NZ Boasts Rosehill Guineas Amongst Wealth of Weekend Wins

A winning weekend for New Zealand horses saw the feature races at home, Rosehill and Kranji all taken out by graduates of New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka Sale ring. In addition, Sha Tin's ten race card produced a magnificent seven wins by Kiwi performers.

Jokers Wild (Black Minnaloushe x Miss Rory), defied punters and stable jockey Michael Coleman, when he proved too strong in the Group 1 Ford Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni on Saturday. He now lays claim to the only two Group 1 juvenile races in New Zealand this year after his storming win in the Ford Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie on the final day of Auckland Cup Week.

The win by Jokers Wild, and second placing of The One (O'Reilly x The Grin), provided the Moroney Stable and New Zealand Bloodstock with a quinella in the race. Both horses were purchased by now training partner, Paul Moroney at the 2005 National Yearling Sales Series.

Jokers Wild, a graduate of the Karaka Select Sale, fetched NZ$40,000 from Te Mania Thoroughbreds.

The One was secured by Moroney for NZ$185,000 at the Karaka Premier Sale from Rodmor Stud. He is a full brother to 2003 New Zealand Champion three-year-old, The Jewel and a half to Group 2 winner, Star Affair (Star Way). The Jewel's successful racing career includes wins in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, Group 1 Whakanui Stud International Stakes and the Group 3 BTC Doomben Roses.

The win by Jokers Wild continued Black Minnaloushe's recent meteoric rise to the top of the New Zealand First Season Sires Table. The Windsor Park stallion now has a strong hold on this position ahead of Traditionally and Postponed.

Black Minnaloushe averaged NZ$70,182 at this year's Karaka Premier Yearling Sale and recorded more success with Griffin Class winner Butterfield (Black Minnaloushe x Alacrity) in Hong Kong.

Australia

Heading the success in Australia was an exciting day at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney. The Club's race-card boasted eight black type races with New Zealand bred horses celebrating four victories including the Group 1 feature.

Pencarrow Stud bred, De Beers (Quest for Fame x Chimeara) was the surprise hero of the day, proving too strong for his classy opponents in the Group 1 Dubai Rosehill Guineas (2000m). From an inside draw he angled into the clear at the 300m mark to win by a neck over Oh Oklahoma (Singspiel x More Natural) in second and Primus (Flying Spur x Copa de Oro) in third.

Trained by David Hayes and ridden by Craig Williams, De Beers is owned by a syndicate headed by New Zealand bloodstock agent, Rob McAnulty and New Zealand trainer Nigel Tiley. The colt was purchased from the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$750,000 in 2004, from the same draft as another Guineas challenger, Darci Brahma (Danehill x Grand Echezeaux).

Chimeara (by Danehill) is from one of Cambridge Stud's blue-blood families and out of Group 1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes and Group 1 Australian Oaks winner, Tristalove (Sir Tristram x Diamond Lover) making her a full sister to Group performers Viking Ruler, Kempinsky and Diamond Like. Chimeara's Fasliyev yearling was purchased from Karaka this year by David Ellis for NZ$280,000, and the mare currently has a filly foal by Montjeu.

Guineas placegetter, Primus, trained by John O'Shea and sporting the Iskander Racing colours, was also purchased from the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale, for NZ$120,000.

Bart Cummings picked up two wins from two New Zealand bred horses at the Rosehill meeting. The first was the Don McLaren bred Kosi Bay (Spinning World x Calvinia), winner of the Listed Kerrie Ann Haute Couture Epona Stakes (1900m).

Kosi Bay is a half sister to Group 1 ARC Speights Easter Handicap winner and 2005 NZ Champion Sprinter/Miler, Calveen (Canny Lad x Calvinia). Trained by Lance O'Sullivan in New Zealand, Calveen is now resident at Peter Moody's Melbourne stables.

Cummings' second winner was Swick (O'Reilly x Cr�me Anglaise). Ridden by Zac Purton, he took out the Lone Star Steaks (1200m) off the back of a recent third in the Group 2 STC Shannon Stakes (1500m). Cummings purchased the O'Reilly colt from Waikato Stud at the 2003 Premier Yearling Sale for NZ$100,000.

