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By Chief Stipe · Posted
Don't tell @Thomass that's who Sam Sprat learned the technique off. -
Believe me, he was using the whip all the way down the straight. Hands never left the reins though. https://loveracing.nz/Common/SystemTemplates/Modal/Video.aspx?v=http%3a%2f%2fwww.racingreplays.co.nz%2fmedia%2f201407%2f20140719TARA07_BB.mp4&i=%2fCommon%2fImage.ashx%3fw%3d565%26h%3d314%26a%3d1%26o%3d1%26z%3d1%26bg%3deeeeee%26p%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.racingreplays.co.nz%2fmedia%2f201407%2f20140719TARA07_BB.jpg&r=Race 7 - WAIKATO STUD OPUNAKE CUP&rs=1 -
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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Flying three-year-old Poetic Champion (NZ) (Super Seth) will spearhead Tony Pike’s trio of sprinters contesting the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) on Karaka Millions Night, staged this Saturday at Ellerslie. Poetic Champion was among the upper echelon of the country’s juveniles last season, placing in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m). Returning as a three-year-old, the son of Super Seth pounced on a deserved stakes victory in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings, and as anticipated by Pike, a game attempt over 1400m in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) indicated the gelding’s sweet spot was back at the six furlongs (1200m). Back at his favourite trip on New Year’s Day, Poetic Champion and his regular jockey Matt Cartwright returned to the winner’s circle, which then posed a question for connections, whether to go for the Almanzor or the $700,000 Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) against the older horses. A barrier draw of 13 in the Railway versus the ace in the Almanzor all but sealed the decision. “Johnathan Munz (owner) was quite keen to run in the Railway, but with the strength of the field, it was always going to come down to barrier draws,” Pike said. “He elected to accept in both races and obviously the draws became the telling decision in which we chose to run in, and he’s got barrier one in the Almanzor. “He’s a talented sprinting three-year-old who is in good winning form, this looks like the ideal race for him.” Pike has also entered lightly-tried fillies Thooza (NZ) (Almanzor) and Boss’N’Highheels in Saturday’s contest, with the former having carried Cambridge Stud’s colours to victory on two occasions, before finishing third behind Sought After at Ellerslie a fortnight ago. “It was her first run right-handed and first look at Ellerslie, it was a solid performance,” Pike said. “She’s going to need to improve on that run to be competitive on Saturday, but she’s a lightly-tried filly with ability and deserves her chance.” Boss’N’Highheels will come into the race fresh-up, off the back of a solid trial placing behind Captured By Love and Imprevu. “I talked to Brent and Cherry (Taylor, owners) and they were keen to have another runner on the night, and she trialled very well leading into Saturday,” Pike said. “This is another big step-up in class, but she’s an improving filly who is getting stronger with every preparation. “If she can improve a couple of lengths on her last preparation, she might be able to sneak some black-type in the placings.” The Trelawney silks will feature prominently on the night, with class mare Acquarello taking her place in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m). The Group Three-winning daughter of Written Tycoon is coming into the race in a rich vein of form, having won over 1400m at the Auckland venue on January 12. “After she won in Christchurch, this looked like a nice option for her,” Pike said. “It’s great to have a runner on Karaka Millions Night, so we targeted this race, we gave her a short break and she’s come back in great form. “This will be her strongest test to date, but she’s in winning form and seems to be improving with each run she has. She’s drawn well and she’s a genuine each-way chance.” Completing Pike’s team will be Witz End (NZ) (Savabeel), the son of Savabeel chasing the major spoils in the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). Twice a Group performer over 1400m, Witz End is yet to show his prowess over a mile but will have the services of star Australian hoop Craig Williams in the race. “He was just ridden a little too positively again in the Rich Hill Mile, he worked early then was disappointing over the final stages, after a very good run at Te Rapa,” Pike said. “We’ll probably ride him a little bit quieter on Saturday, and on his best form, he’s a winning chance. I’m really happy with the way he’s going coming into this race.