Potential goldmine
If you want to breed to Ardrossan (Redoute’s Choice) this year, you’re too late. You were probably too late a month ago when the young stallion sired his second stakes winner, Loch Katrine, a tough filly who landed the Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Pukekohe.
Toughness was again on display last Saturday for the Futurity Stakes (Listed, 1400m), at the same track and in similar conditions, when Saltcoats gave his rivals no chance, despite racing three deep until the top of the straight. Once balanced, he cleared out by more than three lengths.
This places Ardrossan in the highly enviable position of siring three stakes winners from his moderately sized first crop and magnifies a May 2021 comment by Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick when they were foals, suggesting that if they can run, look out!
Ardrossan’s fee for the upcoming season has been finalised at a very reasonable $10,000. After Saturday’s result there might be some after-hours horse-trading taking place as those holding a nomination are in possession of a potential goldmine.
His first stakes winner, Codigo, nabbed the Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1100m) mere days before the NZB Karaka Yearling Sales, a win which provided the stallion with a timely launching pad.
Codigo, who remains unbeaten in two starts, won on top of the ground in a sharp 1:02.51 which would suggest that Ardrossan’s stock can manage a variety of conditions. Loch Katrine’s and, now, Saltcoats’ wet track performances are simply a symptom of New Zealand autumn conditions, or as my friend, successful owner and breeder Peter Izett often states: “If your horse can’t handle wet conditions you’re not going to see him race too often.”
When Michael McNab dismounted Loch Katrine, he said: “She got through the ground okay, but she’s not very big and is pretty good on a better track, so I made a point of trying to keep her in fresh ground.”
In a similar vein, Saltcoats’ trainer, Samantha Logan stated: “Kozzi [Asano, jockey] did say he handled the going okay, but is a much better horse on top of the ground where he has an electric turn of foot.”
For Saltcoats it was his third race day start. On debut, at Hastings on April 15, he finished well for second in a small field then on May 6 appeared at Te Rapa for the Listed Equine Vets Stakes (1200m), running on gamely for third behind the highly regarded Solidify (Redwood) on a Heavy 8 surface.
At Pukekohe, he went forward from the 800 metres, improving to third (three out) inside the 600 metres. Rounding into the straight he levelled up, then took over at the top of the straight. From the 300 metres he kept increasing his lead and over the final 100 metres was in no danger, clear by three and a half lengths.
From four foals to race, Saltcoats is the second winner from Savanite (Savabeel), herself a half-sister to Waikato Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) winner Singing Star (Danasinga). Singing Star’s daughter, Miss Selby (O’Reilly) landed the Lowland Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m) and also ran second in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). The latter is the dam of Lowe Flying (Tivaci), second in this year’s Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m).
Saltcoats’ grandam is Jelignite Jen (Crested Wave), a wonderful producer of ten winners including Yeah Nah (Kinjite), the dam of three-time Group 1 winner Viadana (Towkay).
Jelignite Jem’s half-brother was Zephyr Art (Zephyr Bay) whose premier performance among 16 wins took place in California, winning at Listed level at Bay Meadows after scoring in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Their dam, Pop Art (Arch Sculptor) is a granddaughter of Miss Pompilia (Matrice), the sister to champion Pago Pago who won nine straight at two including the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 6f).
Both sides of the Tasman
Waikato Stud’s day was not over with Saltcoats. Their established sire, with 20 stakes winners, Ocean Park (Thorn Park) has a good one in Kovalica, dominant winner of the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Eagle Farm.
There was no real surprise in the Derby. Kovalica’s record heading into Saturday’s feature was far superior to that of his rivals. Consequently, he started warm favourite even though he was backing up after seven days, having finished a creditable third against the older horses in the Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m).
That run was necessary because of an abscess which caused him to be withdrawn from the previous week’s Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2000m). “There was a hiccup two weeks ago, but we didn’t panic, gave him that extra run and once he hit the front I thought he was fit enough, he will be right,” said winning trainer Chris Waller.
Kovalica travelled nicely for James McDonald in ninth place, tracked up from the 700 metres, then loomed easily at the 300 metres before going on to score. The two lengths margin flattered his rivals as McDonald dropped his hands long before the post. Second was Fame (Manhattan Rain) whose dam Spirit Bird is by Waikato Stud’s Savabeel (Zabeel).
Kovalica’s record is looking ominous. The Derby was his sixth win in only nine starts, a career which began at Newcastle last October, running fourth. He then reeled off four in a row, at Wyong, Warwick Farm and Doomben, wrapping up 2022 with a demolition of the Grand Prix Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m) at Eagle Farm, setting up the tilt at the Derby.
