Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) Victorious in the Rosehill Guineas

Kiwi three-year-old Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) (Tavistock) continued New Zealand’s great record in the A$500,000 Group 1 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) with a resounding victory on Saturday.

Volkstok'n'barrell victorious in the Group 1 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas.

New Zealand-bred horses have enjoyed immense success in the Rosehill Guineas, winning six out of the last seven editions. Last year’s victory was taken by Criterion (NZ) (Sebring) following successes from Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral), Jimmy Choux (NZ) (Thorn Park), Zabrasive (NZ) (Zabeel) and Metal Bender (NZ) (Danasinga).

Trained by Ruakaka’s Donna Logan, this is Volkstok’n’barrell’s first Group 1 win, following his second placing in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby to race rival Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor). With a total of nine starts, the son of Tavistock has won six races, four at stakes level, and placed in a further three.

Before Saturday’s victory, Volkstok’n’barrell, the most successful progeny of Tavistock, has raced only at Whangarei Racecourse and Ellerslie Racecourse. New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight flew Volkstok’n’barrell, in his first trip away from home, to Sydney on Wednesday with stable mate Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar), who ran second in the Group 3 Epona Stakes at the same meeting on Saturday.

“It was a very gutsy effort,” commented Logan. “It’s very hard to bring a horse back from 2400m, travel to Australia in his first trip out of the stable and perform at Group 1 level over 2000m. It takes a very special horse to be able to come back and peak again.

“He will go forward now to the AJC Derby.”

Volkstok’n’barrell was sent forward in the early stages by jockey Craig Williams to settle in third position, behind of Pounamu (Authorized) who set the pace while fellow Kiwi rival Mongolian Khan raced in second position. Just ahead of the half-way mark Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel), a fellow Karaka graduate and Group 1 Victoria Derby winner, edged his way through to travel alongside Volkstok’n’barrell on the rail.

Pounamu led by four-lengths heading into the turn for home but quickly making up ground was Mongolian Khan and Volkstok’n’barrell who raced side-by-side as they entered the straight. Barrelling forward to challenge the pace maker, Volkstok’n’barrell took the run on the outside and stormed past Pounamu.

Ranging up on the inside was race favourite Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) and Preferment, who were in the battle in the final stages, but it was Volkstok’n’barrell who bravely fought off the challengers to claim victory by a nose over Preferment, giving Karaka graduates the quinella, and Hallowed Crown who finished in third place.

The three-year-old gelding has now earned A$605,643 to date, for owners Garry Cossey, Jim Gibbs MNZM, Ann Gibbs, Christopher Gibbs, A Goodwin, IDL Racing Ltd, Donna Logan and Rosemont Stud Pty Ltd.

Donna Logan Racing Stables purchased Volkstok’n’barrell for $50,000 at the 2013 Karaka Select Sale from Seaton Park.

Volkstok’n’barrell is from the first crop of Cambridge Stud sire Tavistock, New Zealand’s leading second season sire.

Bred by IDL Breeding Ltd, Volkstok’n’barrell is out of winning mare Volkster (Volksraad), a full-sister to stakes placegetter Champion Chestnut (Volksraad) and Dame Mapperley (Volksraad). Dame Mapperley is the dam of Group 2 Great Northern Guineas winner Le Baron (Golan).

Kiwi horses were in the thick of the action at Rosehill on Saturday with Group 1 placings to Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel), Kuro (NZ)(Denman), Criterion (NZ) (Sebring), and Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo) to go with the New Zealand quinella in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.