More 3YO Kiwi Success at Flemington

Lightly raced three-year-old Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo) came through his toughest test to date with top marks, winning the Group 3 A$200,000 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

Kermadec (NZ) triumphs in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes.

The win came in the first race on the program at Flemington and was a sign of things to come for ex-pat kiwi trainer Chris Waller. The feature race of the day, the Group 1 Victoria Derby, was also to fall to Waller with another kiwi-bred three-year-old Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel).

The Group 1 Victoria Derby victory was Waller’s second Group 1 winner on the day following the win of Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Waller’s two kiwi-bred winners were joined by Thunder Lady (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), winner of the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes, as winners on one of Australia’s best days of racing carrying the NZ suffix.

Purchased by Guy Mulcaster for NZ$260,000 at the 2013 Karaka Premier Sale from Wentwood Grange, Kermadec proved too good for the Group 3 field on Saturday at only his third raceday start.

“He has a very good form line around him,” commented Mulcaster. “In his two runs in Sydney he showed he is well above average. He only beat a small field at his first start but it was chock full of potential and that form has been franked so it’s looking pretty promising for the horse.

“He will go for a spell now and work towards the Sydney Carnival in the autumn. We don’t aim them too high and let them tell us when to take on the better races.”

Rider Blake Shinn gave Kermadec an economical journey, positioning the colt in fourth position over the 1600m trip. The son of Teofilo had to chase down Stratum Star (Stratum), who had hit the front, and it was only in the last 50m that he showed a strong will to win, claiming victory by a head in a close finish.

Kermadec carries the colours of owner Neville Morgan who has combined with Waller to race a Group 1 winning galloper bred in New Zealand previously.

“He was bought for Neville Morgan who raced Rangirangdoo, he has been buying horses in New Zealand for quite a long time now.

“If you look at his pedigree he probably didn’t deserve to make what he did so a few people obviously liked him as well. He was a standout in our books at the Sale.”

Bred at Wentwood Grange, Kermadec is out of stakes winning mare Hy Fuji (Fuji Kiseki). His second dam is Hysterical (Wolverton), also a stakes winner and granddam of Group 3 winner Triple Elegance (Mossman) and Listed winner At the Heads (Hussonet).