This is what racing is all about
Te Rapa’s Legends Day proved that when class fields are assembled, the people will respond. It is so good to see the stands packed. Our racing needs more of this.
The two Group 1s, the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and the BCD Sprint (1400m) attracted top fields, the anticipation matching that of Karaka Millions night. Congratulations to the Waikato Racing Club. This is what racing is all about.
Especially exciting is that late summer brings out three-year-olds such as Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood) and Wild Night (Vanbrugh). We get to find just how good they are when pitted against the older, established performers. This ‘unknown’ has the effect of freshening up our perspective of the quality of our racing.
To that end, Sharp ‘N’ Smart showed what a talent he is. His runs in Sydney, against his own age group last spring were super, revealing a toughness to get to the line first.
His Gloaming Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) victory at Warwick Farm gave us a taste of his great determination as he took the lead inside the last 400 metres, was headed, looked beaten but came back strongly right on the line.
The Spring Championship Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick saw him wide throughout but half way down the straight, third looked to be his lot. Not so. He dug deep, tenacious and tough to again get to the line first.
Soon after was the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) and had Manzoice (Almanzor) been alongside Sharp ‘N’ Smart, the result may have been different. Sharp ‘N’ Smart responds when challenged. He simply didn’t see the other horse deeper on the track.
In Saturday’s Group 1 feature, the richest weight-for-age race on the New Zealand calendar, Sharp ‘N’ Smart gained new admirers. It takes a special horse to do what Sharp ‘N’ Smart did.
Similar to his wide run in the Spring Champion Stakes, from the outside gate (11) he was handy but caught wide with a lap to run before drifting to fourth–last starting the back straight.
Still wide, he improved to be midfield at the 1200-metre marker and starting the bend lost his cover so was trapped out past the 800 metres. He gained on the leaders from 600 metres, shared fifth (four out) at the top of the straight then settled down for the run home. Ryan Elliot asked for an effort at the 200 metres, ranged alongside to form a line of three at the 100 metres then drove into the lead at the 50 metres before going on to win by three–quarters of a length.
Any way you look at it, this was an outstanding effort. It is, therefore, no surprise that his trainer Graeme Rogerson describes Sharp ‘N’ Smart as a freak.
Rogerson has been consistent in his belief in the horse. When the son of Redwood (High Chaparral) won the Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at just his second start, last April at Pukekohe, he declared that Sharp ‘N’ Smart had rejuvenated the champion trainer. “He makes me want to get up in the morning,” said Rogerson at the time.
After the Herbie Dyke, Rogerson was ecstatic. “I think he’s a freak as he can run 600 metres in 33 seconds and he still gives when you ask him.”
“I think next spring you could see a real good horse. I’d love to take him to Hong Kong, but it is the New Zealand Derby next and then the Australian Derby. When he learns to be a racehorse I think I’ve got a good horse,” said a half-joking Rogerson.
Elliot added: “He came off the bridle early and you have to kid a little to him but when that horse came alongside him in the straight he really dug in deep and went through the line very strongly. He is up there with the best I’ve ridden and he has so much more to give as he is still mentally weak, so there is a lot more in store for him.”
As is often the case, runners with his talent will inevitably be confined to the riches of Australia and beyond. The New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) might be the last we see of him here. It would be no surprise to see Rogerson have a crack at Anamoe (Street Boss) in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m). Having proved that he can compete against the older brigade, that clash will be one to look forward to.
Sadly, Sharp ‘N ‘Smart’s dam Queen Margaret (Swiss Ace) is no longer with us. She produced two foals, Sharp ‘N’ Smart being her first living foal. In 2020 she produced a filly, also by Redwood, which is yet to be named.
Her half-brother, Absalon (Mossman), won twice at Listed level in Brisbane. Her dam, Danish Seaway (Danehill) is a winning half-sister to two Listed winners while her granddam, Brise De Mer (Bering), a winner at Saint-Cloud, is a half-sister to five-time Group 1 Champion Halling (Diesis).
Second home in the Herbie Dyke was Campionessa (Contributer) who has recently emerged as a mare of real quality. Her fresh up victory in the Rich Hill Mile (Gr 2, 1600m) on New Year’s Day caught the eye and she was very gallant, giving 3 kilograms to the three-year-olds on Saturday. She would not have to improve much to land a Group 1 this preparation.
Third was another three-year-old, Wild Night, fighting on bravely and not far away from the first two. He doesn’t know how to run a bad race. This is his first preparation and he keeps stepping up. He may be set for a spell now but look out when he comes back next season as a four-year-old. Melbourne in the spring could be very interesting.
Imperious Imperatriz
Te Rapa’s second Group 1, the BCD Sprint, also drew an exciting field but the result, according to Opie Bosson, was clear a long way from home. At the post Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) was away on her own, four and half lengths ahead of a game Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) and Levante (Proisir). The winning time of 1:20.7 crushed the chasers. She bolted away from the 200 metres for her 12th win in 17 starts (fourth Group 1) and boosted her earnings to beyond $1 million.
She was away well to be fourth early (rails) and shared third inside the 1000 metres. Starting the bend she was shuffled to fifth, moved out from the 600 metres into fourth and kept improving to be poised in third at the top of the straight. She had the leader to catch from the 300 metres, levelled up at the 200 metres then strolled into the lead. To the line she was in no danger whatsoever.
“She was never going to get beaten as I felt like I was in a race by myself with no one near me or around me,” said Bosson. “She just went through her gears and she is awesome to sit on. It was over at the 600 metres as the splits just kept coming and I had a lapful of horse. When she is on her A-game there is not much that can beat her,” ended Bosson.
