Race to 2010 Karaka Million Begins

The race towards New Zealand Bloodstock's $1,000,000 Karaka Million, to be held at Ellerslie on 31 January 2010, begins this weekend with the first two-year-old race of the season set to be staged at Wanganui.

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�The Heckler returns to scale after victory in the 2009 Karaka Million in the hands of Michael Rodd

History already shows, after just two seasons, �that juveniles the calibre of those that compete in the Karaka Million go on to show qualities which crown them the best of their generation.

2009 Karaka Million winner The Heckler (Lucky Owners) dually went on to claim the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes and New Zealand's Mercedes Champion 2YO title for 2008/09, while 2007/08 NZ Mercedes� Champion 2YO Il Quello Veloce (Captain Rio) ran an unlucky sixth in the 2008 Karaka Million before scoring in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce.

The success is not only domestic. Champion Singaporean 2YO Mexican Rose (Volksraad) claimed that country's elite event for her age group, the Group 3 Singapore Juvenile Championship, and remains unbeaten on the Kranji track after three consecutive victories. Mexican Rose finished sixth in the 2009 Karaka Million for trainer Bruce Wallace.

355 graduates of the 2009 Karaka Yearling Sales Series are entered to follow in the footsteps of the Champion Juveniles who have gone before them over the past two seasons.

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�Festivities at the 2009 Karaka Million race evening at Ellerslie

Four of these will begin the race to accrue enough prize-money to make the 2010 fourteen horse field, a figure which over the past two season's has seen a $9,650 (2009 - Corsage) and $8,600 (2008 - Il Quello Veloce) minimum to face the starter.

Race 2 at Wanganui on Saturday, the Danfive at Grangewilliam Stud 2YO, will carry a stake of $8,000, $5000 to the winner which will take any one of the four Karaka Million eligible juveniles a big step closer to vie for $1,000,000.

All four gallopers have already shown ability in trials, with two having won and the remaining having finished second.

Leading juvenile trainer Mark Walker always has a strong hand in the Karaka Million and will saddle-up Big River (General Nediym - Zoilus, by Maroof) for stable jockey James McDonald on Saturday.

The colt, who has won both his trial starts, was secured for $150,000 from the draft of Whakanui Stud to the bid of current part-owner Laurie Laxon.

King Rangi (King's Chapel x Hikurangi, by Bigstone), from the noted 2YO stable of Graeme and Mark Sanders, has also trialled for a smart five length victory.

Costing just $6,000 from Windsor Park Stud's Karaka Select Sale draft, King Rangi could almost recoup his purchase price with victory at Wanganui.

From the same draft came the Peter Hurdle-trained Aladdin Prince (Volksraad x Grand Princess, by Last Tycoon). The full brother to stakes winning two-year-old Captain's Command was a $50,000 purchase and will be ridden by leading hoop Hayden Tinsley after one trial placing.

Completing the quartet of Karaka Million eligible youngsters in the twelve horse field is Kylemore Abbey (One Cool Cat - Blackrock College, by Volksraad).

An $82,500 Karaka Premier purchase, she has placed in her only trial for John Wheeler. Being by dual Group 1 winning juvenile One Cool Cat and from Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce fourth placegetter Blackrock College, she has the pedigree to be a Karaka Million contender.

The race is set to jump at 12.20pm.

For a full list of two-year-olds eligible for the 2010 Karaka Million Click�here.

A full list of scheduled NZ 2YO races up until 31 January 2010 will be available at http://www.nzb.co.nz/ shortly.

Adding further interest to the 2010 Karaka Million Twilight Meeting, 2008 National Yearling Sales Series graduates that were eligible for the 2009 Karaka Million have the opportunity to contest for a start in the $200,000 Karaka 3YO Mile.

The Karaka 3YO Mile order of entry will be determined by NZTR domestic ratings at time of withdrawal�- those with the lowest ratings will be eliminated first until the safety limit is reached. In the event of horses being on equal ratings these horses will be separated by the Handicapper based on each of the horse's last three starts.

Click here for the full list of horses eligible to contest a start in the inaugural $200,000 Karaka 3YO Mile.