Campionessa triumphs in Cal Isuzu
The Te Akau-raced Campionessa (Contributer) produced a commanding performance to win yesterday’s Cal Isuzu Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Te Rapa and will now be given the chance to add a first elite-level triumph to her burgeoning record.
In winning yesterday’s Group 2, the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained six-year-old not only added a fourth stakes win to her CV, but also completed the rare Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) / Cal Isuzu double in the same season, joining the likes of Calveen (Canny Lad) and Ruud Van Slaats (Van Nistelrooy), who landed the feat in 2004 and 2008 respectively.
Heading into the race off the back of that Pukekohe win, the mare always looked to be travelling smoothly under Opie Bosson and eventually pulled away to beat Zalia (Street Boss) by a facile two lengths. Polygon (Highly Recommended) finished a further quarter of a length away in third.
The daughter of Contributer (High Chaparral) triumphed in the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes on November 25, winning the Group 2 off the back of a short spell and Bergerson said the break had been key to the mare’s recent form.
“She’s come back from a short freshen-up in fantastic form,” he said. “She’s back in the groove. She was aided by a fantastic ride from Opie, who got her into a lovely spot. She relaxed beautifully, was presented at the right time and was strong to the line.”
Campionessa was runner-up in a brace of Group 1 races last season, chasing home Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood) in February’s Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), before finding only Prowess (Proisir) too strong in the New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2050m) on March 11.
Bergerson said Campionessa will now be given the opportunity to break her elite-level duck, with the trainer revealing the mare will likely line up in the Zabeel Classic (Gr 1, 2050m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
“It’s all systems go for the Zabeel Classic now,” he said. “As long as she comes through today well, we’ll press on for that. Going up to 2000 metres will be ideal for her and she finished so strongly today, so all being well, she should be bang on.”
Bosson, who celebrated his 2,000th New Zealand winner earlier on the card, was delighted with Campionessa’s performance.
“We got into a good spot and she travelled beautifully throughout the race,” he said. “Mark and Sam have done a great job with this mare. She lost her mojo there for a little bit, but that win in the Auckland Breeders’ Stakes the other day gave her a lot of confidence.
“Even in her trackwork, she’s been stepping up and really wanting to do it. Today she came out and showed how good she is.
“This was a perfect trial for the Zabeel Classic. She’s on the way up, full of confidence and you can’t knock her on that win today.”
Bred by Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison, Campionessa (6 m Contributer – Bella Carolina by O’Reilly) was bought by Te Akau boss, David Ellis, for $60,000 from the Westbury Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale in 2019.
Out of three-time winner Bella Carolina, the mare is a half-sister to Listed-winning duo Leedox (Time Test) and Tennessee (Per Incanto).
In 2022, Bella Carolina produced a sister to Campionessa and she was covered by Darley’s Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) last year.
The mare is one of seven stakes winners for Mapperley Stud resident Contributer, who has been represented by 86 runners in total. He stood the 2023 breeding season for a fee of NZ$18,000 (plus GST).
Satono Aladdin’s Still Bangon shines in Eulogy stakes
Rich Hill Stud shuttler Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) continued his hot run of form when his daughter Still Bangon (3 f ex Shebang by Le Bec Fin) bagged yesterday’s Eulogy Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Trentham and became her sire’s eighth individual stakes winner.
Trained by Stephen Autridge for owner-breeders Paul and Maureen Guise, the three-year-old was making her debut in black-type company yesterday and went into the Group 3 with three placings and a fourth to her name from her seven previous starts. That included a relegation to second after being first past the post in a maiden race at Taupo in September.
Still Bangon travelled eye-catchingly well throughout and as the field approached the final 150 metres the filly, accompanied by My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High) and Chico Mojito (Zacinto), quickly put daylight between them and their rivals.
After a three-way ding-dong battle up the straight, the trio hit the line together with Still Bangon eventually announced the winner, finishing a nose ahead of My Lips Are Sealed, while Chico Mojito was a head away in third.
