Kiwi-Bred Black Type Barrage Continues

With just five race dates in the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival left to go, New Zealand Bloodstock graduates are continuing to notch up stakes victories with Ballack and Rags to Riches the latest to step up at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Danny O'Brien's 2005 Karaka Premier Sale purchase Ballack (Montjeu x Trephina by Last Tycoon) recorded his best victory to date, winning the Group 3 Tattersall's Cup (2200m) in the hands of Stephen Baster. Fellow Kiwi-bred Fast Future (Generous x Quip by Rory's Jester) was relegated to second after causing interference on the home straight.

O'Brien purchased Ballack at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$70,000 from his breeders, Windsor Park Stud. The talented stayer is now raced by a group of owners that includes O'Brien plus Mr & Mrs R H Krause, Mr BR Broomhead, Mr TH Rourke, Mr A C Lennon and Mr A S Jones.

As a three-year-old, Ballack finished second in the Group 1 WATC Derby and third in the Listed VRC St Leger with this weekend's win being his fourth from 17 starts to take his earnings to A$329,750.

Ballack's yearling half-brother by King's Chapel was bought by Hong Kong agent Willie Leung at the Premier Sale in January for NZ$260,000. This season Trephina has a weanling colt by Thorn Park.

Two races later, Rags to Riches (Entrepreneur x Candescent by Bassenthwaite) won the Listed Centenary Classic Mile for Aquanita-trainer Liam Birchley, providing him with his second win at stakes level this month.

Previously raced in New Zealand by Eamon Cleary, and Hallmark Stud's Denny and Mark Baker, the Group 1 Easter Handicap winner was purchased as a weanling at the 2001 Karaka Weanling Sale for NZ$22,000 from The Oaks Stud.

The evergreen seven-year-old is now leased by a syndicate in Australia and has won over NZ$380,000 in prizemoney.