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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
During an evening celebrating excellence in North American Thoroughbred racing, a star filly, as expected, was the culminating focus of attention at the 54th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards ceremony Jan. 23 at The Breakers Palm Beach.View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Trainers Robert Wellwood and Roger James will be out to continue their stranglehold on the Karaka Millions 3YO at Ellerslie on Saturday. The partners have trained the past two winners of the race, with Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) saluting in 2023 and Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) blowing rivals away in the 2024 edition. This year, they saddle up undefeated gelding Dealt With (NZ) (Ace High) in the rich feature. The son of Ace High has made an immediate impression, winning the first two starts of his career, but faces his biggest test to date in Saturday’s NZ$1.5 million race. Dealt With heads into the race on the back of a six-day turnaround and whether he handles it is the major cloud over his head, Wellwood said. “We are pretty proud to have won the race the last two years with horses we have purchased. We only have 45 in work, we only buy small numbers here,” Wellwood said. “To be able to try and retain our crown (is a thrill). We’ve had to be patient with him for one reason or another. He’s unbeaten, he’s had two runs, he shows a lot of ability. “He is backing up six days after his last run which, obviously, ideally you’d have a little bit longer.” While Dealt With has the same star quality as Prowess and Orchestral, Wellwood believes he’s a slightly different profile to them. “They had a little bit more experience under their belt. They were probably horses we thought would get 2000m post that,” he said. “He’s more a sprinter/miler type rather than carrying on to a 2000-metre race, a Derby. Hopefully if we can tick off this one, we will go to The Kiwi and win the two richest races in New Zealand.” Meanwhile, Orchestral will also contest the 1600-metre Aotearoa Classic, where she is a $2.45 favourite. The dual Group 1 winner was most recently seen on Australian shores during the spring, where she finished sixth in the Toorak Handicap and last in the Empire Rose Stakes. “The key to her is being up to a mile and back to set weights,” Wellwood said. “She’s had a good break, come back in lovely order. Her work on Tuesday morning was very good. “We see no reason why she can’t find her form of old.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Stephen Marsh is no stranger to Karaka Millions success, and the Cambridge trainer believes his team for the 2025 edition at Ellerslie on Saturday could be his best yet. Marsh is a two-time winner of the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with Ruud Awakening (2013) and Velocious (2024). He has no runners in the juvenile showpiece this year, but will instead saddle nine runners across the other five feature races. “In terms of numbers and depth, this has to be the best team we’ve taken into Karaka Millions night,” Marsh said. “I’m really happy with our runners. “These are the days that you want to be well represented. It’s just going to be a brilliant night’s racing. I can’t wait and I think we’ve got some very nice chances through the card.” According to the TAB markets, the best of those is Bourbon Empress (NZ) (Proisir), who holds $4.40 second favouritism behind Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) ($2.50) for the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). Bourbon Empress began the season as a one-win horse and with a rating of 63. Her seven starts as a four-year-old have produced three wins, three placings and more than $270,000 in stakes, culminating in a last-start victory in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. “She’s come a hell of a long way in this preparation and just hasn’t put a foot wrong all the way through,” Marsh said. “Her last win was great and she’s trialled really nicely since. “She’s got a bit of a sticky gate (12), and there’s an absolutely outstanding horse among her opposition tomorrow in Orchestral. But she really has come of age as a four-year-old and we think she can run well.” Marsh’s second Aotearoa Classic runner is Imperial Empress (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who was a winner at Ellerslie in October and hasn’t had all favours in four subsequent appearances. “She hasn’t had a lot go her way, and she’s also been a bit green and new and done things wrong,” Marsh said. “The blinkers go on tomorrow and she’s drawn well (gate two). I’ve always thought she had above average ability. She just needs to put it all together. If she does that tomorrow, it wouldn’t surprise me to see her pick up some of the money.” Marsh has three runners in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), headed by the $4.80 second favourite Bourbon Proof. The son of Justify was a $130,000 purchase by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock from Book 1 of Karaka 2023. He picked up two second placings in November, including behind the highly talented Checkmate in the Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie. Bourbon Proof stepped down to maiden company on December 20 at Matamata and romped to victory by almost three lengths. Runner-up Bella Montagna went on to place in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), while the third-placed Mustang Morgan won the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) in his next start. “Bourbon Proof is going super,” Marsh said. “His last win was very good, and his previous runs had a huge amount of merit too. He’s trialled nicely leading into this. “He’s the sharpest of our trio, while Kiwi Skyhawk (NZ) (Contributer) and Balsan (NZ) (Ocean Park) are more your Derby style of horses. But they’re both going really well too and warrant their place in the field. When you have horses with their level of ability, you’d be silly not to run them in a $1.5 million race.” Group One winner Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy) tackles an elite sprinting line-up in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m). “His run two starts ago was great,” Marsh said. “He then went down to try to defend his title in the Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m), and I thought he performed decently there. He just stumbled at the start and got back and wide, so it didn’t really go right for him. It was a race to forget, really. “This is the best sprint field I’ve seen in a long time, so he’s probably going to need to be at the absolute top of his game and then some.” The remainder of Marsh’s team will line up in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m). Last-start Ellerslie placegetter Ardalio (NZ) (Ardrossan) has the strongest support at $10, with She’s Untouchable at $18 and I’m All In (NZ) (Zoustar) at $20. “We had four entered originally, but Fillygizalook won’t run,” Marsh said. “The other three are all going well. They’re nice horses and in good form. “They’re coming up against a brilliant field of three-year-old sprinters, but I don’t think they’re out of their depth.