Group 1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic, Otaki
Race Results:
New Zealand’s top performer Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) enjoyed a good run and rider Opie Bosson said he was confident of victory 600 metres from home.
They came wide into the straight searching for the better going and the mare pulled clear for her fourth Group 1 crown of the season.
Wyndspelle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) has a noted dislike of rain-affected ground so his performance for second was full of merit and Consensus (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) boxed on well for third after making all in front.
Pedigree Notes :
Melody Belle is the only foal to race for Meleka Belle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), who is a half-sister to the winners and Group 1 performers Tsarina Belle (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and Desert Rain (NZ) (Honor Grades {USA}).
It is a family breeder Marie Leicester has enjoyed numerous black type success with and includes the G1 Golden Slipper winners Belle Du Jour (Dehere {USA}) and Dance Hero (Danzero).
Group 2 Hobartville S., Rosehill
Race Summary:
The perfect starting point for The Autumn Sun’s (Redoute’s Choice) autumn campaign, this served as a good spot for the colt to brush off any rust he had during his spell.
The Autumn Sun took his place at the back of the field, biding his time while watching the small field battle ahead of him while he ran comfortably on the rail under Kerrin McEvoy. With the field turning into the straight and Rancho Notorious (High Chaparral {Ire}) sticking to him like glue, The Autumn Sun swung wide to make his run.
There were some tense times when he still had work to do at the 300 metre mark but with 200 metres to go he had switched fully into gear and the chase was on. He didn’t take the lead until well inside the 50 metre mark but he was able to beat Vegadaze (Lope De Vega {IRE}) by a half-length.
Bondi (Snitzel) added yet another stakes placing to his resume when finishing in third.
Pedigree Notes:
Offered by Arrowfield Stud at the 2017 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, The Autumn Sun was purchased by Hermitage Thoroughbreds and Chris Waller Racing for $700,000, $50,000 more than his full brother had brought at the same sale the year before.
His dam Azmiyna (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a half-sister to champion Azamour (Ire) (Night Shift {Fr}) and her Listed winning dam is a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Astarabad (USA) (Alleged {USA}).
Azmiyna has a 2-year-old Snitzel three-quarter sister to this colt who was sold for $1.3 million at last year’s Inglis Easter sale for $1.3 million to Chris Waller Racing and Guy Mulcaster, a three-quarters Not a Single Doubt yearling colt catalogued at 369 at this year’s Easter Sale, and a 2018 colt by Snitzel.
She will be mated to Deep Impact on Northern Hemisphere time this year before returning to Europe.
Group 2 Silver Slipper S., Rosehill
Race Results:
Time To Reign (Time For War) showed dramatically improved race craft as he bounced back into form with a comprehensive win that took his record to three wins from four starts and put his G1 Golden Slipper campaign back on track.
Cardiff (Snitzel) burst to the front at the start but Time To Reign's jockey Jason Collet kept a cool head, and Time To Reign kept his head too, settling into a midfield stalking position on the outside of horses.
When Collet said "Go", Time To Reign let down with a tidy turn of foot to comfortably put what looked a classy field to the sword.
Race favourite Tassort (Brazen Beau) lost the race at the start, the length or two he lost crucial as he was forced to use precious energy mid-race, but his effort to chase hard into second ensured he retained pre-post favouritism for Slipper.
Debutant Born A Warrior (I Am Invincible) was also slow away but moved through his gears to run home for fourth.
Pedigree Notes:
Time To Reign cost $325,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale out of the Yarraman Park draft.
Time To Reign is the third foal of city winner Courgette (Charge Forward), who was a $25,000 Inglis Premier Yearling but has had her page bolstered by updates in recent times.
Courgette is a daughter of unraced mare Our Farm Girl (Marscay), who is a sister to Listed Gimcrack Stakes winner Millie and half-sister to L. Winter Cup winner Touch Of Sun (Snippets).
Courgette has a yearling filly from the second and final of Time For War's crops for sale as Lot 412 in the Yarraman Park draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and was covered by I Am Invincible during the spring late last year.
Group 2 Millie Fox S.,
Race Summary:
White Moss (Mossman) hadn’t hit the line first since October of 2017 but she was ready to change that today when winning her first career Group 2.
The grey mare went straight for the lead from the barrier, where she comfortably led the field around the course. Daysee Doom (Domesday) moved up from second to challenge the leader at the 400 mark but White Moss was having none of it and brushed her off. While the field was closing in on her, White Moss determinedly put her head down and refused to give in with I Am Serious (Choisir) and Savatiano (Street Cry {IRE}) gaining on her with every stride in the last 50 metres.
The line came just in time with White Moss winning by nearly a quarter length over I Am Serious with Savatiano close behind in third and another Mossman daughter in Moss Trip finishing fourth.
Pedigree Notes:
White Moss is from New Zealand’s Champion 3-Year-Old Sprinter Pay My Bail (NZ) (Justice Prevails). That mare is also a half-sister to the dam of Group 2 winner Megapins (NZ) (Pins) and from the family of Group 1 winner Shifnal Prince (NZ) (Shifnal).
