Ready to Run vendor focus on Curraghmore Stud

Cover image courtesy of Curraghmore Stud

Success is no stranger to Curraghmore Stud.

Their record is coated in elite-level performers, Efficient (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Fairway (Danzero) have all graduated from the impressive Waikato-based operation.

But amongst all the alumni Gordon Cunningham could have brought up in our conversation, he chose one of his Ready to Run success stories, Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), the G1 New Zealand Derby winner, who Curraghmore sold for NZ$450,000 at the 2020 NZB Ready To Run sale.

“He won the New Zealand Derby in 2022,” Cunningham reflected. “He was a profile horse in our draft (in 2020) that we sold for NZ$450,000 to go on and win the Derby.”

Having to make a sweeping run around the field from a long way back, he showed his metal in a gritty 1.5l win, denying the well-fancied (and subsequent Group 1 winner) La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}).

Another promising draft

Curraghmore, which is closing in on 30 years in operation, doesn’t have the numbers of some of the vendors this year, with a small hand numerically to play next week.

“I feel our draft is pretty consistent with previous years, we’ve got a small draft, we’ll be taking five horses to Karaka in total, they’re well developed, well grown,” Cunningham explained.

“The breeze-up sale has been their target from the time they were weanlings, and they’ve progressed well. They were good in their breeze ups, we’re looking forward to taking them up there next week and all going well they’ll command a bit of attention.”

A reliable opportunity

The first offering from Curraghmore in 2023 (in book order) is Lot 191, a striking grey gelding by Reliable Man (GB), a consistent stallion with 25 stakes-winners credited to him so far, including Group 1 winners Miami Bound (NZ) and Inspirational Girl (NZ).

This gelding is out of the unraced Princess Snitzel (Snitzel), who has a deep page attached to her. She is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Group 3 winner Ringo (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), both racing as consistent performers throughout their careers. She has produced a winner in her own right, with Financier (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) twice a winner over 1400 metres.

“He’s a horse that has plenty of scope and he’s got a very big stride on him. He demonstrated that in his breeze up,” Cunningham said when asked about this gelding.

Lot 191 completed his breeze up in a time of 11.07s.

Textbook Almanzor gelding

Lot 201 is a September foal by Almanzor (Fr), who has garnered attention for his ability to throw handy types that can extend over a distance.

Speaking about Lot 201, Cunningham said, “He’s very consistent with what his sire is renowned for dealing, he’s got a good bit of quality about him.

“He’s a very typical Almanzor, he’s good and sound and he’s of course from a high-class mare and a half-brother to Steely, who is a very genuine city horse.”

“There’s confidence that with some development he’ll be able to get over an extended trip. “You’d expect from his breeding and from his physique that he’s a very progressive horse.”

On paper, a Derby-type race looks perfect for him, being out of G1 Queensland Oaks winner Quintessential (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous), who was also placed second in the G1 Queensland Derby. She was successful in the G2 Eagle Farm Cup, the G3 Chairman’s H. and the G3 Desert Gold S.

As Cunningham alluded to, she has produced stakes-placegetter Steely (All Too Hard), an eight-time winner.

This gelding clocked a 200 metre breeze-up time of 11.15s. He was entered in the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, being passed in with a reserve of NZ$100,000.

Rock solid prospect

The entry boasting the fastest breeze-up time of the five is Lot 331, an athletic-looking colt by Pride Of Dubai. He completed his breeze up in 10.88s, and Cunningham is happy with what he can offer to a prospective buyer.

“Pride Of Dubai has obviously demonstrated during the spring how capable he is of getting a top horse. This horse is from a mare by Fastnet Rock, who’s having a really good influence. He’s breezed extremely well.”

Arlington Rock (Fastnet Rock) has proven herself a handy producer, with three of her foals to race recording a victory. Most prominent among the trip is the stakes-placed Blue on Black (NZ) (Camelot {Ire}), a three-time winner up to 2100 metres.

This colt’s second dam is Arlingtonboulevard (NZ) (Spinning World {USA}), winner of the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' S. She is a half-sister of Listed winner and consistent producer Europe To Africa (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).

This is the first public offering of this colt.

A valuable contribution?

The lone filly in Curraghmore’s class of 2023 is Lot 339, an October foal by versatile stallion Contributer (Ire).

“She’s a very good-moving filly,” Cunningham said of her, “on the ground but she’s quality, she moves her shoulders very well.

“She’s by a sire who looks capable of getting a high-class filly, so I think she’s a good chance (to do well).”

In the second appearance for Fast ‘N’ Famous in this draft as a damsire, this filly is out of Attention Seeker (NZ), who achieved two stakes placings in the G2 Eulogy S. and G3 Desert Gold S.

The second dam, On Air (NZ) (Mi Preferido {USA}) was a top staying filly, winning the G1 ATC Oaks and G2 Peter Pan S. The family also has a G1 Perth Cup winner (from a time where it was both a Group 1 and run over 3200 metres) in the form of Sandwich - Zamlight (NZ) (Zamazaan {Fr}).

She completed her breeze up in a time of 11.08s. This is the first time she has been publicly available.

The next Asterix?

Lot 281 is a colt by Champion Sire Savabeel, who has shown plenty of qualities that have rocketed him straight to the top of Cunningham’s draft order.

His breeze up was strong, completing the 200-metre distance in a time of 10.91s. His page is well-decorated with elite performers, his dam Toffee Nose (Toorak Toff) won the VOBIS Gold Heath and was placed in the G3 Alexandra S., and is related to top-class horses Don’t Doubt Mamma (Not A Single Doubt) and More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}).

When the subject turned to this offering, it was evident there’s a bit of excitement around him, with Cunningham saying, “He’s a high-quality colt, by a top sire, from a mare that had a lot of ability, from a good, high-class family.”

He’s a full brother to Savatoff (NZ), who won in Victoria, so he (Lot 281) is a full brother to a horse with a great future.

“We feel he has a big chance to be a high-class racehorse.”

Cunningham wasn’t done brimming with excitement over this colt either. When asked about who he thinks his best offering of 2023 is, the conversation turned back to Lot 281, with a direct line of comparison to one of the best to roll off the farm.

“Our best reminds me a lot of Asterix. In all honesty, our Savabeel colt out of Toffee Nose profiles very similarly to him (Asterix). By a top sire, out of a high-class mare, from a very good family who looks the part and breezed very well. He’s got so much potential.”