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Standout middle-distance mare Snazzytavi (NZ) (Tavistock) is set to shoot for a Group One treble after pleasing her connections at Thursday’s Pukekohe trials. Racing in the colours of Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the daughter of Tavistock has won four of her five starts this season including top-flight triumphs in the Livamol Classic (2040m) at Te Rapa in October and the Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. She also won the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) in early December. Snazzytavi’s next assignment is the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 8, for which the TAB rates her a red-hot favourite at $1.70. She is unbeaten in five starts at the Hamilton course. Trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall kept the five-year-old up to the mark with a hitout over 1300m at Pukekohe on Thursday, in which she finished second behind Short Shorts. “I was delighted with that trial,” Richardson said. “We just wanted to give her a nice, quiet trial. I was very happy with the way she went, and even happier with how she pulled up. We’re right on target for the Herbie Dyke, which can’t come soon enough.” In the meantime, Richardson and Norvall will saddle two runners during the star-studded Karaka Millions twilight meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday. Group One-winning mare Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) will contest the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m), attempting to go one better than a luckless second when the northern sprint feature was run at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day last year. Bonny Lass was a last-start sixth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, with Richardson rating her performance much better than it might look on paper. “I thought that was a top run,” he said. “She was in the worst part of the track but stuck on really well, while others in the same part of the track faded out of it. We were very proud of her. She’s come through it in great order and we couldn’t be happier with her.” Richardson and Norvall’s other Ellerslie runner is Romilly in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m). The daughter of So You Think produced an enormous finish from last to run third in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui on November 30, finishing only a length behind next-start Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) winner Hitabell. But in the Eight Carat itself, Romilly raced three wide without cover and faded to finish ninth. “Her run at Wanganui was absolutely huge,” Richardson said. “She had no luck on Boxing Day and we’re trying to forget she even went around. “We’ve been happy with the horse since then. It’s a very even field on Saturday. She’s got a tricky draw again (gate nine), so we’ll just have to hope for some better luck in the running.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Andrew Forsman has a key hope to add another $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) trophy to his cabinet at Ellerslie on Saturday. In 2021, Forsman and his former training partner Murray Baker won the race with formidable three-year-old Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls), downing another class galloper in Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel). On Saturday, Forsman will chase the title with a pair of runners, the first of those being Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) winner Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan). The son of Ardrossan is a stakes performer in Australia and a key contender in the lucrative contest, currently sitting fourth favourite at $6.50. “He’s very well, he’s improving all the time and mentally I think he gets better every time he turns up to the races,” Forsman said. “I think he is (a big player), it’s just going to be dependent on tempo as much as anything. Up to the mile is the question mark, but if it’s strongly run and he’s got horses to chase, he’ll run well. “The mile for Yaldi is a question mark, but on ability, he’s well up to winning.” Forsman’s other representative is up-and-comer Retrostar (NZ) (Vespa), who is dropping back from an eighth placed finish in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) a fortnight ago. “He worked very hard early at Ellerslie in that first 600m,” Forsman said. “I think back in trip, if it’s truly run, he can just take a position in behind the speed. He’s certainly capable, he’s a two-win horse and if he runs up to his best form and things go for him, he’s a top five or six chance.” Group Two performing-mare Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor) will chase a big prize of her own in the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). The daughter of Almanzor was luckless in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) last start at Ellerslie, a contest won by race-rival Bourbon Empress (NZ) (Proisir). “She didn’t have much luck at all (in the Rich Hill), but she’s come through it great and we’ve kept her ticking over,” Forsman said. “Once she’s up and racing, she’s not a hard horse to keep fit and we hope again, it’s a truly run race and she gets her chance. “She’s performed at a high level before, obviously if Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) is at her best she’ll be hard to beat, but outside of that, I think it’s very open.” Forsman’s evening will kick off earlier with Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High) taking on the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m). The talented filly is dropping back from a second placing in the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m), with a factor in play being the NZB Kiwi Bonus eligibility of the race, worth an additional $600,000 to the winner of both the $3.5 million feature and the Almanzor Trophy. “We’re looking forward to what’s going to suit her best,” he said. “Ultimately, she’s probably a 1400m horse, but looking ahead to what races there were, we thought that if she was competitive in this or was able to win, she is Kiwi bonus eligible, which was something to consider. “I think there is another run for her before the Kiwi if she was to go down that path, but I think she is probably a 1400m horse, maybe a miler on a good track. “She hasn’t done much at all, she’s just had a quiet gallop by herself on Tuesday morning and that’ll be about it. “I’d like to see her settle off them a bit and hopefully she chases them hard, she’s run well at the track.” View the full article
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