Cover image courtesy of Race Images South
New Zealand-based owner Daniel Nakhle is no stranger to raceday success or owning a good horse. Nakhle has raced the talented multiple Group 2 victress Spanish Whisper (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Crosshaven (Smart Missile), a winner of three Group 3 contests and a Group 1 placegetter.
Captain Kirk (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) did not prevail in a stakes race but was placed in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas behind the star Darci Brahma (NZ), while Captain Kirk also recorded placings in the G2 Wellington Guineas and Listed Gold Coast Guineas beaten by the dual Group 1 winner Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice).
Gallery: Some of the horses Nakhle has had stakes success with, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Despite the success, Nakhle feels he may have uncovered his best horse yet - Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}).
The Danny Walker and Aaron Tata-trained galloper has been peerless in six starts to date, and on Saturday at Riccarton Park, he scored his most significant success yet in winning the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
Crocetti, ridden by Warren Kennedy, comfortably handled the step up to 1600 metres for the first time to gain the upper hand over Talisker (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) by 0.50l, while To Catch A Thief (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) was a further 4.50l away in third.
Crocetti makes Nakhle proud
It was an incredible achievement by Crocetti, who only debuted in February of this year at Pukekohe Park.
“I’m overwhelmed. The smile hasn’t left my face yet. Crocetti never let us down,” Nakhle told The Thoroughbred Report.
“He seems to love running and has been a consummate professional. A wonderful horse all the way through from a 2-year-old to now.”
“He (Crocetti) seems to love running and has been a consummate professional. A wonderful horse all the way through from a 2-year-old to now.” - Daniel Nakhle
To make the moment sweeter, Crocetti was bred and retained by Nakhle.
“It’s been magic. I know he’s probably not the most commercially bred horse in the world, but the cross between Zacinto and O’Reilly has been very successful. I’ve always been taught by Russell Warwick at Westbury Stud, 'You’re there to breed a racehorse. Not a sale horse', we’ve got to balance that with a little commercial reality.
“However, in this instance, the cross just seemed so good on paper and type we couldn’t pass up. I sent Irish Colleen (grandam) of Crocetti to Zacinto first, followed up with her daughter Gracehill (Crocetti’s dam).
“And there comes Crocetti. It’s just been a great ride.”
Daniel Nakhle | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Family affair
Crocetti’s dam, Gracehill (NZ), a daughter of the outstanding sire O’Reilly (NZ), was bred by Nakhle in partnership with Waikato Stud. She was sold for NZ$115,000 at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale and won twice.
Gracehill was a daughter of the Shinko King (Ire) mare Irish Colleen (NZ), who Nakhle raced to win the G2 Concorde H. and the Listed Rotorua S.
Irish Colleen has transferred her talent on the track to the breeding barn; she’s the dam of the seven-time winner and Group 3 victor Killarney (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and the aforementioned Crosshaven, who Nakhle still retains an ownership interest in.
Crosshaven, on Thursday at Flemington, nearly added to the lustre of the week when narrowly beaten in the G3 Rising Fast S.
“I stayed in for a share of Crosshaven once he was passed in and did a deal with Ben, JD and Will Hayes at the time. He’s certainly made us proud over your side of the ditch (Australia), and he keeps fronting up.
“I stayed in for a share of Crosshaven once he was passed in... He’s certainly made us proud over your side of the ditch (Australia), and he keeps fronting up.” - Daniel Nakhle
“It was a tremendous first-up run. I usually stand up to watch races as I get a little bit nervous, but I thought Crosshaven was only going for a run, so I was pleasantly relaxing on the couch until he started ranging up, and I quickly leapt into action.”
Nakhle indicated that Crosshaven could potentially head towards Saturday’s G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. at Caulfield but will be guided by the opinion of the Hayes brothers.
However, it’s obvious Nakhle will not easily forget New Zealand Guineas Day, but it felt like an early Christmas when Gracehill foaled a half-sister to Crocetti by Darley’s Brazen Beau.
“We’ve been waiting for his dam to foal, and she did on the morning of the 2000 Guineas; Gracehill left us a lovely Brazen Beau filly. There were certainly a couple of cherries on top that day.
