Alamosa Romps Home to Australian Group 1 Glory

Providing the Karaka sale ring with its third Group 1 winning graduate this season, New Zealand's reigning champion three-year-old, Alamosa, charged home for a win in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Racing from the stable of Mick Price, Alamosa (O'Reilly x Lodore Mystic by Centaine) settled towards the back of the 18 horse field under Craig Newitt. At the 600 metre mark he took a wide run, drawing away to win comfortably by two lengths from placegetters Rockwood and Pillar of Hercules.

Mick Price praised the ride by Newitt, and Alamosa'a syndicate of owners. "The New Zealand breeders took a gamble and all got behind this horse and they deserve a big win. I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to train him and pleased he hit the line in the right race."

Matamata-based trainers Peter and Kim McKay and business partner Trevor Luke bought the colt at the 2006 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$60,000 from his breeders, Waikato Stud. While racing in New Zealand he won at Group 1 level on three occasions, taking home the ARC Diamond Stakes as a juvenile then the WRC Thorndon Mile and Otaki Maori WFA Stakes.

He was then bought by a syndicate of New Zealand breeders, headed by Bill Gleeson, for a reported NZ$5 million. In winning the race Alamosa enhanced his value as a sire and cemented the faith the syndicate has in the four-year-old entire. On retirement he will stand at Gleeson's Palmerston North-based operation, Wellfield Lodge.

Lodore Mystic, also a winner over a mile, is from the Sound Reason mare Logical Miss and is a sister to stakes performers Perfect World and Cent From Heaven, the dam of Eloa (Volksraad). Waikato Stud sire O'Reilly won last season's Dewar Stallion of the Year award and has sired five Group 1 winners with Master O'Reilly, Final Destination, The Jewel and Guyno joining Alamosa. Together they have collectively won 10 Group 1 races.

Adding to the thrill for Waikato Stud, the race provided a quinella for their late sire Centaine. He is also the sire of second placegetter Rockwood's dam, the dual Group 1 winning mare Foxwood.

At this year's Karaka Premier Sale, the McKays purchased Alamosa's half-brother by No Excuse Needed for NZ$480,000. Named Sacramento, he has recorded two second placings in his two starts to date and is aimed at the Karaka Million on 25 January at Ellerslie.