Karaka Graduates Excel at Trentham
16 March 2020
Gold Bracelet (NZ) Stars in Guineas
Ready to Run Sale graduate Gold Bracelet (NZ) (Pins) stepped up to the big time in Saturday’s $100,000 Group Two Carfinance.co.nz Wellington Guineas (1400m) at Trentham, and she proved that she belongs.
Since finishing fourth on debut in November, the Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained filly had made impressive progress in winning both of her subsequent starts. But she flew into Saturday’s race well under the radar.
That all changed in the home straight at Trentham. Lisa Allpress had given her a perfect run just behind a strong pace, and she angled off the rail with 500 metres to make her bid.
Gold Bracelet quickened impressively and surged to the lead halfway up the straight, then fought hard to hold out the challenge of the previously unbeaten Levante (NZ) (Proisir) by a long neck.
“When the bookies opened her up at $24 early in the week, I thought either we got it very wrong or they got it wrong,” Benner said. “Luckily it turned out it was them who had it wrong.
“We’ve won this race a couple of times before and know what it takes to win it. We were pretty confident coming into today.”
Gold Bracelet has now had four starts for three wins, earning $81,750 for owner Jen Campin Bloodstock, who paid $25,000 to buy her at the 2018 Ready to Run Sale.
Benner indicated that Gold Bracelet may be aimed at the remaining two legs of the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series – the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on April 4, and the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at the same venue two weeks later.
| Vendor | Karaka 2018 Book 2: Lansdowne Park Ltd |
| Purchaser | Ready to Run Sale: Jen Campin Bloodstock (Waikato) |
| Breeding | Pins – Miss Bling |
| Sale | Lot 916, Karaka 2018 Book 2, Psd (Res $25,000) Lot 49, 2018 Karaka May Sale, Psd (Res $20,000) Lot 142, 2018 Ready to Run Sale, $25,000 |
| Bred by | W I Chun Heng |
Group Three Glory for Weanling Graduate Tinkalicious (NZ)
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Six years after going through the Karaka sale ring as a weanling, Tinkalicious (NZ) (Nadeem) became a Group Three winner in Saturday’s $70,000 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.
Tinkalicious has now won six of her 28 starts and $151,350 in stakes. She is trained by Janelle Millar at New Plymouth for a big group of owners, who race her on lease from breeder Little Avondale Stud.
Ridden on Saturday by Johnathan Parkes, the six-year-old worked to the lead inside the first 300 metres of the race. A line of challengers loomed behind her at the top of the straight, but Tinkalicious dug in and stubbornly refused to let any of them pass.
Tinkalicious kept kicking all of the way down the straight, scoring by a length and a quarter from Yearn (NZ) (Savabeel) and Aridity (NZ) (Mastercraftsman).
“She always puts everything into her races and she definitely deserved this today,” Millar said. “Her last run was just to condition her for this – she doesn’t do much over 1200 metres, but she always runs well when she gets up to 1600.”
The Cuddle Stakes was the first leg of the NZB Insurance Fillies and Mares’ Triple Crown. The remaining two races are the $200,000 Group One Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha on April 4, and the $100,000 Group Two Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on April 25.
If Tinkalicious can win all three races, she will collect a $100,000 NZB Insurance Triple Crown Bonus.
| Vendor | Little Avondale Stud |
| Purchaser | |
| Breeding | Nadeem – Tinkermia |
| Sale | Lot 192, 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, Psd |
| Bred by | Little Avondale Trust |
Sergeant Blast (NZ) Cracks $200,000 Barrier
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Karaka graduate Sergeant Blast (NZ) (Darci Brahma) took his career earnings past $200,000 with his first black-type victory in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Lincoln Farms New Zealand St Leger (2600m) at Trentham.
Bought for just $20,000 at the 2014 Select Sale, the Waverley gelding has now won nine races and earned more than 10 times his purchase price.
The seven-year-old was ridden by Lisa Allpress on Saturday and dominated the race from the front, kicking clear at the top of the straight and holding out the late challenge of Te Akau Caliburn (Camelot) by a neck. The rest of the field finished more than six lengths behind the first pair.
Sergeant Blast is trained by Sam Lennox, who shares ownership with Chas and Cam Stewart, Wayne Crowley and Guy Lennox.
“I’m so proud of the little horse,” Sam Lennox said. “To see him do that on a big day like this is what we get out of bed for. He’s a seven-year-old now and he’s won nine races for us – he’s part of the family.
“I always had a feeling that the further he goes, the better he’ll be. Today he’s proved that. We set this as his target after he took so long to pull up after the Taranaki Cup (1800m). It’s worked out perfectly.”
| Vendor | Haunui Farm |
| Purchaser | Mr SG Lennox (Whanganui) |
| Breeding | Darci Brahma – Glittering Girl |
| Sale | Lot 496, 2014 Select Sale, $20,000 |
| Bred by | Bronte Bloodstock Pty Ltd |