Insouciant Crowned NZB Filly of the Year
17 March 2008
Insouciant's (Keeper x Loudenne by Palace Music) helm at the top of this year's New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series remained intact after the running of the Group 1 Gillies Group New Zealand Oaks on Saturday to see her clinch the prestigious title.
Since bursting onto the scene back in September with an almost six-length victory in a Taupo Maiden over 1200m, the Mark Walker-trained filly has accumulated the most points in the tested and time-honoured Series that has been running since 1972.
Walker, trainer for the Te Akau Racing Stables, may have cracked the code for training NZB Filly of the Year winners having taken top honours for the last three years in a row. Last year he won with Princess Coup (Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road by Sovereign Red) while the year before it was with Shikoba (Chief Bearhart x Summary by Tierce).
In another notable achievement, Insouciant joins Vapour Trail, Sarwatch and Noble Heights as the fourth winner of the Series to be bred by New Zealand Bloodstock and Pencarrow Stud principals Peter and Philip Vela. The Pencarrow racing team's retained rider Michael Walker has partnered Insouciant in her ten races-day starts to accumulate four wins and two second placings to date.
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�Michael Walker and a victorious Insouciant after the NZB 1000 Guineas |
In just her second start trainer Walker stepped her up to Group 3 level for a creditable fourth placing behind, the highly regarded three-quarter sister to Lonhro, Diamond Deck (Octagonal x Miss Trump by Last Tycoon) in the Highview Stakes (1200m)
A win and a second placing against quality company in October saw her standing in good stead for the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton the following month. Insouciant's favoured front-running tactics saw her triumph over Seachange's little sister Keepa Cruisin (Keeper x Just Cruising by Broad Reach) and the regally bred Lovetrista (Rock of Gibraltar x Tristalove by Sir Tristram) to become the first Group 1 winner for her sire, Keeper.
Further contributing to her Series victory was a dominant four-length win in the Group 3 Ezibuy Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and a gallant second to Kaatoon (Kaapstad x Toonsie by Affirmed) in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic. (2000m)
Loudenne, a Pencarrow home-bred herself, won on two occasions and was stakes placed. Her dam, Our Lafite (Sovereign Edition) won the Group 2 VRC Wakeful Stakes and came second in the Group 1 VRC Oaks. The family also boasts last year's NZB One Thousand Guineas winner, Dorabella (Postponed x Caserio by Kaapstad). In the foaling paddock,�Loudenne has produced Group 3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes winner Copper Mountain (Jetball) and since Insouciant has produced a colt by Johar and a filly by Van Nistelrooy before being bred to Darci Brahma last season.
Throughout France, America and England Insouciant's dam-sire Palace Music (The Minstrel) won at Group 1 level twice, Group and Listed level four times and was stakes-placed on a further eight occasions. He is also the dam-sire of dual Group 1 winners Sound Action (Vettori), Railings (Zabeel) and of the speedy Falkirk (Tale of the Cat) while as�a sire he produced the unforgettable Cigar in America and in Australia, the multiple Group 1 winner Naturalism. Palace Music died earlier this year aged 27.
Focus now returns to the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year Series with it's next race, the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes set to be run�on Sunday 6 April in Otago.