New Zealand Weekend Winners

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates had another outstanding weekend with pleasing results in New Zealand, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

New Zealand

The first on the card at Te Rapa for Cambridge Jockey Club was the New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Juvenile Maiden (1200m). This race revealed an exciting graduate from the 2004 Premier Yearling Sale in Jacquart (Zabeel x She Wishes). From the Longlands Stud draft, the bay colt was purchased by his current trainer, Roger James, for $140,000. Pacemaker, Lord Jimmy Mellay (Lord Mellay x Lady Ballybrit) was relegated to second while trainer John Wheeler's $12,000, 2004 Select Sale purchase, Brugraway (Shinko King x Argyll Dazzler) came in third.

Another to reaffirm her talent at picking up a good horse to train on from the Karaka sale ring, was Donna Logan. In the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance 1600, her $5,500 2002 Festival Select Sale purchase, Focal Point (Kashani x Key Issue), came in to record a win, after a recent string of placings. Bellaforte (Generous x Venturer) and Sarah's Victory (Victory Dance x Sara Fox) crossed the line in second and third places respectively.

Calveen (Canny Lad x Calvinia) finished what has been an exciting preparation with her win in the big race of the day, the Group-two Travis Stakes Double (1600m). Coming in only � of a length later was Prize Lady (Prized x Pen Bal Lady), a 2003 Select Filly from the Fayette Park draft who sold to Mr J C Wallis for $13,500.

The Group-three Westbury Stud Sunline Stakes 3YO race (1200m) was taken out by husband and wife team, Nigel and Lee Tiley of Takanini with Savute (Danzero x Wolf). Pencarrow Stud bred and owned Darcybee (Fasliyev x Eminent Walk) and Thee Auld Hussie (Spinning World x Thee Old Dragon) took out the minor placings.

Canterbury Jockey Club continued their 150 year anniversary celebrations with the running of the Gr.3 Coca-cola Gold Cup (2000m). New Zealand Bloodstock sale graduates dominated the race with, Sand Sweeper (Sandtrap x Calm As), The Raj (Grosvenor x Kowtow) and Silky Red Boxer (Casual Lies x Soleil Etoile) crossing the line in that order.

Sand Sweeper was a timely advertisement for the forthcoming National Weanling and Broodmare Sale at Karaka. From the Millfield Stud draft at the 2001 Sale, he was purchased by Citrus Bloodstock for $12,000. The Raj went through the sale ring at the 2003 Select Sale in the Bloomsbury Stud draft and was brought by Mr Peter Williams for $34,000. Silky Red Boxer was a $9,000 purchase at the 2001 South Island Sale.

Pencarrow Stud bred and owned, Felenic (Cape Cross x Marmalitre), took out the final race in New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m). The race saw the points table leader, Royal Miss (Volksraad x Bashful Lady) seal the deal with a third. Diamondsontheinside (Istidaad x Four By Two) came in second.

The final placings in the Southern Filly Of The Year Series are as follows:

Hong Kong Results

Following on from the great results New Zealand thoroughbreds attained in Hong Kong last weekend, their fantastic form continued by winning five of the ten race card at Sha Tin.

Race 1: A NZ bred quinella saw griffin, Champion King (Monolith x Garnett Court), finish first to Toffee (Danasinga x Silver's Sister). Champion King is an $11,000 graduate of the Festival Sale at Karaka, and Toffee was bought by Michael Stedman from the Select Sale for $85,000.

Race 3: Another NZ quinella saw Pay Day (Kashani x Regal Rita) finish in first place and Elvis (King of Kings x Maxamara) finish second. Bought by Geoff Lane for $150,000 as a yearling from Karaka, Gai Waterhouse purchased the half sister by Montjeu at Karaka last year for $160,000.

Race 4: This time it was a NZ trifecta led by Solar Power (Bahhare x Kate Shepard), a $19,000 passed lot at the Select Sale. Second was Silverbird (Pompeii Court x A Little Sneek) and third was Good Native (Danske x Heaps). Good Native was bought for $41,000 at the Select Colts Sale in 2003.

Race 6: In the fourth NZ quinella of the night, the Paul O'Sullivan-trained Easy Game (Straight Strike x Lady Newbury) beat Fortune Warrior (Bahhare x Shivers) over 1600m with Shane Dye aboard. Easy Game, purchased by Bruce Marsh for $42,000 from Karaka, has a full brother with two wins in Singapore in Xplosive Strike.

Race 10: The last race on the card saw Hip Hip Hooray (Tale of the Cat x Triassic) record a win for David Ferraris. Bought for $140,000 from the Premier Sale in 2001, his half sister is being offered as part of Westbury Stud's unreserved sale this Friday 6th May at Karaka (Lot 231).

Malaysia Results

In the Group 1 Perak Derby (2400m) on Sunday night, New Zealand jockey Grant Cooksley cruised to victory aboard NZ-bred, Opposing Force (Jetball), leading another NZ quinella.

Previously racing as Celtic Tiger, Opposing Force, recorded his tenth career win with Xtherest (Kashani) finishing second. Opposing Force is a half brother to dual Group 1 winner, Foxwood, and an unraced Stravinsky filly bought by Tony Bott in 2003 from Karaka for $120,000.

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