New Zealand Racing

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Carlisle Bay/Best Gift didn't go much better than last time. He's behaving really badly at the start at the moment, tiring himself out before the races even start! Don't know why he's doing that.

Sir Slick won another race yesterday, his 17th career win and he was carrying 62.5kg. Amazing horse.

And now, since I'm bored at work, it's time to have another look at the Derby. Let's see how the ones I talked about in my last post about the Derby are going...

BRUXAAR - 3 g Xaar - Kindergarten - 3 starts, 2 wins, 1 second
Trainer Allan Sharrock, who won the Derby last year with Wahid, rates this horse as "one of the best I've trained". This is a huge call. He's going to the Levin Classic (G1) later this month and is going to be very hard to beat in that.

His record is now 6 starts, 4 wins, 1 second. His last start was an easy win against a tough field at Woodville, and he showed some explosive acceleration that only pretty special horses have. He's 12-1 for the Derby. Distance is an issue for him, but if I had to pick a horse for the Derby right now it'd be Bruxaar.

BERIO - 3 g Zabeel - Abbaye - 1 start, 1 win
Huge debut win this weekend, looks like a big powerful boy who won't have any trouble with the Derby distance. Look out.

Oops. Got this one wrong. Not in contention.

THUMBS UP - 3 g Shinko King - Regelle - 1 start, 1 win
Went out at 44-1 on debut on Wednesday and was 4 lengths behind the 2nd last horse around the final turn...flew down the outside and won with ease. That field was probably not the strongest, but what a win.

2 times out of the money since this, so I might have this one wrong too...I still have hope for this guy though.

SIX O'CLOCK NEWS - 3 g Zabeel - Maurine - 2 starts, 1 second
Amazing breeding (son of multiple G1 winning mare), and is getting better as he runs over more and more distance. Another big powerful guy.

Yay! This is one I did get right! He's now had 6 starts for 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third, and that third was a fast-closing effort in the G2 Great Northern Guineas last start. He's 12-1 for the Derby too.

Rios, Nom Du Jeu, Pierre Joseph and The Pooka haven't raced since. I'm expecting them to appear again in the next couple of weeks.

There are some I hadn't even heard of when I did that post that are now the leading contenders now though...

PRINCE KAAPSTAD - 3 g Kaapstad - Brilliant Princess - 8 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third
G2 Great Northern Guineas winner, a very impressive effort and there's no doubt he'll get the distance. 10-1 for the Derby.

IL DIVO - 3 g Don Eduardo - Rubiton's Best - 5 starts, 1 win, 3 seconds
Closed nicely for second in that Guineas. 12-1 for the Derby.

STEEL - 3 g Zabeel - Tennessee Midnight - 4 starts, 2 wins, 2 thirds
This horse has been getting better every race, finishing nicely for 3rd in his first 2 races before clearing maidens impressively and winning again last start. Both of those wins were at the Derby track, Ellerslie. He's a Zabeel, of course he'll get the distance. 10-1.

RED RULER - 3 g Viking Ruler - Ransom Bay - 3 starts, 2 wins, 1 third
The Derby favourite. What's he beaten? Absolutely nothing. But the way he's done it has been so impressive, 8-1 almost looks like good value.

This looks like a pretty talented crop. I hope so anyway.

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Some fantastic entries for Telegraph Sprint Day at Trentham, the first day of Wellington Cup week.

ANNIVERSARY HANDICAP
Final Reality
Ombre Rose
Shamrock Star
Avaroadi
True Valour
Fercertain
Black Fox
Point Guard

WAKEFIELD STAKES (G2 2yo)
Reuben Thorn
Fully Fledged
Fyfetheknife
Khamseen
Stand And Deliver
Captain Fantastic
Izonit
Sanjura
Viva Volksraad
Lady Alberton
Amazing Sky
Key Message
Solo Flight
Pure Strike
Hell Yeah
Joan's Chance
Seathepost
Awesome Planet
Encantada
Starring

WELLINGTON STAKES (G3 3yo)
Alamosa
The Pooka
Prince Kaapstad
Bruxaar
Run Like Al
Mission Critical
Nom du Jeu
Halfametreshort
Van Who

TRENTHAM STAKES (G3 wfa)
Xcellent
Delbrae
Kerry O'Reilly
Everswindell
Miles
Three Chimneys
Twinkling
Sakura Cluden

TELEGRAPH HANDICAP (G1)
Seachange
Dezigna
Clifton Prince
Kay's Awake
Irlanda
Imananabaa
Our Umaga
Rabkalajo
O'Cartier
Pinsoir
Brianna
Maximum Star
Accardo
Manten
Pinmdown
Leadership
St Verdi
Smartway
Victory Code
Mary Ellen

Wish I could be down there!

