Well Written Adds Auckland Guineas to Unblemished Record

NZB graduates filled the first three placings in the $270,000 Group Two Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, headed by a rising superstar filly who dug deep to defeat a pair of gallant rivals and keep her perfect record intact.

Well Written (Written Tycoon) was a sale-topping $80,000 purchase by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock from the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale. She has now had four starts for four wins and $618,125 in stakes – almost eight times her purchase price.

Runner-up He Who Dares (NZ) (Snitzel) was bought by David Ellis for $825,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2024, while the third-placed Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes) was secured by Ballymore Stables, Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman for $115,000 from Book 2. Affirmative Action has already turned that into more than $260,000 from a five-race career.

But all eyes were on Well Written in the Auckland Guineas. The Stephen Marsh-trained filly has rapidly burst on the scene as arguably New Zealand’s most exciting thoroughbred, starting with a three-length maiden win at Ellerslie on September 20. She blitzed the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) by six and three-quarter lengths at Ellerslie on October 18 in her second start, then added the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) by two and a half lengths at Riccarton on November 8.

Well Written was the $1.20 favourite to make it four out of four in the Guineas on Boxing Day, and she did – but she had to work for it.

Marsh acknowledged leading into the race that Well Written was on the fresh side and not at her absolute peak for this assignment, which was her first start for 48 days. That freshness was clear to see as she got stirred up behind the starting gates and provided some nervous moments for her connections and supporters.

Once the gate attendants finally won the battle and got her loaded, Well Written jumped well and took up a handy position in fourth and one off the rail. He Who Dares set the pace, with Affirmative Action second and Fat Cat (Written Tycoon) third.

Jockey Matt Cartwright angled Well Written to the outside and began to move her through her gears in the straight, but He Who Dares had kicked hard and pinched a break. Adding to the challenge, Affirmative Action drifted out and leaned on the significantly smaller Well Written and stunted her momentum. And in the meantime, He Who Dares was still striding out powerfully out in front and had three lengths up his sleeve.

Cartwright went to work on Well Written and she responded, pinning her ears back and drawing up alongside He Who Dares in the last 50 metres. He Who Dares never gave it away, but Well Written gradually got the upper hand and prevailed by a long neck. There was another length and a quarter back to Affirmative Action, who was short of room late in the race and his connections unsuccessfully protested against He Who Dares for moving out into his path.

“I might have expected her to kick a little bit better, but today is not her grand final,” Cartwright said. “She is a little bit underdone but still got the job done. She is such an exciting filly and she has put her head out when it counts. It’s just a privilege to ride her.”

Marsh is now pointing Well Written towards two big-money targets at Ellerslie – the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) on January 24 and the $4m NZB Kiwi (1500m) on March 7.

“I haven’t felt like that before a race for a long time,” Marsh admitted. “I’ve been feeling sick all week about it. We haven’t got her tuned up. I knew today she would be vulnerable. We certainly didn’t want to be coming here and getting beaten.

“I am just proud of her and I thought Matt did a great job. I told him to nurse her until the last little bit, don’t go for her too early, and he did exactly that.

“It was a little bit hairy for a bit, but she knows where the line is. I knew with her condition she would probably come to the end of it in that last little bit, hence why I said to Matt to ride her with patience, don’t go early, and he gave her another 10-out-of-10 ride.

“I think she is one out of the box. She is brilliant. I felt a bit of pressure today, but I am certainly relieved now, and it makes it all worthwhile.”

Vendor	Brighthill Farm
Purchaser	Stephen Marsh Racing/Dylan Johnson Bloodstock (Waikato)
Breeding	Written Tycoon – Mozzie Monster
Sale	Lot 36, 2024 National Online Yearling Sale, $80,000
Breeder	Mr D Digney
Owner	Yulong Investment NZ Ltd, 8 Mates Syndicate, W L Bolton, Ms S E Bourke, N V Burnside, J Carter, V Carter ONZM, P Dench, N N Dobson, J R Gray, S W Hawkings, J Lewis, Rayas Bloodstock Ltd, P L Sparrow, Vencedor Partnership, M & R Yortt