Big Boost for NZ Ready to Run from Big Bang

Kiwi-bred three-year-old Eclair Big Bang (NZ) (Savabeel) raced into Group 1 calculations with a convincing victory in the Group 3 A$175,750 Beck Caulfield Guineas Prelude over 1400m at Caulfield yesterday.

Eclair Big Bang (NZ) defeats fellow Karaka graduate El Roca in the Group 3 Beck Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield yesterday.

In a boost for the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs, a half-brother to Eclair Big Bang by Darci Brahma has been catalogued in the Sale this November at Lot 427 and will be offered by Beatson Stables.

The Savabeel gelding lead home a Karaka quinella in the Group 3 event with El Roca (Fastnet Rock) impressing at his debut Australian appearance to finish second.

The Karaka Premier graduate Eclair Big Bang enjoyed a nice run from an inside barrier draw behind the pacemaker El Roca in the 1400 metre event. El Roca tried to steal the race coming around the corner as he kicked out to a three-length lead over the field.

Ridden by Dominic Tourneur, the South Australian trained galloper set out to chase down El Roca and proved too powerful as he picked up the leader in the final stages of the race to record a three-quarter-length victory.

Trained at Morphettville by Philip Stokes, Eclair Big Bang came into Sunday’s race having won two of his three starts and was third at his last start in the Group 3 Danehill Stakes at Flemington. He has now earned A$168,850 in prizemoney.

“His work in Adelaide on Tuesday was very good with some of my better horses so we were pretty upbeat about him going into the race,” commented Stokes.

“I like to think he is up to the best horses, he still has got a bit of improvement out of that race. I don’t think a mile will be a problem for him, he is learning to relax better all the time with racing.

“He is a lovely type of horse, he is not overly big but he has a big hindquarter on him. He was purchased by his owner Thomas Li himself at the Karaka Sales.”

Stokes indicated the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas will be the next assignment for Eclair Big Bang.

Bred by J E Abrahams, Eclair Big Bang is out Ennerdale (Singspiel), a half-sister to French stakes winner Copeland (Generous) and is out of a French Group 2 winner Whitehaven (Top Ville). Owner Thomas Li purchased the gelding at the 2012 Karaka Premier Sale from Phoenix Park for $280,000.

His sire Savabeel has been in stellar form of late with Eclair Big Bang becoming the 27th stakes winner for the stallion. The Waikato Stud sire narrowly missed a three-year-old stakes double when Ready to Run graduate Savvy Nature (NZ) (Savabeel) just missed out on claiming the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday when beaten a head.