More stakes wins now lie in wait for Still Bangon, with Autridge revealing the filly is likely to head to Pukekohe for the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (Gr 2, 2050m) on New Year’s Day.
“I’m thrilled to get that result,” the winning trainer said. “It was a very close finish and a very testing race, but she fought strongly and deserved the win. She’s been racing well all through the spring, so it’s pleasing to see her step up into black-type company and put in a performance like that. To win a Group 3 race is absolutely massive for her owner-breeders and great for the filly.
“I’m picking that her next target is going to be at Pukekohe, stepping up over a bit more ground for the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes on New Year’s Day.”
Still Bangon (3 f Satono Aladdin – Shebang by Le Bec Fin) is out of five-time winner Shebang (Le Bec Fin), herself a sister to stakes-placed winner Elle Tresor.
The three-year-old earned six points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly Of The Year Series for yesterday’s win, putting her in equal third spot alongside the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Quintessa (Shamus Award).
The table is headed by Impendabelle (Impending) on 15 points, courtesy of her win in the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and second placing in the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). Impressive 1,000 Guineas winner Molly Bloom (Ace High) is behind her on 12 points.
Still Bangon became the fifth individual stakes winner for Satono Aladdin this season and he is leading the way in New Zealand by that metric, with Written Tycoon (Iglesia), who has three individual black-type winners for the season, his nearest rival. The stallion has also made his mark across the Tasman courtesy of Raf Attack’s victory in the Gloaming Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m).
Represented by 117 worldwide starters, Satono Aladdin stood the 2023 season at a fee of NZ$45,000 (plus GST).
Rich Enuff filly bound for the Gold Coast
After a spate of black-type placings, the Robert Heathcote-trained Abounding (Rich Enuff) added a much deserved maiden stakes success to her CV when she landed yesterday’s Gold Edition Plate (Listed, 1200m) at Eagle Farm, handing Woodside Park resident Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon) with his sixth individual stakes winner.
Ridden by Martin Harley, the three-year-old came out on top of a blanket finish to beat Avone (Spirit Of Boom) by a nose. Show Me Mercy (Astern) was a further head away in third.
As juvenile, the filly proved time and time again to be a stakes winner in the making, having finished second in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) and Bill Carter Stakes (Listed, 1200m), while she also ran third in the Oxlade Stakes (Listed, 1300m).
She wasted no time to etch her first victory as a three-year-old when landing her seasonal reappearance at Doomben on October 28. She then hit the crossbar in stakes company again with a second place finish in the Mode Stakes (Listed 1200m) on December 2.
Heathcote was over the moon to see the filly finally get her head in front and said she would be aimed at Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m) on the Gold Coast next month, although he has not decided whether she will take in the Vo Rogue Plate (Gr 3, 1400m) at Doomben on December 30 en route to the $3 million feature on January 13.
“She has been working super, and her last run was brilliant as was her win before that. She is on the second line of betting for the $3million three-year-old race [Guineas on Magic Millions day)], and that’s where we are going,” Heathcote said.
“Whether we go straight there or give her another run in the Vo Rogue [Plate], we will see after she pulls up.
“Martin did not have a lot of luck on her last start when she was heavily backed. She was heavily backed again today – I don’t want it over again, but she has won a Listed race, which is fantastic for First Light Racing.
“She is one of the flag bearers for the team now, and she is going super.”
Abounding (3 f Rich Enuff – Transonic by Casino Prince) fetched $75,000 when bought by First Light Racing and her trainer out of the Telemon Thoroughbreds draft at Book 2 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2022.
She is the best of four winners from five to race out of the four-time winning and Group-placed Casino Prince (Flying Spur) mare Transonic.
Telemon will offer Abounding’s Russian Camelot (Camelot) half-brother as Lot 1443 at next month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Rich Enuff stood the 2023 breeding season for a fee of $11,000 (inc GST).