Written by Paul Vettise
Tolemac (Camelot {GB}) is on target in his bid to become the third Australian-trained winner in more recent times of the G1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby.
He is coming into good form ahead of the Blue Riband Classic, to be contested at Ellerslie on March 2 for a purse of NZ$1 million.
In 2007, Tim Martin blazed a trail when he crossed the Tasman with Redoute’s Dancer (Redoute’s Choice) to claim Derby honours and his wining lead was followed two years later by Bede Murray with Coniston Bluebird (Scenic {IRE}).
Tolemac
Tolemac is officially in the care of Sunshine Coast-based expatriate New Zealander Paul Jenkins, whose brother Brian is back home from Australia to look after the day to day business at the gelding’s Byerley Park base.
“It was a good run the other day, a really nice Derby trial.” - Paul Jenkins said.
“It was a good run the other day, a really nice Derby trial,” Paul Jenkins said.
He won the 2005 G1 Auckland Cup with Bazelle (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) before moving to Queensland and prepared King Keitel (NZ) (Keitel) to win a G1 Doomben Cup.
Brian is also a Group 1 winning trainer, having sent Jezabeel (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) out to claim the Auckland Cup in 1998 before she won the Melbourne Cup later the same year.
He was a part-owner of the mare with Adrian Burr and the pair is likewise involved with Tolemac, Jenkins’ sons Morgan and Wyatt and another former Group 1 winning Kiwi trainer Francis Finnegan also members of the syndicate.
Tolemac after winning at Moe
Classic success
Finnegan produced Eileen Dubh (NZ) (Storm Creek {USA}) to triumph in the 2009 Levin Classic before moving his operation to Cranbourne.
He trained Tolemac to win on debut at Moe and minor placings followed before he was out of the money in the G1 VRC Derby.
“His Australian form is a little bit in and out, but he hasn’t had the best of luck in some cases,” Paul Jenkins said.
“He was second in the Derby Trial at Flemington and fourth in the Geelong Classic and then drew badly in the VRC Derby.” – Paul Jenkins.
“He was second in the Derby Trial at Flemington and fourth in the Geelong Classic and then drew badly in the VRC Derby.
“He was sent forward from a wide gate and it was a fast pace and he came unstuck. Brian was thinking of sending him to Queensland and I said the New Zealand Derby was worth looking at so here he is.”
Tolemac trialled on arrival last month and then finished eighth in his New Zealand debut in the G2 Auckland Guineas.
He showed encouraging improvement at Ellerslie on Sunday when he finished strongly for third, after receiving a bump in the closing 30 metres.
“They walked and then sprinted and his last 600 metres was good work.” - Paul Jenkins.
“They walked and then sprinted and his last 600 metres was good work,” Jenkins said. “He’ll probably run in the Avondale Guineas and then straight into the Derby.”
Tolemac was a $44,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase and was placed with Brian Jenkins to prepare him for the Inglis Ready to Race Sale where he failed to meet his $80,000 reserve.
Tolemac as a yearling
Jenkins had taken a shine to the horse and formed a syndicate to race the son of Zermatt (Shaft), a daughter of the G2 Empire Rose S and G3 Tesio S. winner Zanna (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
Zanna is a three-quarter sister to the Listed Championship S. winner Nigelissima (NZ) and the family of the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Ad Alta (NZ) Kenfair).
