NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' S., Te Aroha
Race Summary:
Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel) turned her form around with a dominant front-running display to significantly boost her future broodmare value.
The 5-year-old had been out of the money in her previous three runs this preparation, but was a different horse here and staved off the late run of Supera (NZ) (Savabeel).
John Sargent’s Luvaluva (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) gave a strong account of herself by taking third money and, more importantly, a Group 1 placing for connections.
Pedigree Notes :
Nicoletta was a NZ$90,000 Karaka purchase for agent Bruce Perry on behalf of Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock.
She is a daughter of Celtic Crown (USA) (Doneraile Court {USA}), who was a black type winner in North America.
The dam is from the potent stallion family of Group winners and successful stallions Singspiel (Ire) and Rahy (USA).
Listed NZB Airfreight S., Riccarton
Race Summary:
A NZ$36,000 purchase at Karaka has paid off for Secret Allure’s (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) connections when they bought the filly in 2017. She added another win to her record here bouncing back from two bad runs.
While Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins) pulled lengths in front of the field soon after they broke from the barriers, Secret Allure was second-to-last in the field. When a gap opened as the tightly bunched pack turned into the straight, Secret Allure took advantage and was in second in only a few strides. Even in that position, it looked like she had her work cut out for her to catch the leader.
But as Emily Margaret started to fade in the final stages of the race, Secret Allure took advantage and closed the gap. At the 250 mark, she drew even with the leader and pulled away to win by 1 ¾ lengths with Emily Margaret a clear second behind her and Our Hail Mary (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) winning a photo for third.
Pedigree Notes:
She is from the winning O’Reilly (NZ) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) mare Secret Scent, who is a full sister to listed winner Ombre Rose.
Ombre Rose has produced three stakes placed horses as a broodmare with Secret Scent providing their dam a fourth stakes horse with Secret Allure. Secret Scent’s granddam is the dam of Group 2 winners, Aquidity (NZ) (Avaray {Fr}) and The Sportsman (NZ) (Kilimanjaro {GB}) with a Listed placed runner rounding out the stakes horses on her produce record.
Secret Allure is her first winner and first stakes horse from two named foals. She also has a Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor) yearling colt and a Zacinto (Dansili {GB}) weanling colt. She returned to that sire last year.
Listed Easter Cup, Riccarton
Race Summary:
Placed in multiple stakes in his career, Who Dares Wins (Iffraaj {GB}) finally earned his stakes victory on Saturday.
Who Dares Wins was in the centre of the bunched-up field, with everyone within a few lengths of the leader. It was a competitive run down the stretch with only a few horses dropping out of contention for the lead as they approached the line.
Who Dares Wins enjoyed a run down the outside to give himself clear running room to take over the lead with 50 metres left and win easily over Residential (NZ) (Pins) and Contessa Vanessa (NZ) (Bullbars) in a popular victory at the track.
Pedigree Notes:
A NZ$44,000 Karaka yearling graduate, Who Dares Wins is from stakes producer Wee Tipple (NZ) (Centaine). Wee Tipple is the dam of five winners from six runners, with Group 3 placed Mae West (NZ) (Sir Percy (GB) her third foal.
This is the family of Group 1 winner Linc The Leopard (NZ) (Balmerino {NZ}) and Trap For Fools (Poet’s Voice {GB}) among 11 stakes winners under Wee Tipple’s first three dams.
Wee Tipple had three foals after Who Dares Wins, with her final foal being a 2-year-old full sister to Who Dares Wins. The mare slipped to Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic {USA}) in 2018 and was bred back to the stallion for a 2019 foal.
Listed Weetwood Handicap, Toowoomba
Race Summary:
Already a stakes winner, Chris Waller shipped Sexy Eyes (Written Tycoon) to Queensland in a move that proved to be perfect for the mare.
Sexy Eyes found a spot just off the rail in mid-pack within striking distance of the lead and relaxed in her position. The flash bay was hard to miss with her big blaze as she took advantage of a hole as the field turned into the straight and took over the lead. She drifted toward the rail in the final 100 metres but was clear of the field so it didn’t hurt her lead in the closing strides.
Tycoon Ace (Tycoon Ruler) finished second with Mishani Hustler (Exceedingly Good) third over Malvern Estate (Redoute’s Choice), who finished fourth.
Pedigree Notes:
Sexy Eyes is one of two stakes winners from Hidden Savings (Secret Savings {USA}) with her daughter Innishbeg (Lonhro) producing two more stakes winners including Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Aspect (Pluck).
A full-sister to a Listed placed horse, most of the blacktype in the family outside of Hidden Savings’ produce record comes under her third dam. There are eight North American stakes winners under Raise a Ruckus (USA) (Raise a Native {USA}) with one other placing in a Group 1.
Sexy Eyes is Hidden Savings’ second-to-last foal with her youngest being a Jet Spur (Flying Spur) yearling filly.
Listed Anniversary Vase, Caulfield
Race Summary:
Already a five-time winner, Naantali (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was sixth time lucky when winning her first stakes race.
The 4-year-old broke quickly and looked like she may challenge for the lead early on before deciding to drop back and run on the outside of the field as Princeton Spirit (NZ) (Nadeem) set the pace.
The positioning served her well when Nikita Beriman allowed her to show a tremendous turn of foot to go from midpack to the lead in about 50 metres. In the last 100 metres, the mare built a sizeable lead and though it was eaten into at the end she was still able to win by nearly two lengths over Manolo Blahniq (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) with Japanese-bred Kemono (Kinshasa No Kiseki) third.
Pedigree Notes:
A NZ$180,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Racing in her home country, Naantali is from the Zabeel (NZ) (Sir Tristram {USA}) mare Zaloot (NZ). Zaloot is also the dam of Group 3 placed Choix de Maia (Choisir) with three winners overall from five to race.
Zaloot is a half-sister to Flying Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) and Listed placed Thrillpower (Encosta de Lago) with their dam Cashier (Danehill {USA}) winning the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes. This is also the family of Listed Bendigo Guineas winner Written Up (Written Tycoon).
Zaloot has a 2-year-old colt named Heirborn (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) in training with Anthony Freedman and after two empty years returned to him last year.
