Karaka Graduates Prominent in Furphy Photo Finish

Graduates of New Zealand Bloodstock Sales were right in the thick of the action as Tuesday’s A$175,000 Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington ended in a tight three-way finish. 

Purple Sector (NZ) (Pins), who was bought for $60,000 at the 2017 Premier Sale, prevailed by a neck, while the $77,500 Select Sale purchase Odeon (NZ) (Zacinto) finished another short head away in third.

An impressive last-start win at Randwick had earned Purple Sector warm favouritism for Tuesday’s race, but his prospects looked bleak as he was awkwardly positioned behind a wall of horses early in the home straight.

But jockey Craig Williams found a way through and brought him home with a sustained finish, passing half a dozen rivals in the last 150 metres and snatching the lead a few strides before the finish line.

Trained by John Thompson for owners the Hayek family, Matthew Sandblom and the famous Think Big Stud, Purple Sector has now had 21 starts for four wins, six placings and A$412,850 in stakes – more than seven times his purchase price.

“He wasn’t comfortable racing that way around for the first time, but once he balanced up in the straight, he went well,” Thompson said.

Williams was delighted that the stable elected to send the highly talented five-year-old down to Melbourne.

“He's been really well handled by John Thompson,” he said. “He was really dominant last time in Sydney and my manager was really bullish about if they could bring this horse down you would love to be on him.

“I'd like to thank John Thompson and the owners for giving me the opportunity today.

“John Thompson's done a really good job with him. With this Covid-19 situation through Victoria, they've still made commitments and sent their staff down. Rebecca, who looks after the horse, spent five days in quarantine in Melbourne and spent a lot of time and energy in sending horses down from Sydney. He was also in a half-a-million-dollar race in Sydney on Saturday. I'm grateful that he brought him down.”

Purple Sector will now be aimed at the A$1 million The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange on November 21.

Tuesday’s third placegetter Odeon has had 46 starts for seven wins, 14 placings and A$890,335 in stakes – more than 12 times his purchase price at Karaka.

The next generation of outstanding New Zealand thoroughbred talent will be showcased at Karaka 2021, starting with Book 1, which runs across three days from Sunday 24 January. That will be followed by Book 2 from Wednesday 27 through to Friday 29 January.

Vendor	Trelawney Stud
Purchaser	DGR Thoroughbred Services (New South Wales)
Breeding	Pins – Eden Valley
Sale	Lot 141, 2017 Premier Sale, $60,000
Bred by	Trelawney Thoroughbreds