Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Group 1 targets for Kiwi juvenile
Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray have Group 1 aims for their 2-year-old filly Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who fought hard to beat the favourite Hostility (NZ) (I Am Invincible) by 0.2l at Matamata on Wednesday. The pair accelerated away from the field from the 150-metre mark to beat the remainders by over 4l in a neck and neck battle. Hostility was on debut and was the sale topper at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2024 at NZ$1.65 million, while Tajana is a homebred for The Oaks Stud.
Video: Watch Tajana's race replay, video courtesy of Loveracing.nz
Tajana ran second on debut in the G3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic behind unbeaten Group 1 winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel) and then was fourth at her second start. “The way she is going it (G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce) is very tempting,” Ritchie told Loveracing.nz.
“She has got a nom for it and if she does go to that, that will be it from there (this season). Even if she can run a place in a Group 1 that would be fantastic. She has got that Group placing at Ellerslie, so a little bit more would be nice.
“I really see her as a 1000 Guineas filly next season. She has got a magnificent nature, she is a real sweetheart to deal with and I think there is a lot more ahead of her than a maiden here.”
“I really see her (Tajana) as a 1000 Guineas filly next season. She has got a magnificent nature, she is a real sweetheart to deal with and I think there is a lot more ahead of her than a maiden here.” - Shaune Ritchie
By now retired sire Darci Brahma (NZ), Tajana is the third foal of winning mare Sleek Secret (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret {GB}). Tajana’s 3-year-old full sister Cypher (NZ) is a winner and placed twice from three starts. Sleek Secret has a yearling full sister to Tajana and a filly foal by Satono Aladdin (Jpn). Tajana’s third dam produced G2 Eight Carat Classic winner Spin ‘n Grin (NZ) (Spinning World {USA}).
“She was a normal Darci Brahma foal, a nice filly that keeps improving. Tajana is not a natural 2-year-old but she has talent and that helps. We’ll make a decision on the Sires’ in a few days if she bounces well out of this,” The Oaks Stud’s Rick Williams told TTR AusNZ.
Darci Brahma (NZ) | Standing at The Oaks Stud
“I’ve won the 1000 Guineas three times, and I wouldn’t mind winning it again before I retire. Physically, Tajana is a typical Darci, maybe a bit taller. Sleek Secret was a filly who should’ve won at Listed level but little things went wrong, but she was a decent horse herself.” She won five of her 35 starts and was fourth in the Listed Inglewood Stakes.
“Cypher was very good but got galloped on and cut a tendon, so she’s now retired. We’ve just broken in the yearling, and I love her. They are three nice fillies and if I had to pick the best one, it’s the yearling.”
Conscience lives up to expectations
Trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman might have retired one star on Wednesday with $12 million-earning Group 1 winner I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), but they’ve unearthed another potential star with debutant juvenile filly Conscience (Snitzel) who took the delay at Sandown in her stride.
A storm cell hit the track after the first and there was a lengthy delay to proceedings with Conscience finally lining up in the barriers nearly two hours later than planned for race two. Ridden by Blake Shinn, she won by 0.2l from fellow pricey yearling, now 2-year-old filly Sisstainable (I Am Invincible).
Conscience was a $1.4 million purchase from Baramul Stud’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft and was purchased by TFI, Moody Racing, and James Harron Bloodstock. She becomes the 12th individual juvenile winner for Snitzel this season, led by Saturday’s Group 1 winner Return To Conquer, and G3 Canonbury Stakes winner Blitzburg.
A half-sister to dual Group 3 winner and current 3-year-old Espionage (Zoustar), Conscience is out of three-race winner In Times Of War (Street Cry {Ire}), a daughter of boom juvenile Military Rose (General Nediym) who won the G2 Resiling Stakes, R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and three other stakes races and over $1.6 million. This is the family of Group 1 winner and sire Zeditave.
Second-placed Sisstainable (I Am Invincible) was also on debut and was a $450,000 purchase from Widden Stud by McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) and is the first foal of Champion 3-year-old Sunlight’s (Zoustar) group-winning full sister Sisstar.
First Southern Hemisphere winner for Circus Maximus
Paul Shailer-trained 2-year-old filly Ha’Penny Hatch (NZ) (Circus Maximus {Ire}) won on debut at Eagle Farm on Wednesday to become the first Southern Hemisphere winner for her sire. Ridden by Damien Thornton, she led down the straight to stick on well and win by 0.66l from Chris and Corey Munce-trained filly Ready For Zion (Better Than Ready) with Kelly Schweida-trained filly Estee Emm (American Pharoah {USA}) only a head away in third.
Sold by Wentwood Grange at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$33,000, Ha’Penny Hatch was purchased by Shailer Racing and Hughes Bloodstock. “She was always a lovely filly with a good shoulder and moved nicely. She’s out of a Group 2 winning mare and we were surprised at how little she made. The whole team loved her and we thought she’d be well found at the sale, but unfortunately, she wasn’t,” Wentwood Grange’s Dean Hawkins told TTR AusNZ.
