Kiwis Fly in for Group 1 Double at Eagle Farm
8 June 2009
Karaka graduates came up trumps at Eagle Farm on Saturday with New Zealand bred Linky Dink and Court Ruler taking out two of the day's Group 1 races.
Providing somewhat of an upset with just four unplaced starts to her credit, Patinack Farm's Karaka Premier Sale purchase Linky Dink (Keeper x Gimmick by Sir Tristram) flew home to down her 12 competitors by a cracking two lengths in the Group 1 Racetree TJ Smith Stakes (1600m).
Patinack trainer Jason Coyle combined forces with stable-rider Peter Robl who settled the filly expertly in the running before shooting ahead to take the final Group 1 juvenile race of the Australasian season.
Two other Karaka graduates have won the Classic in the last five years with Rockdale (Danroad) in 2008 and the young Danehill sire, Darci Brahma, recording the first of his five Group 1 victories in 2005.
Linky Dink was bred and sold by Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan of Cambridge Stud at the 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $250,000 and joins Insouciant and Keeper Cruisin as Group 1 winners by Cambridge Stud resident sire, Keeper. The young son of Danehill is set to stand for NZ$12,000 in the upcoming season.
Just two races later Kiwi trainer John Wheeler recorded his second win in the Group 1 BMW Queensland Derby after the legendary 11-time Group 1 winner Rough Habit took out the race in 1990. A well-judged ride by Larry Cassidy saw Court Ruler (Viking Ruler x Free Court by Pompeii Court) nab second placegetter Shocking (Street Cry) in the home straight, the winning margin a long neck.
Karaka Premier Sale graduate Larry's Never Late (Pentire x Laebeel by Zabeel) put in a solid performance for third. Robert Roulston Bloodstock secured him for $77,500 from Te Parae Stud's 2007 draft.
Court Ruler was a $30,000 purchase from the Karaka Select Sale by Wheeler, who picked the colt from John and Sue Trumper's Te Aroha-based Cheveley Stud. He now boasts almost $550,000 in prizemoney with three wins and three pacings to his name.
He was bred by Graham Hill from Free Court, a winner of eight races who has produced six to race for four winners. Last year she foaled a colt by Keeper before being served by Viking Ruler in the hope of producing a sibling to the gallant Group 1 winner.
Ensuring Keeper's fellow Cambridge Stud sire and son of Danehill, Viking Ruler, wasn't to be outdone, Court Ruler provides him with his first Group 1 winner. Another of his sons, Red Ruler, finished second in last season's Group 1 AJC Derby while Kroner (ex Monroe Magic, by Zabeel) capped off a great Saturday for his sire, winning the Listed AJC June Stakes at Randwick. He will stand for NZ$6,500 this spring.