Black Type All Round for Karaka Graduates

Emirates Stakes Day at Flemington on Saturday saw three Karaka graduates salute the judge for stakes wins with Group 1 Patinack Farm VRC Classic (1200m) winner Swick leading the charge.

Officially beating Turffontein by a half length, and Sunburnt Land by one more, Swick passed the $2 favorite, Apache Cat (Lion Cavern - Tennessee Blaze) at the 400m mark and never looked back. Purchased at Karaka by his trainer, Bart Cummings, he took the Cups King's Group 1 tally past the 250 mark from Tuesday's Melbourne Cup win to make it a formidable 251.

The seven-year-old Swick is by O'Reilly and out of the Crested Wave mare, Cr�me Anglaise. Cummings bid to NZ$100,000 to secure him at the 2003 Karaka Premier Sale from the draft of his breeders, Waikato Stud.

Last year at the Carnival he won the Group 2 VRC Salinger Stakes and finished second in the Group 1 VRC Lightening Stakes while earlier in this year's Carnival he finished second in the Group 2 VRC Gilgai Stakes. In winning his first Group 1 he takes his win tally to six with over AU$1 million in prizemoney for his owners P Beswick, Les Smith, D Upfal, Dr M Alexeef, N A, M & Dr T M Kostos & P Robinson.

Standing at Waikato Stud, O'Reilly has sired six Group 1 winners to date and tasted success at the Spring Carnival last year with his Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup winner Master O'Reilly. He will be represented by three offspring in the upcoming NZB Ready to Run Sale (18 & 19 November).

Bird of Fire (Stravinsky - You Beauty) came home a winner for the second time straight on behalf of trainer Tony Vasil and owner Barry Stokes in the $300,000 Group 2 VRC Matriarch Stakes (2000m). Purchased at the 2006 Karaka Select Sale, Bird of Fire was secured by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock for NZ$40,000, from the draft of Esker Lodge for breeders A and BC Smith.

In the final group race of the carnival, the $250,000 Group 3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2500m), Capecover (Cape Cross - Set Up) brought home the money for trainer Alexander Fieldes and owners K Barker, J N W Brookes & Kevin Myers. Capecover is a half brother to Group 1 Auckland Cup winner Upsetthym (Rhythm) and will be aimed at the Melbourne Cup of 2009 after he was unlucky to make the field for this year's edition of the iconic race.

Offered at the 2004 Karaka Select Sale, Capecover was purchased by Myers for $40,000 from Esker Lodge for breeders GS and KM Hale.