The John O'Shea trained Fooram (Maroof x Sinjani) was the fourth winner for the Kiwis, ridden to victory by Darren Beadman in the Listed N.E. Manion Cup (2400m). Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan of Cambridge Stud, he was purchased at the 2002 Select Colts Sale by Paul Willets for NZ$64,000 from Phoenix Park's draft. Fooram is now headed for a big step up in distance in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) on April 22nd.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the feature race of the evening, the Premier Class HSBC Premier Plate (1800m), was won by talented Zabeel gelding, Beethoven (Zabeel x Abbaye). Six other wins by New Zealand bred horses were recorded on the ten race card.

Race 1 - Butterfield (Black Minnaloushe x Alacrity), a half brother to exciting Bart Cummings trained Group performer, Pendragon (Elnadim), won on debut in Hong Kong the Pottinger Peak Plate (1200m). Looming up on the outside at the 200m mark, he lengthened his stride easily to take the win.

A graduate of the 2005 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, he was purchased by New Zealand Bloodstock for the Hong Kong International Sale for NZ$110,000 from Rich Hill Stud.

Another New Zealand Bloodstock purchase for Hong Kong on debut featured in the race, coming third. Stilton (Cape Cross x Samantha Rush) was sold Curraghmore Stud at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$240,000.

Race 3 - The penny dropped with Fly Me to the Moon (Fly to the Stars x Village Dancer) who kicked on well for Douglas Whyte to win the Class 4 Mount Collinson Handicap (1200m), his first win from four starts. Trained by John Size, Fly to the Stars was initially sold by Lyndhurst Farm at the 2004 Select Yearling Sale for NZ$25,000 to then be sold again at the 2004 Ready to Run Sale by Triassic Park for NZ$75,000.

Second place-getter was the Tony Cruz trained Flying Daggers (Daggers Drawn x Opals). Melbourne based Aquanita Racing purchased the son of Curraghmore Stud's resident sire, Daggers Drawn at the 2004 Select Yearling Sale for NZ$24,000.

Race 4 - Maverick (Volksraad x Kape Dancer) streaked down the outside to win by a head in the Class 5 Mount Gough Handicap (1600m). New Zealand Bloodstock purchased the son of New Zealand Champion Sire Volksraad for NZ$100,000 from Trelawney Stud at the 2004 Premier Yearling Sale.

Race 5 - Whiplash (O'Reilly x Soleil Vite) sat in second position throughout the running of the Class 4 Mount Davis Handicap (1400m). He then engaged in a fierce dual for the lead with Super Honey (Green Desert x Royale) over the last 300m to walk away with a half length victory.

Michael Stedman Bloodstock purchased Whiplash at the 2004 Select Yearling Sale for NZ$20,000 from Rich Hill Stud.

Race 7 - John Size and Douglas Whyte successfully joined forces again with Har Har Charms (Green Perfume x Ruby Turner) in the Class 3 Jardine's Lookout Handicap (1200m). The Green Perfume gelding streaked ahead of the field to with by just over four lengths and to produce his second career win. Har Har Charms is from Ruby Turner, a full sister to 2003 Singapore Horse of the Year, Zirna.

New Zealand breds Cannonise (End Sweep x Regal Halo) and Ocean Tranquil (Align x Crystal Jet) were second and third respectively.

Tuatahi Farm purchased Har Har Charms at the 2002 National Weanling Sale for NZ$8,000 from Westbury Stud.

Mark Pilkington Bloodstock purchased Cannonise at the 2003 Premier Yearling Sale for NZ$20,000 from Rodmor Stud.

Race 8 - Cambridge Stud bred Beethoven (Zabeel x Abbaye) was given a great trip by jockey Brett Prebble to win decisively by almost three lengths. The win provided trainer David Hall with his highest profile victory in Hong Kong to date. Beethoven comes from the family of successful sires, Commands and Danewin.

Race 9 - Armada (Towkay x Dance in Time) produced a hat-trick of wins from his three starts by winning the Class 3 Mount Cameron Handicap (1400m). It also provided a hat-trick for the John Size, Douglas Whyte, Kiwi horse combination for the night.

Singapore

At Kranji on Sunday night, it was the familiar combination of ex-pat NZ trainer Laurie Laxon and a kiwi bred performer who took out the feature event. This time it was Karaka Select Sale graduate Why Be (Success Express x Charybdis) who claimed the victory, in the Group 3 Kranji Sprint (1200m).

Why Be was purchased by Bruce Wallace at the 2004 Select Yearling Sale for NZ$26,000 from Chequers Stud.