Bargain Buy Fraudster (NZ) Breaks Through in Barneswood

Karaka graduates filled the quinella in Saturday’s $100,000 Group Three Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton, headed by a winner who was bought for just $19,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2025.

The prestigious three-year-old feature was won by Fraudster (Profiteer), whose seven-start career has now produced three wins, two placings and $91,485 in stakes – almost five times his purchase price.

Fraudster is trained by Kenny Rae at Ruakaka, and the diminutive gelding began his campaign at the Northland track with a second to Latoya (NZ) (Proisir) and fourth behind She’s No Saint (Prague) before winning a 1200-metre maiden and a 1400-metre Rating 65.

Relocated to the South Island, Fraudster kicked off with a third over 1200 metres at Riccarton on September 26 to prepare him for Saturday’s black-type feature.

Fraudster went into the Barneswood under the radar as an $18 outsider, but he produced a breakthrough performance and announced himself as a genuine contender for next month’s Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).

Ridden by apprentice jockey Jack Taplin, Fraudster broke sharply from his wide gate and pushed forward to take up the lead. That was where he stayed, kicking hard in the straight and racing away to win by two and a quarter lengths.

“The real Fraudster showed up today,” said Taplin, who recorded the first black-type success of his riding career.

“He’s a bloody tough wee horse. I told Kenny that from the first time I rode him, up north at Ruakaka. He decided to bring him down here, and it’s paid off.

“Kenny left the tactics up to me. He wanted me to be positive, but said I should see how he jumps and then go from there. It worked out in our favour.

“I think he can definitely run out a strong mile in the Guineas.”

Rae was represented on course at Ashburton by his daughter Krystal Williams.

“He went a huge race last time and I thought he would have to be thereabouts today,” she said.

The runner-up in the Barneswood Farm Stakes was Cool As Bling (NZ) (Hello Youmzain), who was a $90,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2025. His six-start career has now produced five placings – two of them at black-type level – and $43,025 in stakes.

Vendor	Wentwood Grange
Purchaser	Ken Rae Stables (Northland)
Breeding	Profiteer – Danger Strykes
Sale	Lot 1018, Karaka 2025 Book 2, $19,000
Breeder	Newgate Operations Pty Ltd, Noel Greenhalgh, Formaosa Syndicate, Mark And Cari Clarke, Lindsay Caminiti, Martin Digby, Tony Caminiti, Jason McDonald, Matthew Kelly, Sam Pinfold
Owner	L G Adams, J D Clark, J Fairley, M E Grant, M M Harris, D P McHugh, K I Rae, W K Roussell, W R Rowland, J M Silveira, J K Stitt, G Thorp, P A Woodcock & Est late M G C Darroch