Over the Christmas period three two-year-old events were staged across New Zealand and, significantly, each was won by Karaka Million eligible juveniles which caused considerable movement in the Order of Entry headed by Listed Welcome Stakes winner Encosta Diablo.

Hoofit

The $15,000 Bayer 2YO (1100m) was run at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and it was Hoofit (Mossman x Chuckle (Danehill) who prevailed ahead of four other Karaka Million eligible runners including Sweet Suitor (Bachelor Duke), Condescender (Black Minnaloushe), My Cool Jo (One Cool Cat), and Jungle Cat (Tale of The Cat).

In the same ownership as 2009 Karaka Million winner The Heckler (Lucky Owners), Sir Patrick Hogan, Alistair Sutherland, Tony Timpson, and Peter Walker, Hoofit drew two in the 11 horse field and was positioned just behind the pace by his jockey Trudy Thornton.

As the whips started cracking in the home straight Hoofit took gaps on the inside of the field before kicking away in impressive fashion to hold out the fast finishing Sweet Suitor by half a length.

Bred to be precocious as a son of stakes winning juvenile Chuckle, Hoofit, who cost $60,000 from Shelby Park at the 2009 Karaka Select Sale, has improved in each of his four outings with his latest win coming at the same venue where the Karaka Million will take place on 31 January.

His stakes earnings of $11,975 for trainer Stephen McKee places Hoofit fifth in the current KM Order of Entry and guarantees the strapping bay colt a place in the $1,000,000 Karaka Million field.

Sweet Suitor's placing brings him inside the current Top 20 while fourth-placed My Cool Jo claimed her fourth collect from as many outings to jump her ninth position with $7,985 in earnings.

Belles Fast

Sunday saw the running of the $8,000 Boof Fleming Memorial 2YO (1000m) and it was Karaka Million eligible Belles Fast (Fastnet Rock x Cast Your Fate (Bletchingly)) who made all the running on the Good rated New Plymouth track.

Fittingly, the filly is raced in partnership by the Estate of the Late Boof Fleming with the eye-catching four and a half length victory in the hands of Michael Walker. She carries the same yellow and black colours as Group 2 Wellington Guineas and Group 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas winner Keyora (Bachelor Duke).

The Allan Sharrock purchased and trained filly was secured for $450,000 from Curraghmore Stud at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale and her only two starts have secured $5,325 in prize-money which sits the filly in position 12 on the current KM Order of Entry.

With eight races left before 31 January on the juvenile program, the possibility of Australian entrants, and a minimum of $9,000 required to make the field in the past two runnings of the Karaka Million, it looks likely that Belles Fast will be required to start again to ensure a spot in the final 14 horse field.

Brave Warrior

Yesterday's meeting at Ellerslie saw an 11 horse field contest the $10,000 Countdown to Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) over the same course and distance as the $1,000,000 feature just over a month away.

The Kevin Hughes and Dean Wiles trained Brave Warrior (Ekraar x Pheroz Flight, by Straight Strike) started favourite and delivered with a powerful surge down the outside of the field to beat fellow Karaka Million hopefuls My Lead (Dubawi) and Shekels (Volksraad) in 1.11.19.

In tenth position in the KM Order of Entry with $7,700, Brave Warrior was purchased by Dean Wiles from Twin Pines at the 2009 Karaka Festival Sale for $36,000.

Racing over the next week will illustrate more clearly Brave Warrior's possible place in the Karaka Million field, though his $7,700 might just be enough to give the bold gelding his chance at New Zealand's richest juvenile event.

Click here for the current 2010 Karaka Million Order of Entry.

Juvenile races at Ellerslie and Hastings on New Year's Day will be the next opportunity for KM eligible two-year-olds to cement their place in the 2010 field.

Ellerslie's $70,000 Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) has attracted 11 nominations, eight of which are Karaka Million eligible, including current top 15 players Big River, Everlasting, Irish Jewel, and Banchee.