Zavite Wins Auckland Cup

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 11:26

Zavite (7 B. G. Zabeel – Miss Vita, by Alleged), trained by Anthony Cummings and ridden by Damien Oliver, proved a class above his opponents when winning the $1 million, Group One Stella Artois Auckland Cup over 3200 metres at Ellerslie on Wednesday, in one of the fastest times for the race in recent years.

Carrying the number one saddlecloth and top weight of 57.5 kilograms, Zavite covered the two mile journey in 3:18.96 to give Oliver another New Zealand cup to go with the Wellington Cup he won aboard Ed in 1995, in the same year he combined with Doriemus for his first Melbourne Cup success.

Media Puzzle provided Oliver with his second Melbourne Cup victory in 2002.

The 37-year-old Oliver had not ridden a winner in New Zealand for 10 years with his previous Kiwi success being in the 1998 NZ Derby on So Casual, however Oliver was aboard the Paul Perry-trained Dantelah in the 1999 Group 1 Telegraph Stakes when relegated to second on protest in a controversial decision.

Bred in New Zealand by Fairdale Stud, Zavite was the only offering by the stud at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2004, where Cummings made the purchase for $80,000.

Owned by A Blood, K Falconer, Mr G Clare & Ms J L Clare, Mr K S Ince & Ms J M Ince & Mr M J Dalling & Ms S I Dalling, Zavite has now won ten of his fifty starts for earnings of $1,109,934.

As Grand Affair assured a genuine pace, Oliver settled Zavite in twelfth position, remaining there before being set alight at the 700 metres.

Such was the acceleration by Zavite that he ranged to lead within 200 metres and set sail for the line with a three length advantage straightening for the 400 metre run home.

Without appearing under threat from that point on, Zavite found another gear at the 150 metre mark and powered clear to win by three and a quarter lengths.

Ridden by Glen Boss, second placed Booming could not bridge the gap, yet announced his promise for the future with his performance.

Third place went the way of outsider Tin Goose, who capitalized on his liking for the track with a career best effort, under rider Trudy Thornton.

The winner of the race twelve months ago, Spin Around, produced a run in keeping with the excellent condition in which he presented, when finishing fourth.

Minqar Qaim finished fifth.

Oliver said, “They went pretty hard from the gate and I thought I’d pop in behind them and get him to relax. He was settled nice and coming to the turn I had some good chances in front of me, but they weren’t going near as good as this bloke. So, I thought, no use doing anything pretty. He just sort of cruised up and was jogging on the turn. He kicked well, I might have gone a bit early, but he was just going so well. It was a comprehensive win and a good effort under the weight.”

Plenty of money came for Zavite as post time arrived, closing as the favourite and returning $4.70 & $2.10.

Oliver gave substance to the late betting move when saying, “It was a good win last start with sixty kilos and Anthony said the horse had thrived since he’d been here.”

Zavite had been successful at his previous start when carrying the big weight to victory over 2500 metres at Moonee Valley on February 26

Cummings said the reason for the Trans-Tasman assignment was the big stake money on offer.

“It is one million dollars, and even if it’s Kiwi it’s still good. This puts New Zealand up there on the world stage and if you want to keep doing that then this is what you’ve got to do.”, Cummings said.

“I left the riding decisions to Damien (Oliver). There looked on paper to be good speed out of the gates. There were some question marks about the staying ability of a lot of them. He played a waiting game. He helped him carry the weight and made the right move coming toward the turn.”

Cummings spoke of his long association with Fairdale Stud, while Gerald Fell from Fairdale remembered back to Zavite as a yearling, and paid homage to the patience the trainer.

Fell said, “He was the lowest mongrel of a horse as a yearling and he was climbing the walls and sweating up at the sales. He could have been a disaster if had got into the wrong hands, but he went to a sympathetic trainer who has done a fantastic job with him. It’s a fairytale because he was an unlikely and challenging yearling.”

Cummings said, “I’ve been looking at Fairdale’s draft since I was fourteen and I won’t stop now. They’re good breeders, they’ve been breeding and selling horses for three generations while a lot of others have gone by the wayside and I sort of cut my teeth on New Zealand yearlings. I don’t try and beat New Zealand bred horses I just get in with them.”

“There was no rap for him as a yearling, but he’s lived up to every expectation of what I thought I was buying”, said Cummings.

Daffodil Blooms In Big First-up Win

Saturday, 20 February 2010 04:15

Top mare Daffodil scored a slashing first-up victory over 1100m on Saturday in preparation for the Group One BMW in Sydney in April.

The Kevin Gray-trained stayer justified her heavy support in the $NZ40,000 open handicap at New Plymouth, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths from the well-performed sprinter Jazzella.

Daffodil, carrying topweight of 58kg, was crunched on the tote to start $2.60 favourite at her first race start since finishing a luckless 11th in the Melbourne Cup in November.

The 2009 AJC Oaks winner also topped $NZ1 million in stake earnings with her eighth victory from 23 starts.

Daffodil settled fifth in the running and loomed up halfway down the straight to overhaul the pacemaker Jazzella, with rider Opie Bosson showing minimal vigour.

"It's just pure class, isn't it," owner Garry Chittick told Trackside television, adding the performance exceeded his expectations.

"She's had a lot of bad luck but she's just a wonderful mare to be a part of."

Chittick confirmed Daffodil would have her next start at Group One level in the Otaki-Maori Weight-For-Age (1600m) next Sunday before travelling to Sydney for the $A400,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on March 203 then the $A2.25 million BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on April 3.

NZ Derby To Military Move

Saturday, 06 March 2010 05:03

The hype, the pomp and the palaver that surrounds the richest derby in the southern hemishphere, came to a climax at Ellerslie racecourse in Auckland on Saturday.

Derby prospects are discussed as they emerge, virtually from the outset of their three-year-old season, seven months earlier, but in the end it can only come down to one.

Right place, right ride, right preparation, everything has to unfold in unison, and for Military Move (3 B. G. Volksraad – All Night Party, by Just A Dancer), trained by Shaune Ritchie for Steven Kit Sing Lo and ridden by Michael Walker, the stars aligned for him to take out the $2.2m, Group I, Telecom NZ Derby over 2400 metres.

Purchased for $110,000 at 2008 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo for Hong Kong trainer Armond Lee, after initially selling as a yearling from the draft of his breeder Windsor Park Stud, Military Move ended up in the care of Ritchie after an ownership change and he is managed by Queensland bloodstock agent Paul Bellingham.

Ritchie said, “He showed talent from day one. He’s a lovely horse. A good kind bugger and possesses a great turn of foot.”

Never further back than fifth in seven starts after winning on debut, Military Move finished third in the Wellington Guineas on an unsuitable wet track, before being worn down late when second to Katie Lee in the 2000 Guineas.

Notable when running fourth in the Waikato Guineas, then fifth in the Championship Stakes, both won by Zarzuela, as lead-up races to the derby, he was considered a much better chance by his trainer than the $26 quote with bookmakers, and duly shortened to pay $15.80 & $3.60 on the day.

Aided by a good draw, Walker sent Military Move forward from the outset and after a 400 metre run down the straight, he positioned him in the trail behind Time Keeper with a lap to run.

With the more fancied runners further back in the field, the winning off the race came when Walker shot his mount past the tiring pacemaker at the 300 metres to establish a three length advantage and was never in danger thereafter before scoring comfortably by one length.

From last of the fifteen, the performance by second placed Corporal Jones was herculean, as rider Zac Purton had to bring him very wide on the track, around the badly hanging favourite Monaco Consul, who finished eleventh.

Handsome Zulu raced right up to his good looks when coming out of midfield to finish a nose away in third, while the highly touted filly Zarzuela overcame a slow start and a journey at the tail of the field before unwinding in the straight for fourth, one and a half lengths away.

Time Keeper finished fifth, ahead of Martial Art, who found the line solidly for sixth.

Run in a shower of rain, after some morning precipitation, the time for the 2400 metres was 2:27.91, last 600m 35.95.

Across the line, Maori jockey Walker emphasised his emotion with a pukana (poking out his tongue) and cut a few dance moves while still in the saddle, to the delight of the crowd.

Walker was almost killed when falling off a cliff while pig hunting in May 2008 and the derby victory went some way toward the fulfilment of his dream.

