Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Ellerslie: G1 Sistema S., NZ$450,000, 1200m
Yulong's Champion Sire Written Tycoon is in good form as ever and his daughter Velocious (Written Tycoon) was dominant becoming her sire's 14th Group 1 winner just a week after his son Southport Tycoon won the G1 Australian Guineas.
Bred by Inglewood Stud and sold by them to Go Racing for NZ$190,000 at last year's New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale, she is one of 62 stakes winners for her sire (also sire of the third-placed Captured By Love) and three winners from as many foals for the lightly raced Seymour and Benalla winner Parmalove (Snitzel).
Also dam of the stakes-placed Penvose Lad (U S Navy Flag {USA}) and the two-time winner Mozzarella (NZ) (Capitalist), she 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).
Foaling a filly by Per Incanto (USA) last spring and a filly by Dundeel (NZ) the year before, Parmalove was served by Satono Aladdin (Jpn).
A descendant of the influential matriarch Simon's Shoes (GB) (Simon Square {GB}), Velocious is the first Written Tycoon Group 1 winner out of a Snitzel mare; Captured By Love bred the same way as are another 12 winners from 21 runners.
And she is the second - fellow New Zealand juvenile feature winner Luna Rossa (NZ) the other - Group 1 winner for the Written Tycoon/Redoute's Choice - one which provides for the duplication of the wonderful mare Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}).
G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand S., NZ$450,000, 2000m
Brave in front, El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) was able to comfortably hold off a run by the short-priced favourite Legarto (NZ) (Proisir).
One of the 23 stakes winners for his Rich Hill-based, G1 Melbourne Cup-winning sire, he is one of the three stakes winner for the unraced Strictly Maternal (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) - also dam of the G2 Brisbane Cup and G3 Counties Cup winner Chocante (NZ) (also by Shocking) and the Group 3 and Listed-winning Hong Kong galloper Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
A homebred for M W Freeman and D G Price, El Vencedor is a great-grandson of the G3 Canterbury Gold Cup winner Red Chiffon (NZ) (Sovereign Red {NZ}) whose granddaughter Malevola (USA) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) earned the title of Panama Champion 2-Year-Old Filly.
Strictly Maternal died just last month with her most recent foal being a yet-to-be-named 2-year-old full sister to El Vencedor.
El Vencedor was part of a good day for O'Reilly (NZ) as a broodmare sire, the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue winner Von Hauke (NZ) (Savabeel) another success.
G2 Auckland Cup, NZ$500,000, 3200m
Strong to the line completing the G3 New Zealand Cup/G2 Auckland Cup double, Mahrajaan (USA) (Kitten's Joy {USA}) turned his recent form around with an appreciated return to the 3200 metres.
One of the 118 stakes winners for his late sire, he was purchased by the Shaun Ritchie stable for 75,000gns (AU$152,300) at the 2022 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.
Bred by Shadwell Farm, he is the the second stakes winner for the USA Champion Turf Female Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), the other being the Listed winner Aghareed (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}).
And that mare has really made a name for herself as a broodmare thanks to the deeds of her outstanding sons Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), between them the winners of eight Group 1 races.
A descendant of the influential mare Feola (GB) (Friar Marcus {GB}), Mahrajaan is bred on a 3 X 4 cross of Sadler's Wells (USA), also carrying duplications of the fine mares Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}), Rough Shod II (GB) (Gold Bridge {Fr}) and Banish Fear (USA) (Blue Larkspur {USA}).
Bunbury: Listed Bunbury S., $150,000, 1400m
Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler) is certainly putting together a nice record, this win - his first at stakes level - his sixth from 12 starts.
Bred by Quanah Park Thoroughbreds, he was sold by them to Vahala Thoroughbreds for $40,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale (Book 2).
The 12th stakes winner for his Scenic Lodge-based sire, he is one of the three winners (from as many to race) for the three-time winner I Love Rubies (Rubiton), a half-sister to the G2 Moonee Valley Crystal Mile winner Testa My Patience (Testa Rossa) and the Singapore-based, multiple stakes winner Ninetyfive Emperor (Rory's Jester).
Served last spring by Ducimus, I Love Rubies hails from a strong local family, able to count amongst her relations the Western Australian stakes winners Born Rich (Beau Sovereign {NZ}), Born Priceless (Pricelessly {USA}), Sovereign Ghost (Beau Sovereign), British Steel (Steel Pulse {GB}) and Getting There (Jungle Boy {GB}).
Listed Bunbury Cup, $150,000, 2000m
Putting his nose out at big odds, Blazing Away (City Place {USA}) recorded his first win since taking out the same race 12 months ago.
Bred by Courtland Park Stud, he is one of the 13 stakes winners (the others all in the Northern Hemisphere) for his unraced sire who stood just four seasons in Western Australia, serving small books.
Blazing Away's dam is the Listed Pinjarra Cup winner Malaika (Fighting Falcon {USA}), daughter of the Listed Belmont Park Cup winner Our Annabel (Lucratif {Fr}).
Served last spring by A Lot having had the previous year off, Malaika has produced another two winners and her 2-year-old son Guns Away (Maschino) is a stablemate to Blazing Away. She also has a yearling colt by that same stallion.
The dam of Blazing Away's sire City Place (USA) is bred on a close 3 X 3 cross of In Reality (USA) whilst his dam's second damsire Star Of The North (USA) is that stallion's half-brother - providing for a 6 X 6 X 4 cross of the G1 Frizette S. winner My Dear Girl (USA) (Rough'n Tumble {USA}).