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Awapuni trainer Roydon Bergerson finished runner-up in the 2022 running of the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci), and he is excited to have two bullets in the chamber to try and go one better in this year’s edition. Wolverine was undefeated heading into the race three years ago, winning on debut at Otaki before she was sold to Australian Bloodstock, and she quickly repaid her new owners with victories in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m), before she was upstaged in the Karaka Millions by Te Akau’s Dynastic. The daughter of Tivaci had drawn barrier 12, and Bergerson has once again drawn unfavourably in this year’s edition with In The Air (11) and Too Sweet (15). “It was pretty deflating seeing the draws come out, but it is a horse race and anything can happen,” Bergerson said. “Wolverine drew 12, so we haven’t had much luck with draws at Ellerslie.” Bergerson’s good friend Chris Rutten bought both juveniles at Karaka, with Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) a $50,000 purchase out of Phoenix Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft, while In The Air (NZ) (Embellish) was purchased out of Wentwood Grange’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling & Broodmare Sale for $27,500. “He (Rutten) is a gem at buying these horses,” Bergerson said. “He doesn’t pay much money for them, and they can get up and run early and end up being pretty good horses.” Rutten’s Karaka Millions 2YO roll of honour includes 2014 winner Vespa, and he has collected minor placings with Touche (2013), Kingsman (2016), Yourdeel (2019), Avonallo (2021) and Wolverine (2022), while he won the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) with Scott Base in 2018. Rutten looks to have another leading chance this year with Too Sweet, who made an instant impression when winning on debut over 900m at Trentham in October and backed that up with a runner-up performance at the Upper Hutt track before winning the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. The daughter of Satono Aladdin has remained in the north in the care of Bergerson’s son Sam, who shares in the ownership of the filly, and his training partner Mark Walker at Te Akau Racing’s Matamata stables. Roydon Bergerson has joined his filly this week in the lead-up to Saturday’s race and he is pleased with her condition ahead of the rich feature. “She has trained on super,” he said. “She has been up with Te Akau, and thanks to Sam and Mark for looking after her for the last three weeks. “I spoke with Chris and Sam and we decided to leave her up here in the very capable hands of people who know how to win the Karaka Millions 2YO. “It has been a great ride so far and it will be a great party if she can get over the line on Saturday.” In The Air just made the cut for the Karaka Millions field, and Bergerson has been pleased with his progress, having galloped in company with his Group One performer Town Cryer earlier in the week. “He galloped the reverse way at home with Town Cryer on Tuesday and galloped really well with the blinkers on, so we decided to have a crack,” Bergerson said. “It’s not often that you get to run for $1 million. The owners have paid up to run in the race so we might as well do it.” Bergerson will also be represented on Saturday by Town Cryer (NZ) (Tavistock) in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m). The seven-year-old daughter of Tavistock has pleased Bergerson since her placing in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) a fortnight ago, and his only concern is her wide draw of 11. “We gave her a quiet week in the swimming pool, a little bit of trotting and cantering, and she has freshened up really nicely,” Bergerson said. “She likes Ellerslie, she has got another rough draw but has got a really good jockey (Craig Williams). She is proven at Group level and she is coming into it in fine fettle.” Meanwhile, Bergerson is looking forward to welcoming back Wolverine to his stable in the coming month. The now five-year-old mare last raced for Bergerson when runner-up in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) before she continued her racing career in Australia. She failed to add to her win tally while in Australia with Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, however, she did add a number of stakes placings to her record, including the Gr.2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m), Listed Canberra Guineas (1400m) Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m), Listed Daybreak Lover (1400m), and Listed Princess Stakes (1615m). She was subsequently offered at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare Sale where she was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for A$850,000. Following six starts for Walker and Bergerson in New Zealand, the decision was made to send her back to where it all began in a bid to recapture some form this autumn. “Te Akau and ourselves discussed that we would try and take her back to her old roots, give her a decent spell, and we will try and get her back to her best form,” Roydon Bergerson said. “She is out at Chris Rutten’s pre-training at the moment and she will probably come back to me in about a month’s time. “We will go through the autumn and hopefully get some black-type with her and then she will be up for sale as we are not breeders.” View the full article
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