High-Class Field for $250,000 NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile

A star-studded field of nine three-year-olds has been attracted for the $250,000 NZB Insurance 3YO Mile (1600m), which will be held at the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie on Sunday.

The race will be contested by horses purchased at Karaka 2015 and nominated for the Karaka Million Series.

The highest-rated runner in the field is Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi), who won the Group 1 JJ Atkins in Brisbane last June and has since won the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase and Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Trained by Tony Pike, who won this race last year with Raghu (NZ) (Showcasing), Sacred Elixir also ran second in the Group 1 Victoria Derby. Sacred Elixir will be ridden by Leith Innes and will jump from gate 7. Owners Raffles Racing, in conjunction with Mulcaster Bloodstock, bought Sacred Elixir for $170,000 from Wentwood Grange’s draft at the Premier Sale.

Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj) may have only won one race, but his seven-start career also includes placings in the Group 1 Levin Classic, Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and Group 2 Great Northern Guineas. He is trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and will be ridden by Matt Cameron. He has drawn gate 4. Jon Snow was bought by Forsman for $65,000 from the Select Sale draft of Haunui Farm.

Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock) was a Group 1 winner as a two-year-old in the Diamond Stakes. He has won at Listed level this season and been placed in another four races including the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. Trained by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, he was bought by Te Akau Racing for $400,000 from Curraghmore Stud’s Premier Sale draft. Opie Bosson will take the mount on Heroic Valour, who has drawn gate 2.

Foxwedge filly Volpe Veloce is unbeaten in six starts including the Listed Castletown Stakes, Group 3 Eulogy Stakes and a last-start win in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic. Trained by Graham Richardson, who bought her for $240,000 from Lyndhurst Farm at the Premier Sale, Volpe Veloce will be ridden by Michael Coleman and will jump from gate 6.

Central districts raider Stephenstihls (NZ) (Smart Missile) has won each of his last two starts and was previously placed at Listed level behind subsequent Group 1 winner Hall Of Fame (NZ) (Savabeel). Stephenstihls is trained by Mike Breslin, who paid $220,000 to buy him from Wellfield Lodge’s draft at the Select Sale. Jonathan Riddell will take the mount and Stephenstihls has drawn 3.

The Richard Collett-trained Swissta (NZ) (Swiss Ace) has won his last three starts in a row including an impressive last-start victory in the Group 2 Great Northern Guineas. Collett bought him for just $24,000 from Westbury Stud’s draft at the Festival Sale. Collett’s daughter Alysha will ride the gelding, who will jump from gate 1.

Romancer (NZ) (Redwood) is trained at Ruakaka by Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs. The Logan-trained Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) (Tavistock) won this race in 2015. Romancer has won twice in his four-start career including the Listed Mufhasa Stakes. Romancer has drawn gate 8. Logan bought Romancer for $110,000 from Westbury Stud’s Select Sale draft.

Charles Road (Myboycharlie) has had three starts for a win and two seconds. Trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, he jump from gate 9. Offered by Wentwood Grange at the Premier Sale, Charles Road was bought by Mr DL Archer for $90,000.

Soldier Field (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) is still a maiden but has placed in two of his three starts for trainer Finbarr Leahy. Soldier Field has drawn gate 5. He was passed in at the Select Sale.

The six-race programme is scheduled to commence at 4.58pm with the first race of the Karaka Million Series, the $100,000 Windsor Park Stud Karaka Stayers Cup running at 5.33pm as Race 2, followed by the Res. Listed $100,000 NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile at 6.07pm as Race 3 and the  Res. Listed $1m Karaka Million race at 7.16pm as Race 5.

The Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie on the eve of the Karaka 2017 Premier Sale, this Sunday 29 January. A range of hospitality options are available with tickets on sale at www.ellerslie.co.nz.

For information on the enhanced Karaka Million Series, click here.