Ready to Run Sale Trifecta in Rotorua Cup

NZB Ready to Run Sale graduates finished first, second and third in Saturday’s $100,000 Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m), headed by an underrated gelding who is taking his career to new heights.

Pacifico (NZ) (Ardrossan) went through the 2022 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka as a member of the KB Bloodstock draft, but did not meet his $75,000 reserve. He has had 26 starts for seven wins and eight placings, earning $249,665 for his owner-breeders Jomara Bloodstock.

The second placegetter in Saturday’s Rotorua Cup was Savoir Faire (NZ) (Savabeel), who was bought by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $640,000 from the 2021 Ready to Run Sale. Third was Proboy (NZ) (Proisir), who was passed in with a $50,000 reserve during the 2023 Ready to Run Sale.

But the Rotorua Cup headlines belong to Pacifico. After winning only once in the first 11 races of his career, the son of Ardrossan has now won six of his last 15 and has made impressive progress through the grades.

A close seventh in the Group Two Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga in March, the Andrew Forsman-trained Pacifico then won an open handicap at Tauranga and handed a first defeat to his exciting stablemate Elle Sourit (NZ) (Ocean Park), who went on to finish a close fourth in the Easter Handicap (1600m).

Pacifico made a black-type impact of his own with a placing in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) on April 22, and he deservedly went a couple better on Saturday.

Pacifico was ridden by George Rooke and was travelling strongly through the testing conditions as he, Savoir Faire and Proboy loomed ominously behind the leading pair coming up to the home turn.

Savoir Faire and Pacifico strode to the lead together at the top of the straight, and despite Savoir Faire seeming to have the upper hand in the early part of their duel, Pacifico rallied again in the final 100 metres and got up to win by a neck.

“He had good speed out of the gates and I was worried I was going quicker than I would have liked, but we ended up in a lovely position,” Rooke said. “We got a good breather down the back.

“I saw Michael (McNab, riding Savoir Faire) travelling as well as we were, and I thought he was the one to beat, so we were in a good place.

“It was a good battle down the straight, with a few bumps, and I think he thrived on it. He’s going to be a nice horse.”

Forsman has been proud of Pacifico’s progress.

“He is a neat horse and just so honest,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if he was going to run a strong 2200 metres on what is a very holding track, but it was a gutsy effort and a great ride from George.

“He is a horse that keeps surprising, keeps stepping up and is getting better and better with age. Now that he’s won over ground, it opens up a lot more options for him.

“Jomara Bloodstock are such huge supporters of the stable and it is a pleasure to train for them.”

The 2026 edition of the Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre on Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 November with Breeze Ups to be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on Monday 12 & Tuesday 13 October (tbc).

Vendor	KB Bloodstock
Breeding	Ardrossan – Carib
Sale	Lot 43, 2022 Ready to Run Sale, Psd (Res $75,000)
Breeder	Jomara Bloodstock Ltd
Owner	Jomara Bloodstock Ltd