Wolfgang (NZ) Headlines Karaka Quinella in Wellington Cup

A brilliant breakthrough by Wolfgang (NZ) (Puccini) headed a one-two finish for Karaka graduates in the time-honoured $400,000 Group Three NZCIS Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Wolfgang was offered by his breeders Mapperley Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2020, where he failed to meet his $50,000 reserve. He has now had 42 starts for seven wins, 10 placings and $550,917 in prize-money.

The runner-up in Saturday’s famous two-miler was Crouch (NZ) (Tarzino), who was a $20,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2021. He has earned $208,055 from a 22-race career that has featured five wins and four placings.

The Wellington Cup was the first black-type win for Wolfgang, who had previously finished second in the Group Three Balmerino Stakes (2000m), Group Three Manawatu Cup (2300m) and Listed Wellesley Stakes (1000m), third in the Group Three Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m), and fourth in the Group Three Geelong Cup (2400m).

Saturday was a well-deserved day in the sun, launching an extraordinary finishing burst from fourth-last in a slowly run race. Jockey Joe Doyle angled him to the outside at the top of the straight and pushed the button, and the Peter and Shaun McKay-trained gelding bounded home out wide on the track to score in dominant come-from-behind style.

“When I pushed the button in the straight, he just ran past them,” Doyle said.

Saturday’s win was a special result for the McKay family. Wolfgang is trained by the father-son duo of Peter and Shaun, while Peter shares ownership with his wife Kim along with Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison.

“This is unreal,” Shaun McKay said. “I was never able to ride a 3200-metre winner in my career, but it’s special to be lucky enough to train one today with Dad. Mum and Dad had the sire Puccini (NZ) too and had some great success with him, so that just makes it even better.

“He just showed today that he’s a really tough horse. We tried to get a Group win with him as a two-year- old and kept going close with placings. We had to be patient, and now he just keeps getting better and better as a six-year-old. I think he’ll be even better in six months’ time.

“Hopefully we can get him back to Aussie next season and pick up a good win there. You never know how a horse is going to go over the 3200 metres until you try, but the way he really flew home over that distance today gives us a bit of confidence. It would be amazing to get him to the Melbourne Cup (Group One, 3200m).”

Wolfgang became the first stakes winner for the former Mapperley Stud stallion Puccini, who himself was a $175,000 weanling purchase at Karaka in 2011. Puccini is the sire of one yearling in the catalogue for Karaka 2025 – a filly that will go through the ring in Book 2 as Lot 711.

Vendor	Mapperley Stud Ltd
Purchaser
Breeding	Puccini – Navy Beach
Sale	Lot 126, Karaka 2020 Book 1, Psd (Res $50,000)
Bred by	Mapperley Stud Ltd