Taking a breather
Compared with the last few weekends of Australian stakes results, New Zealand breeders took a back seat to their Australian counterparts this most recent one.
All good things cannot last forever and there are carnivals in South Australia and Queensland still to look forward to, so, more highlights are a distinct possibility, not only by stock bred here but also by those trained here. Winter in Brisbane can often provide New Zealand trainers with a few bonus Aussie dollars.
As for New Zealand, Saturday’s results also provided quite a contrast. Instead of the younger, up-and-coming stallions, it was left to deceased stallions, Tavistock (Montjeu) and Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice) to remind us, once again, of their loss.
Racking up stakes winner number nine was Burgundy whose three-year-old filly, Miss Layla, looks to have real potential, if her win in the NZB Air Freight Stakes (Listed, 1600m) is anything to go by. This is the race that launched Queen of the Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner, Atishu (Savabeel), into the public’s awareness two years ago.
The big roomy Riccarton track can find out front-runners, but Miss Layla showed toughness after slipping away at the top of the straight to then hold off all challenges in scoring her maiden stakes win and second career win at start three.
She was third away but soon surged into the lead where she remained, starting the bend with an easing pace. She was headed inside the 800 metre mark, but took over again before they straightened, slipping clear at the 400. She was two in front at the 200 metres, but kept going gamely to hold on by a long neck.
Miss Layla was an inexpensive purchase from Book 2 of the 2021 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale at just $20,000, which, when compared to her dam’s previous produce, has turned out to be an absolute bargain.
Her dam, La Etoile (Thorn Park), had two fillies by Burgundy through the same ring in 2018 and 2019. They made $100,000 and $50,000 respectively. Ten years ago, her Zabeel (Sir Tristram) filly fetched $360,000.
La Etoile herself was a $70,000 purchase by Cambridge trainer Roger James. That was back in 2007 and the filly would treble her purchase price in earnings, courtesy of a Group 2 win in the Rich Hill Mile (1600m) and several black-type placings in Brisbane, including third in the Queensland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m).
La Etoile is nicely connected. Her dam, Desert Wine (Deputy Governor), is a sister to dual Group 1 winner Hero (Deputy Governor) whose 15 wins included eight stakes, the standout being the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). Two of his six Group placings were at Group 1 level.
Hero and Desert Wine’s dam, Domino (Grosvenor), did a “Pennyweka” and scored both the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). She is a three-quarter sister to Westminster (Grosvenor), a top-class sprinter-miler who earned more than a $1 million during the late 1980s.
Westminster’s nine wins (and five Group 1 placings) included Flemington’s Ampol Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), Moonee Valley’s Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1150m) and Ellerslie’s Railway Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m). He proved very versatile, ran second in the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and took his class to 2100 metres, when third in the DB Draught Classic (Gr 1) as a four-year-old.
Putting my bloodlines hat on for a moment, Domino and Westminster are closer than three-quarter relations. They are both by Grosvenor (Sir Tristram) yet their dams, Tupelo Honey (Vice Regal) and Apple Blossom (Bismark II) are also direct three-quarter sisters as they are by father and son (Bismark II and Vice Regal) from Mary Poppins (Fair’s Fair).
Apple Blossom is a sister to Top Of The Pops (Bismark II), a Listed winner at two and dam of Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Veloso (Zamazaan). The family was managed exceptionally well by Jim Campin of Chequers Stud, who not only bred most of the above, but also trained them.
Still a force
The late Tavistock (Montjeu) is not ready to be forgotten. It seems that each week he throws metropolitan winners in Australia, but on Saturday his Times Ticking was tenacious when thrusting his head out in the last stride to bag the Easter Cup (Listed, 1600m), his ninth win and second stakes at start 28.
He was midfield when they settled but gradually drifted to share third last at the end of the back straight. From the 800-metre mark he improved and inside the 600 was three wide and gaining, shared third near the 300 metres and shared second at the 200. He was almost level at the 100 metres and kept fighting, diving near the line to get up by a half lead.
It’s been a good season for the seven-year-old who broke through for his maiden stakes success last October when taking out the Red Badge Sprint (Gr 3, 1400m) on day three of Hastings spring carnival. His earnings exceed $250,000.
He is the second winner from Laoghaire (Pins), herself a dual winner. His unraced grandam, Bint Shaheen (Shadeed) was imported from USA and is well related, being a half-sister to three stakes winners, two of them Group winners. His third dam, Avum (Umbrella Fella) was a stakes-winning half-sister to triple Group 1 winner, Lord Avie (Lord Gaylord), winner of the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 8f) at Belmont as well as the Florida Derby (Gr 1, 9f).
Some consolation
Little Avondale Stud may have been less than pleased with the result of the All Aged Stakes at Randwick, but there was some consolation on the day.
First off was individual stakes winner 28 for their Per Incanto (Street Cry) when Pure Incanto proved too strong in the Power Turf Sprint (Listed, 1200m) at Hastings, coincidentally the same race that Little Avondale’s Roch ‘N’ Horse (Per Incanto) won in 2021.
The lightly-raced six-year-old mare signalled that a win was imminent after a close and fighting last start fourth in the Lightning Handicap (Listed, 1200m) at Trentham last month. At Hastings, she assumed the lead at the 100 metres and won well, her maiden stakes success and third win at start 15.
She led early, but was headed before they reached the end of the back straight yet held second around the bend and into the home straight. She bided her time to challenge, drew level at the 150 metres and was too good from the 100 to the line.