“She was always a lovely filly with a good shoulder and moved nicely. She’s out of a Group 2-winning mare and we were surprised at how little she made.” - Dean Hawkins
“Paul Shailer and his team have done well with her and it’s great to see her win on debut. She was bred by our client Roger Finlay. Roger always asks us for advice on matings, but it’s his decision on the final choice. The mare is still here and she has a full brother on the ground. Roger bred her back to Circus Maximus based on how much we loved this filly.
“Emily Margaret is a Group 2 winner out of a stakes winner. It’s a lovely pedigree. She’s a Pins mare who is very solid, a broad sprinting type. We hoped Circus Maximus would add a bit of leg, being a Galileo, but Ha’Penny Hatch is a very similar type to her dam. She’s small to medium sized, not overly big, but very powerful.”
Ha’Penny Hatch is the second foal of Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins) who won the G2 Wellington Guineas and two Listed races among her four wins. Her 3-year-old filly Super Em (NZ) (Super Seth) is yet to win, and Emily Margaret has a colt foal by Circus Maximus (Ire) and is in foal to Almanzor (Fr).
Emily Margaret (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Emily Margaret’s dam, Seven Schillings (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) won the G3 Taranaki 2YO Classic and was placed in the G1 Diamond Stakes (now Sistema Stakes). Seven Schillings is a full sister to Listed winning sprinter Eight Schillings (NZ).
“Circus Maximus is a stallion with great European form. He won the stallion making St James’s Palace Stakes and is a good moving horse by Galileo. We’ve supported every year.”
“Circus Maximus is a stallion with great European form. He won the stallion making St James’s Palace Stakes and is a good moving horse by Galileo.” - Dean Hawkins
Triple Group 1 winner Circus Maximus (Ire) stands at Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand. At three he won the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes and the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, returning at four to add the G1 Queen Anne Stakes. He has six winners in Ireland from his first Northern Hemisphere crop, who have just turned three, led by Green Storm (Ire) who was second in the G1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud at his final start as a juvenile.
Pair of 3-year-old winning fillies for Group 1 mares
Dundeel’s (NZ) daughters out of Group 1 winners Jameka (Myboycharlie {USA}) and Maid Of Heaven (Smart Missile) broke through for their first victories on Wednesday.
At Wyong, Richard Litt-trained 3-year-old filly Ella Hazel (Dundeel {NZ}) won by 0.85l over a mile at her fourth start for jockey Joshua Parr. Bred by Arrowfield Stud and sold by them at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $250,000 to Galletta Construction.
“She’s a three-quarter-sister to Castelvecchio,” Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer told TTR AusNZ.
“Maid Of Heaven had a Palace Pier filly that we didn’t sell at Classic, who we will race, and she has an I Am Invincible filly foal, so there’s a bit coming through. Ella Hazel was a lovely yearling. By all accounts, she’s on an Oaks trail. Richard was very keen on her at the sales, and he’s always had a big opinion of her.”
“Ella Hazel was a lovely yearling. By all accounts, she’s on an Oaks trail. Richard was very keen on her at the sales, and he’s always had a big opinion of her.” - Jon Freyer
Maid Of Heaven won the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner and sire Castelvecchio and G3 Tattersall's Cup winner Mirrasalo (Redoute’s Choice), who is the dam of G3 Angst Stakes winner and Group 1 placed Mirra Vision (Lonhro) and Listed winner Mirra View (More Than Ready {USA}). The trio are out of Listed winner and Group 1-placed St. Therese (Dehere {USA}).
“Castelvecchio is over his injury and we are getting a lot of enquiries for bookings off the back of a pretty successful season so far. We are looking forward to seeing Aeliana run in the Vinery and the Oaks. It’d be pretty funny if Aeliana and Ella Hazel fought out the finish in the Oaks, as they are related but not in a usual way.”
Maid Of Heaven | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Castelvecchio’s oldest foals are 3-year-olds, led by G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner El Castello. He has three stakes winners so far, as well as Group 2-placed juvenile colt Onavuitton who ran third in the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes last weekend.
"Dundeel is having an amazing run with his fillies at the moment, with a number of stakes performers. Ella Hazel could be the next one, she's very promising."
Dundeel (NZ) also sired exciting Sandown-winning 3-year-old filly Miss Alexis who is trained by Ciaron Maher for Halo Racing and partners. She is the third foal and third city winner for triple Group winner, including the G1 Caulfield Cup, Jameka who was raced by Halo Racing. Jameka’s first and second foals, Sir Bailey (Impending) and Federer (Dundeel {NZ}) both have two wins.
Jameka | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Jameka is a full sister to G2 Alister Clarke Stakes winner Grandslam and a half-sister to R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic-placed Nikitis (Snitzel). Jameka has a 2-year-old filly, Adria River (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) and sadly her Too Darn Hot (GB) foal this season was still-born. She’s been covered by Anamoe.
Gilgai Farm is selling a So You Think (NZ) half-brother to Jameka as Lot 60 at the upcoming Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
