Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Pukekohe Park: G2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' S., NZ$225,000, 1400m
Finding the line well after taking the short cuts up along the rails, Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) did a good job finding winning form at her first run since late September.
Bred by Simms Davison, Campionessa was sold by Westbury Stud for $60,000 to David Ellis at the 2010 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
Also winner of the Listed Metropolitan Trophy and the G2 Rich Hill Mile, she is one of seven stakes winners for her Mapperley Stud-based, dual Group 1-winning sire.
And she is one of three stakes winners for her metropolitan-winning dam Bella Carolina (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) - also dam of the Listed winners Tennessee (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) and Leedox (NZ) (Time Test {GB}).
Hailing from the family of the G1 Metropolitan H. winner Dress Circle (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the G1 Easter H. winner Carson's Cash (NZ) (Lord Ballina), Campionessa is - like the previous stakes winner on the card - One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One {NZ}) - a descendant of the influential Kite (GB) (Bustard {GB}).
Bella Carolina was served last spring by Bivouac after producing - in mid-September - a full sister to Campionessa. Her 2-year-old son Naitanui (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) is a member of the Hayes stable.
G3 Counties Bowl, NZ$150,000, 1100m
Stretching his neck out to wear down the leader over the final stages, Sacred Satono (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) did a good job recording his second win at Group 3 level.
Taking out last year's G3 New Zealand Bonecrusher S., he has ventured to Australia twice in the meantime - in mid-October unplaced in the Silver Eagle when on pace in a race not run to suit.
One of the six stakes winners for his Rich Hill Stud-based sire, Sacred Satono was bred by Archer Equine Investments and sold through the Rich Hill 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale Book 2 draft to Wallace Thoroughbreds for NZ$34,000.
He is one of the four winners produced by the now retired multiple city winner Belle Joie (NZ) (Mellifont {USA}), also dam of the Group 3-placed Simbaah (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
Belle Joie - whose 3-year-old She's A Bellatrix (NZ) (Ace High) was placed at debut in September and whose 2-year-old Badger's Drift (NZ) (Shocking) has had a couple of trials - is a half-sister to the wonderful galloper Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) who was twice crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year with his 10 successes at Group 1 level.
And her half-sister Keepa Cheval (NZ) (Keeper) has also done a good job at stud - producing the triple Group 1 winner Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) and the G3 Championship S. winner Cheval D'Or (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) - as well as the dam of this year's G1 Queensland Derby winner Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
G3 Counties Cup, NZ$170,000, 2100m
Emerging best late from an exciting two-horse battle, One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One {NZ}) is a horse putting together a great record - this win his seventh from 12 starts.
A homebred for E M and N A Bourke and A R Piercy, One Bold Cat is the second stakes winner for his Grangewilliam Stud-based sire, a stakes-placed, four-time winning son of Fastnet Rock and out of the dual Group 1 winner The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}).
A half-brother to the three-time winner Swiss Kitty (NZ) (Swiss Ace), One Bold Cat is out of the two-time winner Floozie Cat (NZ) (One Cool Cat {USA}) who is the only foal produced by her dam Floozie (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}). Floozie's Listed-winning dam Immunize (NZ) (Diplomatic Agent {USA}) produced the G2 Liston S. and G3 ARC Champagne S. winner Happy Star (NZ) (Fiesta Star).
Floozie Cat paid a return visit to The Bold One (NZ) last spring having produced a filly by him.
Hailing from the same family as the stakes winners Red Echo (NZ) (Prince Echo {Ire}), Regal Gauntlet (Red Gauntlet {GB}), Lady Dignitas (Dignitas {USA}), Mer'Cler (NZ) (Crest Of The Wave {GB}), Balzeus (God's Own), Figure Of Speech (NZ) (Seven Figures {USA}), Ken's Fortune (NZ) (Balmerino {NZ}), Optica (NZ) (Wandering Eyes {Ire}), One Bold Cat is the first stakes winner (from 11 runners/six winners) line-bred to O'Reilly (NZ) of whom he boasts a close 3 X 3 cross. Interestingly he shares the same prolific ancestress - Kite (GB) (Bustard {GB}) as that stallion and he is also 5 X 5 Crimson Saint (USA) (Crimson Satan {USA}) via her son Royal Academy (USA) and grandson Storm Cat (USA).
Listed Challenge S., NZ$110,000, 1100m
Putting in the big strides late to remain undefeated in impressive fashion, Velocious (Written Tycoon) is the 57th stakes winner for her Yulong-based Champion Sire.
She was bred by Inglewood Stud and sold by them to Go Racing for NZ$190,000 at this year's New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale. She is one of the three winners from as many foals for the lightly raced Seymour and Benalla winner Parmalove (Snitzel) who has also produced the stakes-placed Penvose Lad (U S Navy Flag {USA}) and the two-time winner Mozzarella (NZ) (Capitalist).
Served last spring by Per Incanto (USA) after foaling a Dundeel (NZ) filly, Parmalove is out of the Group 2-placed, dual city winner Love's Here (Dehere {USA}) who had another seven winners including the Listed Alinghi S. winner Liesele (Exceed And Excel) and the R. Listed Scone Inglis Guineas winner Loved Up (Nicconi).
A descendant of the influential matriarch Simon's Shoes (GB) (Simon Square {GB}), Velocious is the 18th stakes winner combining Written Tycoon and Redoute's Choice - a cross which provides for the duplication of the wonderful mare Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}).
Doomben: Listed Tattersall's Classic, $160,000, 1200m
Deriving plenty of benefit from her good first-up run, Comrade Rosa (Capitalist) looked to have a bit in hand racing clear to win her third race at stakes level.
Bred by Kitchwin Hills, she was sold by them to Peachester Lodge for $100,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
She is one of the 16 stakes winners for her Newgate Farm-based, G1 Golden Slipper S.-winning sire with her dam being the Listed Carrington S. winner No Looking Back (Redoute's Choice).
A regular visitor to sons of Written Tycoon, No Looking Back produced a Written By colt in September and an Ole Kirk colt last spring. She had missed the previous season with her latest named foal being Venturer (also by Capitalist) who won at debut for the Tony Gollan stable in August.
Also dam of the city winner Fortune Seeker (Written Tycoon), No Looking Back is out of the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Mirror Mirror (Dehere {USA}) who hails from the same prolific 'Tennessee' family as the Group 1 winners Malaguerra (Magnus), Aloha (Encosta De Lago), Seabrook (Hinchinbrook), Cool Aza Beel (NZ) and Snitzerland (Snitzel).
The sire of Comrade Rosa is bred on a Biscay/Vain/Danehill (USA) cross whilst her dam is Danehill/Biscay/Vain.
Listed Recognition H., $160,000, 1350m
Kicking clear with 300 metres to go, Zarastro (I Am Invincible) proved himself a good advertisement for Inglis Digital - the $1.05 million 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate purchased for just $32,500 by the Tony Gollan stable in October last year.
Bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds, he is the 101st stakes winner for his Yarraman Park-based Champion Sire. He is the first live foal for the G2 Light Fingers S. winner Adrift (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Missing last year after foaling a full brother to Zarastro, Adrift has a 2-year-old daughter by the same sire - Seascape retained to race by Fairway; trained by Michael Freedman.
Adrift is one of the 11 winners produced by the unraced Stray (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}), also dam of the R. Listed Karaka Million winner Imperial Win (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and grandam of the G1 Railway S. winner Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
A descendant of the outstanding matriarch Myrtlewood (USA) (Blue Larkspur {USA}), Stray is half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Maldivian (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