“It’s interesting because Irish Colleen only ever had one filly: Gracehill. It’s a bit of a complicated story, but Gracehill was born by way of a foal share with Mark (Chittick) at Waikato Stud, and he was very kind to offer O’Reilly as part of the package. So, we sold Gracehill as a yearling. She showed real potential but retired early, and fortunately, I could repurchase her and bring her home.
“Irish Colleen has foaled an absolute belter of a Proisir colt. We’ve got Irish Colleen, Gracehill and her daughter, Rionach, booked into Proisir again. It’s a good cross, and Irish Colleen hasn’t let us down with the colt she’s got at foot this season.
“Irish Colleen has foaled an absolute belter of a Proisir colt. We’ve got Irish Colleen, Gracehill and her daughter, Rionach, booked into Proisir again. It’s a good cross, and Irish Colleen hasn’t let us down with the colt she’s got at foot this season.” - Daniel Nakhle
“It’s been a very kind family to me, and I’m looking forward to hopefully having some Proisir foals next season.”
Love for the horse
Like many industry participants, Nakhle’s love of the horse was fostered young. He has been obsessed with horses and racing since childhood, so watching his homebred win the New Zealand 2000 Guineas is like a wish come true for Nakhle.
“Every Christmas, my parents would ask me what I wanted for Christmas. And every year, it’d be a racing book or a horse of some sort. When I was 12, we moved into a rural part of Auckland and on the other side of the neighbour's property was a mare and foal at foot.
Crocetti (NZ) wins the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton | Image courtesy of Race Images South
“Being 12 and loving horses, I just wanted to be around the mare and foal all the time, so I’d jump over the fence and play with the foal, and I got a bit attached to that filly.
“It was around my birthday, and my parents asked what I wanted for my birthday, with the expectation it would be a computer or something along those lines, and well I said, ‘I wouldn’t mind that little filly over there, that would be a great start'.
“I was very privileged because my parents actually did a deal with the farmer next door for the filly, and she ended up being a 2-year-old winner. So, as is with most people in this game, the bug bites you pretty quickly and hard, and it never goes away. That’s pretty much where it started.
“... as is with most people in this game, the bug bites you pretty quickly and hard, and it never goes away.” - Daniel Nakhle
“And I’ve met some fantastic people along the journey, and that’s the best part of it; some of the people I’ve met have become lifelong friends and are some very close and special friends.”
Well deserved
Nakhle is also incredibly pleased to have a quality horse in training with Walker and Tata.
“Danny (Walker) moved over to Byerley Park, which is our training establishment in South Auckland, several years ago, and he’s just a wonderful, wonderful person, as is Aaron (Tata).
“We got to know each other at the gap every Saturday morning, and they both have a heart of gold. Their horses, you could notice, were really well looked after, and their coats were always fantastic.
Danny Walker, Aaron Tata and Daniel Nakhle with Crocetti (NZ) after winning the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas | Image courtesy of Race Images South
“The horses were always engaged and happy. Whenever you walked into their stables, the horses' heads would come out of their stalls, and that’s always a good sign for me. So we’ve just started sending a couple of horses here and there to Danny and Aaron - certainly a few more heading their way.”
Looking towards the future, no plans have been set for the exciting galloper. Australia could beckon, but with plenty of options in Crocetti’s native New Zealand, the ownership and trainers are just focusing on doing what’s best for Crocetti.
“I’ll always defer to Danny and Aaron as the horse people in the family, and at this state, Danny had mentioned the Almanzor Trophy at Ellerslie on January 27, and then potentially a couple weeks after that, there’s the G1 BCD Sprint.
“So far, that’s all that’s been mapped out and depending on how he goes through those first two runs, there's the possibility he finds a lovely paddock, and we get him ready for an excellent 4-year-old season.
“Danny (Walker) had mentioned the Almanzor Trophy at Ellerslie on January 27, and then potentially a couple weeks after that, there’s the G1 BCD Sprint (for Crocetti). So far, that’s all that’s been mapped out...” - Daniel Nakhle
“At the end of the day, Crocetti has a fair bit of developing. He’s well put together, but he’s still growing. We’ve noticed that he's lying down a bit more over the last few weeks. He’s got a bit more to come up in behind, so I just don’t want to push him too hard.
“He’s an intelligent horse and just so willing. He seems just to devour the ground when he runs. We’re just very privileged and very humble to be part of his career.
“We’ll just see where he wants to take us next.”
