A week to remember
A week to remember
Not too long ago (2019) the scene at Cambridge Stud was somewhat bleak, the stud having lost three stallions: Tavistock (Montjeu), Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) and Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice), within months of each other.
At the time it was difficult to imagine how the legacy of Sir Patrick Hogan might recover from such devastating blows but recover they have and it is a testament to the drive of Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, in combination with great guidance from Henry Plumptre, that Cambridge Stud is back where Sir Patrick left it. Scott Calder and Cameron Ring can also take a bow as loyal staff members at the coal face.
Fittingly, the 100th National Yearling Sale has seen Cambridge Stud in the same position it held for 33 years (32 consecutively) under Hogan, as the leading vendor by aggregate. Hogan’s first title took place in 1978, before the Trentham and Karaka sales were dominated by Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) and Zabeel (Sir Tristram).
On this occasion their star sire is Sword Of State (Snitzel) who sired the sale-topper and was fifth among the top ten sires by average, at $260,250 for 20 lots sold. The other nine on the top ten list all stand in Australia. Sword Of State’s stock are making a great impression within the industry with his first crop showing so much promise. There is a strong buzz around Sword Of State and it is going to be most interesting to see how his future unfolds.
Under the Lindsays, the stud led the aggregate in 2021 largely due to Almanzor (Wootton Bassett), then represented by his first crop. Almanzor provided the launch pad for Cambridge Stud’s return to the top and the stallion continues to sire quality winners. Within five weeks late last year he added four new stakes winners to his growing total and one, First Five, bagged Trentham’s Telegraph Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on January 3.
Stakes winner number 30 was achieved this past Saturday when Manzor Blue put up a true stayer’s performance when scoring the Wellington Cup (Gr 3, 3200m). Almanzor is proving to be highly versatile. His premier performer is middle-distance star, recent Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Turf (Gr 1, 11f) and Prix de Diane (Gr 1, 2100m) winner Gezora. Four of Almanzor’s stakes winners have been successful over 3200 metres yet December-January stakes winners Qali Al Farrasha, Lux Libertas, Mary Shan and First Five are sprinter-milers.
Manzor Blue had the entire field in front of her with a lap to run and was still last at the 1600 metres as well as last at the 1000 metres. Kate Hercock sent the mare forward from the 800 metres but ran into a brick wall near the straight entrance. Forced to look for a run near the fence, with a weaving run they had four to beat at the 200-metre mark. Fully wound up, they caught the leaders near the 100 metres and their momentum carried them to the line.
Manzor Blue provides inspiration for owners of maidens as she took 11 starts to break through, recording a second and two thirds leading up to a win over 2100 metres at Otaki in December, 2024. Win two took place at start 12 and in the meantime she placed four times. Jumping from Benchmark 75 class to Group 3, her $87 starting price was understandable as her form immediately prior to the Cup was ordinary despite finishing on in most of her races. Niggling back issues did not help. The win was just her third but the manner of her win was that of a true stayer. Connections must now be looking closer at the Auckland Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) scheduled for March 7.
Bred by Milan Park’s Tony Rider and raced by Albert Bosma’s Go Racing, Manzor Blue is a graduate of NZB’s 2022 Karaka Yearling Sales (Book 1) and was purchased by Go Racing for $130,000. She is one of five foals of which three have raced for two winners. Her dam is a half-sister to recent Group 3 winner Island Life (Vadamos) and she represents the Diamond Lover (Stick And Stones) branch of the famous Eight Carat (Pieces Of Eight) family, made famous by Sir Patrick Hogan, although Eight Carat is Manzor Blue’s sixth dam.
Completing a double
On the same Trentham card, Cambridge Stud’s Embellish (Savabeel) sired his fifth individual stakes winner when Ultimate Habit landed the Lowland Stakes (Gr 2, 2100m), her maiden win as well as her maiden stakes win.
The value sire on the Cambridge Stud roster, Embellish himself made headlines last week at Karaka where his daughter, Lot 601, from Queen Of Wizardry (Not A Single Doubt), topped Book 2. The filly was originally passed in at $170,000 but buyers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young followed the filly back to Cambridge Stud’s parade area and signed the docket for $200,000. That made the stud four-from-four, as aggregate leading vendors for both Books 1 and 2 and as sellers of the two sale toppers.
Mostly in the last four until the 800 metres, Ultimate Habit went forward quickly from the 600 metres and was widest starting the run home. Going through her gears she maintained a strong run and had two to beat near the 100 metres before bounding to the front to win well.
Although this was her initial win, a fair sixth in the January 17 Desert Gold Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) provided a small clue. On Saturday she proved the best stayer and the Lowland has traditionally been a good indicator for the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) which this year has been transferred to Ellerslie and will be staged on February 21, alongside the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m). Both races will provide a lead in to the March 7 New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).