Walker said, “My dreams always been to win a derby and an oaks in New Zealand. I’ve got my derby.”

While shedding tears of joy, Walker continued by saying, “I had the best run. I knew I was going to win at the top of the straight. I galloped the horse Tuesday and I thought I could win, honestly win the race, but I was only the pilot. Mr Ritchie, the training he has done has been fantastic. Probably no one thought this horse could stay, maybe a mile or 2000m, but not stay. He deserves all the thanks.”

For Ritchie, the win continued a family tradition after his father, Frank Ritchie, trained the mighty galloper Bonecrusher (Pag-Asa) to win the derby in 1985, strapped by young Shaune.

Coincidentally, Bonecrusher was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame at an awards ceremony the night before.

Ritchie said that while Military Move was destined to be trained in Hong Kong, and aimed at the Hong Kong Derby, he was hopeful of taking the horse to compete in the Rosehill Guineas and AJC Derby over the next couple of months.

Maciano Looking To Earn Derby Start

Friday, 19 February 2010 02:45

Maciano can give himself a chance to emulate his mother with a top-four effort in Saturday's Championship Stakes at Ellerslie.

A $NZ1.45 million buy for trainer John Sargent at Karaka two years ago, Maciano is by Redoute's Choice out of Popsy whose 1993 New Zealand Derby win was the last by a filly.

Maciano has been seen as a potential Derby horse since he began racing this season, but at 23rd in the order of entry he needs to run in the top four in Saturday's Group Two 2100m event to qualify for the $NZ2.2 million blue riband.

Sargent, who trains Maciano at Matamata, had hoped the colt would earn a Derby start in the Waikato Guineas two weeks ago but he finished ninth after he was galloped on while trying to challenge.

"It was like a rugby tackle from behind that he didn't see coming," Sargent said.

"He was very sore after the race. He had to have a week off but he had a very good gallop on Wednesday and I'm very happy."

Maciano's form outside that race suggests he is not too far off the Waikato Guineas form.

At his first start he was just a head behind Guineas winner and Derby favourite Zarzuela, and two starts back he finished ahead of Corporal Jones who was subsequently second to Zarzuela in the Guineas.

Both horses are among Maciano's opponents again on Saturday along with stablemates Sirani and No Emotion.

Sirani, who was impressive in winning at Ellerslie at the end of January, is 14th in the Derby entry order and probably assured of a start.

But Sargent said the Galileo filly was not a certain Derby starter and may instead be saved for the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 17.

"Her owners are traditionalists and they would like her to win the Oaks," Sargent said.

"But we will find out if she's up to Zarzuela tomorrow and the Derby could be a good lead-up to the Oaks anyway."

No Emotion was first emergency for the Championship Stakes but will get into the race after the withdrawal of Imabayboy.

Tenth in the Karaka Mile at his last start, No Emotion also needs a top-four placing to earn a Derby start.

"He just got going late at his last start and we'll try to run a bit handier, but he'll need to lift up a level," Sargent said.

Mufhasa Wins Another Group One In NZ

Sunday, 28 February 2010 07:45

New Zealand's reigning Horse of the Year Mufhasa stormed back to his best form with a dominant win in the Group One Fully Fledged Weight-For-Age (1600m) at Otaki on Sunday.

The Stephen McKee-trained gelding led all the way to beat South Islander Hold It Harvey by 1-3/4 lengths, with a neck to Sydney bound mare Daffodil.

The big talking point was the failure of even-money favourite Wall Street who sat three wide and faded out in the final 200 metres to finish ninth, eight lengths from the winner.

The Jeff Lynds-trained galloper was being set on a path to the Doncaster Mile in Sydney on Easter Saturday but an Australian trip may now be in doubt.

Mufhasa was not entered for the Doncaster in which he finished out of the placings last year following his third in the George Ryder Stakes.

Ridden by regular jockey Sam Spratt on Sunday, Mufhasa was the $6.90 third elect after his last-start third to Tavistock in the Group One Waikato Sprint (1400m).

On his favoured good track, Mufhasa went straight to the front, kicked away on the home turn and never looked like being headed.

The time of 1:32.87 was just outside the Otaki track record.

