Kiwis Just Awesome

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates continued to make their presence felt at Queensland's Winter carnival over the weekend with a stunning quinella in the Group 3 Doomben Roses (2020m), the major lead-up to the Group 1 Queensland Oaks on 30 May.

Awesome Planet (Giant's Causeway x Dance on the Moon, by Fasliyev) and Ekstreme (Ekraar x Cashcade, by Anziyan) beat home Darley's Group 1 STC Storm Queen Stakes winner, Purple (Commands), by a length, to provide Karaka with a notable one-two finish.

Graeme Rogerson's Awesome Planet and Bryce Revell's Ekstreme both landed in Brisbane just last Wednesday morning, and both signaled their Winter Carnival intentions with big runs to cement their Kiwi form.

Winning by half a head, Awesome Planet sat midfield in the hands of Jimmy Cassidy throughout the running before unleashing her accustomed sprint which had seen the daughter of Giant's Causeway score two Listed victories this season in New Zealand over 1400m and 2000m.

A $155,000 purchase by Dormello Stud from Hallmark Stud at the 2007 Karaka Premier Sale, Awesome Planet finished seventh in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series this season, won by Group 1 AJC Oaks winner Daffodil. A direct descendent of Rose of Jericho, dam of Group 1 winners and/or Group 1 sires Shinko King, Dr Devious, and Archway, Awesome Planet has now won over $250,000 for her owners Tony Kostanich (Auckland), Graeme Rogerson MNZM (Hamilton), Paul and EJ Sutherland (Papamoa),  and RC Upadhyaya.

Awesome Planet's dam, Dance on the Moon, who was bred by Mrs. John Magnier and Mrs. Tommy Stack, is now owned in New Zealand by Des Hawkins' Wentwood Grange. The stud has bred a Darci Brahma filly from the mare this season and they expect a foal by Zafonic's leading sprinter Ifraaj this season.

An impressive eight fillies sold at Karaka made up the Group 3 Doomben Roses field of sixteen, with most expected to line up next in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks in a fortnight.

Notable NZ fillies to score in the Group 3 Doomben Roses in recent years include Gaze (Cape Cross) in 2006 who then finished eleventh in the Oaks, The Jewel (O'Reilly) in 2003 who ran a controversial second to Zagalia in the Queensland Oaks, and Ethereal in 2001 who claimed the Oaks before completing a notable Caulfield Cup - Melbourne Cup double.