New Zealand Raiders Take Share of Spoils at Eagle Farm

Five-year-old son of Cape Cross, Crossthestart, led home fellow kiwis Scouting Wide and Ekstreme for a New Zealand bred trifecta in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Following on from his victory in Doomben's Group 3 Chairman's Handicap (2020m) in May, this performance gives Crossthestart (Cape Cross x Startling Lady by Gold and Ivory) his second black type win. The gelding takes his overall record to nine wins, three seconds and five thirds from 29 starts while his earnings now stand at NZ$506,243.

Bred by Karreman Bloodstock, Crossthestart is trained for Dick Karreman by Bevan and Richard Laming.

Race pacemaker NZB graduate Scouting Wide (Zabeel x Gardd by Sheikh Albadou) finished just over a length behind Crossthestart bringing his season tally to four wins and five seconds. Bred by Plowman Bloodstock and bought by Steve Brem at the 2006 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale from Windsor Park Stud for $200,000, the promising galloper is now raced by a group that includes his trainer, Tim Martin.

Four-year-old Ekraar mare Ekstreme (from Cashcade, by Anziyan) completed the New Zealand trifecta coming home in third.

Earlier in the day at Eagle Farm Our Lukas spearheaded a NZB graduate one-two in the Listed XXXX Gold Strawberry Road Handicap (1600m). The six-year-old gelding by Generous out of Parfore (Gold Brose) took the lead in the turn for home and crossed the line 1.3 lengths ahead of fellow Karaka graduate Rockdale.

Trained by Robert Heathcote and owned by John Taylor of South Africa and Barry and Christine O'Toole from Phillip Island in Victoria, Our Lukas was purchased by Paul Willetts for $20,000 at the 2005 NZB Select Yearling Sale from Westbury Stud.

Rockdale, a four-year-old gelding by Danroad out of Komplete Kaos, has seen the NZB sale ring twice having been successfully pinhooked as a yearling. Purchased by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock at the 2007 Select Yearling Sale for $55,000 from Java Thoroughbreds, Rockdale then featured in the 2007 Ready to Run Sale and was purchased by John Morrisey of Queensland for $135,000.

Adding to New Zealand bred success at Eagle Farm on Saturday was Miss Keepsake's third place in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m). A three-year-old filly by Cambridge Stud's resident Danehill stallion Keeper, Miss Keepsake took the line behind Bart Cummings' Dariana, having won the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) the weekend prior.