Dunkel (NZ) Roars to Derby Triumph

With a powerful late charge in Saturday’s A$500,000 Thomas Farms South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville, Dunkel (NZ) (Dundeel) became the sixth Karaka-sourced three-year-old to win at Group One level in Australia this season. 

Dunkel was a $40,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2021, then cost $100,000 at the Ready to Run Sale later that year. He has now joined a Group One-winning Karaka contingent that also features Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) in the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in the Australian Guineas (1600m), Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), Affaire A Suivre (NZ) (Astern) in the Australasian Oaks (2000m) and Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock) in last week’s Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m).

From eight starts, Dunkel has recorded six wins and a second placing, earning A$670,875 in prize-money. He had previously won the Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) and Launceston Guineas (2100m). His only time outside the placings was in the Group Two Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) in March, where he pulled up sore.

Trainer Patrick Payne meticulously got the gelding back on track over the eight weeks between that race and Derby Day, and by the time he stepped out on to the Morphettville racecourse on Saturday, he was right back on top of his game.

Ridden by Billy Egan, Dunkel was shuffled back through the field and dropped out to third-last among a full field of 16. But nothing was going to stop him from unleashing a stunning finish down the Morphettville straight.

With 150 metres remaining, he set his sights on the front-running Promises Kept (Cluster), reeling him in and surging past in the shadows of the finish line. In the end, he beat that rival by three-quarters of a length.

“When I left the straight the first time, I thought it was going to be easy – I was about fifth and one off the fence,” Egan said. “But when it was time to go, we’d got shuffled back, and we had to work our way through them.

“But he has that killer instinct. Every horse out there, he wants to pass, and that is what he did.

“The further we got into the straight, the harder my bloke tried, and when he sees a horse in front, he wants to pass it.

“Patrick left me a voicemail saying he left it all up to me. He left it an open book, as he usually does. Big thanks to Paddy and Annie de Morton, the whole team. We have been a team for a long time, so I am just really happy that we can enjoy this Group One win as a team – we’re all involved together.”

Part-owner Brendan Danaher was also full of praise for Payne.

“He’s been an amazing horse, the way he wins,” Danaher said. “All credit to Patrick. He sourced the horse from the Ready to Run Sale in New Zealand, with the help of Kevin Myers.

“The horse hasn’t raced in two months. It’s just a sensational training job that he has done.”

Dunkel was the third Karaka graduate to win the South Australian Derby in as many years, with last year’s edition won by the $75,000 Karaka 2020 purchase Jungle Magnate (NZ) (Tarzino), while triple Group One winner Explosive Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) took out the Adelaide classic in 2021. He was a $100,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2019.

Vendor	Karaka 2021: Pencarrow StudReady to Run Sale: Ohukia Lodge Ltd
Purchaser	Karaka 2021: Mr SC Ramsay (Waikato)Ready to Run Sale: Mr KT Myers (Whanganui)
Breeding	Dundeel – Kudamm
Sale	Lot 486, Karaka 2021 Book 1, $40,000Lot 165, 2021 Ready to Run Sale, $100,000
Bred by	Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd

 

Photo: Jenny Barnes