Written by Jessica Owers
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Dundeel (NZ) on Wednesday continued to float to prominence as a 2-year-old sire in Australia when his daughter, the Chris Waller-trained Konasana, won the second race at Randwick-Kensington’s midweek meeting.
The filly, bred and raced by Woppitt Bloodstock, was on debut in the eight-horse field, and it was a roof-raising finish when she woke up suddenly in the last 200 metres, sprinting from the rear of the field to snatch victory from the Snowden-trained Speymalt (Not A Single Doubt) by 0.15l.
Konasana clocked 1:07.64 for the 1150 metres, the last 600 metres in 34.45s. It was marginally quicker than the opening race over the same course and distance, won by the 3-year-old gelding Kapunda (Capitalist).
Konasana had been muddling in her trials early in the year, running near last in both at Rosehill. However, on June 6 she reappeared in silks, running a good third to Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA}) over 900 metres. It was good enough to suggest she might be competitive on debut.
However, the filly needed the experience of Kerrin McEvoy on Wednesday as she didn’t have her race won until the last stride or two.
“She ran a little bit green when I got her off the bridle, but it was a good effort to rally late,” the jockey told Sky Racing. “I knew they’d done a bit of work in front of me, but it was only in the last 20 yards where I thought, ‘Okay, we’ve got this’. It was a fair effort and there’s improvement to come.”
Konasana after winning at Randwick-Kensington | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
On course, Charlie Duckworth was watching over the filly for the Waller camp. He said Konasana’s trials hadn’t revealed much about what she might have to offer.
“You’re never quite sure what you’ve got under the bonnet when they’re so quiet in their trials,” he said. “She did nothing wrong in her trials; she just wasn’t asked any real questions. Kerrin got stuck into her late on in the piece today (Wednesday) and she got home.
“She’s in for a good campaign and it’s fantastic for Woppitt Bloodstock. They’re solid supporters of the stable, and of racing as a whole.”
“She’s (Konasana) in for a good campaign and it’s fantastic for Woppitt Bloodstock. They’re solid supporters of the stable, and of racing as a whole.” - Charlie Duckworth
An ‘im-Posing’ family
Woppitt Bloodstock is the breeding operation of Debbie Kepitis, who shot to international fame through her co-ownership of Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).
In 2018, Kepitis purchased the dam of Konasana, the American import Posing (USA) (Medicean {USA}), at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, paying Coolmore $500,000 for her. Posing had been bought as a Tattersalls yearling by Demi O’Byrne in 2013 for £260,000 (AU$485,000).
The mare was Lot 117 at the Chairman's and among a catalogue that included Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt) and Savaria (NZ) (Savabeel).
Posing’s dam was 2200-metre winner in Ireland and a half-sister to Nathaniel (Ire), as well as the Champion British filly Playful Act (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
In fact, Posing’s second dam, Magnificent Style (USA) (Silver Hawk {USA}), was one of the brilliant producers of her era, with no less than eight stakes winners to her name.
Lara Kepitis is Debbie Kepitis' daughter and racing manager of Woppitt Bloodstock. She remembers her mother buying Posing at the Chairman's in 2018.
“I remember her buying this mare at Chairman’s and telling us afterwards,” Lara said, speaking to TDN AusNZ. “She loved her and, of course, Posing was in foal to Frankel, so she just had to be got.”
“I remember her (Debbie Kepitis) buying this mare at Chairman’s and telling us afterwards. She loved her and, of course, Posing was in foal to Frankel, so she just had to be got.” - Lara Kepitis
At the time of Posing’s purchase by Woppitt Bloodstock, Posing was in foal to Frankel (GB) on Southern Hemisphere time, and that foal was retained by Kepitis to race as Phosphene. Now four and very lightly raced, he is also with Chris Waller.
The mare’s second foal was a filly by Deep Field, Pozesana, which Kepitis also retained and which is so far winless in five starts. She raced as recently as May 30, but she isn’t quite up to city class and has been sent from Waller to Gayna Williams in Bathurst.
Konasana is, therefore, the third foal and second winner from Posing, and the mare foaled a Yes Yes Yes colt last spring. She missed to Supido in the spring and has proved a tricky breeder, which is why Woppitt has retained her fillies to date.
“We were going to sell Phosphene, but he unfortunately had illnesses and injuries so we retained him, and we were lucky enough to finally get him to the races for a win,” Lara said. “He’s now retired but he was a bit of a surprise package to have kept.
“Now we’ve got Pozesana too, and when this filly (Konasana) came out today (Wednesday), you can imagine how good that was. Posing has been a challenging mare to breed with, so we’ve held on to these ones, mainly because they’re fillies.”
“...when this filly (Konasana) came out today (Wednesday), you can imagine how good that was. Posing has been a challenging mare to breed with, so we’ve held on to these ones, mainly because they’re fillies.” - Lara Kepitis
Posing is one of the 12 mares in the Woppitt Bloodstock portfolio. Lara said they’re not sure where they will send the mare this spring, and plans will obviously pivot around what Konasana might go on to achieve before then.
The rise and rise of Dundeel
Konasana on Wednesday became the 13th individual 2-year-old winner for Dundeel this racing season. It’s a remarkable figure given it represents nearly half of the stallion’s overall 2-year-old winners since he went to stud in 2014.
Dundeel (NZ) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
As of Wednesday afternoon, Dundeel had produced 33 juvenile winners in his seven crops of racing age, while Konasana was his 111th winner this season.
The filly was foaled in Dundeel's sixth crop when the stallion stood for $66,000 (inc GST). He will this season command $82,500 (inc GST), with even Charlie Duckworth commenting on the rise of the horse at stud.
“Dundeel seems to be ticking all the boxes as a 2-year-old stallion now,” he said on Wednesday.
“Dundeel seems to be ticking all the boxes as a 2-year-old stallion now.” - Charlie Duckworth
On Monday, TDN AusNZ’s regular column, ‘Analyse This’, looked at the statement that Dundeel has made this season as a 2-year-old sire. Up to that point, the horse had sired the same number of 2-year-old winners this season as barn mate Snitzel, and with Konasana on Wednesday, it puts Dundeel one ahead.
Dundeel’s brilliant run this year has resulted in an all-time career high for him of 16 stakes wins, and his eight stakes winners (seven of those have been Australian) have emerged from five of his six crops of racing age. He has also climbed among the top 10 of General Sires in Australia for the first time in his career.
‘Dundeel’s results this season have well and truly debunked any theories that he is solely a middle-distance producing stallion of Classic-age horses,’ wrote Caitlin Smith. ‘Represented by four stakes-performed juveniles this season, Dundeel is having his best season by far for juvenile winners and stakes performers alike.
‘His 12 individual 2-year-old winners (now 13) is double that of his nearest best effort, which came in his second crop in the season 2018/19 when he produced half as many juvenile winners as this season (six).’
