Ticking over
Stakes racing, both here and in Australia, is winding down for the season but ex-performed New Zealand runners made their mark on Saturday with one of the country’s five black-type races falling to Regal Lion (Jakkalberry). In a mixed bag, based on their respective sires, the Kiwis had a pretty fair day and kept things ticking over.
Regal Lion capped some promising form when scoring the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) at his second start after a lengthy spell. His best efforts last preparation were a Sandown win over 1700 metres in September and a third in the Christmas Cup (Listed, 2400m) at Randwick in December.
Saturday’s win was his third overall and his maiden stakes success. Prior to his export to Australia last autumn, Regal Lion’s last race in New Zealand resulted in a solid third in the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). His first run in Australia saw him finish strongly for second in the transferred-to-Newcastle Tulloch Stakes (Gr 2, 1850m).
The gelding is the first foal and only winner from his dam, Red Delight (Congrats), herself a granddaughter of the top-class filly, Danglissa (Danzero). Of Danglissa’s six wins, four were at Group level, including the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
In Melbourne, Unusual Culture (Unusual Suspect) is in great form and must be close to breaking through as a stakes winner. Her sire is largely forgotten due to his location, at Letham Stud, a few kilometres east of Wanganui.
Unusual Culture began her race career at Otaki in November 2021 with a big win under a clever ride from the now Melbourne-based Wiremu Pinn. That preceded a second to White Noise (El Roca) in the Wellington Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) followed by a third behind Belle En Rouge (Burgundy) in the Eulogy Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m), her only starts here before heading to Melbourne.
This season she has found top form, her last six starts bringing four wins; three at Sandown before Saturday’s victory over 1620 metres in a Benchmark 90 at Flemington. The mare proved too good and her bank account is closing in on $300,000 from 15 starts.
A Hollywood Turf Cup (Gr 1, 12f) winner who also bagged a Werribee Cup (Listed, 2600m) late in his racing career, Unusual Suspect (Unusual Heat) won ten times. Seven of those were at black-type level for earnings exceeding $1.5 million. He attracted a high of 49 mares in his second season at Letham Stud, but last season that fell to just 19. From 59 runners he has sired 31 winners (52 per cent) including Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner, Unusual Countess.
Bred by Nigel and Adaire Auret, proprietors of Letham Stud, Unusual Culture is one of two winners (from two to race) from their winning Darci Brahma (Danehill) mare, Cultured Pearl. Unusual Culture’s younger sister Unusual Pearl had one start in New Zealand and two starts in Victoria, breaking her maiden at Kilmore in late March.
Cultured Pearl is a granddaughter of Frizzle (Pompeii Court), a three-quarter sister to champion two-year-old, Pompeii Pearl (Pompeii Court), the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner, and to New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1600) winner, Saint Cecile (Pompeii Court).
Another by Unusual Suspect is So Unusual who has also found Melbourne to his liking. Last autumn, So Unusual broke his maiden at start two at Woodville before his transfer to the McEvoy stable. He returned after seven months, lost a plate in his second–up run, then won four straight at Moonee Valley, Sandown (twice) and Flemington, in a Quality Handicap over 2500 metres. He has banked $286,000.
Over in Perth, Kiwi-bred Noteworthy (Charm Spirit), who has raced solely in Western Australia and is owned by Bob Peters, landed a nice race at Belmont. Her sire has been banished to France.
Her dam, Neverland (Big Brown) was a recent steal purchase by Kingstar Farm for $20,000 at the May Inglis Broodmare Sale. Yes, she was empty, but she is also a dual Listed winner of six and a half-sister to two Group 2 winners. Her dam is a sister to a Group 3 winner, as well as to the dam of Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) winner Inspirational Girl (Reliable Man).
There is loads of black-type in her close-up family and it is a wonder that Peters let her go for such a price. Noteworthy could be the next one and has won three of her last four starts, all in Perth. She looks to have a future.
