Asterix (NZ) Soars to Derby Glory

Ready to Run Sale graduate Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock) took a quantum leap from a last-start maiden win to Group One glory in the $1m Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, and he has a full-sister (Lot 434) set to go through the ring in Karaka 2022.

Bought by Bruce Perry for $450,000 at Karaka in late 2020, Asterix has now won two of his four starts and earned over $607,000 in stakes.

The gelding has had a rapid rise to stardom since he debuted with a sixth placing over 1400 metres at Matamata on January 12 of this year. He then finished eighth over 1600 metres at Te Rapa before clearing maiden grade with a 2100-metre victory at Tauranga on February 16.

Asterix faced a massive rise in class at Ellerslie on Saturday, coming up against a 12-horse field that featured super-talented Group Two winner La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) and many others with impressive credentials. But he was more than up to the task.

Ridden by Johnathan Parkes, Asterix endured a tumultuous first 50 metres before taking up a position at the back of the 12-horse field. He remained there until well past the halfway point, when he began to gather momentum and creep forward out wide.

He swooped around the extreme outside at the home turn, then changed gears and sprinted to the lead with 300 metres to run. La Crique got out of a pocket into clear air and gave her all to try to run him down, but Asterix was too far in front and showed no signs of slowing down. He raced to victory by a length and a half, stopping the clock at 2:27.24 – the equal fourth-fastest time in the 147-year history of the prestigious classic.

“I just rode him to instructions – they wanted me to ride him quietly, get him nice and relaxed and then finish strongly,” Parkes said. “He actually clipped a heel coming out of the gates and was lucky to stay standing, but he recovered really well from that.

“He’s just a real stayer, and I think there’s plenty more ahead of him. He’s a lovely horse, and he just outstayed them.”

Asterix is trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott for an ownership group that includes Sam Kelt and the former Black Caps cricketer Mark Greatbatch.

“This is a great thrill,” O’Sullivan said. “Sam Kelt bought him for $450,000 at the Ready to Run Sale, and he’s been rewarded for that big investment. He’s got some of his family involved, and he brought Mark Greatbatch into the ownership as well, and this is a fantastic result for all of them. 

“Sam is the most optimistic guy you could ever train for. He was a believer all the way through, and he told us three weeks ago that we were going to win the Derby. Those quality genes kicked in down the straight.”

O’Sullivan and Scott completed back-to-back Derby triumphs, having also won it with Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock) 12 months ago.

“Unbelievable,” Scott said. “It’s a great team result. All of the staff have worked so hard on this horse. We’ve had times where this preparation was nearly gone, and we’ve had to do so much work on his feet along the way. But we got here, and he was probably the strongest stayer genetically in the field, and we are over the moon.”

Curraghmore will offer a full-sister to the Derby winner at Karaka this week, catalogued as Lot 434 in the Book 1 session.

Vendor	Curraghmore
Purchaser	Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Wellington)
Breeding	Tavistock – Mourasana
Sale	Lot 305, 2020 Ready to Run Sale, $450,000
Bred by	Go Bloodstock New Zealand