Rare Toorak Double for Solzhenitsyn (NZ)

The Kiwi-bred Solzhenitsyn (NZ) (St. Petersburg) claimed his second Group 1 A$400,000 David Jones Toorak Handicap (1600m) win at Caulfield on Saturday, becoming only the fifth horse to win back-to-back Toorak Handicaps in its 132 year history.

Solzhenitsyn (NZ) winning the Toorak Handicap on Saturday.

New Zealand-bred horses have now won five of the past six Toorak Handicaps, including the last four in succession. Four of the wins have been recorded by New Zealand Bloodstock Sale graduates with (King) Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire), Alamosa (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Solzhenitsyn.

NZB’s National Weanling Sale graduate came into the weekend’s feature race with good form having won or placed in all three runs this campaign. He was a last start third in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes but had to carry the equal top weight of 58kgs on Saturday, six kilograms more than he carried to victory in last year’s win.

The son of St. Petersburg was superbly ridden by Nash Rawiller, with Rawiller positioning the gelding in a perfect spot in front of mid-field in a fast run race.

The Robert Heathcote trained Solzhenitsyn hit the front with fellow Karaka graduate Blackie (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe) in the Caulfield straight and produced the best turn of foot to break clear of the field to score victory by 1.3 lengths over the fast-finishing Trevieres (Gold Away), with Blackie finishing a game third.

 “What is pleasing me so much with this horse is how he is clearly getting better as he is getting older,” commented Heathcote.

“We have purposely been a little conservative with the horse at this stage in his career. Whilst he is seven-year-old we are fortunate he is sound, he is healthy, and we believe - and I know it is a pretty big comment seeing he is now a dual Group 1 winner - but we think the best is still to come.

“His biggest asset is his toughness. He isn’t the fastest horse in my stable but he is the strongest horse I have ever trained and that is why a race like the Toorak on Saturday suited him down to the ground as it was run at a very good tempo.

“Even though he was conceding weight to the majority of the field he is strong and even Nash said he wasn’t stopping on the line which leads Nash to suggest he will be better suited over 2000m which may be his next race in the McKinnon Stakes.

“We were confident that we had a number of factors in our favour, that being that the horse is in career best form and that was evident from his cracking run in Sydney then an unlucky third in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke two weeks ago. We knew going to a mile was to his advantage, we had a very good barrier in seven, we had Nash Rawiller aboard, arguably one of the top jockeys in Australia, and we got the ideal track, a genuine Good 3, which he races best on.

“The only negative was the weight of 58kgs but, as I told the connections before the race, Solzhenitsyn will run 35 seconds all day long with 52kg on his back or 58kg and that is exactly what happened.

“It was good stuff and another little feather for New Zealand Bloodstock.”

Saturday’s second Toorak Handicap win was also the second Group 1 success in Solzhenitsyn’s career, having raced 34 times for 13 wins and earnings of A$1,087,615. Solzhenitsyn began his career in New Zealand with Richard Otto, recording three wins from nine starts before being transferred to Robert Heathcote’s Queensland stable.

The seven-year-old is owned by well-known participants that including leading New Zealand bloodstock agent Paul Willets, leading Australian bloodstock agent Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock and Trelawney Stud’s Cherry Taylor along with Mr J Capo, Mr L K Nash and Mr A R Atkins.

Bred by Grande Vue Lodge, Solzhenitsyn is the only foal out of his dam Tri Victory (Victory Dance) and is easily the best racehorse by his sire St. Petersburg. He was sold at the 2007 National Weanling Sale by Grande Vue Lodge for $10,000 when knocked down to part-owner Paul Willets.

It is the second consecutive week Paul Willets has purchased a weanling from the Karaka National Weanling Sale to land black-type success following Sir Andrew’s (NZ) (Sir Percy) win in last week’s Group 2 Hawkes Bay Guineas.

For news and sale information from New Zealand Bloodstock visit www.nzb.co.nz.