Manzor Blue (NZ) Triumphs in Wellington Cup

Karaka graduates finished first and second in the time-honoured $400,000 Group Three NZCIS Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday, headed by an extraordinary victory by Manzor Blue (NZ) (Almanzor). 

It was the third win from a 21-race career for Manzor Blue, who was bought by syndicators Go Racing for $130,000 from Milan Park’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2022. The mare has now earned $279,335, with $230,000 of that coming from Saturday’s heroics. 

Manzor Blue’s victory was a superb staying performance. She and jockey Kate Hercock settled at the tail of the field, then had to weave their way through some tightly packed traffic coming up to the home turn.

Hercock found a clear passage in the straight, and Manzor Blue dashed through two off the rail to stake her claim. Horses lined up across the track in a desperate scramble to the finish, headed by eventual second, third and fourth placegetters Crouch (NZ) (Tarzino), Be Real (NZ) and Rosso (Camelot), but Manzor Blue fought them all off to win by a short neck at 86-to-one odds.

“I said that if she got back, we’d ride her for luck,” Hercock said. “From about the half-mile (800 metres) we were getting in more and more carnage. At the 600, we were in a lot more carnage. And then I rolled back into the inside, and she has got such a phenomenal turn of foot on her day. We always thought she’d run a strong two miles. I’m really proud of her.”

Manzor Blue is trained at Awapuni by Lisa Latta, who has enjoyed plenty of big-race success at Trentham over the years, including teaming up with Go Racing to take out the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in 2019 with Karaka graduate Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man).

“This is fantastic,” Latta said. “Go Racing has been so loyal to me, and they do a great job syndicating all of their horses. The last time I had a big winner was with Sentimental Miss in the Oaks here at Wellington for them.

“We have had a lot of niggles with this mare this season. She had a lot of back problems. My team and the vets have worked extra hard to get her right.

“She only ran sixth here a fortnight ago and I said to Kate, ‘Should we press on to the Wellington Cup?’ She said, ‘Press on, I think she is back.’ She committed to ride her, and at that time it didn’t even look like she would make the field. Good on Kate, she deserved it, she pinched runs and she got there.

“This horse is only a five-year-old mare, she has got it all in front of her. We have ironed out a lot of niggles and learned a lot about her this year.”

Manzor Blue was bred by Tony Rider, who also bred and part-owns a star performer at the opposite end of the distance spectrum – last Saturday’s $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) runner-up Magill (Farnan).

Manzor Blue is out of a half-sister to Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos), who won the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie last season, and closely related to last year’s Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) winner Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth).

Crouch, who has now been runner-up in two consecutive Wellington Cups, was a $20,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2021. He has earned $334,155 from a 32-race career that has produced six wins and five placings.

Vendor	Milan Park
Purchaser	Go Racing (Auckland)
Breeding	Almanzor – Turquoise Coast
Sale	Lot 29, Karaka 2022 Book 1, $130,000
Breeder	T V Rider
Owner	Go Racing Amalfi Syndicate (Mgr: Albert Bosma)