancing The Moon (NZ) (El Roca) led the field through a solid early pace, with her pursuers bunching up in behind as the field entered the home straight.
Keeping close order as the race unfolded, Legarto made her challenge wide and once in the clear she opened up and flew down the centre of the track to score by 4.75l, eased down over the line.
Taking second was the John Bary-trained Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}), and 2l behind her in third was the Kevin Hickman homebred Blue Solitaire (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}).
“I aged about 10 years with the drama at the start,” co-trainer Ken Kelso said.
“It’s a big relief, and I don’t want to go through that again. I’m glad it’s all over.”
“I aged about 10 years with the drama at the start. It’s a big relief, and I don’t want to go through that again. I’m glad it’s all over.” - Ken Kelso
There were some mixed emotions for Kelso, whose wife and co-trainer Bev was unable to make the journey to Christchurch due to ill health.
“It’s a huge result, it’s just a pity she’s not here to witness it,” he said. “We’ve been a team for a long time, we’ve been training together for 40-odd years, but I’m sure she got a hell of a lot of excitement and relief, like I did, after that.”
Summing up the performance, jockey Ryan Elliot added:
“She was just absolutely trotting and sensational. She’s something else, isn’t she?”
Legarto (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Purchased by Brown’s Ancroft Stud at Book 2 of the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, Legarto commanded NZ$90,000 as a yearling. Her dam is Geordie Girl (NZ) (Towkay), a sister to dual-Listed winner Rapid Kay (NZ) and a half-sister to another dual-Listed winner in Kekova (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}).
A Champion in the making?
Legarto becomes Rich Hill Stud resident Proisir’s fourth elite-level winner, with his progeny led by stablemate Levante (NZ), who races for a similar ownership group to Legarto. Following the victory of Pier (NZ) in the NZ 2000 Guineas 10 days prior, Proisir joins an illustrious honour roll.
Eight-time New Zealand Champion Savabeel sired both New Zealand Guineas winners last year, with filly The Perfect Pink (NZ) and Noverre (NZ), the latter now standing alongside his sire at Waikato Stud.
Pier (NZ), winner of the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
It’s a feat Savabeel managed in 2017 too, and those that also claim the honour have certainly made their impact on the breed - Fastnet Rock did it in 2011 and before him Pins in 2009.
So, does this latest victory signal a changing of the guard in the New Zealand Sires' Premiership?
Current standings suggest so, as 13-year-old Proisir’s prizemoney total for the season after Monday’s events sat at just shy of NZ$1.3 million, over NZ$700,000 clear of his nearest rival Tavistock (NZ) with Savabeel not far behind him.
Proisir | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
But it’s a long road ahead; last year Savabeel secured the title with total stakes of NZ$3,392,269.
Proisir stands at Rich Hill Stud for NZ$17,500 (plus GST) this year.
Buoyant bounces away in the Stewards
Brighthill Farm’s Dalghar (Fr) gained his fourth stakes winner on Monday when 4-year-old gelding Buoyant (NZ) produced a dominant performance in the G3 Stewards S.
Trained by Sabin Kirkland, Buoyant was sent off favourite for the 1200-metre Open Handicap, off the back of a last-start third in the Listed Pegasus S. (1000 metres), in which he ran home well late.
Owner-trainer Sabin Kirkland welcomes Buoyant (NZ) back after winning the G3 Stewards S. at Riccarton | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Fractious in the barriers, Buoyant was slowly away under Michael McNab and the pair settled at the rear of the field. Last entering the home straight, Buoyant challenged widest of all in the middle of the track.
He quickly ranged up alongside Okay Pal (Dissident) before charging clear to score by 3.5l from Kopua (NZ) (Shocking), who just got the better of Okay Pal in a photo finish for second.
“He’s quite an excitable horse,” McNab said. “He was standing well and then all of a sudden, he reared up three or four times.
“With all the commotion going on, they held them a bit longer than I needed, and he reared up again.
“I ended up getting the back of Lisa (Allpress, jockey), where I was happy. I was able to find my way to the outside, it took a little while to change legs, but once she changed legs it was game over.”
“I ended up getting the back of Lisa (Allpress, jockey), where I was happy. I was able to find my way to the outside, it took a little while to change legs, but once she (Buoyant) changed legs it was game over.” - Michael McNab
Kirkland, who also owns the horse, was understandably delighted to secure his first victory at the New Zealand Cup Carnival in more than a decade.
“It has been a big week. I was wondering if he had done enough all week and then had Saturday off, but it all panned out,” the trainer said.
“You have got Michael onboard, so you can’t panic.”
Now the winner of three of his last five starts, big-race targets are on the cards for the improving 4-year-old, with Wellington’s G1 Telegraph (1200 metres) now an option.
“We might even look at Wellington later on. The Telegraph is definitely an option,” Kirkland said.
“We might even look at Wellington later on. The (G1) Telegraph is definitely an option (for Buoyant).” - Sabin Kirkland
Purchased as a weanling for just NZ$2300 at the 2019 Gavelhouse 8 July Online Auction, Buoyant has now won five of his 14 starts, and added NZ$69,000 to his winning stakes on Monday.
He is out of the Pentire (GB) mare Miss Minogue (NZ), a half-sister to Group 3 winner Spirit Bird (NZ) (Savabeel), and from an extended American family.
Aljay edges out New Zealand Cup
The 159th G3 New Zealand Cup (3200 metres) was won in a tough display of staying power by the Kevin Myers-trained Aljay (NZ) (Rock ‘N’ Pop) at Riccarton on Monday afternoon. Victory in the race also capped an excellent day for jockey Tina Comignaghi, who notched a treble having taken the first two events on the card.
The 5-year-old gelding was recording his fourth victory from 17 starts, and by far his most lucrative. In securing the first-placed prize of NZ$172,500, he also became the second stakes winner for his sire, Rock ‘N’ Pop.
Aljay (NZ) wins the G3 New Zealand Cup at Riccarton | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Wannabe 'N' Paris (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) settled into an early lead in the race, and the pace was kept honest when Quota (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) was pushed up by Sam Spratt to take them along with a circuit still to travel.
Sticking to the rail and still in the lead with 300 metres to go, Quota was soon joined by Aljay, who was making smooth headway in the centre of the course.
As Aljay began to draw clear of the field with 200 metres to run, only one horse, Inmyshadow (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}), could go with him. The pair entered a fierce battle as they put further lengths into the field, but it was Aljay, never quite letting his competitor get the better of him, who eventually found victory by 0.2l at the line, with a 6.5l gap back to Mauna Loa (NZ) (Nom De Jeu {NZ}) in third.
“It was a 10 out of 10 ride by Tina, she kicked clear and then my cousin’s horse came late so Dad would have been sweating at home that he might have given away the winner,” said Myers’ son Jason, who was overseeing the team at Riccarton.
“It was a 10 out of 10 ride by Tina (Comignaghi), she kicked clear (on Aljay) and then my cousin’s horse came late so Dad would have been sweating at home that he might have given away the winner.” - Jason Myers
“It was good to get one over on Ashley as there had been a bit of talk back and forward over the last couple of months.”
Bred by Ardsley Stud’s Jim Wallace, Aljay is out of six-time winner Albacora. He was purchased as a weanling by Waterford Bloodstock for NZ$10,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale. He was subsequently secured by his trainer at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2019 for NZ$39,000.
