Half-sister to A Touch of Ruby at Karaka Premier

The Group 1 win by A Touch of Ruby (NZ) (Pins) in Saturday’s Group 1 $200,000 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) has boosted the pedigrees of two horses, the foal inside her by Jimmy Choux, and Lot 290 at the Karaka Premier Sale due to go under the hammer this Tuesday.

A Touch of Ruby (NZ) winning the Group 1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile.

The mare trained by Stephen Autridge was having her last start as she is carrying a foal by new sire Jimmy Choux. She also has a half-sister by Savabeel (Lot 290) entered in the Karaka Premier Sale with Trelawney Stud that will be auctioned on Tuesday (28 January).

Carrying the colours of Australian owner Max Whitby, a strong supporter of New Zealand racing having enjoyed great success with the like so of dual Group 1 winner Scarlett Lady (NZ) (Savabeel), A Touch of Ruby caused a boil over as she started at $48 with the New Zealand TAB.

Ridden by Craig Grylls, the Karaka Premier Sale graduate settled well back in the 16-horse field from barrier 12. As the field straightened the four-year-old mare was equal last and hooked to be the widest runner in the race.

Fellow backmarker Costume (NZ) (Savabeel), racing for Waikato Stud, hit the front but it was short lived as A Touch of Ruby had too much momentum, sweeping to the lead by a length for a delighted Craig Grylls who captured his first Group 1 success. Costume ran second and Sacred Star (NZ) (Flying Spur) was third.

Owner Max Whitby watched the race from Karaka cheering on his charge while standing next to Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick in ‘O’Reillys’ hospitality area. Waikato Stud may have run second but it was a great result for the Stud as resident sires Pins and Savabeel ran the quinella in the race.

“We were pretty optimistic heading into the race,” remarked Autridge. “The horse had never been better but it was a big step up in class. We were at the right end of the handicaps and she was in good form so we thought we were a runner’s chance.

“When she has been right all her wins have been like that, she has a really good turn of foot.

“She is in foal to Jimmy Choux and that was her last race. I joke to everyone that Jimmy Choux is a good sire.

“Max loves the game with a passion so it was a great result to get black type.”

At the start of the year A Touch of Ruby was only a two-win horse but a strong winning performance at Counties a week prior to the Group 1 Thorndon Mile and the Group 1 success will see the mare retire as a winner of four races from 15 starts with earnings of $161,335.

A Touch of Ruby is the only foal to race out of her dam Syrah (Traditionally), a daughter of multiple stakes winner Real Success (Success Express) and half-sister to Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner Vouvray (Zabeel).

Max Whitby purchased A Touch of Ruby for $50,000 at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale from breeders Trelawney Stud who return in 2014 with the second foal out of Syrah.

The mare becomes the seventh Group 1 winner for her sire Pins, the sire of 55 individual stakes winners. Pins has 39 yearlings catalogued at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series starting tomorrow at 11am.