NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile Field Secured

A small but select field has been drawn for the Restricted Listed $100,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile for Sunday’s Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie.

Spellbinder (NZ) winner of the 2014 Karaka 3YO Mile

The second feature race of the Karaka Million Series is open to all horses that were purchased at the 2013 National Yearling Sale Series and nominated for the Series at that time.

Headlining the three-year-old field is Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) (Tavistock), trained by Donna & Dean Logan. The son of up-and-coming sire Tavistock has placed in all five starts including four wins, culminating in the Group 2 Great Northern Guineas on New Year’s Day. Volkstok’n’barrell will begin the race from barrier 1 for rider Matthew Cameron.

Second in the Group 2 Great Northern Guineas behind Volkstok’n’barrell was the Jason Bridgman trained Rockfast (Fastnet Rock). The Fastnet Rock colt was also second in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at his previous start and will be ridden by James McDonald from barrier 7.

Winner of the Hawke’s Bay Guineas Prelude was Stratocaster (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), trained by Jeff McVean and Emma-Lee Browne. The three-year-old gelding followed his win with a fourth in the Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and also finished fifth in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. Visiting Australian rider Hugh Bowman will ride him from barrier 3.

Matamata trained three-year-old Woodsman (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) broke his maiden at his last start over 1600m for trainer Tony Gillies. The gelding has the most experience in the field with 10 starts and will start the race from barrier 5.

The Keith and Brendon Hawtin trained Dartmoor (NZ) (Tavistock) has had just three raceday appearances, finishing third over 1500m against his own age at Ellerslie. The gelding enters this race as a maiden and will start from barrier 4.

The Roger James trained Tavy (NZ) (Tavistock) is the second progeny of Tavistock in this year’s Karaka 3YO Mile. With two wins, the Tavistock filly has placed in all of her four starts, winning the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial 3YO and running third in the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic last start. The NZB Filly of the Year contender will have jockey Vinnie Colgan riding her from barrier 6.

Listowel (NZ) (Darci Brahma)  enters the race having had seven starts for two wins and a second. The Darci Brahma filly claimed her second win two starts ago over 1400m for trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young. She will start the race from barrier 2.

To view the full field, click here.

The six-race programme will be held at Ellerslie Racecourse with the first of the three feature races commencing with the $100,000 Windsor Park Stud Karaka Stayers Cup as Race2 at 5.41pm, click here to view the race preview.  The Listed NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile will run as Race 3 at 6.13pm. The Listed $1m Karaka Million will be run as Race 5 at 7.20pm, click here to view the race preview.

The $1 million Karaka Million will be held at the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie on the eve of the Karaka Premier Sale, this Sunday 25 January. Tickets are now on sale from www.ellerslie.co.nz.