Final Field for $1m Karaka Million
21 January 2015
The field for the Res. Listed $1m Karaka Million – New Zealand’s richest race – has been finalised and was announced live at 12 noon today on Radio Trackside with Peter Early and Andrew Castles.
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Vespa (NZ) winning Karaka Million 2014 |
Connections of the two-year-olds have not had to wait long from the fall of the hammer at Karaka 2014, through the series of two-year-old races, to be contesting the million dollar feature only a year later.
A true form indicator, recorded from all Karaka Million fields to date, 40% of horses that have contested the race have won a stakes race and the seven fields have never disappointed in producing Group 1 winners.
Graduates purchased at the Karaka Premier Sale have won the feature race four times and placed a further nine times from the 38 runners to come from the Premier Sale over the last seven years.
Karaka’s Select Sale has produced three winners with a further five horses placed. The Select Sale has provided the most horses to date to have a start in the race with 45 runners.
The field for 2015 consists of four graduates from the 2014 Premier Sale, five Select Sale graduates and four Festival Sale graduates. The average purchase price of these yearlings is over $68,000 which is $13,000 more than last year’s average.
Top qualifier Showboy (NZ) (Showcasing)has drawn barrier 1, the coveted draw is the most successful in Karaka Million history, producing two winners and a placing. The Nigel Tiley part-owned and trained gelding is a Festival Sale graduate purchased for just $15,000 from Haunui Farm. Showboy has earned $74,650 in prizemoney after winning the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes early in December.
The highest priced horse in the 2015 Karaka Million field is Maritimo (NZ) (Pins) who was purchased by trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson for $200,000 from Waikato Stud at the Premier Sale. The Pins filly has had three starts for two wins and a placing, including winning the Listed Wellesley Stakes, and will start the race from barrier 8 for jockey Danielle Johnson.
South Island-bred and trained Ilikai (NZ) (Coat’s Choice) is the lowest priced yearling, purchased by The Robt Dawe Agency for $8,000 from Berkley Stud. Winner of her last two starts, Ilikai is trained by Michael and Matthew Pitman in Christchurch and will have her first run at Ellerslie, starting from barrier 14 with Lisa Allpress riding.
Vespa (NZ) (Elusive City) was the winner of the 2014 two-year-old race and was purchased at the 2013 Select Sale for $34,000 by Cavallo Agistment from Valachi Downs, the cheapest winner of the race.
Ellerslie Racecourse was open yesterday to any horse intending to run in the Karaka Million. Horses to make an appearance included Showboy and Australian raider Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing), who had his first gallop on New Zealand soil with Scooter O’Reilly (NZ) (O’Reilly), who is currently balloted third in the field with barrier 9.
A winner on his racing debut, Hardline was purchased from the 2014 Select Sale for $130,000 by Liam Birchley from Hallmark Stud. The son of Showcasing will be ridden by Brisbane jockey Damien Browne from barrier 11.
One of two starters for first season sire Per Incanto is Dal Cielo (NZ) (Per Incanto), who will begin from barrier 16 ridden by Opie Bosson for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman. Having only had two starts, Dal Cielo has one win and one second to his credit.
The second runner for Per Incanto is Bella Court (NZ) (Per Incanto), who returns to Ellerslie after her win almost two-weeks ago on the course for trainer Lisa Latta. Leading Australian rider Tommy Berry will ride the filly from barrier 4.
The Jeff McVean and Emma-Lee Browne trained Gotham (Onemorenomore) enters the race as a maiden having only had two starts, gaining entry to the field through a second placing last start behind Dal Cielo. Another leading Australian rider Hugh Bowman will ride from barrier 12.
The lightly raced Selfie (NZ) (Thewayyouare) was a winner on debut and was third on the course at his last start. The son of Thewayyouare is trained by Richard Collett with son Jason Collett returning from Australia to ride from barrier 5.
Entering the race at only his second start is Savason (NZ) (Savabeel), who finished second on debut at Trentham last Saturday. The son of Savabeel gets in the race as the lowest qualifier with apprentice jockey Rory Hutchings riding for his masters Graeme and Debbie Rogerson from barrier 3.
A winner of two of her three starts is Windborne (NZ) (Darci Brahma). The Darci Brahma filly claimed her first stakes win two starts ago in the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes for trainer Jason Bridgman and will have the services of stable rider Matthew Cameron from barrier 7.
South Island Sale graduate China Silk (Hard Spun) is trained by Danica Guy and will start from barrier 17. China Silk is an experienced Ellerslie runner, winning her first race three starts ago over 1000m on the course.
Impressive debut winner Strata Lady (NZ) (Stratum) will start the race from barrier 6, ridden by Australian-based Kiwi jockey James McDonald for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. The Stratum filly broke her maiden by 3.3 lengths at her only start.
