Amarula Wins G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas

Promising three-year-old colt Amarula (NZ) (Thorn Park) is out to impress after a brilliant display winning the $100,000 Group 2 Sacred Falls Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday.

Amarula (NZ) wins the Group 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas. Photo courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North.

Trained by Peter and Jacob McKay, Amarula’s previous three wins came in succession, all at Ruakaka Racecourse, winning his last two starts as a juvenile to go on and win the first start of his three-year-old season. His first tilt at a black type race saw him finish fifth in the Listed Northland Breeders Stakes three weeks ago.

Having ridden Amarula in all his raceday appearances, apprentice rider Shaun McKay jumped him from barrier 10, racing to the lead to catch a run on the rail. He travelled with ease around the turn for home before dashing away at the 350m mark, earning his first stakes victory by one-and-a-quarter-lengths over Scrutinize (NZ) (Savabeel) who ranged up for second place and Battle Time (NZ) (Battle Paint) in third.

Raced by co-trainer Peter McKay and his wife Kim, his purchasers at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2014 Karaka Premier Sale for $80,000 from Esker Lodge, the three-year-old colt’s stakes win has given a healthy boost to his earnings which now sit just shy of $100,000.

Bred by Tony Brown’s Kaihere Bloodstock, the son of Thorn Park is out of stakes placegetter Shortblackmini (Black Minnaloushe) who was third in the Group 3 Taranaki 2YO Classic. Shortblackmini is also the dam of stakes-winner Little Wonder (Volksraad), winner of the Group 3 Darley Plate and the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes.

The dam is a half-sister to six-time Group 1 winner Sir Slick (Volksraad), dual Group 1 winner Puccini (Encosta de Lago) and stakes placegetter Mr Jinky – Sugar on Top (Volksraad).

Karaka graduates won two of the four feature stakes races at Hastings on Saturday with Allez Eagle (NZ) (Guillotine) winner of the Group 3 Linwood Park Stud Spring Sprint.