Karaka graduate Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) has gone to a new level as a four-year-old, stringing together a series of super-impressive victories including Saturday’s $80,000 Group 3 Powerworx Taranaki Cup (1800m) at New Plymouth.

Bought for $100,000 at the 2017 Premier Sale by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, Prise De Fer showed plenty of promise last season. He won a maiden race by two lengths, then was close up in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).

But this season he has been undefeated since October. He won three races before Christmas, then stepped up to stakes class and won the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) on New Year’s Day.

He carried on his winning roll in Saturday’s feature, storming home from the second half of the field and racing clear to win by three-quarters of a length.

“He’s a promising horse,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “It takes a fairly good animal to put five together, and he’s certainly getting through the grades really nicely.”

Richards will now aim Prise De Fer at the Group 1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki on February 22.

Prise De Fer has now had 12 starts for six wins, three placings and $193,625 in stakes for the Te Akau En Garde Syndicate – well in excess of his $100,000 purchase price.

Saturday’s Taranaki Cup produced a Karaka trifecta. Runner-up Jessiegee (NZ) (Alamosa) was a $15,000 purchase at the 2015 Select Sale and has earned $153,875, while third-placed Guillada (NZ) (Guillotine) cost $30,000 at the 2017 Festival Sale and has earned $99,500.

Vendor	Trelawney Stud
Purchaser	Mr DC Ellis
Breeding	Savabeel – Foiled
Sale	Lot 168, 2017 Premier Sale, $100,000
Bred by	Raffles Dancers (NZ)

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Group 3 Glory for $500 Weanling Purchase

Bonita Aurelia (NZ) (Sweynesse) cost only $500 as a weanling at the 2018 Karaka May Sale, but on Saturday she scored a valuable victory in the $70,000 Group 3 Woburn Farm 2YO Classic (1200m) at New Plymouth.

A close fifth on debut at Ellerslie in October, Bonita Aurelia lined up for only the second start of her career in Saturday’s two-year-old feature. Ridden by Danielle Johnson for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, the filly surged relentlessly out of midfield for a long neck victory over fellow Karaka graduate Piaggio (NZ) (Vespa).

Bonita Aurelia has now earned $44,290 in stakes – more than 88 times her purchase price. She is raced by Greg Trestrail in partnership with former Olympian Sonia Waddell.

“She’s been a promising filly right through, although she was late-scratched at Te Rapa when she didn’t go into the gates,” Baker said.

“We’ve had to blindfold her and play around, but the funny thing is she might be the quietest horse we’ve got. We thought she was a big chance today.”

Runner-up Piaggio was only slightly more expensive at $8,000 in Book 3 of Karaka 2019. He has now earned $24,250.

Vendor	Wentwood Grange
Purchaser	Mr AG & Mrs CM Trestrail
Breeding	Sweynesse – Cassie May
Sale	Lot 108, 2018 Karaka May Sale, $500
Bred by	The Christopher Investment Trust

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Killarney (NZ) Dominates White Robe Lodge WFA

Almost exactly six years on from his purchase for $115,000 at the 2014 Select Sale at Karaka, highly talented galloper Killarney (NZ) (O’Reilly) collected the seventh win of a quality career with a brilliant performance in Saturday’s $70,000 Group 3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m) at Wingatui.

Ridden by Tina Comignaghi for trainers John and Karen Parsons, Killarney charged straight to the lead and ran his rivals into submission. He powered clear in the straight and never looked in any danger of defeat, sprinting past the finish line two and a half lengths ahead of the runner-up Shirley Maude (NZ) (Fully Fledged).

Despite bad luck with injuries throughout his career, Killarney has won seven of his 25 starts and $171,535 in prize-money.

“He is such a neat old horse and one we’ve had some real ups and downs with,” co-owner Daniel Nakhle told NZ Racing Desk.

“He showed enormous promise early on, but an injury to his stifle has plagued him for three seasons, so to get this many starts out of him is just amazing.

“Roger (James) and Robert (Wellwood, former trainers) did such a great job trying to keep him sound but, in the end, we were looking at retiring him last year after another setback.

“We decided to give him one more try and sent him down to Karen and John and the straight-line type training methods they use. I just can’t speak highly enough about the effort they have put in to get him back and in shape to win a race like this. It’s a dream come true and I’m absolutely stoked about it.”

Runner-up Shirley Maude cost only $300 at the 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale. She has now earned $90,885 in prize-money.

Vendor	Waikato Stud
Purchaser	Mr RA James
Breeding	O’Reilly – Irish Colleen
Sale	Lot 540, 2014 Select Sale, $115,000
Bred by	D E & E Y Nakhle & Waikato Stud

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Stakes Success for Seven Seas (NZ)

Seven Seas (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) was passed in at Karaka 2018 with a $25,000 reserve, and on Saturday she scored a valuable black-type win in the $55,000 Listed FastTrack Insurance Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth.

The filly was retained to race by breeder and vendor The Oaks Stud, and she stormed to victory on Saturday in the hands of jockey Rosie Myers.

Seven Seas produced an irresistible finishing burst from midfield, getting up right on the finish line to win by a half-head in a blanket finish.

“It was a superb run,” trainer Tony Pike told NZ Racing Desk. “She has been a work in progress all the way through and we were throwing her in the deep end a little.

“She has always shown she could stay, so dropping back from the 2000 metres at her last start was a question, but she showed plenty of heart to get up and win.

“It’s great for The Oaks Stud as well, as they have played a big part in my career, so it’s nice to be able to win a good race for them.

“You’d have to press ahead to the Oaks (2400m, March 14) with her now after that run. She is a dead-set stayer, so the 2400 metres will be right up her alley.

“She will have one more lead-up run, which is likely to be in the Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on February 29.”

Seven Seas has now had nine starts for two wins, two placings and $44,125 in stakes – almost double her reserve at Karaka 2018.

Runner-up Nothing Compares (NZ) (Jakkalberry) was a $50,000 purchase at Karaka 2018, while third placegetter Heart Of The Ocean (NZ) (Tavistock) was bought at the same Sale.

Vendor	The Oaks Stud
Breeding	Roc de Cambes – Just Keepher
Sale	Lot 868, Karaka 2018 Book 2, Psd (Res $25,000)
Bred by	The Oaks Stud