Ruud Awakening Superb in Karaka Million

The hugely exciting and largely untapped filly Ruud Awakening lived up to the hype with a superb performance to win New Zealand’s richest race – the $1 million Karaka Million (Res.L) (1200m) – at Ellerslie last night.

Billed as the horse to beat in the race since her victory in the Listed Wellesley Stakes at Trentham in October, Ruud Awakening (Bernardini x Dawn Almighty) produced one of the best performances seen in the Karaka Million’s six-year history as she dominated her rivals from the gates to the post.

Ruud Awakening will be aimed at NZ’s Group 1 2YO races later in the season

Ridden by Australian jockey Craig Williams – who won the Karaka Million last year on Ockham’s Razor – he took Ruud Awakening to the front immediately after jumping and in the straight she was simply a class above, showing her powerful acceleration and racing away from the field under a hold to win by an effortless three lengths easing down.

“It was awesome, words can’t describe it,” commented trainer Stephen Marsh. “We hoped she would do something like that but we never expected it. It’s one thing to get the horse to the race but winning is quite another so we really couldn’t be happier.

“Craig (Williams) rode a great race and he said that she had quite a lot left in the tank so she is very exciting.”

Marsh and Albert Bosma, owner of Go Racing Syndicates and manager of the Go Racing Almighty Dawn Syndicate, came to the 2012 Karaka Yearling Sales looking for a two-year-old for the race and purchased Ruud Awakening.

“Albert wanted a running style of two-year-old to target the Karaka Million and we purchased Ruud Awakening and she has proven a great purchase. She really is an incredible filly, so many two-year-olds have issues such as shin soreness but from the day we purchased her and broke her in she has never put a foot wrong and we have never had an issue, never, which is a testament to her quality.

“We have a great team of owners so it’s a thrill to have won such a big race for them and now we want to get a Group 1 next to her name so we will look to bring her back to Ellerslie for the Group 1 Diamond Stakes.”

Ruud Awakening’s victory earned her owners – the Go Racing Almighty Dawn Syndicate – which includes legendary ex All Black Sir Colin Meeds, $550,000, taking her total stakes earnings to over $600,000.

The race was a great result for up-and-coming trainers with their horses filling the first three placings. The Paul & Kris Shailer trained Fantastic Honour (Any Suggestion x Accidentallyinlove) claimed second place – earning her connections $170,000 – with Touche (Thorn Park x Centapin) finishing third for trainer Johno Benner, earning $75,000.

Bred by Watson Bloodstock Ltd, Ruud Awakening was offered by Westbury Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 Karaka Premier Sale where she was purchased by Albert Bosma’s Go Racing Syndications for $90,000.

To view the final placings in the 2013 $1 million Karaka Million, click here.

The $1 million Karaka Million is an incentive race for two-year-old nominated graduates of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series. In order to target next year’s Karaka Million, your horse must have been offered at the 2013 Karaka Yearling Sales which begin today with the Premier Sale at 11am.

Nominations for the Karaka Million close on Wednesday 6 March 2013 at 5pm with the NZ$1,750 + GST entry fee per horse due 30 April 2013.