Ozzie Kheir selects Public Attention for the NZB Kiwi.

[Chief Stipe]

 

Two of the biggest names in Australian racing have combined with New Zealand breeding royalty to fill the final slot in the inaugural NZB Kiwi (1500m).     No images? Click here NZB Kiwi draws Public Attention to complete final field Two of the biggest names in Australian racing have combined with New Zealand breeding royalty to fill the final slot in the inaugural NZB Kiwi (1500m). Prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir has selected Public Attention (NZ) to fill his slot for the $3.5 million feature to be run at Ellerslie on Barfoot & Thompson Champions Day, March 8. Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Public Attention is raced by Coolmore in association with several partners, including Sir Peter Vela, and has won two of his six starts to date including the Gr.3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick earlier this month. “It is a huge coup for the race, and it is great to be partnering up with good friends in Coolmore and their partners,” Kheir said. “I saw Public Attention run in Sydney over the weekend and I thought his run was very good, so I reached out to Tom Magnier and Coolmore and asked whether they would consider it. “We spent a couple of days waiting to hear back from them. They came back and we ran through all the pros and cons of the race, and we agreed it was a good idea, and here we are getting everything ready to go to the race. “I am looking forward to it and I think he is the right horse for the race. It is great for the race itself to have Coolmore and a stable like Price and Kent Jnr involved, and I think he is a genuine winning chance. We won’t be there to just fill the numbers, which is one of the concerns when you buy a slot.” Kheir purchased a slot in the NZB Kiwi in the hope of running his own horses in the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race, and while he had a number of leading contenders, he didn’t feel any of his team were up to winning the inaugural running of the race. He cast his eye further afield, landing on the promising colt which was bred by the late Sir Patrick Hogan and Lady Justine Hogan out of Legramor, a daughter of their dual Group One winner Katie Lee. They offered him through Carlaw Park’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $160,000. Believing Public Attention was the perfect candidate for the NZB Kiwi, Kheir approached Magnier and was delighted to pen a deal to contest the New Zealand three-year-old feature next week with the son of Written Tycoon. “We have done a lot of trade and business together in the past and have had some good success with Sir Dragonet when winning the Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m) and we had Yes Yes Yes win The Everest (1200m), and let’s hope we can win The Kiwi with Public Attention in its inaugural year.” Kheir is the final NZB Kiwi slot holder to show his hand and make his announcement, and he believes the wait has been worthwhile. “I have been wanting to have a horse that was a winning chance,” he said. “We had to wait, and it could have easily backfired. If we didn’t get him, we probably didn’t have a winning chance, but the fact that we have secured him now, I am very much looking forward to it. “Speaking to Tom Magnier, he is very happy and is looking forward to his horse going to the race with his partners.” Kheir is hoping to be trackside at Ellerslie on Barfoot & Thompson Champions Day to take in the action, just six days after watching his filly Leica Lucy contest the Gr.2 Jennian Homes Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Trentham on Sunday. “I will be doing everything I can to get there,” he said. “I might bring the family over, we will see how we go. I have got Leica Lucy running on Sunday and it would be nice to spend the week over there, but I have got to convince my wife.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk     NZB Kiwi Contact Emma Thompson - NZB Kiwi Programme Lead emma.thompson@nztr.co.nz     New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing 18 Dick Street, Cambridge 3434 Email: office@nztr.co.nz Tel: 0508 RACING NZTR.CO.NZ Unsubscribe

 

 

[SLB2.0]

Good. The race desperately needs some Australian interest - and after running fourth behind Broadsiding/Swiftfalcon, and Aeliana, he should be right in the thick of it.

Wouldn't surprise me to see the finish being between Evaporate and Public Attention. 

[Doomed]

Would people consider it good or bad for NZ racing if a couple of Aussies come over and quinella the race? That's quite a serious question, I do wonder what people think.

It might be a lesson for the CJC to show a bit of patience before making their selection in future. Their pick is probably out to $100 to 1  by now.

Have all the NZ clubs with slots had to front with $450,000 each? Surely some of them might have to question the wisdom of being involved if they get nothing back for that investment. I really can't see any value in the CJC's investment so far. They will argue that it was designed to boost their Guineas races in some fashion, but this time around none of the good horses that contested the Guineas had any interest in the slot, so surely that theory was proven wrong.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Doomed said:

Would people consider it good or bad for NZ racing if a couple of Aussies come over and quinella the race? That's quite a serious question, I do wonder what people think.

Isn't the point that they are New Zealand bred?

[Doomed]

52 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Isn't the point that they are New Zealand bred?

So that helps a couple of breeders I suppose. Do you think they will hang around and contest some more races while they are here, and people will pop out to Trentham to see them race?

[curious]

56 minutes ago, Doomed said:

So that helps a couple of breeders I suppose. Do you think they will hang around and contest some more races while they are here, and people will pop out to Trentham to see them race?

Why would they do that?