Seachange Makes One Act Affair of Two Horse Race

9 January 2006

It was billed as two-horse race, with last start Group 1 winners, Seachange (Cape Cross x Just Cruising) and Wahid (Almutawakel x Rory's Helen), expected to dominate the small field assembled for the Tararua Roading 1400m at Woodville on Saturday.

While the pair finished 1 & 2 as expected, the performance of three-year-old filly, Seachange, to male rival, Wahid, by more than five lengths was a shock to many punters, who struggled to separate the duo.

Seachange is trained by Ralph Manning for owner Dick Karreman and remains unbeaten after five starts. The daughter of Cape Cross was ridden by Australian rider, Gavin McKeon, who has grabbed the opportunity to move to New Zealand temporarily to ride the filly. McKeon also partnered her to victory in the New Zealand Bloodstock One Thousand Guineas in November.

Both Seachange and Wahid were commencing new campaigns after a brief let up. Seachange, currently second behind Shikoba in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series. will tackle the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on January 28, the next leg of the Filly Series. The Manning-trained filly will then be prepared for the New Zealand Oaks on March 18.

Wahid, a $50,000 purchase from New Zealand Bloodstock's Select Yearling Sale, is preparing for a tilt at the Gr.1 Mercedes New Zealand Derby on March 4.  Trained by Allan Sharrock, Wahid took out the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) on November 24.

Seachange is by former Cambridge Stud shuttle sire, Cape Cross, sire of multiple Group 1 winning filly, Ouija Board. The son of Green Desert is also sire of Group 1 winner last season, Kindacross, and Group 2 winner of the Western Australian Guineas, Cape North. Cape Cross has 19 yearlings entered in the Karaka Premier Sale,

 The Oaks Stud in Cambridge have entered a half-sister to Seachange by Keeper at Lot 391. Seachange's dam, Just Cruising (Broad Reach x Glide By) is a full sister to Group 2 winner and sire, Yachtie, best known as sire to Group 1 winner in the USA, Happyanunoit.