Karaka graduate Fiumicino (Zabeel x Latte) took out the blue riband event for three-year-olds at Royal Randwick on Saturday, the Group 1 David Jones AJC Australian Derby (2400m). Partnered by Darren Beadman, the John Hawkes trained colt won convincingly by one-and-three-quarter lengths ahead of Ambitious General (General Nediym x Lake Lagoda) with New Zealand-bred filly Tuesday Joy (Carnegie x Joie Denise)�in third.

Bred by Graham de Gruchy and Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, Fiumicino is the grandson of the Champion race mare, Horlicks (Three Legs x Malt) and represents Zabeel's thirty-sixth Group 1 winner.

Nick Moraitis purchased him at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$425,000 from the draft of Cambridge Stud. His share of the AU$2,012,500 purse brings the colt's prize-money haul to AU$1,284,450�after just his third win from six starts.

Fiumicino's win is one of a host of Karaka graduates' Derby�victories this�season which began with�Efficient's (Zabeel x Refused the Dance) emphatic�Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) victory.� Recently, Vital King (Almutawakel x Wauwinet) took out the prestigious Mercedes Benz Hong Kong Derby (2000m).

Saturday's win comes�hot on the heels of New Zealand-bred success in last weekend's Group 1 West Australia Derby (2400m) when Guyno (O'Reilly x River Century) and Ballack (Montjeu x Trephina) - both offered by New Zealand Bloodstock -�quinellaed the event.

Interestingly, four out of the last six AJC Derbys have been won by New Zealand Bloodstock graduates - Don Eduardo (2002), Starcraft (2004), Headturner (2006) and Fiumicino (2007).

Also successful at Randwick was New Zealand-bred Fire Song (Senor Pete x Dance on Fire) who took out the Group 2 Bombay Sapphire Stakes (1200m) by a long head from Whoever (Redoute's Choice x Celebration Bell) and Waikato Stud's Splashing Out (O'Reilly x Iguazu).

Karaka graduate Prince Arthur (Danehill x Scribbling) couldn't quite get to the line first in the Group 2 Sydney Morning Herald Chairman's Handicap (2600m) at Royal Randwick missing out by a head to No Wine No Song (Song of Tara x Deep Time).

Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan's Cambridge Stud in conjunction with well known identities Gerald Shand, Tim Bodle's Whakanui Stud, Peter Walker and Bob Emery, Prince Arthur was purchased by DGR Thoroughbred Services for NZ$210,000 from the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale.

Empire's Choice (Redoute's Choice x Rosie's Star), grandson of Melbourne Cup heroine Empire Rose, had to settle for second place in the Listed Perfect Vision Carbine Club Stakes (1600m). He was purchased by Bart Cummings at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$210,000 from Whakanui Stud.

Capping off a sensational day, Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan also bred the four-year-old gelding Maldivian (Zabeel x Shynzi) to win the AU$100,000 Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield.

Progeny of Zabeel on offer at up-coming New Zealand Bloodstock Sales are Lot 119 at the�Autumn Mixed Bloodstock Sale on Sunday 22 April and Lots 15�and 22 at the Bloomsbury Stud (NZ) Dispersal Sale, to be held at Karaka on Monday 7 May.

Stickpin Stakes His Claim

Stickpin (Pins x Reputedly) lead a string of New Zealand bred successes at Caulfield yesterday, taking out the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m).

Starting from barrier 11 and having to race wide throughout, Darren Gauci partnered the four-year-old to a one-and-a-half length victory. His share of the AU$100,000 purse takes his career prize-money to AU$240,400 from seven wins.

Trainer Brian Mayfield Smith secured him at the 2004 Karaka Select Sale from Waikato Stud for NZ$90,000.

A close relative to Stickpin will go under the hammer at the�upcoming Autumn Mixed Bloodstock sale at Karaka on Sunday 22 April.� Lot 28, consigned by Highview Stud, is�a yearling colt by Pins out of Film,�who is a half-sister to Reputedly.�

Mayfield Smith also tasted success with another Karaka purchase in 2004 Ready to Run Sale graduate, Cholula (Kaapstad x Human Touch) the NZ$72,000 purchase from Chequers Stud was second in a New Zealand-bred trifecta in the Neerim Handicap (2400m).

The race was won by the Robert Smerdon trained Prince Dande Lion (Generous x Egoli Lass) while Graeme Rogerson's NZ$190,000 purchase from Cambridge Stud at the 2003 Premier Sale, Illustration (Zabeel x Leica Smile) was third.

On the same card, Bashful (O'Reilly x Mon Cheri) continued Waikato Stud's run of success, winning the Victoria Wakeful Cup Plate (1100m) for David Hayes.

Paul O'Sullivan purchased her at the 2004 Karaka Select Sale for NZ$30,000. She was trained by Lance O'Sullivan at Matamata where she won the Group 3 Cambridge JC Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes before transferring to Australia.