Bargain Buy Captures NZ Group 2

The bargain $3,000 Karaka Weanling Sale graduate, My Astron, took his New Zealand earnings to $242,225 in dispatching six-time Group 1 winner Sir Slick in the Group 2 BOP RC Japan - New Zealand International Trophy (1600m) on Saturday.

My Astron (My Halo - Salute, by Minstrel Dancer) was ridden in the event by Kane Smith who has partnered the striking chestnut gelding in fourteen of his last sixteen starts. His knowledge of the horse proved beneficial, relaxing his mount beautifully one back on the fence in running, just behind NZ Horse of the Year Sir Slick (Volksraad).

Around the home bend Smith quietly moved off the heels of Sir Slick and Occidentalis who had attacked first, and the three ensued war on each other in the last 400m. My Astron finally scored by a neck and a short neck over the courageous pair of Sir Slick and Occidentalis (Scenic). The victory was the first at Group level for My Astron and his trainer Kelly Burne of Waipukarau.

The form of the race was franked some hours later in Sydney when Culminate (Elnadim) produced a wonderful second in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic. My Astron had run three and a half lengths behind Culminate when fourth in the Group 1 Otaki-Maori WFA Stakes (1600m) just two starts back, after which he came out and won the Winning Edge Presentations Mile at Ellerslie, defeating Occidentalis by a head.

A $3,000 purchase from the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale by current owner Peter Evans, My Astron is out of four-time winning mare Salute (Mistral Dancer), herself a full sister Group 3 Canterbury Gold Cup winner Domingo.

My Astron is the fifth stakes winner for Berkley Stud based sire My Halo who, like More Than Ready, is a son of Southern Halo that is proving a success at stud. Of My Halo's 95 runners, 61 have won, a remarkable strike rate of 64% winners to runners.

His progeny are adept sprinter-milers with his sire winning index calculated at 1257m. His success in New Zealand has been matched in the rest of the Asia-Pacific, with leading horses like Beau Brummel in Singapore and Ka Lam Fortune in Macau, making him highly popular with buyers.

This popularity has been identified by breeders who have sent over 260 mares to My Halo over the past three seasons at a service fee of $4,000.

Edwina Morris of Berkley Stud has been busy taking bookings for My Halo already for 2009, and was delighted by the success of My Astron whose dam Salute was also co-bred by Morris.

"We bred, and then raced, Salute from the stable of Dave O'Sullivan. She was a great big type of mare, and it is fantastic to see her leave one as good as My Astron, especially considering that he is by one of our very own in My Halo."

 "My Halo leaves a horse with plenty of natural speed and they are very easy to sell even before they get to the trials stage."

"His fee will stay at $4,000 next season and we have already seen an influx of bookings due to his recent success, and we are looking forward to selling his progeny and the first crop of his barn mate Coat's Choice at the South Island Sale in August."

On the other end of the Karaka Sales spectrum, $600,000 2007 Karaka Premier yearling Allez Wonder (Redoute's Choice - Luna Tudor, by Military Plume) won the Listed Keith F Nolan Classic (1600m) in Sydney on Sunday.

The Bart Cummings trained filly beat a wonderful line-up of fifteen fillies including the Group 1 placed Glowlamp (Encosta De Lago). Herself Group 1 placed in the VRC Oaks, Allez Wonder enjoyed the strong tempo of the race and reeled in the field late to win by a neck.

The Trelawney Stud bred and sold filly looks an ideal candidate for the Group 1 AJC Oaks on April 18 given her pedigree. She is out of Group 2 Perth Cup winner Luna Tudor, a winner of ten races in total.

New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare, and Mixed Bloodstock Sale will be conducted on 4, 5, and 6 May at Karaka.

The catalogue which has attracted 728 entries will be available online from 1 April.

For more information contact [email protected] .