Campionessa retired

[Wandering Eyes]

Group One-winning mare Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer) has been retired from racing and will be offered at Magic Millions’ Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale later this month.

Bred by Mapperley Stud principal Simms Davison, Campionessa was passed in as a yearling at Karaka, and again the Magic Million Gold Coast National Yearling Sale. Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis was Johnny-on-the-spot on the Gold Coast and offered Davison $60,000 for the filly, which he duly accepted.

It would prove to be an astute purchase by Ellis, with the daughter of Contributer carrying Te Akau’s tangerine and blue silks to victory on 11 occasions, including the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2050m), and she amassed $1.4 million in career earnings for her syndicate.

A model of consistency throughout her career, Campionessa was also Group One placed on three occasions, including the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m), and twice in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m).

She also tested her talent in Australia, where she performed with distinction, including winning the Gr.2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m).

A daughter of three-win O’Reilly mare Bella Carolina (NZ), Campionessa is a half-sister to stakes winners Leedox (NZ) (Time Test) and Tennesse (NZ) (Per Incanto), and hails from the family of Group One winners Dress Circle (NZ) (Zabeel) and Carson’s Cash (NZ) (Lord Ballina).

Campionessa retires after finishing fifth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), run on the inaugural Champions Day meeting at Ellerslie in March.

Mark Walker trained her in partnership with Sam Bergerson over the last couple of seasons, and he was impressed with her talent and resilient nature. 

“She was a great mare, very tough, and just got better from season-to-season,” he said. 

“As a three-year-old, she went through the grades, but we didn’t necessarily think that she was up to Group One quality.

“But she continued to improve and as a four-year-old and went down to our Riccarton base in search of black-type. She ran second in the Spring Classic (Listed, 2000m) and then won Metropolitan Trophy (Listed, 2500m), the lead-up to the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m), with a brilliant ride by Josh Parr.

“We spelled her and she came back and won the Rich Hill Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m) first-up, which has always been a hard race to win, and it was an exceptional effort.

“To win it first-up, we knew then that she was continuing to improve, and each season she just got better and better, highlighted with her two peak performances in the Zabeel Classic and the Peter Young Stakes in Melbourne. 

“She’s always been a very sound mare, very tough, and she’d be a great addition to anyone’s broodmare band.”

Campionessa won’t be the only former Te Akau Racing representative on offer on the Gold Coast, with the trans-Tasman powerhouse also offering Group One performer Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci), stakes winner Family Ties (NZ) (Contributer), stakes performers Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) and Millefiori (NZ) (Iffraaj), two-win filly The Victress (Zousain), and The Sky Above (American Pharoah), a half-sister to Group One performer Landlock (Merchant Navy).

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