The third runner for first season sire Showcasing is Platinum Express (NZ) (Showcasing), who will have jockey Mark Du Plessis on-board, starting from barrier 15 for trainer Lisa Latta. Platinum Express is yet to win a race, placing in two of her four starts.
Rounding out the field is O’Dianne (NZ) (O’Reilly), who will begin from barrier 2 with Sam Spratt riding. The O’Reilly filly is trained by Stephen McKee and her last race saw her finish runner-up at Ellerslie behind Bella Court.
Looking to get a run in the race will be impressive debut winner The Justice League (NZ) (I Am Invinsible). Trained by Nigel Tiley, The Justice League needs one scratching to make the field.
Needing two scratching to gain a run in the race is the Paul Belsham trained Perfect Harmonee (NZ) (Nadeem), with Scooter O’Reilly the third horse on the ballot.
The final field for the $1m Karaka Million:
| No. | Barrier | Name | Breeding | Trainer | Sale | Price | Vendor | Purchaser | Total Stakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Showboy | Ch. G Showcasing x Shades of Silk | Nigel Tiley | K3 | $15,000 | Haunui Farm | Nigel Tiley | $74,650 |
| 2 | 16 | Dal Cielo | Br. G Per Incanto x Cent From Heaven | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | K2 | $95,000 | Little Avondale Stud | Bruce Perry B/stock | $27,500 |
| 3 | 11 | Hardline | Ch. G Showcasing x Midnight Breaker | Liam Birchley | K2 | $130,000 | Hallmark Stud | LB Racing | A$13,800 |
| 4 | 12 | Gotham | B. G Onemorenomore x Krysia | Jess McVean & Emma-Lee Browne | K1 | $65,000 | Windsor Park Stud | McVean RAcing | $8,800 |
| 5 | 5 | Selfie | B. G Thewayyouare x Miss Brownie | Richard Collet | K3 | $40,000 | Windsor Park Stud | The Robt Dawe Agency Ltd | $8,175 |
| 6 | 3 | Savason | B. C Savabeel x Pin Oak | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | K2 | $75,000 | Trelawney Stud Ltd | D Howell | $6,000 |
| 7 | 8 | Maritimo | B. F Pins x Miracle Miss | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | K1 | $200,000 | Waikato Stud Ltd | Rogerson B/stock | $51,150 |
| 8 | 7 | Windborne | B. F Darci Brahma x Sweet Dreams Baby | Jason Bridgman | K2 | $100,000 | Goodwood Stud | Fortuna Syndications | $45,000 |
| 9 | 14 | Ilikai | Br. F Coats Choice x Blame the Music | Michael & Matthew Pitman | K3 | $8,000 | Berkley Stud | The Robt Dawe Agency Ltd | $20,250 |
| 10 | 4 | Bella Court | B. F Per Incanto x Belle Chantecler | Lisa Latta | K3 | $37,000 | A. T. Powell | Lisa Latta Racing | $16,000 |
| 11 | 17 | China Silk | B. F Hard Spun x Uno Sayuri | Danica Guy | S.I | $9,000 | Curraghmore Stud | NZB as Agent | $15,800 |
| 12 | 6 | Strata Lady | B. F Stratum x Estermate | Lance O'Sullivan | K1 | $40,000 | Cambridge Stud | Wexford Stables | $12,500 |
| 13 | 15 | Platinum Lady | Br. F Showcasing x My Other Woman | Lisa Latta | K2 | $20,000 | Haunui Farm | Lisa Latta Racing | $11,850 |
| 14 | 2 | O'Dianne | B. F O'Reilly x Breezy | Stephen McKee | K1 | $120,000 | Waikato Stud Ltd | TJ McKee | $7,200 |
| 15 (E) | 10 | The Justice Leage | B. C I Am Invincible x L'Artiste | Nigel Tiley | K2 | $50,000 | Lyndhurst Farm | Nigel Tiley | $5,900 |
| 16 (E) | 13 | Perfect Harmonee | B. G Nadeem x Harmony | Paul Belsham | K2 | $18,000 | Cambridge Stud | PS Belsham | $4,900 |
| 17 (E) | 9 | Scooter O'Reilly | B. G O'Reilly x Sussex Dancer | Barry Smith | K1 | $60,000 | Westbury Stud | BJ & J Lindsay | $4,200 |
To view the field, click here.
The $1m Karaka Million is set to be held at the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie on the eve of the 2015 Karaka Premier Sale, this Sunday 25 January. A range of hospitality options are available including the Karaka Club House. Tickets are available from www.ellerslie.co.nz.
The six-race programme is scheduled to commence at 5.09pm with the first race of the Karaka Million Series, the $100,000 Windsor Park Stud Karaka Stayers Cup running as Race 2 at 5.41pm, followed by the Listed $100,000 NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile as Race 3 at 6.13pm and the Listed $1m Karaka Million as Race 5 at 7.20pm.
For more information on the Karaka Million Series, click here.