Thrilling Conclusion to NZB Spring WFA Championship

An exciting running of the Group 1 A$400,000 Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes (2000m) concluded the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship at Caulfield with Foreteller (Dansili) capturing the title with an eighth place finish behind Fawkner (Reset) in Saturday’s Group 1 feature.

Fawkner drives to the line to win the Group 1 Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes.

Heading into the race as the Championship leader on 14 points, Foreteller added one point for his eighth placed finish which was enough for the Chris Waller trained galloper to secure the crown.

The star of the day was Fawkner who was returning to the site of his first Group 1 victory – last year’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup. Trained by Robert Hickmott for Lloyd, Nick & Saskia Williams, Fawkner was having his first run in the Championship having finished second to Dissident (Sebring) in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at his only other run this campaign.

It was Dissident who was sent out as the race-favourite and a victory would have secured him the Championship. He only managed to finish sixth but it was revealed he had bled following the race.

Fawkner’s rider Nicholas Hall sent his mount forward early in the race and enjoyed an economical run in the trail. Hall had the son of Reset in a position to challenge at the top of the straight and the pair raced to the front at the 200m. Kiwi-bred galloper Criterion (NZ) (Sebring) chased hard but came up just short as Fawkner held on to win by a head.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” commented Nick Williams. “He is a horse we have taken along slowly through his career and every time we have asked him to step up he hasn’t let us down.

“We are very proud to have arguably the best son of Reset who we raced. He is a genuine weight-for-age horse now and we are keeping our fingers crossed he can put his best foot forward in the Cox Plate.

“What he has really shown is that he has the traits of his grandfather’s progeny (Zabeel). Reset was Zabeel’s best performed son to go to stud and Fawkner is very much in the mould of Zabeel. Putting a New Zealand connection to it he is very much like a good Zabeel.”

Saturday’s win was Fawkner’s tenth victory from 24 starts and took the seven-year-old’s career earnings to A$2,865,751.

Connections of the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship winner Foreteller.

This year’s New Zealand Bloodstock WFA Championship at Caulfield Racecourse was evenly contested with Foreteller’s winning tally of 15 the second lowest in the history of the Championship. Foreteller competed in three legs of the Championship highlighted by his win in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes.

Happy Trails (Good Journey) ran into fifth placing which earned him three points in the Championship, taking his total to 12 points as he came the closest to running down Foreteller.

Foreteller is raced by G G Ltd, Mr I Bruce, Mr F W Cook, Mr D M Ackery, Mr B L Mathieson, Mr R Smith, Mr K J Hunt, Mr B P Bradley, Werrett Bloodstock Pty Ltd & Mrs C M Cook.

Horses competed in four weight-for-age races at Caulfield over an eight week period with A$1.37 million in prizemoney on offer along with trophies to the value of $25,000.

It was the fourth year that New Zealand Bloodstock has partnered with Melbourne Racing Club for the Spring WFA Championship with Foreteller joining Atlantic Jewel, Ocean Park (NZ) and Lights of Heaven (NZ) as winners of the Championship.

To view the final standings in the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship at Caulfield, click here.