On The Bubbles Lands Another Mufhasa for Te Akau

A few days before his half-brother takes the spotlight in Karaka 2022, superb three-year-old On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau) added another black type win to his collection in Saturday’s $80,000 Listed Stella Artois Mufhasa Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie.

Himself a graduate of Karaka 2020, where Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis bought him for $90,000, On The Bubbles has now had 10 starts for six wins, three second placings and $860,450 in stakes. This was his fourth stakes success, following on from last year’s $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m).

On The Bubbles’ half-brother by Impending will be offered as a member of Curraghmore’s Karaka 2022 draft on Tuesday, going through the ring in Book 1 as Lot 433.

On The Bubbles has continued a winning habit for Te Akau’s Karaka graduates in the Mufhasa Stakes, following on from victories by the $50,000 purchase Star Of Bombay (NZ) (Atlante) and $130,000 buy Need I Say More (No Nay Never) in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Ridden by Johnathan Parkes on Saturday for top trainer Jamie Richards, On The Bubbles enjoyed a comfortable run just behind the leaders before hooking out into clear air at the home turn.

The favourite quickened smartly to take the lead early in the straight, then summoned another big effort when challenged by stablemate I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) inside the final 150 metres. He was pulling away again at the finish, opening up a margin of three-quarters of a length.

It was the best possible way for On The Bubbles to bounce back from a luckless last-start seventh in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) in January.

“He’s a good horse that unfortunately got a torrid run in the Karaka Million last time,” Richards said. “He was entitled to run last that day and battled away and was only beaten two and a half lengths.

“He’s had a nice freshen up and put in his normal sort of ordinary trial at Pukekohe the other day, but his work since has been very strong and he was able to get the job done today.

“It was a nice ride by Parkesy, and while the other horse was coming, you could just see On The Bubbles wanted to be there.

”One out and one back and peeling out at just the right time, he is a hard horse to run down. He loves racing and deserves to be back in the winners’ circle today.”