Pre-race, the field looked like a match race between Imperatriz and Levante. The question mark surrounding Babylon Berlin was the 1400 metres. Levante simply had too much to do, finishing strongly as she does, but her sectionals did not match Imperatriz, who was not under any pressure from the 200 metres. This was a cake walk.
Her trainer Mark Walker is now faced with ‘What’s next?’ Clearly, the four-year-old is the best sprinter in the country. “I would love to get her to Australia in this form and maybe get a Group 1 over there. We have trained her a little bit different this time in and Opie has such confidence in her,” he said.
As of yesterday morning, Walker may have his wish granted. Imperatriz is headed for Melbourne and a tilt at the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m). Nature Strip (Nicconi), Roch ‘N’ Horse (Per Incanto) and now Imperatriz. Edge of the seat stuff.
Prowling Prowess
With nothing like the opposition she faced in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m), Prowess (Proisir) was expected to have no trouble in extending her already enviable record, staging an exhibition in the David and Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (Gr 2, 2000m).
She was far too good, making it three stakes wins in succession and five victories in seven starts. She bounced out quickly to lead with a lap to run but settled third (two out) down the back. Rounding into the straight she went up three wide and was poised to challenge at the top of the straight. Inside the 300 metres she asserted her authority and over the last 150 metres ran away to win comfortably by five lengths, another cake walk.
Perhaps the only tiny doubt in play was whether she would get the 2000 metres. That box firmly ticked, she may now be set for the New Zealand Derby.
“We will have to speak to [rider] Warren [Kennedy], but the Derby is the obvious option as long as she is going to see out a mile and a half,” said co-trainer Robert Wellwood. “There are some other great opportunities coming up for fillies and mares over a mile to 2000 metres, both here and over in Aussie. Wherever she goes it will be exciting.”
Kennedy was impressed. He said: “She actually feels like she has gone up a gear. She is just getting better and better and handled the 2000 metres as we expected. I was happy to be one out watching the pace and she powered home when I asked her. She is something special and she did it effortlessly today.”
Team Rogerson’s Sharp ‘N’ Smart versus James and Wellwood’s Prowess should have the crowd thronging to Te Rapa again next month. Bring it on!
Now second
It’s official. Savabeel (Zabeel) has surpassed his grandsire, Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) and is now second to Zabeel (Sir Tristram ) on the all-time list of individual stakes winners sired by a New Zealand-based stallion.
The 130 target was reached during the Karaka Yearling Sale when Mazzolino (Savabeel) took out the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Trentham, two weeks ago.
With Po Kare Kare’s win in Saturday’s Triscay Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), Savabeel took his total to 131. The next target, Zabeel’s 166, may be unattainable. This triumvirate of Sir Tristram, Zabeel and Savabeel is surely a momentous effort in the history of New Zealand-based stallions.
The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame has inducted stallions Foxbridge (Foxlaw), O’Reilly (Last Tycoon), Sir Tristram and Zabeel so it’s just a matter of time before Savabeel joins them.
Having her ninth start and fourth win, Po Kare Kare was in behind the leaders at the top of the straight and got a lovely split at the 300 metres. She cruised alongside the leader soon after then took over at the 100 metres from where she got to the line comfortably by a length for her maiden stakes success.
A graduate of the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), the mare was sold for $100,000 by Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore Stud. She was also catalogued but withdrawn from the 2020 NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Her twice–winning dam, Suadela (Encosta De Lago), is a three-quarter sister to Champion Australian Three-Year-Old Racing To Win (Encosta De Lago), a five-time Group 1 winner, and to Pinocchio (Encosta De Lago), the dam of The Everest (1200m) winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt).
WA fillies
First it was Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni). Now there’s My Bella Mae (Deep Field). Western Australia is blessed with two star three-year-old fillies this season.
Although Amelia’s Jewel has the superior record of seven starts for six stakes wins, including the Northerly Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m), My Bella Mae’s five wins (two stakes) from six starts is far from shabby.
Her only miss was a very ambitious Group 1 attempt in the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) which was just her fourth start. That was preceded by a Listed win in the Placid Ark Stakes (1200m).
Saturday’s Cyril Flower Stakes (Listed, 1200m) victory against older rivals was achieved in professional style. Third, rounding into the straight, she gained to form a line of three at the 100 metres then put her head in front at the 50 metres and was convincing at the line by a neck.
The daughter of Deep Field (Northern Meteor) has a strong connection to the New Zealand Stud Book. Her dam, Mae West (Sir Percy), was a Group 3–placed five-time winner in New Zealand while her granddam, Wee Tipple (Centaine), won three and was Listed placed here. Wee Tipple foaled Canterbury Gold Cup (Gr 3, 2000m) and twice Listed winner Who Dares Wins (Iffraaj).
My Bella Mae’s third dam, Lady Bubbles (Lord Ballina), is a granddaughter of New Zealand Oaks (Gr 2, 1m 4f) winner Natter (The Cobbler).
How did My Bella Mae end up in Perth? The three best runners in her family, all Group 1 winners, raced in Perth, that’s probably why.
Trap For Fools (Poet’s Voice), the 2018 Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner, started his career in Perth and at four reeled off six in succession at Ascot. His dam, Old Money (Old Spice), won the Western Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). His granddam, Balmy Night (Balmerino) is a sister to Perth Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner, Linc The Leopard (Balmerino). Balmy Night’s granddam is Natter.