Second Group One Triumph for Tiptronic (NZ)

Racing at Group One level for the 12th time in a career that spans six seasons, one of New Zealand racing’s true warhorses has reached the pinnacle again. 

Bought for $100,000 from the 2015 Premier Sale at Karaka, Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly) claimed his second Group One victory in the $240,000 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The remarkable eight-year-old has now won eight times from 45 starts, earning over $758,000 in stakes for more than a dozen ecstatic owners.

Previously a winner of the Group One Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa in February of 2020, Tiptronic has also finished second in another edition of the Herbie Dyke Stakes, third in the New Zealand Stakes (2000m), third in the Captain Cook Stakes (1600m), fourth in the New Zealand Stakes, fifth in the Zabeel Classic, fifth in the Captain Cook Stakes, sixth in the Herbie Dyke Stakes and seventh in the New Zealand Stakes. He also won this year’s $100,000 Karaka Cup (2200m) at Ellerslie.

Overlooked as a $15 seventh favourite in a star-studded field on Sunday, Tiptronic was sent straight to the lead by Mauritian jockey Ashvin Goindasamy and never gave his higher-rated rivals a look in.

He started to up the ante coming down the side of the track, and although the chasers gave their all to try to claw him back in the straight, Tiptronic kept up a strong gallop and never surrendered his advantage. He charged to victory by a length and a half, with Goindasamy standing up in the saddle in a jubilant celebration.

“This horse deserves that,” said Graham Richardson, who bought Tiptronic at Karaka six years ago and trains him in partnership with Rogan Norvall. “He is a real trooper and tries so hard every time. He is a real warhorse.

“This is as big a thrill as anything and it really hasn’t sunk in yet. He has a large bunch of owners, and it is incredible for them. This is what they’re in it for.”

It was a first Group One win for Goindasamy, who has ridden more than 120 winners in just over four seasons of riding in New Zealand.

“This just means everything – the best Christmas ever,” the 23-year-old said. “During the week I was pretty confident after his last run. I knew he was a Group One winner who would just keep on running.

“He travelled well and had an easy lead, and Mr Richardson had told me to get going at the 600, which I did. He just kept giving and did it well.

“My dad always wanted to be a jockey and couldn’t make it, so this is very special for me. It’s something I have dreamed about and today I made it happen.”