The Pentire gelding claimed a Group One double last season of the Telegraph Handicap and Waikato Sprint, but after an unsuccessful spring campaign in Melbourne he took some time to return to his best form.

Hold It Harvey ran on strongly for second to just pip Daffodil, who tracked Wall Street into the race and ran home steadily without ever looking a winning chance.

The winner of the 2009 AJC Australian Oaks, Daffodil is on target to head to Sydney for the $400,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on March 20, then the $2.25 million BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on April 3.

The mare is on the third line of BMW betting with TAB Sportsbet at $9 behind Alcopop ($7) and Shocking ($8).

Sir Patrick To Keep Eye On Katie's Moods

Sunday, 14 February 2010 04:15

Sir Patrick Hogan will be keeping a close eye on whether Katie Lee is biting stable staff and treating her handlers badly in the next three weeks.

If she is, she's a good chance of taking on the best three-year-olds in the country in the $2.2 million New Zealand Derby (2400m) on March 6.

Katie Lee sewed up the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year when she won the Saturday's Group Two Sir Tristram Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa, a race Sir Patrick's Cambridge Stud sponsors.

Sir Patrick has said in the past month that he wanted to secure the Filly of the Year title before he even considered a Derby start, and co-trainer Graeme Rogerson said after the Sir Tristram he will do his best to convince Sir Patrick to run her in the Derby.

Now that she's secured the series, Sir Patrick still wants to make sure she's her normal, moody self before heading to the Derby.

"You can only describe her as a bitch," said Sir Patrick. "She bites you and needs to show everyone she's the boss.

"We'll also want to be making sure her blood test results are still good. She's been in training since August and we want to make sure she's still the same before she runs again.

"My father told me that when they are winning, don't stop, but at their first bad race, we should stop."

Katie Lee settled close to the pace for Mark Du Plessis who was deputising for Opie Bosson.

He shot her clear 300m out and she just held out a late challenge from November Rain.

The Derby is shaping to be a good one for fillies as the current favourite is another female, last week's Waikato Guineas winner Zarzuela.

Meanwhile, the 2008 Sir Tristram Classic winner Veloce Bella finally picked up a Group One success after outstaying her opponents to win the Darci Brahma International Stakes (2000m) at the Te Rapa meeting.

Until Saturday, Veloce Bella had recorded placings only in her Group One attempts and she was somewhat unfortunate to be in the same fillies crop as Princess Coup, who beat her in the New Zealand Oaks.

Tavistock Gets Another Run In Melbourne

Sunday, 28 February 2010 03:30

Tavistock's owners have cancelled his flight home from Melbourne and decided to have another go at a Group race there despite his disappointing effort in the Futurity Stakes.

Tavistock, who races as Lord Tavistock in Australia, could not sprint when winner Typhoon Tracy applied the pressure in the home straight and finished fifth of the six runners in the Group One event.

"We knew we are up against some class horses but we were hoping for a bit more from him," trainer Andrew Campbell said.

Campbell and the owners had decided on Saturday night to send the horse back to New Zealand but, after seeing that the Montjeu gelding was fine on Sunday morning, they had another chat and changed their minds.

"When we thought about it, he was not suited to Caulfield as he takes a while to wind up when he sprints, so we have decided to run in the Blamey Stakes at Flemington in a fortnight," Campbell told NZPA.

The Blamey is a Group Two race over 1600 metres.

"It's worth $A300,000, yet if we go home we are running for $200,000 in a Group One," Campbell said.

"The long straight at Flemington will suit him better and he will probably be ridden colder."

Jason Waddell, who rode him on Saturday, returned home on Sunday and had not been canvassed for his availability.

As a three-year-old, Tavistock was based in Melbourne with Mick Price and had four starts for the trainer.

He won an open three-year-old handicap and ran second in the Vain Stakes.

He was given a long spell after finishing down the track in the 2008 Caulfield Guineas and returned to New Zealand to be trained by Campbell who has trained him to two Group One wins.

Tavistock Takes Second Group One

Saturday, 13 February 2010 06:15

Underrated galloper Tavistock will take on Group One company in Australia after winning the Waikato Draught Sprint at Te Rapa in Hamilton on Saturday.

Tavistock came from off the pace for jockey Jason Waddell to run down Wealth Princess at the end of the 1400m weight-for-age contest with last year's winner Mufhasa hanging on for third.

