El Segundo Joins NZB Gr. 1 Winning Graduates List

The Colin Little-trained, El Segundo (Pins x Palos Verdes) produced the highlight for New Zealand-breds across the Tasman this weekend. The four year old New Zealand Bloodstock graduate stays firmly in contention for the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup with an exciting two length victory in the Group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday. This follows an emphatic win in the Listed JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago.

Sold at the 2003 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale by Ancroft Stud, he was purchased by New Zealand bloodstock agent Michael Stedman for $140,000. Saturday's win relegated Cox Plate winner, Fields Of Omagh, to second place with Confectioner in third.

NEW ZEALAND

The Auckland Racing Club hosted three Listed races at Ellerslie on Saturday, including the Leila MacDonald Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) - the second race in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series.

The race was won by the Rogerson/Autridge trained, Vegas Showgirl (Al Akbar x Vegas Magic), who produced a three and a half length win ahead of highly rated Tsarina Belle (Stravinsky x Empress Belle) and Echo Maid (Made Of Gold x Echo Beach). Winner of the first race in the Series, Howmuchyacharging (Howbaddouwantit x Fairdale Lass) finished in sixth place but hangs onto the lead in the Series with six points while Vegas Showgirl moves into second place with four points. The next race in the Series is the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on the 5th November.

The decision for three year old 2004 Select Sale filly, Twinkling (Star Way x Limitless) to take on the boys was rewarded with a win in the Listed Tip Top Bread Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m). Trained by Royce Dowling and Linda Laing, Twinkling beat Tom Tom Cat (Catbird x Seena Baleena) in second and Gaze (Cape Cross x Eye Full) in third place. The run was Twinkling's second Listed win from just four starts. She was purchased by owner, Ross Ancell, for $60,000 from Rodmor Stud.

At Canterbury, Live The Reality (Senor Pete x Ivory) had a decisive win in the Listed Christchurch Casino Spring Classic (2000m) ahead of Blue Cavalier (Masterclass x Bay Doll) and Juicy Fruit Mambo (Bahhare x Misschivas). Live The Reality was a Roger James purchase at the 2001 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale from Highview Stud. Juicy Fruit Mambo was purchased at the 2002 South Island Sale for $10,000 from Wynyard Lodge Stud.

HONG KONG

New Zealand horses were once again a dominant feature of Sunday's meeting at Sha Tin.

Taking out the first two races on the card were the John Size-trained Thistle King (Anziyan x Miss Petite) and Francis Lui-trained Arrogance (British Banker x Crest Of Casitas). Race 1 was a first start win for Thistle King in the 1200m event. He was purchased at the 2003 Karaka Festival Yearling Sale by Del Roberts for $14,000 from Marshall Lodge. Arrogance recorded his fifth career win in the second race of the day, the Class 2 Sha Kok Handicap (1650m).

Race 3 saw a New Zealand bred quinella take out the Class 3 Hin Keng Handicap (1400m) with New Zealand Bloodstock 2002 Festival Sale graduate, Straight Victory (Straight Strike x No Contact) beating Bold Win (Catbird x Recant) in second place. Trained by Danny Shum, this was a debut win for Straight Victory, a $4,100 purchase by Craig Finn from Newbury Park.

Pencarrow Stud owned mare, Sierra Finch, had a winner in Race 6 over 1400m with four year old Vitality Champ (Danehill x Sierra Finch). Sierra Finch's Danehill filly at this year's Premier Sale at Karaka was bought by Graeme Rogerson for $300,000.

Successor (Bahhare x Betty Doolan), won the eighth race on the card, the Class 3 The Fakei Cup (1200m). Successor previously won the New Zealand Bloodstock 2YO Classique race in driving rain for trainer John Sargent in 2004. Sargent selected the horse from Rich Hill Stud's draft at the 2003 Karaka Select Yearling Sale for $21,000.

Tchaikovsky (Snippets x Ultima Vita) topped off the New Zealand success with a decisive win in the Class 1 Lek Yuen Handicap (1400m) in the last race of the day. Trained by Almond Lee for Sidney Chiu, this was the gelding's first outing at Class 1 level and his sixth win from 10 career starts.

SINGAPORE

New Zealand bred horses took out four of the ten race card at Kranji racecourse in Singapore on Sunday.

Race 2: Robbins (Istidaad x Sapphire Queen), trained by ex-pat NZ trainer, Laurie Laxon, recorded a one length victory in the 1200m WFA event. The colt was purchased by Laxon at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2004 Ready to Run Sale for $60,000 from Regent Farms.

Race 4: Polanski (Centaine x Brauner Flight) was the second winner of the meeting for New Zealand and for trainer, Laurie Laxon. Another Ready to Run Sale graduate, the filly was bred by Mrs KM Keene and sold by Lyndhurst Farm for $46,000.

Race 9: Embassy Suites (O'Reilly x Pixie Dust) won the penultimate race on the card, the Kranji Stakes (1200m). Bred by Te Mania Thoroughbreds, he was purchased for Singapore at the 2001 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka for $100,000.

Race 10: Destiny Classic (Regal Classic x Thelema) was the final winner of the meeting in the Open Benchmark 53 (1200m). Bred by William Fan and Daniel Zigal, Destiny Classic was bought as a yearling by Tony Pike at the Karaka Festival Sale for $30,000.

For more information on New Zealand Bloodstock's Group 1 winning graduates and the Filly of the Year Series go to: www.nzb.co.nz.