Ammirati (NZ) Aces Distance Test

Classy Karaka graduate Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel) enhanced his credentials for the upcoming Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) with a successful step up to 2100 metres in the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver at Ellerslie on Sunday. 

Bruce Perry Bloodstock bought Ammirati for $450,000 from the draft of breeders Waikato Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2024. The Stephen Marsh-trained three-year-old has now had eight starts for three wins and $140,805 in prize-money.

Ammirati gave a first glimpse of his big-race talents in the spring, when he put together back-to-back wins including the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki.

Marsh ran him against a high-quality field in the Group Two Levin Classic (1400m) at Trentham on January 3, where he was far from disgraced and was a strong-finishing fifth. Additional distance always looked likely to be to his advantage, and so it proved on Sunday when he stretched out beyond 1600 metres for the first time in his career.

Ammirati broke sharply from the starting gates and initially took up the running, then jockey Matt Cartwright elected to ease back into a position just behind his front-running stablemate Los Salsero (Frankel).

Cartwright had Ammirati travelling sweetly coming up to the turn, and he was poised to pounce coming into the straight.

Ammirati strode to the lead with 200 metres remaining and kept going strongly all the way to the line, going on to win by a length from Tulsa King (NZ) (Staphanos) and Yamato Satona (NZ) (Satono Aladdin).

Cartwright is eager to stick with Ammirati in the lead-up to the $1.25m New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 7.

“I’ve been saying it since I first rode him in trackwork in the early part of his career,” Cartwright said. “I said, ‘Jeez, this horse is a lovely type and he’s going to stay. I reckon you should really try to get this horse to the Derby.’

“I thought he ran super in the Levin Classic last week. Those are good horses, and he was beaten by three and a half lengths over 1400 metres.

“We expected him to win today, and he did that. He was a little bit green in front, but he was good through the line. He’s definitely going to stay, so it’s exciting going forward.

“I’s just like to thank Stephen, Dylan (Johnson), the whole team at Marsh Racing and the owners for sticking by me. It’s exciting.”

Waikato Stud will offer a full-brother to Ammirati as Lot 467 during Book 1 of Karaka 2026. Book 1 will be held on 25 and 26 January.

Vendor	Waikato Stud Ltd
Purchaser	Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Wellington)
Breeding	Savabeel – Happily
Sale	Lot 117, Karaka 2024 Book 1, $450,000
Breeder	Hawridge Developments Ltd, Jamieson Park Ltd & JML Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr: L Petagna)
Owner	Waikato Stud Ltd