The chase is on
Saturday’s Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner’s prize of $172,250 saw Savabeel (Zabeel) surge from fifth to second on this season’s premiership but the leader, Proisir (Choisir), who enjoyed an outstanding spring, has a $630,000 margin as the summer part of the season heats up.
The riches of the Auckland, Wellington and Waikato carnivals lie ahead. The Karaka Million races, New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and feature weight-for-age Group 1s can impact the money list quite rapidly, as Saturday’s Group 1 just proved. Look for the gap to narrow over the coming months.
It would be fitting for Savabeel to notch a ninth consecutive New Zealand Sire Premiership. On the all-time list of New Zealand sires of individual stakes winners, Savabeel’s 127 is just three shy of his grandsire Sir Tristram’s 130 (yet some distance from his sire’s total of 166). He is also three premierships shy of Foxbridge (Foxlaw), whose eleven consecutive titles between 1941 and 1951 set the standard, maybe an unreachable standard.
In the meantime, Savabeel’s Prise De Fer was finally rewarded with his maiden Group 1 and Savabeel’s 28th. The seven-year-old is not shy. He arrived at Trentham with five Group 1 placings and, proving his soundness, backed up seven days after a last-to-first Eagle Technology Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) win at Te Rapa. At start 39, Prise De Fer had 13 previous Group 1 attempts recording three seconds, two thirds and was fifth three times, so he was due.
Michael McNab dropped him back soon after the start and was a length last from the 1400 metres to the 800 metres. From the 600 metres he improved wide to be midfield but was widest starting the run home. He took some time to wind up, accelerated at the 200 metres, levelled up inside the 100 metres and grabbed the lead at the 50 metres to score by a half length, his career eleventh victory to add to a Group 2 and three Group 3s, banking $823,600.
Purchased out of the Trelawney Stud draft at the 2017 NZB Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, Prise De Fer is proving to be a sound investment by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $100,000. Good luck repeating that feat. The Savabeels will again be all the rage next month and $100,000 will only be sufficient to open the bidding.
At the time of his purchase, his half-sister, Group 2 and three-times Listed winner Belong To Many (Belong To Me) had yet to produce Native Soldier (Sepoy), a subsequent dual Group 3 and Listed winner. His dam, Foiled (Snippets), ranks as a half-sister to the out-and-out-sprinter Sword (Switch In Time), the winner of 12 races including the Goodwood Handicap (Gr. 1, 1200m).
Prise De Fer descends directly from the Caulfield Debutante Stakes (Gr 3, 5f) winner Domremon (Star Kingdom), his fifth dam, herself a daughter of the imported Morin (Vilmorin), an Epsom winner who placed second in the Epsom Acorn Stakes (Listed, 5f) at two.
In Australia, Morin foaled three stakes winners but in the ensuing years has been responsible for 27 stakes winners and 22 black-type placed performers. Prise De Fer is one of four elite winners that trace to Morin, the best being Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock), a triple Group 1 winner. Recent New Zealand-bred Group 3 stakes winners from this family are two by Tavistock (Montjeu), namely Gunstock and Ruthless Dame.
Rack up 40
In a perfect segway, Tavistock racked up stakes winner number 40 when Kissinger ran clear to claim the Pakenham Cup (Listed, 2500m). Under Damien Oliver, the seven-year-old cruised up to challenge soon after straightening and stayed on best, increasing his lead over the final 100 metres for his maiden stakes win.
Kissinger was sourced from the same NZB Karaka Premier Yearling Sale as Prise De Fer, purchased by trainer Nigel Tiley for $52,500 from the Millfield Stud draft.
He was very patiently handled by Tiley and although trialled at three did not see raceday until four, winning on debut. At his third and last start in New Zealand he bolted away by more than three lengths at Te Aroha over 2200 metres before transferring to the stable of Lindsey Smith at Warrnambool where he won twice as a five-year-old.
At six he was not himself but has found a new lease of life as the Pakenham Cup is his third win this season. Due to a late start, Kissinger has raced just 25 times for seven wins and seven placings and clearly appreciates the longer distance races having scored three times at 2400 metres or beyond, his last three wins.
