Choice Bro All Class in Karaka 3YO Mile

Group 1 winning two-year-old Choice Bro continued his successful return to the track with a big performance to win last night’s $100,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile (Res.L) (1600m) at Ellerslie.

The winner of the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes last season at two, Choice Bro (Choisir x Ladidi) missed the spring due to injury but showed with his fresh up victory at Awapuni in early January and last night’s brilliant performance that he has lost none of his ability.

Ridden in last night’s $100,000 race by jockey Jonathon Riddell, the three-year-old shot clear of his rivals in the straight and held off the advances of Single Act (Bachelor Duke) and Twilight Granita (Iffraaj) to win by a length.

Trainer John Sargent is looking to take Choice Bro to the New Zealand Derby later in the season. 

“He won with a bit of authority last night and he was the class horse of the field winning the Group 1 last season,” commented trainer John Sargent.

“We have nominated him for the Group 1 New Zealand Derby. I’m not sure if he will stay the 2400 metres but I think he can get away with it against his own age group. He will most likely have just one run between now and the Derby with the middle-distance three-year-old races the most likely options.”

The Jason Bridgman trained Single Act produced a strong late finish to claim second place under jockey Matthew Cameron with the stakes winning filly Twilight Granita taking third for trainers Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman.

Choice Bro is raced by Garry Wright, Kelda Jones, Robert Edwards, Geoff Burgess, Luka Topic & Stan Saric and his victory last night in the Karaka 3YO Mile has taken his stakes earnings to over $312,000.

Bred by Richard Pietrykowski, Choice Bro was purchased by John Sargent and Gary Mudgway from Ainsley Downs Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2011 Karaka Select Sale for $50,000. His career record now stands at 11 starts for five wins.

To view the final placings for the $100,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile, click here.

Fellow Karaka graduate and Cox Plate winner Ocean Park (Thorn Park) made an appearance last night at Ellerslie with an exhibition gallop between races as he prepares for his international campaign that will see him race in Dubai and England. Ocean Park travelled well under jockey Lisa Allpress running the following sectionals: 1000m in 56.96, 800m in 44.38 and 600m in a blistering 33.12.

Ocean Park is set to line up in the Group 1 Haunui Farm Group One WFA Classic on February 23 before he moves into quarantine and onto Dubai to run in the US$5 Million Group 1 Dubai Duty Free (1800m).

Karaka 2013 gets under way this morning from 11am (NZ time) and will be screened live on Sky Sports 2 and live on TVN in Australia until coverage of live racing begins.