Australian Age-Group Honour for Gypsy Goddess (NZ)

The extraordinary debut season of Karaka graduate Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino) was honoured during the Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards on Saturday night with the title of Champion Three-Year-Old Filly for 2021-22. 

Offered by Curraghmore in Book 2 of Karaka 2020, Gypsy Goddess fell short of her $20,000 reserve. But by the end of a three-year-old season that spanned nine starts between October and June, the remarkable filly had won six races and A$972,300 in stakes.

The David Vandyke-trained filly began her career with two starts on her home track on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, winning a 1400-metre maiden on October 17 and a 1600-metre Benchmark 65 on November 7. She then ventured to Brisbane to add another two victories in the A$125,000 Eagle Way (2000m) and in the A$250,000 Group Three Grand Prix (2100m) – the latter by three and three-quarter lengths.

Resuming from a summer spell with another win at Eagle Farm in early March, Gypsy Goddess then travelled to Sydney to take on the very best of her generation. Unsuited by rain-affected ground and muddling tempos, she nevertheless produced outstanding finishing bursts to run third in the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (1850m) and second in the Australian Oaks (2400m).

The final two starts of the season for Gypsy Goddess both came back in Queensland, finishing strongly for second in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) before bringing her campaign to a triumphant conclusion in the Group One Queensland Oaks (2200m).

Gypsy Goddess was bred by Stareye NZ Ltd and comes from the first crop of Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino (NZ), who rose to prominence last season with the Group One heroics of Gypsy Goddess and fellow first-crop three-year-old Jungle Magnate (NZ).

There was an additional New Zealand flavour to Australia’s annual awards with the incomparable Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) named Champion Stayer for the second successive year. The champion mare has won 16 races, 11 of them at the elite level. The highlight of her 2021-22 season came with a demolition of her rivals in the Group One Melbourne Cup (3200m).