Australian-bred but raced in New Zealand as a two and three-year-old, Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) is recouping some of the investment made in him as a potential stallion, as he looked like something special very early in his two-year-old preparation.
Since being gelded (at four) he has put his foot on the till a few times, including a Listed win at Mornington last autumn, was an open handicap winner at Flemington in March, and returned to Flemington to add Saturday’s Quality Handicap over 1420 metres. His career earnings now exceed $500,000 as result of six wins in 27 starts
Karaka wrap up
Last week’s Karaka weanling and broodmare sale was the last of the ‘set’, following on from Sydney, the Gold Coast and Melbourne, and continuing the mood of the industry, Karaka was similarly flat.
Prior to the sale, several agents and pinhookers had few comments about the impending sale but the one theme was buying on type with a view to the 2024 Ready To Run Sales or, failing that, trialling.
In other words, it would seem that the well-credentialled foals of 2022 were held back and are being saved for next January.
The return of the broodmares, despite yielding one or two worthwhile prices, may be the last time for them. Top line New Zealand-based breeding stock will either find their way to Australia’s premier mares’ sales or be offered online via Gavelhouse.
Little Avondale Stud were front and centre of the two highest prices among the weanlings and the mares. Their Per Incanto (Street Cry) was responsible for the top priced weanling, a colt bred by Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford from her Tavistock/Mrs Moss family.
Late in the sale, Little Avondale’s Sam Williams’ bid of $120,000 secured the twice Listed-placed Brisbane winner Windermere (All Too Hard), who represents a fabulous international family. Windermere’s dam is a sister to dual Group 1 winner, Brian Boru (Sadler’s Wells) and to the dam of Workforce (King’s Best), winner of the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m).
Anticipation
Also prior to the sale there was much anticipation surrounding the merger/sale of the New Zealand TAB with Entain. The turnout for the presentation was very good but the response from those gathered was muted at the meeting’s conclusion.
We were shown a number of graphs and slides explaining the difference between current stakes being offered compared with those for the new season. Missing, were gasps from the audience. It would be fair to say that the increases, while certainly welcome, not to mention overdue, are underwhelming given the hundreds of millions mentioned in news items leading up to the announcement.
Other associated objectives were touted as being equally important, at which point many eyes glazed over. They’re not. The entire focus of the merger is the financial base and whether those finances can revive our industry. Anything and everything else is dependent on much needed stakes increases.
There were several carrots dangled as well, one dependent on the government. Was the announcement premature? An appearance from the racing minister might have been preferable to a series of ifs and maybes.
Any increase is a step in the right direction but the fact remains: the New Zealand industry is not healthy. The $20 million increase to $90 million seems paltry when compared with the riches on offer across the Tasman where more than $800 million is available, or nine times that of New Zealand, whereas their population is five times greater.
Sydney and Melbourne Saturday minimums of $150,000 are like beacons to anyone with a good horse so it is doubtful that the increases will slow the export of our better performers. Australia’s major carnivals will continue to be the major driver for New Zealand-based owners and trainers. Traders will continue to operate as before since it is the only way some of them can make a living.
The market that has suffered the most is the New Zealand domestic market. Whether the modest increase in stakes is enough to entice new local owners to Karaka in January remains to be seen. If former owners who have given up and dropped out make a return, that will at least be a start.
Then again, we’re lucky…
As my grandmother would often say, during bad weather – “well, it’s worse elsewhere.” New Zealand racing is in better shape than in Singapore.
A chat with NZB’s Michael Kneebone, who spent considerable time based in Singapore, revealed a sad fact. One of the reasons that the Singapore government gave in defence of their decision to take over the racecourse was the severe shortage of land.
This does not square with the reality that the club moved from Bukit Timah to Kranji in 1999 yet the Bukit Timah site, which is quite close to the CBD, remains vacant. So much for a shortage of land being a valid excuse.