Aromatic (NZ) Heads Karaka Clean Sweep in Travis

Fillies and mares who were offered at New Zealand Bloodstock Sales swept all of the first four placings in Saturday’s $120,000 Group Two Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, with one of the season’s breakout stars leading the charge.

Aromatic (NZ) (Sacred Falls) was a $160,000 purchase by David Ellis at Karaka 2018. She has now had 27 starts for six wins, 12 placings and $341,350 in stakes.

Remarkably, more than $260,000 of that amount has come from a 12-start campaign this season, where Aromatic has risen from Rating 74 grade to become a triple Group winner.

Her career-best preparation has been headed by wins in the Group Three Counties Cup (2100m), the Group Three Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) and Saturday’s Travis Stakes. The six-year-old has also placed in the Group Three Cuddle Stakes (1600m) and two Listed races, and she was a luckless sixth in the Group One New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).

“She’s in great form,” trainer Mark Walker said. “She’s gone to another level this season, and she’s probably going to have to stay in work for next season now.

“I just think she’s a much more mature mare now. She’s got over a few little niggles that she had in the early part of her career, and Mother Nature might have taken care of those with time.

“It was a great ride by Opie (Bosson) today. When she came up underneath him at the 600-metre mark, I knew that she was going to be hard to beat.”

Sent out as a $3.30 favourite on the strength of her Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes victory two weeks earlier, Aromatic enjoyed a perfect run in midfield and one off the rail.

Bosson got the grey mare rolling forward coming up to the home corner, and then she quickly swooped around the field and took command at the top of the straight.

Front-running three-year-old filly Sakura Girl (NZ) (Iffraaj) fought hard on the inside, but Aromatic overpowered her and went clear to win by two lengths.

“She got into a good spot, and the speed was on and she relaxed beautifully,” Bosson said. “I had a lapful of horse coming up to the turn, and she was very impressive. She’s a mare with some confidence now and is racing in such good form.”

Aromatic was bred by Tony Rider and was offered by his Milan Park operation at Karaka 2018.

Runner-up Sakura Girl was a $260,000 purchase from the 2021 Ready to Run Sale. She has had only seven starts, recording two wins and two placings for prize-money of $124,965. She won the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m) at Te Rapa in early March.

The third-placed Saint Alice (So You Think) was bought for $220,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2019, while fourth placegetter Outback Opal (NZ) was offered in Book 3 of Karaka 2019, where she was passed in with a reserve of only $8000.

Vendor	Milan Park
Purchaser	Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau)
Breeding	Sacred Falls – Vickezzchardonnay
Sale	Lot 686, Karaka 2018 Book 1, $160,000
Bred by	T V Rider

Aromatic winning at Te Rapa Photo: Trish Dunell