The black-type win will do her broodmare career no harm at all, as she also ranks as a three-quarter sister to Sydney Group 3 winner Belluci Babe (Per Incanto) and to Listed winner Magnum (Per Incanto). Her dam, Rites Of Spring (Stravinsky) is a half-sister to four stakes winners. When Pure Incanto’s first foal is catalogued, the page will look very healthy.
Secondly, Per Incanto’s barnmate (for a few months each year), Time Test (Dubawi), is bubbling under. His oldest are three-year-olds and are starting to make some noise and Saturday saw two new stakes horses help out with some needed exposure.
In Adelaide, Running On Time finished a creditable second in the Port Adelaide Guineas (Listed, 1800m), taking a narrow lead into the straight and was not caught until the 100m then fought on well. A tilt at the Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 200m), set for April 29, would appear to be a likely target.
At Riccarton, in the NZB Airfreight Stakes (Listed, 1600m), Madame Gisselle boxed on solidly to hold third.
At Te Rapa, Mister Roshan was a comfortable winner (his second) and Maryweka is in good form in the South Island. Within the last few weeks he has sired winners in England, France, Italy and Queensland.
One of Time Test’s better performers in Europe, Rocchigiani, has been exported to Hong Kong where he has been re-named Flaming Rabbit. In eight starts at two and three, Rocchigiani won three including a pair of Group 3s. In Germany he landed the Zukunfts Rennen (1400m) at Baden-Baden at two and last season at three, took that form to Goodwood, adding the Thoroughbred Stakes (1600m).
In his first start in Hong Kong he finished a very promising third after being trapped wide for most of the journey. He can only improve on that run.
A stretch?
Paragraph two of the April 11 edition of Kiwi Chronicles reads: Six of The Championships’ eight Group 1 winners were conceived here, (a seventh was foaled here).
Where do we draw the line regarding country of origin? If a foal is conceived in Australia, the mare is transported to New Zealand, drops the foal, the mare is served in New Zealand then the mare and foal are returned to Australia, is the foal really New Zealand-bred?
The writer believes: Not so much. Sure, the foal was born here but what is the level of credit? Is it time to alter the meaning from place of foaling to place of conception? I would be in favour of the latter. What do you think?
Last Saturday, we had three varying examples of this, the most famous being Militarize (Dundeel), the hugely impressive winner of the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), making it a Group 1 double for the colt, on top of his Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) two weeks prior.
Militarize is the example discussed in the second paragraph of this topic. The colt spent nine months here having been foaled in September 2020. Mare and foal (the colt likely weaned) were re-exported in June of 2021. Militarize was sold through the Magic Millions Yearling Sale of 2022.
Osipenko (Pierro), winner of the Frank Packer Plate (Gr 3, 2000m), is also shown with NZ suffix, but is in a slightly different category. His dam, Raskova (Henrythenavigator), began her stud career in Australia and was imported to New Zealand in 2016 served by Dansili (Danehill). That foal had to be euthanised. She went back to Australia that same season, returning in foal to American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) the following year.
After foaling a colt she was again sent back to Australia in September 2018 (presumably, the colt was at foot) then came back to New Zealand in December of 2018 carrying Osipenko, who was foaled on September 28, 2019.
She slipped to her first New Zealand covering in (2019) but in 2020 was served by Ten Sovereigns (No Nay Never) producing a colt in August of 2021, after which she was served by Darci Brahma (Danehill) then sent, yet again, back to Australia in July last year, foaling a filly. She visited Pierro (Lonhro) last December. She certainly knows that trans-Tasman route well.
Osipenko’s story differs because his dam was clearly domiciled here for some considerable time plus he was offered and sold at the NZB Karaka Yearling Sales (Book 1).
Example three is the Port Adelaide Guineas (Listed, 1800m) winner, Affaire A Suivre (Astern). Her dam, Laurelling (Highest Honor) was bred in USA but imported from France (where she placed) to Australia as a maiden mare. She began her stud career in Australia, producing eight foals before being served by Astern (Medaglia D’Oro) in 2018 and foaling Affaire A Suivre in October, 2019. The mare has remained in New Zealand since then and Affaire A Suivre was sold at the 2021 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1).
Again, slightly different from the first two examples as Laurelling is clearly domiciled in New Zealand now and Affaire A Suivre was raised here.
Oddities will always exist but claiming Militarize as New Zealand-bred could be a bit of a stretch, hence the way I described him last week.
Called it
From the March 28 edition of Kiwi Chronicles is this: Although two years younger than Proisir, full brother, Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner, Divine Prophet (Choisir), has not made the same impression. Maybe Aquis Farm need to send him to New Zealand?
Fortunately, that line escaped discussions and therefore did not affect negotiations between Aquis and Highview Stud’s Brent Gillovic. Divine Prophet is, indeed, coming to New Zealand.
Divine Prophet and Novara Park’s Press Statement (Hinchinbrook) are already established sires. This new turn of events is not common, most preferring to stand new stallions.
Interestingly, both stallions had their biggest year in 2021/22. Divine Prophet has 112 foals and Press Statement 117. On those numbers, there are bound to be several well above average performers and the respective studs will have no lag time to deal with.
This is good news for New Zealand breeders and Highview, along with Novara Park, are signalling much needed confidence in the future of our industry. If the TAB’s partnering with Entain goes ahead and stakes receive a much needed boost, then local buyers will return to the sales and the industry can get back to doing what it does best – producing big winners but on a grander scale.