Hardline Heads the Karaka Million
26 January 2015
Australian trained raider Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing) produced an exceptional performance to cross the winning post first in the Res. Listed $1m Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie – New Zealand’s richest race.
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Hardline (NZ) Wins $1m Karaka Million (Res.L) |
The two-year-old colt is New Zealand-bred but is based in Queensland with Liam Birchley. Prior to arriving on New Zealand soil, he won on debut in early December at Doomben before an unplaced run in Sydney.
Liam Birchley has a strong affinity with the Karaka Million having won the race in 2010 with Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym) after finishing runner-up the previous year with Sarge In Charge (NZ) (Golan).
“This was my finest moment in racing because of the people involved like the owners and breeders and so on and I am just wrapped it can all work out like that,” commented Liam Birchley.
“A win like this is everything we try and do in racing,” remarked co-owner Mark McLean. “Liam Birchley has a great bunch of owners behind him and a great team back there in Brisbane.
“We go to the Sales every year and buy horses and I think we do a really good job of putting the right people in them. One thing about with Liam is that not one cent is added, everything gets passed onto the owners.
“It’s great to see him (Liam Birchley) get the rewards, he is truly one of a kind and I really enjoy the association I have with him.”
Hardline began the race from a wide barrier and fell to the tail of the 14-horse field for visiting Australian jockey Damien Browne.
The field bunched together as they approached the corner, giving Hardline an opportunity to find a spot two off the rail. Browne picked a path through the field and appeared at the 100m to challenge Selfie (NZ) (Thewayyouare) who had sprinted to the lead. Hardline produced a devastating finishing burst to earn victory by half-a-length, ahead of Selfie with Dal Cielo (NZ) (Per Incanto) in third place.
“Damian (Browne) is a class act and he doesn’t panic,” said Birchley.
“We put the blinkers on the colt after his last run and I knew they would help him concentrate when it mattered at the finish.”
The exciting young son of Showcasing has now received total stakes of $565,497 for owners Mr M McLean, Mrs S McLean, Mr T Carmichael, Mr G Carmichael, Mr C Wessel, Mr S McVicar, Mr G Sullivan, Mr E Giacobone, Mr J Joyce, Mr P Daniel, Mr R Sargent, Mr P McPherson, Mr J Gleeson, Mr S Costa, Mr S Stewart and Hervey Jump Out.
Hardline was purchased at the 2014 Karaka Select Sale by Liam Birchley Racing for $130,000 from Hallmark Stud. He was purchased by the Bakers of Hallmark Stud at the 2013 National Weanling Sale for $43,000 from Haunui Farm.
Bred by W H & Est late T M Hurlstone, Hardline is out of winning dam Midnight Breaker (Housebuster),a half-sister to stakes winners Perlin (Carnegie), winner of the Group 1 Doomben Cup, and Almodovar (Pins), winner of the Listed Galilee Series Final Handicap.
Showcasing has 29 progeny in the 2015 National Yearling Sales Series with just two of the yearlings at the Premier Sale commencing today from 11am.
Nominations for the 2015 Karaka Million close on Tuesday 3 March 2015 at 5pm with the NZ$1,750 + GST entry fee per horse. Conditions apply.