Windsor Park well-represented in Karaka Million

[Wandering Eyes]

Windsor Park Stud graduate Trobriand will contest the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Pukekohe on Saturday. Photo Credit: Trish Dunell

The Karaka Million twilight meeting at Pukekohe on Saturday is gearing up to being a potentially lucrative night for Windsor Park Stud, with the Cambridge thoroughbred nursery well-represented in the meeting’s two feature races.

Unbeaten juvenile Trobriand was bred by the farm and heads the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) market, while fellow graduates Wild Night, Dynastic, and Wessex will contest the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).

“I am pretty excited about this weekend, having Trobriand and Wild Night as favourite and second favourite for both their respective million-dollar races,” Windsor Park Stud principal Rodney Schick said.

“Having the services of Opie Bosson for both of those horses is fantastic. We are lucky to have him on.”

Schick is also upbeat about the chances of Dynastic and Wessex, with the former having taken out last year’s edition of the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).

“Dynastic won the two-year-old race last year and looks to be a good chance in the three-year-old race on Saturday, while Wessex will be a very good chance in that race too,” he said.

“We are well represented, particularly in the three-year-old race.”

The farm’s strong presence caps a great last 12 months for Windsor Park Stud, with graduates having won 12 stakes races, which has been a tonic for staff at the Cambridge operation.

“That’s what we get up in the morning for – to produce good racehorses,” Schick said.

“It is really rewarding to get the results that we have, not only for us but everyone on the farm.”

Trobriand and Dynastic were purchased out of Windsor Park Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock draft by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $260,000 and $360,000 respectively, and Schick is looking forward to their siblings going through the Karaka sale ring next week.

“We have got a cracking Russian Revolution colt (lot 39) who is a half to Trobriand,” Schick said.

“He is very much in a similar mould to him, but the sire line is probably more geared toward a two-year-old than Trobriand.

“Dynastic’s half-brother (lot 343) is a very physical colt, probably more physical than Dynastic himself. I am looking forward to him going through the sale.”

The pair will be part of the farm’s 28-strong Book 1 draft and Schick is pleased with the overall quality of their offering.

“We have got a really nice draft of horses,” he said.

“The Savabeel x Bayrock colt (lot 59) is probably our biggest lot, he will be well sought after being out of a Fastnet Rock full-sister to Merchant Navy.

“It is a great pedigree and he is a very attractive colt.”

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