Upham (NZ) To Contest the Queensland Derby

Karaka graduate Upham (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) achieved his first taste of stakes success in the Group 3 A$150,000 Mullins Lawyers Grand Prix Stakes (2020m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Upham (NZ) triumphant in the Group 3 Mullins Lawyers Grand Prix Stakes.

Upham was the second of the three New Zealand-bred horses to win at Doomben after fellow Karaka graduate Faust (NZ) (Librettist) won the first race on the day, the Group 3 Premier’s Cup, with kiwi filly Bohemian Lily (NZ) (O’Reilly) completing the treble, in the Group 2 The Roses Stakes.

Three-year-old gelding, Upham, has produced strong form since debuting in October, winning three of his eight starts with only one run unplaced. Trained out of Peter Moody’s stable, his previous two starts saw him finish second in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic and the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate, the latter where he finished behind race rival Sadler’s Lake (High Chaparral).

“It was a good solid effort,” commented Moody. “His toughness and ability got him through.

“He is a nice progressive horse and has never run bad in his career – just a good typical horse out of one of those good New Zealand families.

“I come over to New Zealand and look to buy those mile to mile-and-a-half type horses with a bit of grip and toughness about them. This one was a little bit different, being a Mastercraftsman, sometimes I stand off those northern hemisphere stallions a bit but when they are doubled with a good New Zealand family I’m happy to take the risk.

“He will be going to the Queensland Derby in two weeks.”

Commencing the race from a wide barrier in a field of 16 horses, Upham, ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, went forward to settle in fifth position with race-favourite Sadler’s Lake taking the lead. Tracking Jumbo Prince (Outback Prince), he raced at a steady tempo one off the rail with Redoutable Heart (Redoute’s Choice) travelling slightly ahead.

Racing into the homestraight, Upham pushed through the outside of Jumbo Prince, storming to a clear victory by one-and-a-quarter-lengths over Redoutable Heart who finished in second place and Master Of Arts (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) in third place.

Owned by Mrs SA Moody and Mr MG Goodsell, the son of Mastercraftsman has now earned A$178,360 in prizemoney to date.

Moody Racing purchased the gelding at the 2013 Karaka Premier Sale for $100,000 from Wentwood Grange.

Bred by W Pegg, Upham is a half-brother to stakes-winners Intimate Moment (Dubawi), winner of the Group 3 Epona Stakes, Bonnie Mac (Thorn Park), winner of the Listed Proud Miss Stakes, and Gold Rum (Golan), winner of the Listed Linepower 4YO Handicap. His dam, Gold Class (Gold Brose), was stakes placed in the Listed Windsor Park Sprint Handicap.