Shadows Cast (NZ) Heads Karaka Quinella in Challenge Stakes

Karaka graduates filled the quinella in Saturday’s $100,000 Kamada Park Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni, with Shadows Cast (NZ) (Per Incanto) claiming the second Group Two win of his career.

Shadows Cast was offered for a $10,000 reserve at the 2014 South Island Sale, but he was passed in.

He has since become a star sprinter-miler, stepping up to Group Two level with a dead-heat victory in the 2017 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton.

On Saturday he did it again against a quality weight-for-age field. He improved out of midfield approaching the home turn and threw down a fierce challenge to the $50,000 Select Sale purchase Contessa Vanessa (NZ) (Bullbars).

With Johnathan Parkes in the saddle, Shadows Cast gradually got the better of that rival through the final 300 metres and won by half a length.

“He’s a good horse who’s always been thereabouts in the best company,” Parkes said. “I was able to get him off the fence heading into the straight, and he’s just been too strong.”

Shadows Cast has now had 32 starts for nine wins, nine placings and $304,452 in prize-money – more than 30 times his reserve at the 2014 South Island Sale.

“This horse has always been pretty good,” proud owner Ron Cunningham said. “Mark (Oulaghan) has done a great job training him.”

Runner-up Contessa Vanessa, herself a Group 2 winner, has had 26 starts for five wins, 10 placings and $300,091 – six times her purchase price.