“Sometimes you just really click with horses,” said Oliver, “and we have. He’s a lovely stayer, got a beautiful attitude and he certainly makes your job a bit easier”.
Kissinger’s win made it three successive weeks of stakes winners from the “Belle” family. Two weeks back, Darci La Bella (Darci Brahma) landed the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Pukekohe. A week ago, La Flora Belle (Iffraaj) secured the Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m).
Kissinger’s dam, Berlin Belle (Black Minnaloushe), is a winning half-sister to Gold Trail Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Zino Belle (Success Express), herself the dam of sharp sprinter Silver Eclipse (Darci Brahma).
Kissinger’s grandam, Christiana Belle (Sackford) claimed the Dulcie Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) and his third dam, Finezza Belle (Sir Tristram), scored five times (three stakes), campaigning successfully in Brisbane where she took out the Grand Prix Stakes (Gr 2, 2200m). Sadly, Finezza Belle died after producing Christiana Belle.
Kissinger’s fifth dam and Darci La Bella’s fourth dam are half-sisters, as is Honey Belle (Better Honey), the fourth dam of La Flora Belle. This family is unstoppable.
It’s infectious
Last week’s edition detailed the enviable run of success by Rich Hill stallions Proisir, Shocking (Street Cry) and Vadamos (Monsun). An honourable mention was given to their Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) and, one week on, Satono Aladdin delivered his second stakes winner but first in New Zealand, Sacred Satono.
The three-year-old signalled his win in Saturday’s Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) with a very good third against the older sprinters, two weeks prior, in the Counties Bowl (Gr 3, 1100m).
Saturday’s effort was notable in that after taking the lead at the 300 metres he was headed yet came back the way good horses do, bagging win three at start nine. He was one of the first into stride then eased to be fifth at the end of the back straight. Still fifth but saving ground from the 600 metres, there was plenty of room to run through when the leaders fanned at the top of the straight. He ran up to challenge inside the 300 metres, led for a stride, was headed by The Intimidator (Toronado) but came back strongly. To the line he held on well by a neck.
Co-trainer Grant Cooksley was impressed. “He won it nicely as he fought back well when the two of them came together. I don’t think he actually saw the other horse initially but when he did, he pulled out the extra effort and won quite easily,” he said.
Bred by Archer Investments and sold via Rich Hill Stud at the 2021 NZB Karaka Yearling Sales (Book 2), he was knocked down for $34,000.
He is the fourth winner from Belle Joie (Mellifont), a six-time winner and half-sister to Hall of Fame sprinter-miler (King) Mufhasa (Pentire), the ten-time Group 1 winner of 20 races. Her half-sister is Keepa Cheval (Keeper), the dam of another high class sprinter, (The) Bostonian (Jimmy Choux), himself a three-time Group 1 winner in Sydney and Brisbane. Sacred Satono has something to live up to.
Early Aussie speed
This season, three stakes races for two-year-olds have been run, and won, by Australian breds. That should not be surprising. The early maturing two-year-old from Australia is what we have come to expect.
First was the November 9 Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Riccarton, won by Sky On Fire (Exceed And Excel). Ten days later, Ethereal Star (Snitzel) impressively won the Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m).
The Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) at Trentham last Saturday fell to Impendabelle (Impending) and she, too, was impressive, especially having to be extricated from an awkward spot soon after the eight-runner field started the run home.
The filly showed real determination in a decisive win and remains unbeaten in two starts. She began well but was shuffled back to share last leaving the chute and on to the crossing. Starting the run home she was awkwardly placed, moved out inside the 400 metres but the available gap narrowed. She made heavy contact, was unbalanced for a stride, but kept driving to share the lead at the 200 metres. To the post she showed her class and won convincingly.
This filly’s determination is eerily similar to that displayed by (She’s) Licketysplit (Turn Me Loose), a will to win that cannot be denied. Impendabelle is also the first stakes winner by Impending (Lonhro), the 2017 Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) winner whose oldest are now three-year-olds.