It was the Montjeu entire's second Group One of the season having won the Mudgway Stakes over 1400m at Hastings in August.

Trainer Andrew Campbell said Tavistock would now head to Melbourne for the Group One Futurity Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield in two weeks.

"We had thought about running in the other Group One here today (the International over 2000m)," Campbell said.

"But as we've decided to go for the Futurity Stakes we thought 1400 metres would be a better lead-in."

Tavistock was one of only two Group One weight-for-age winners in the Waikato Sprint field but went out at generous odds of more than $8 despite running second when giving weight to Wall Street in the Group One Thorndon Mile at Trentham at his last start.

Campbell said he thought Tavistock would eventually make a top horse over more than 1600m but was happy to keep him at shorter distances for the moment.

Waddell, who said he was thrilled to win another Group One for people who had been great supporters of his, will ride Tavistock in the Futurity.

Auckland Cup Still An Option For Zavite

Sunday, 21 February 2010 06:45

The Group One Auckland Cup remains on the agenda for talented stayer Zavite if he pleases trainer Anthony Cummings at Caulfield on Saturday.

Zavite had a torrid run in the recent Hobart Cup where he finished seventh to Growl and Cummings' immediate thoughts were to pull the pin on a trip to New Zealand for the Auckland Cup (3200m) on March 5.

But that race and the Group Two Adelaide Cup on March 8 are still options if comes through the Listed Victoria Gold Cup well.

"He will run at Caulfield next Saturday in the 2000 metre handicap and that will tell us where we are," Cummings said.

"He got knocked around in the Hobart Cup and was a bit sore over his hindquarters.

"The Caulfield race will tell us if he has fully recovered and we will go from there.

"The Auckland Cup and the Adelaide Cup are both still there as options.

"Neither is ruled out."

Nothing has been ruled out for Turffontein except hard tracks with the William Reid Stakes winner to tackle the remainder of the autumn sprints.

He is entered for the Newmarket Handicap on March 6 with All Silent heading markets at $5 ahead of Starspangledbanner ($7.50), winner of Saturday's Oakleigh Plate.

If he lines up in the Newmarket, it will be the final Australian start for Starspangledbanner who is due to be flown to Europe where he will race under the Coolmore banner.

The major sprint races at Royal Ascot will be his target before he joins the Coolmore stallion roster.

Growl and last week's Mornington Cup winner Capecover are also entered for the Adelaide Cup.

Capecover is scheduled to have his final leadup in the Lord Reims (2600m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

The David Hayes-trained Growl will take on several other Adelaide Cup contenders when he races in Wednesday's Launceston Cup under topweight of 58 kilograms.

Picture: Greg Irvine

Veloce Bella Picks Up Group One

Saturday, 13 February 2010 05:15

Veloce Bella picked up an overdue Group One success after outstaying Tell A Tale to win the International Stakes at Te Rapa.

Veloce Bella has been one of the better middle distance horses in New Zealand for the past two years but until Saturday had recorded placings only in her Group One attempts.

But she benefited from a hard-run last 800m in the 2000m feature, getting clear 200m out and running past Tell A Tale to win by a neck.

It was the first Group One success for Mark Brosnan who has been training for 18 years.

"She's had a lot of little problems, especially with (muscle) tying up," he said.

"She's really deserved a Group One win."

Veloce Bella was one of the better three-year-old fillies two seasons ago and her victories included the Sir Tristram Classic on this race day in 2008.

She also ran third in this race behind MacO'Reilly and Tell A Tale.

Jockey Michael Coleman said Veloce Bella wasn't travelling that well when MacO'Reilly put the pace on and went a few lengths clear about 1000m out, but the extra pace probably helped eventually.

"I thought I was in trouble at the 600 metres," he said.

"But she found a way back into it and at the 200 metres she started to feel like she had a very good chance."

Veloce Bella is likely to head next to the Otaki-Maori Weight-For-Age on February 28 and then possibly the New Zealand Stakes on March 13.

Passchendaele did well to finish third, 1-1/4 lengths behind Tell A Tale after having to drag the field back to MacO'Reilly, who also did well to finish fourth a half-head behind Passchendaele.