Ultimate Habit is the only foal of her winning dam, Queens Habit (Bachelor Duke), to race, the latter a half-sister to the dam of dual Group 3 winner Decorah (Pins). The latter ranks as a half-sister to the dam of New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Molly Bloom (Ace High). As her name might suggest, Ultimate Habit is closely related to the legend Rough Habit (Roughcast). In fact, she was bred by Mrs I M Roddick who bred Rough Habit. Ultimate Habit’s granddam, dual Melbourne winner Danish Habit (Danehill) is Rough Habit’s half-sister.
Rough Habit was a marvel whose 29 wins included 11 Group 1s among which were three Doomben Cups (Gr 1, 2000m) and two Stradbroke Handicaps (Gr 1, 1400m). Roddick also co-bred Livamol Classic (Gr 1, 2040m) winner Addictive Habit (Colombia) whose dam Chasing The Habit (Sky Chase) is a half-sister to Rough Habit.
Completing a treble
Cambridge Stud took over the bloodstock newsroom when their home-bred filly Liguria (Snitzel) bagged Ellerslie’s Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (Gr 3, 1200m), capping an amazing week for the stud.
She shared third rounding into the home straight but lost her way near the 300 metres. Moving out a couple of lanes she then settled down for the chase, ranged alongside the leader Harvey Wallbanger (Home Affairs) at the 50 metres then dove at the line in the last stride and the win, which was slightly bittersweet as Liguria’s dam Vernazza (More Than Ready) died in 2024 after producing just two foals.
Liguria, her first foal, was having just her second start, so some compensation for the Lindsays who also bred a Proisir (Choisir) filly from Vernazza in 2024. Vernazza herself was a very good two-year-old and won at her second start before taking out the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). Liguria will likely head down the same path and while not overly big may head towards the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on NZB Kiwi day, set for March 7. Vernazza was second in the 2020 Sistema Stakes.
Vernazza will be a big loss to the stud. Her two fillies will have to keep her line going. Granddam Zonza (Zabeel), a Melbourne Group 3 winner, has produced three stakes winners including Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Pinarello (Tavistock) and Liguria’s Listed-winning three-quarter sister Bavella (Snitzel). In 2025 Zonza dropped a filly foal by Chaldean (Frankel) so the family has a number of females to ensure that the line thrives. Future Karaka sales can look forward to the family being well represented.
Novara Park strikes
Luigi Muollo and his Novara Park have a nice broodmare in Mia Mamma (Per Incanto) who is now the dam of two stakes winners from three foals to race. At start ten, Special Sakura (Staphanos), raced by Muollo’s Explosive Breeding Ltd, took her record to three wins including Saturday’s Fulton Family Stakes (Listed, 1500m).
The four-year-old mare was the early leader then was headed only to regain the lead at the 600 metres. Into the straight she was challenged but from the 250 metres kicked again and was never in danger to the line, scoring by a very convincing length and three-quarters.
Special Sakura won her maiden at her second start and her second win was achieved at start four. This season she has taken some time to find her best but signalled that a win was close when a game Benchmark 75 (1400m) second at Ellerlie on New Year’s Day.
Her half-brother Special Sweynesse (Sweynesse) was successful in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) making Mia Mamma a valuable Per Incanto (Street Cry) mare. The world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) is from a Per Incanto mare.
Muollo has a monopoly on this family but this branch is a bit thin on the ground, making it even more valuable. Mia Mamma is one of two foals while her dam Really Explosive (O’Reilly) is an only foal. Third dam Flamboyant Spirit (Pins) is a half-sister to Group 3 and dual Listed winner The Red Express (Exploding Prospect). He won 18 times and his sister Explosive (Exploding Prospect) is the grandam of Derby winners Explosive Jack (Jakkalberry) and Vin De Dance (Roc De Cambes).
Loving Melbourne
Wrote To Arataki (Wrote) loves Melbourne, to the tune of more than $900,000. Of her 28 lifetime starts, 25 have been at Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley or Sandown but Caulfield is her favourite with the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) and Saturday’s Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) taking place there.
The Bellmaine Stakes wasn’t her first but the 2023 edition was staged at Sandown. Her seven wins also include the Frances Tressady Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) run at Flemington, the now seven-year-old proving to be a sound racemare.
Holding the inside rail from the jump, Wrote To Arataki didn’t reach the lead until the 700 metres and rounding into the straight was in full flight. She kicked at the 250 metres and from the 150 metres had the race under control. It was pleasing to see Damask Rose (Savabeel), who tracked Wrote To Arataki into the straight, keeping up a solid gallop to hold second.
Wrote To Arataki shares the same female bottom line as Manzor Blue (above) whose fourth dam is Tristalove (Sir Tristram). Wrote To Arataki’s fifth dam Sparkle N Shine (Sir Tristram) and Tristalove are sisters.