The Race to the Karaka Million is Underway

The race has begun towards the 2016 $1 million Karaka Million – New Zealand’s richest race – taking place on January 24 at Ellerslie Racecourse.

An early Karaka Million contender has been uncovered with Caorunn (NZ) (Showcasing) winning at his second start for trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young in the $7,000 El Cheapo Cars 2YO over 800m at Otaki yesterday.

“We will be looking to follow the Karaka Million path with him,” commented Young. “We have just turned him out after yesterday’s run, giving him three or four weeks in the paddock for a little freshen up. Now we have that little bit of money in the bank it takes the pressure off.

“When he comes back in we will head towards some of those stakes races for the lead up into the Karaka Million, that’s always been the plan with him.”

After jumping well and racing near the pace, Caorunn raced away from the field in the straight to win impressively by one-and-a-quarter-lengths in the seven-horse field.

“It was nice to see him win like he did, he won pretty well against some really nice horses and had his ears pricked at the line too,” said Young.

Purchased for $60,000 at this year’s Karaka Select Sale, Caorunn was bought with the Karaka Million as an aim. The Busuttin and Young stable identified the Karaka Million, run on the eve of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series, as a target race for the partnership.

“We liked the look of him (Caorunn) at the Sales and he is a full-brother to Boodles, who is pretty smart, so we were just hoping it was going to carry on through the family,” stated Young.

“We always try to source a couple of horses at the yearling sales with the Karaka Million in mind - he looked like a nice horse and looked an early runner.”

Bred by Wayne and Vicki Pike, who sold Caorunn through their Longlands Stud draft, the gelding is by New Zealand’s Leading First Season Sire and Leading Two-Year-Old Sire of last season Showcasing, the sire of $1m Karaka Million winner Hardline (NZ).

Earning prizemoney in his first two starts has put Caorunn in second place on the Order of Entry for the Karaka Million with total stakes of $7,875.

Debut winner Tennessee (NZ) (Per Incanto) currently leads the Order of Entry for the Karaka Million for two-year-olds having earned just shy of $11,000 in prizemoney.

Trained by Stephen McKee and Eddie Chippendale, Tennessee won her first start earlier this month at Ruakaka in the $17,500 New Ford Ranger 880, gaining a narrow victory, by a short neck, over Caorunn.

The daughter of Per Incanto, last season’s Leading First Season Sire and Leading Two-Year-Old Sire by winners, was purchased by Trevor McKee at this year’s Karaka Festival Sale for $15,000 from Mapperley Stud.

Other Karaka Million eligible two-year-olds to earn stakes are Kingsman (NZ) (Darci Brahma), Retallick (NZ) (Thewayyouare) and Always Explosive (NZ) (Guillotine).

The next two-year-old race is scheduled to run on Saturday 3 October at Riccarton Park, a $17,500 race run over 800m.

To view the Order of Entry for the Karaka Million, click here.