Quality Field for $250,000 NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile

A field of 13 three-year-olds has been attracted for the NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile that will be run for $250,000 for the first time at this year's Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie.

Scrutinize heads the NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile field Photo courtesy of Race Images (P.Nth).

Having been run for $200,000 for the first six years, the Karaka 3YO Mile will be contested by horses purchased at Karaka 2014 and nominated for the Karaka Million Series.

Last year’s winner was Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) (Tavistock), with the Donna Logan trained gelding going on to win the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas in Sydney in the same season.

The highest rated horse in the race is Scrutinize (NZ) (Savabeel), a winner of three races from six starts. The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trained colt was also placed second in the Group 2 Hawkes Bay Guineas. He has drawn barrier 4 with Te Akau Racing’s stable rider Matthew Cameron aboard. David Ellis purchased the son of Savabeel for $100,000 at the Premier Sale from Waikato Stud.

Last year’s runner-up in the $1m Karaka Million, Selfie (NZ) (Thewayyouare), has won one race and has five placings from nine starts. He has drawn barrier 6 with Jason Collet travelling from Sydney to ride for his father and trainer Richard Collett. The son of Thewayyouare was purchased by Collet for $40,000 at the Festival Sale from Windsor Park Stud.

A son of New Zealand’s leading sire by winners, Tavistock, is the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Tavago (NZ). He is a winner of two races from three starts, including an impressive victory in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes at his last start. Top Sydney jockey Blake Shinn has been booked to ride, starting from barrier 5. He was purchased by Mr C Oldfield for $60,000 at the Premier Sale from Cambridge Stud.

Stakes winner Thunder Down Under (Street Sense) has started in six stakes races in his eight career starts, including winning the Listed 3YO Salver two starts back. The son of Street Sense was purchased by the colt’s trainer Stephen Ralph for only $12,000 at the Select Sale from Curraghmore. Leith Innes will ride and they have drawn barrier 1.

The Nigel Tiley trained  Brighton (NZ) (Buffalo Man) is backing up from last weekend after an impressive victory at Tauranga. He has won two races from nine starts including the Listed Champagne Stakes over the course and distance as a juvenile. Purchased for only $8,500 by The White Street Trust at the Festival Sale from Totara Park, he has drawn barrier 10.

The lightly raced Raghu (NZ) (Showcasing) has won one race from five starts and has only been unplaced once. The Showcasing colt finished second in the Listed Wanganui Guineas for trainer Tony Pike. He was purchased for $180,000 by Bradbury Bloodstock at the Premier Sale from Jamieson Park and will begin from barrier 2.

Central Districts visitor Pefect Harmonee (NZ) (Nadeem) has won one race from ten starts for trainer Paul Belsham. The son of Nadeem was purchased by his trainer for $18,000 at the Select Sale from Cambridge Stud.

Having only had three starts in his career is It’s Ben Again (NZ) (Danroad), a debut winner in November. Trained by Brent Gillovic, the son of Danroad was purchased by owner P Galvin for $19,000 from Highview Stud at the Select Sale. He has drawn the outside barrier of 13.

The least experienced horse in the race is Pacquiao (NZ) (Paco Boy) having only raced twice, finishing second in both starts. Craig Grylls will again ride, starting from barrier 9. The son of Paco Boy was purchased by his trainer Graham Richardson for $80,000 from Waikato Stud at the Select Sale.

The Stephen Marsh trained filly No More Tears (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has also won three races from six starts including the Listed Equine Stakes and the Listed Soliloquy Stakes. She was a comfortable winner last start at Rotorua and has drawn barrier 3 for Sunday’s event. The daughter of Darci Brahma was purchased by Go Racing for $75,000 at the Select Sale from Ardsley Stud.

Grey filly Girlsarebackintown (NZ) (Murtajill) has won one race from eight starts. Trained by Stephen Marsh, she was purchased at the Select Sale from Poplar Lodge for $22,000. She has drawn wide at barrier 12.

Rounding out the field are two fillies trained by Graham Richardson. The first is Mistrahma (NZ) (Darci Brahma), a maiden who has three placings from six starts. She was purchased by her trainer for $32,500 from Trelawney Stud at the Select Sale. Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne has been booked to ride, starting from barrier 7.

Completing Richardson’s runners is a daughter of Darci Brahma, De Chine (NZ). She has been placed on three occasions from seven starts and was purchased by her trainer Graham Richardson for $110,000 at the Premier Sale from Phoenix Park. Mark Du Plessis has the mount and will begin from barrier 8.

The Karaka 3YO Mile is set for a big change with a new name and a new purse. The new Karaka Million 3YO Classic worth $1,000,000 will come into effect when yearlings offered at Karaka 2016 are eligible to compete as three-year-olds in 2018.

Below is the confirmed field for NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile

The six-race programme is scheduled to commence at 4.34pm with the first race of the Karaka Million Series, the $100,000 Windsor Park Stud Karaka Stayers Cup running at 5.06pm as Race 2, followed by the Res. Listed $100,000 NZB Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile at 5.39pm as Race 3 and the  Res. Listed $1m Karaka Million race at 6.46pm as Race 5.

The Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie on the eve of the 2016 Karaka Premier Sale, this Sunday 24 January. A range of hospitality options are available including the Karaka Club House. Tickets are available from www.ellerslie.co.nz.

For information on the Karaka Million Series, click here.