Million-Dollar Double for Orchestral (NZ)

Last year’s $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) heroine Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) returned to the same stage on Saturday and delivered a repeat result in the $1m Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie.

Orchestral was bought by trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $625,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2022. She has now had 15 starts for seven wins, three placings and $2.67m – more than four times her purchase price.

The Karaka Millions 3YO was part of a stunning sequence last summer for Orchestral, who won the Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m), Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in her next three starts.

Orchestral went winless in the first four races of her four-year-old season, but she was right back on top of her game on Saturday.

Jockey Craig Grylls gave Orchestral a smooth run in seventh place, then drove her through a narrow gap early in the home straight. Orchestral produced that same spectacular finishing burst that carried her to so many wins as a three-year-old, powering past Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor) and winning by a length and a half.

“People were coming from every angle this week and asking whether she had lost her enthusiasm for racing,” James said. “We got all sorts of grilling, but I stayed staunch and we all did around the stable.

“Mares are often better in the autumn, and I think that is probably the case with her. We were super happy with her coming into the race, and Craig gave her a masterful ride.”

Grylls has now had seven rides on Orchestral for four wins and a placing.

“She never begins that well, although she was a bit better than normal today,” he said. “I found myself a bit further back than planned, but we couldn’t have asked for a better run after that. There was good speed and I was able to peel her out and get her going without any traffic problems.

“She did the rest and I’m just the lucky one who gets to sit on this very good mare. I don’t want to sound too arrogant, but she was clearly the best horse in the field on paper. It was just a matter of getting a good run and she did the rest.”

Orchestral was bred by Barneswood Farm and was offered at Karaka by Haunui Farm, who has a full-sister catalogued as Lot 345 in Book 1 of Karaka 2025.

Saturday’s runner-up Mary Shan was a $180,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2022. She has now had 17 starts for two wins, six placings and $354,290.

Vendor	Haunui Farm
Purchaser	Mr RA James/Mr R Wellwood (Waikato)
Breeding	Savabeel – Symphonic
Sale	Lot 635, Karaka 2022 Book 1, $625,000
Bred by	Barneswood Farm Ltd