[my miss storm cat]

Of course i only know about a fifth of the names but looks like a great day.

[my miss storm cat]

Glad your girl Seachange won again.

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Everyone knows about poor Xcellent's career-ending injury at Trentham on Saturday, but apart from that awful moment it was a really good day, spent the whole day on the couch in front of the TV.

The first of the big races, the Wakefield for 2yos, is a good example of how quickly your luck can change in racing. A horse called Fully Fledged hit the lead and looked like it would kill them, but then for some reason it decided it wanted to jump over the rail. So Captain Fantastic (by Fantastic Light), Xcellent's stablemate, ended up winning!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzacCr9-4Es

Then in the Anniversary Handicap, Fiscal Madness made it 2 big mile races in a row, and this was a nice win under a big weight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UcLS-aWvC4

Alamosa's probably our best 3yo. None of the others have won a race as impressively as he won this Wellington Stakes against a very good field including Bruxaar, The Pooka, Prince Kaapstad and Mission Critical. He's a very impressive colt and has won 7 out of 15 now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwnsx8ok01E

Then it was the Trentham Stakes. At least Xcellent ended his career with a win. Apparently the injury happened early in the stretch, and they think he was in a lot of pain as he ran, but he was just so determined to win. That's how I'll remember him. We'll miss you X.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJFrTQ-s6X4

And the main race of the day, the Telegraph, was absolutely awesome. They said Seachange couldn't win with that massive weight against such a strong field...they were wrong. Look out Dubai, here comes one of the toughest little mares you've ever seen. And she's pretty fast too. Don't know if she's as good as some of the others who will be in the Duty Free, but I really hope she goes well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRg9zb1vRNU

[my miss storm cat]

Thanks for the links.

I had read about Fully Fledged..... geez, Antonius Pius-esque.

[my miss storm cat]

How good did this one look, ed?

http://www.virtualformguide.com/cgi-...80126young.txt

[_ed_]

He was really good, it was a weak field (apart from Pasta Post, but he didn't handle the distance) but he smashed them. Was good to see Resolution get up for 2nd for the trainers of Xcellent and Jokers Wild.

The video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMH24Gj7khw

The track was a bit off (and the weather had been fine, they just watered it too much ), but some of the other races were still really good.

Keepa Cruisin won another big one in the G2 Desert Gold, very impressive win after being given a great ride by Leith ('Lethal') Innes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2Tn3bElrQ

And then Alamosa smashed the older horses in the G1 Thorndon, which was awesome to see. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVHsHvDAZMM

Tomorrow is a big day at Ellerslie, with the first ever Karaka Million ($1 million race for 2yos). Here's the field: https://www.ebetonline.co.nz/forms/2...#view=FitH,top Lots of talent in here, very hard to pick.

And some of the other races on the card are good too, with Derby contenders like Steel, Red Ruler and Minqar Qaim all running on the undercard.

[my miss storm cat]

Thanks, ed!

Let us know who wins the Karaka Million. i don't know any of the horses..... DUH!

[brockguy]

ed really looking forward to seeing Seachange in Dubai... she is one awesome girl..do you know if they are they planning on sending her to Europe after do you know or back to NZ for some end of season targets..

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They've been talking about going to the UK with her, maybe the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot.

I hope they go for a race like the Windsor Forest there instead, I think she'd be a great chance in that, and then maybe a race like the Falmouth. I believe she's better at a mile than sprinting.

But she still tries her heart out every time and I'm sure she wouldn't disgrace herself in the Golden Jubilee.

3 hours until the Karaka Million! I'm stuck at work so can't go. But at least I can watch it on TV.

[my miss storm cat]

Hey ed... do you know a horse Starofken?

He makes his HK debut tonight as Guan Dao (oooh pretty! ) in R4....

A very nice field.

[_ed_]

Can't tell you anything about that one sorry, never heard of it. Hope it goes well though, love seeing the NZ-breds winning in HK.

In the Karaka Million undercard, Red Ruler just brilliantly won the One Cool Cat Mile. 4 wide all the way, hit the lead at the top of the stretch but clearly headed by a wonderful filly in Sing Song Girl and dropped out to be a length behind...then rallied! Unbelievable. There's the Derby favourite.