After a 16–week break he was hard-chasing third at Listed level at Randwick then scored narrowly in the Queensland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m). Running on for third in the Doomben Cup set him up perfectly for Saturday’s clear-cut victory.
We know his family well. His dam, Vitesse (Makfi), is a half-sister to The Bostonian (Jimmy Choux) who also had a liking for Eagle Farm, having scored the Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) there four years ago. That was one of three Group 1s for the sprinter. Another half-sister is recent Championship Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m) winner Cheval D’Or (Almanzor).
The next generation features New Zealand Racing Hall of Famer, King Mufhasa (Pentire), whose 20 career wins included ten Group 1s.
More thoughts
Last week’s Kiwi Chronicles focused on So You Think, his daughter Thought Provoking and his sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells).
One week on and we have witnessed a potential superstar in Think About It, whose rise in the ranks culminated with an impressive win in Saturday’s Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m).
Providing a lesson in patience, the four-year-old has tasted defeat just once in nine tries. His first start, as a three-year-old, took place on the second-to-last day of last season, July 30 at Kembla Grange, winning easily. Win two at Wyong was followed by his only defeat, at Warwick Farm, at the end of August.
A break of 19 weeks saw him return to Warwick Farm in January, the start of his six-win streak beginning with a Benchmark 72, a Benchmark 78 at Rosehill and a Benchmark 88 at Randwick.
Stepped up to Group 3 level in the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) his streak continued. After a short spell it was on to Gosford for the Takeover Target Stakes (Listed, 1200m), the precursor to Saturday’s Group 1 breakthrough.
Think About It’s trainer, Joe Pride, made a key comment. “His second dam is actually a Zabeel mare and just the whole way through I sort of thought he would get over ground, but he’s a bit explosive to do that isn’t he? It’s sort of hard to believe that a horse like this would run beyond a mile, you’d think he would run a mile, and there will be opportunities for that down the track,” Pride said.
The gelding’s pedigree is fascinating in that he became the first 1300-metre Group 1 winner for So You Think, yet his bloodlines suggest that 1600 metres or further should be within his scope.
Of So You Think’s ten Group 1 winners, Nakeeta Jane, recorded hers at 1400 metres in the Surround Stakes. There have been three Group 1 winners over 1600 metres, namely New Zealand One Thousand Guineas winner La Diosa, Queen of the Turf Stakes winner Nimalee and Randwick Guineas winner Inference.
Nakeeta Jane, like Think About It, is from a Flying Spur (Danehill) mare. Nimalee is from a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare.
Think About It is from a Flying Spur mare and the next dam is by Zabeel while his third dam is by Bluebird (Storm Bird).
Here is what is most interesting: So You Think’s highest ranked performer is Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) champion Think It Over who is from a Zabeel mare. His granddam is by Bluebird. Can Pride take something from this? Think About It should get the 1600 metres. Adding a further 400 metres should be no problem either. If not, blame Flying Spur.
Flying Spur’s sire Danehill (Danzig) can be found via Redoute’s Choice in the blood of Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner D’Argento (So You Think), who is from a Redoute’s Choice mare. The same applies to Inference.
Beyond the 2000 metres, So You Think has sired an Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner in Quick Thinker plus a Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner, Knight’s Order.
Incomparable trainer Bart Cummings was mystified that his northern hemisphere counterpart, Aiden O’Brien, tried the stallion over ground. He believed that the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) distance was optimum.
Such distance versatility is a huge plus and the stallion is well on his way as a desirable influence in future pedigrees, much like Zabeel.
Think About It’s female family has its roots in the northern hemisphere. His third dam, Mer Du Sud (Bluebird), arrived in New Zealand in 2000 having produced three foals in Australia including Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) winner, The Duke (Danehill).
Although unable to replicate that success, her daughter Laravissante (O’Reilly) is the dam of Sky Field (Deep Field), the 2021 Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) victor who was sold through the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale in 2018.
Another daughter, Miss Montjeu (Montjeu), produced Listed winner and Classic–placed Chambord (Zabeel). A third daughter, Think About It’s granddam Moorea (Zabeel), produced Keen Array (Bel Esprit) whose seven wins include the Gilgai Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) and three Listed victories, as well as running second in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). His half-sister is Tiare (Flying Spur), the dam of Think About It.
Mer Du Sud herself was a half-sister to three stakes winners including King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) Sayf El Arab (Drone). There is plenty of speed in this line but it will surprise no one should Think About It succeed at 1600 metres or further.