Pay My Bail has produced six winners from eight to race, including Listed winner White Sage (Reset) and Runway Runaway (Starcraft), the dam of stakes winning Fox Swift (Foxwedge). The mare’s final foal is the 2015 filly White Thyme (Reset), who has placed once in two starts.
Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Plate, Matamata
Race Summary:
It was a race of firsts at Matamata as Aretha (NZ) (Charm Spirit {IRE}) won her first stakes contest and her sire Charm Spirit sired his first Group winner in the southern hemisphere.
Aretha made the most of having a spot on the fence, sitting in third behind the leaders. Her rail position provided her the perfect opportunity to challenge Rainbow Dash (NZ) (Showcasing {GB)} up the rail in the straight with about 250 metres to go. It was a battle to the line with neither filly giving an inch until Aretha was able to stick her head in front with about 50 metres to go.
Aalaalune (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) made a huge run from the back of the field to nearly catch the leaders when finishing third by less than a length.
Pedigree Notes:
The second Group winner worldwide for her shuttle sire, Aretha is also the first stakes winner and only runner for her unraced dam Tsikory (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
The homebred’s dam is a half-sister to two-time Group 1 winner Fiumicino (NZ) (Zabeel) and a granddaughter of five-time Group 12 winner Horlicks (Three Legs). Also included in this family are New Zealand champion Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi {IRE}).
Tsikory has a yearling colt by Pour Moi (IRE) (Montjeu {IRE}), a full-brother to her unraced 4-year-old daughter Instone.
Group 3 Waikato Stud Slipper, Matamata
Race Results:
It was three straight wins on the card at Matamata for jockey Matthew Cameron when 2-year-old Yourdeel (NZ) (Dundeel) bolted in for his first Group victory.
Heading into the straight, the gelding had only one horse left to catch with the leading Moeraki (NZ) (El Roca) looking like he had the rest of the field beat. Yourdeel dispatched that foe with 200 metres left and from there continued to extend his lead to six lengths at the line.
Aotea Lad (NZ) (Savabeel) was able to take second from Moeraki near the line to add yet another stakes placing to his resume.
Pedigree Notes:
A NZ$30,000 Karaka weanling, Yourdeel returned to the ring the following year to sell for NZ$100,000. He is the third winner from four to race for three-time winner Miss Zapper (Red Ransom {USA}) and the first stakes horse for the mare.
Miss Zapper is a half to the dam of Group 3 winner Broadband (Sebring). Miss Zapper’s stakes placed granddam Voltage (Whiskey Road) is the dam of Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winner Drum (Marauding), Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Anamato (Redoute’s Choice) and is the granddam of five-time Group 1 winner and champion Grand Armee (Hennessy).
Miss Zapper’s youngest foal is a yearling colt by Proisir (Choisir) who sold for NZ$2,000 at Karaka last month after bringing the same price as a weanling.
Listed Parramatta Cup, Rosehill
Race Results:
In his first start back since the Melbourne Cup, Red Cardinal (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) won the first Australian stakes of his career.
Red Cardinal enjoyed a spot in last place in a well strung out field for much of the race. At the 400 metre mark, the gelding just had one horse beat but that was soon to change. Deciding to leave the rail, the gelding swung to the middle of the track where he had a clear run.
At the 100 metre mark he was even with the leaders and was able to win by nearly a length in the end over stablemate Big Duke (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}) to give Kris Lees and Australian Bloodstock the quinella. Age Of Fire (Fastnet Rock) helped Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have a big day across the states when finishing third.
Pedigree Notes:
Germany’s 2017 Champion Older Male Stayer, Red Cardinal is one of three winners from four to race for his dam Notable (GB) (Zafonic {USA}).
The mare is also the dam of Red Cardinal’s Group 2 winning full-sister Maria Royal who is the dam of two winners in Japan with all four of Notable’s daughters at stud producing at least one winner. Notable is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Orford Ness (GB) (Selkirk {USA}), who is the dam of three stakes winners, and Nishan (GB) (Nashwan {USA}), the dam of Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed Rainfall (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB)}.
The mare has two three-quarter sisters to Red Cardinal in the pipeline with a 3-year-old Camelot filly named Pleasurable and a yearling filly by the same stallion.
Listed Kaimai S., Matamata
Race Results:
It was a tight finish but in the end, Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}) was back to the winner’s stall for the first time since his Derby win last March.
Pedigree Notes:
A NZ$70,000 Karaka purchase by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, Vin De Dance is the second live foal from Explosive Dancer (NZ) (San Luis) and one of two winners for the mare.
Explosive Dancer is one of two stakes horses for her own Listed placed dam Explosive (NZ) (Exploding Prospect), who is also the granddam of Group 3 placed Jakkalbomb (NZ) (Jakkalberry {IRE}). Vin De Dance is the most accomplished horse under his first four dams though this is also the family of Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed The Red Express (Exploding Prospect).
Explosive Dancer’s youngest foal is a 2-year-old gelding by Per Incanto (USA) (Street Cry {IRE}) and she was covered by Almanzor (FR) (Wootton Bassett {GB)) in 2018.