30 minutes til the Million.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

Can't tell you anything about that one sorry, never heard of it. Hope it goes well though, love seeing the NZ-breds winning in HK.

In the Karaka Million undercard, Red Ruler just brilliantly won the One Cool Cat Mile. 4 wide all the way, hit the lead at the top of the stretch but clearly headed by a wonderful filly in Sing Song Girl and dropped out to be a length behind...then rallied! Unbelievable. There's the Derby favourite.

30 minutes til the Million.

Ooooh, later on if you happen to find a replay.....

[_ed_]

Absolutely, I'll post links to both that race and the Million a bit later on.

Karaka Million result:

Vincent Mangano
Maureen Dorothy
Raid

Vincent Mangano has won 3 out of 4 now, and this was by far his best performance so far. He had the outside barrier draw, didn't care about that. And he didn't care that everyone who was saying he was the best 2yo in the country back in November had forgotten all about him.

Great result.

[_ed_]

Videos:
Red Ruler
Karaka Million

[brockguy]

Originally Posted by _ed_

They've been talking about going to the UK with her, maybe the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot.

I hope they go for a race like the Windsor Forest there instead, I think she'd be a great chance in that, and then maybe a race like the Falmouth. I believe she's better at a mile than sprinting.

But she still tries her heart out every time and I'm sure she wouldn't disgrace herself in the Golden Jubilee.

3 hours until the Karaka Million! I'm stuck at work so can't go. But at least I can watch it on TV.

ed thanks for the update.. just one more q about her. i see she's won 6g1s from 6-8f or 1200-1600m but if she does go to dubai, wont she be in the duty free over 9f and how will she like the extra few metres? thanks..

[_ed_]

That's very true, but I think she'll handle it.

She's only run further than a mile twice, in the G1 Kelt Stakes the last 2 years. That's 2000m (1m 2f), and she was in front until the last stride both times, losing by a head and a neck if I remember right.

So 9f should be within her range, but obviously it will be a much stronger field than she's used to running against.

[brockguy]

thanks ed. had another look at her latest win. If she's quick enough to be handy carrying top weight over 6f, she'll easily have enough tactical speed to get herself in a good position over 9f. I dont know what the field behind her are capable of, but I really think she can do very well against the world's best..

ill have to have a good long read through this thread..

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I've been looking forward to this Saturday for a little while, it's the Waikato Guineas, one of the main Derby prep races.

Maybe you might recognise some of these names:
1 13215 Prince Kaapstad 4 85 56.0 Sam Spratt (a) Richard Yuill & Stephen Goodin, Pukekohe Park
2 12151 Sircross 13 83 56.0 Leith Innes Richard Collett, Pukekohe Park
3 51624 Borrack 14 77 56.0 Robert Hannam Adrian Bull, Hunterville
4 11632 Six O'Clock News 15 77 56.0 Chris Johnson Patrick & Trent Busuttin, Cambridge
5 24122 Il Divo 1 76 56.0 Jason Waddell John Sargent, Matamata
6 35441 Pierre Joseph (AUS) 6 76 56.0 Michael Walker Stephen McKee, Ardmore
7 09014 Demhills 11 74 56.0 Sean Collins Patrick & Trent Busuttin, Cambridge
8 13518 Halfametreshort 16 74 56.0 Lisa Cropp Graeme Rogerson & Garry Newham, Tuhikaramea
9 32016 Nom du Jeu 10 74 56.0 Noel Harris Murray Baker, Cambridge
10 03105 Figuring 3 72 56.0 Gavin McKeon Kay Lane, Levin
11 012 One For The Money 2 70 56.0 Michael Coleman Mike & Paul Moroney, Matamata
12 93524 Keepabit 5 69 56.0 Craig Grylls (a) Stephen McKee, Ardmore
13 40413 King Silver 12 68 56.0 Troy Harris (a) John Sargent, Matamata
14 2351 Post Haste 9 68 56.0 Opie Bosson Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott, Matamata
15 24 Maythehorsebemagic 8 57 56.0 Vinny Colgan Roger James, Cambridge

These (the top 6 especially and Nom du Jeu) are the horses (as well as Rios and The Pooka) that have been prominent Derby contenders since the start of the season. The new kids that have come along like Red Ruler and Steel might just have left them behind a bit, but this is their chance to prove that they've developed enough to still be strong contenders.