Six O'Clock News Claims Cup
29 January 2012
It was almost two years away from the winning circle for Six O'Clock News (NZ) before he won the Trentham Stakes last weekend, and yesterday he continued his remarkable turnaround in form with a big win in the $200,000 Group 2 Pacific Jewellers Wellington Cup (2400m).
In a masterful ride from jockey Leith Innes, he took Six O'Clock News (Zabeel x Maurine) from his wide barrier of 15 to mid-field on the rail as the field passed the judge for the first time.
Pulled off the rail three-wide with cover in the back straight, Innes worked his way through the field on the son of Zabeel, with the pair getting clear at the 350 metre mark to put the race beyond question, running away to a length victory.
Bred by the Bax family and Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan, Six O'Clock News was purchased by Stuart Hale from Blandford Lodge at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2006 Ready to Run Sale for $110,000. The seven-year-old has won eight of his 50 starts for over $520,000 in stakes.
Trained by Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young, the victory continues their top season as the stable also saw the highly talented three-year-old Karaka graduate Sangster (Savabeel) put in the bravest of performances to win the Group 1 VRC Derby in October last year.
Last year's Wellington Cup winner Spiro (Pyrus) ran a good second in the race after travelling wide with cover in transit, and Karaka graduate The Jungle Boy (Jungle Pocket) put in a big finish as he came from well back in the field to take third.
A son of the champion sire Zabeel, Six O'Clock News brought up Zabeel's first win in the Wellington Cup. The sire of 41 individual Group 1 winners and the dam-sire of 16 Group 1 winners, Zabeel currently leads the New Zealand and Australian Broodmare Sires' Premiership. He has 32 entries at Karaka 2012.
Blandford Lodge have 20 entries at Karaka 2012 including: