Talented Stayers Clash in $100,000 Karaka Cup
10 January 2018
With a new position in the calendar, the new-look $100,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup is set to relaunch in style at Ellerslie on Sunday.
The staying event, which is open to Karaka Million Series eligible graduates of the National Yearling Sales Series was formerly held as part of the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting in late January.
Now, following the revamp of the Karaka Million Twilight programme, the Karaka Cup has been moved forward by a couple of weeks. It now serves as the feature race on an Ellerslie Sunday meeting, and it serves as a mouth-watering appetiser for the big night 13 days later.
The Karaka Cup has been held since 2014, and its roll of honour is headed by last year’s winner Chenille (NZ). The daughter of Pentire won the Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m) less than two months later.
This year’s field includes the well-performed Charles Road (Myboycharlie), a $90,000 Premier Sale purchase who won last season’s Group 3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) and has placed in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), Championship Stakes (2100m) and Rich Hill Mile (1600m).
Symphonic (NZ) (O’Reilly), who cost $330,000 at the 2014 Premier Sale, has won four of her 13 starts including impressive victories in both of her two starts this season.
The Karaka Cup will be run as Race 7 on Sunday, with a start time of 4.22pm.
| # | Horse | Draw | Comments | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 | Woodsman | 9 | Woodsman (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) was a $26,000 purchase at the 2013 Select Sale. He has won seven of his 43 starts and $124,650 in prize-money. He ran third in last season's Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m). | Tony Gillies | Anna Jones |
| 2 | Charles Road | 11 | A $90,000 purchase at the 2015 Premier Sale, Charles Road (Myboycharlie) has had 13 starts for three wins and $119,675 in stakes. He won last season's Group 3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) and placed in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Championship Stakes (2100m). His last start was a fast-finishing third in the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). | Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott | Jake Bayliss |
| 3 | Symphonic | 3 | Symphonic (NZ) (O'Reilly) cost $330,000 at the 2014 Premier Sale and has so far earned $82,475 with four wins from 13 starts. She placed in last year's Dunstan Stayers' Championship Final over this course and distance, and she has won both starts in her current preparation. She has had eight starts at Ellerslie for a win and four placings. | Peter & Dawn Williams | Mark Du Plessis |
| 4 | Top Prospect | 6 | Top Prospect (NZ) (Swiss Ace) was bought for $65,000 at the 2015 Select Sale. He has won three of his 13 starts and $81,225 in prize-money. He was a Listed winner at Ellerslie in last season's Trevor Eagle Memorial (1500m) and ran second in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1600m). | Richard Collett | Alysha Collett |
| 5 | Sasanof's Hero | 10 | Patapan gelding Sasanof's Hero (NZ) cost $12,000 at the 2013 Festival Sale. He has had 34 starts for five wins and $62,615 in stakes, and was a last-start third in the Taupo Cup (1950m). | Jim Collett | Samantha Collett |
| 6 | L'Escalier Rose | 7 | The lowest-price purchase in the field at just $2,000 at the 2015 Festival Sale, L'Escalier Rose (NZ) (Starcraft) has won two of her eight starts and $28,060 in prize-money. She was a fast-finishing second to Symphonic in a strong Rating 85 race over 1600 metres last start. | Luke Pertab | Michael Coleman |
| 7 | Daytona Red | 1 | $75,000 Premier Sale purchase Daytona Red (NZ) (Sebring) has won two races and $39,000 in stakes, with impressive Ellerslie victories over 2100 and 2200 metres in his last two starts. | Shaune Ritchie | Danielle Johnson |
| 8 | August Edition | 2 | August Edition (NZ) (Alamosa) cost $5,000 as a weanling and $12,000 at the 2014 Festival Sale. She has won two races and $34,025 in prize-money, and she was a last-start sixth in the Dunstan Stayers' Championship Final (2200m). | Shaun & Emma Clotworthy | Rosie Myers |
| 9 | What A Diva | 4 | What A Diva (NZ) (Pentire) was bought for $140,000 at the 2013 Premier Sale. She has won three races and $62,590 in stakes and was 10th in the Dunstan Stayers' Championship Final last time out. | Stephen Marsh | Michael McNab |
| 10 | Incantesimo | 8 | Bought for $47,000 at the 2015 Select Sale, Incantesimo (NZ) (Per Incanto) has won one of her 13 starts to date for $9,225 in prize-money. | Graham Richardson & Gavin Parker | Ryan Elliot |
| 11 | Marshal | 5 | Marshal (NZ) (Darci Brahma) cost $58,000 at the 2014 Select Sale. She has so far recorded one win and seven placings from 25 starts, earning $18,025 in prize-money. | Graeme Sanders & Debbie Sweeney | Sam Weatherley |