Impending won the Stradbroke as a three-year-old and returned to that scene at four to land the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1350m) before retiring with five wins and eight placings (three at Group 1 level) and a bank of $2.4 million.
Impendabelle’s early maturity may well be due to her dam, Applegate (Exceed And Excel), also a stakes winner at two of the Ottawa Stakes (Listed, 1000m). Two years prior to Impendabelle, Applegate foaled Cloudy (Frosted), a Group 3 and Listed two-year-old winner in Adelaide. Early maturity is apparent in the immediate family.
For Impending, however, there is reason to think that his stock will go on, as he did at four. His dam is the classy Mnemosyne (Encosta De Lago), winner of The Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). Her six winners include three stakes scorers, Impending’s sister, the Listed winner Epidemic plus his half-brother, Forget (Exceed And Excel), a Group 3 winner. Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner, Lyre (Lonhro), ranks as a three-quarter sister to Impending.
Zabeel via Lonhro
No one could forget Lonhro (Octagonal), the racehorse. Twenty-six wins including 11 Group 1s will do that. He was a racing icon, the standout by his sire Octagonal (Zabeel), the latter, on reflection, not quite living up to his sire expectations, with just 25 stakes winners.
Lonhro, on the other hand, has rectified that disappointment as sire of 94 stakes winners and is proving to be an interesting customer as his sons are attempting to solidify the Zabeel (Sir Tristram) line in Australia.
Lonhro’s lone Australian Sire Premiership in 2011 halted a Northern Dancer (Nearctic) sequence of 11 Australian Sire Premierships. Prior to that, Zabeel achieved back-to-back titles in ’98 and ’99. Since 2012, the Danehill (Danzig) line has largely continued to dominate, helped by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice, by Danehill) with four successive titles from 2017 to 2020.
Pierro stands at the head of Lonhro’s list with 32 stakes winners. The quality of mares that Pierro has attracted would have provided the best opportunity for the Lonhro line to continue. That has been made more difficult due to many of his top-liners being gelded which has resulted in just two Pierro representatives to do the heavy lifting.
Pierata will be given the best opportunity. The Queensland-based Group 1, $5.8 million earner’s oldest are yearlings and more than 60 are due to be offered at Magic Millions, Karaka and Sydney. Levendi, the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner, whose oldest are foals, is based in Tasmania.
Lonhro’s Denman has sired 18 stakes winners, Sweynesse has five and Exosphere four. Impending will likely add to his first in fairly short order.
If Lonhro’s line is to survive it will likely be due to a son or grandson of Pierro who is only 13. Buyers have figured out that he is not a sire of two-year-olds despite his own fabulous record at two. His mare numbers got a boost after the wait and see effect and there is every reason to believe that there will be more classy colts in the future. The line is not as healthy as it might be but there is hope.
He’s back
One of the more exciting three-year-olds from last season, Shamus (Shamexpress) returned in great style in the open sprint at Trentham on Saturday. Apart from himself, the race included two Listed winners, twice Group 1 placed Springtide (Darci Brahma) and two further stakes-placed performers. In other words, a proper field of runners.
He was far too good over the 1200 metres and broke 1:10 on the Soft 6 track, the last 600 metres in 33.01, to take his record to five wins in seven starts.
At three, Shamus completed an initial streak of four wins in his first four starts with victory in the Wellington Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) before running third in the Waikato Guineas (Gr 2, 2000m). A tired run in the Levin Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) resulted in a good spell.
Judging from Saturday’s effort, he could be on the verge of a special season, providing his sire, Shamexpress (O’Reilly) with a boost.
Standing alongside Turn Me Loose (Iffraaj) and Vanbrugh (Encosta De Lago) at Windsor Park Stud, his barnmates have stolen the current breeding season headlines.
His winners/runners ratio is a very healthy 57 per cent (100 winners from 174 starters) and Shamus is one of eight stakes winners, the best (so far) being dual Group 1 winner Coventina Bay.
And, talking of barnmates, Rageese (Street Cry) is showing promise. After a very quiet start, he now has 11 winners including two in Australia last weekend. The law of averages suggests that somewhere, some time, one of his stock will break through.