Tavistock Kicks Off New Season for Karaka

The weekend's racing was highly anticipated with the return of Group 1 racing in the new season and New Zealand Bloodstock could not have kicked 2009/10 off any better as Karaka graduate Tavistock took honours in Australasia's very first Group 1 of the season, the Hawke's Bay Mudgway Partsworld Stakes (1400m).

As an auction house New Zealand Bloodstock achieved the highest Group 1 strike rate last season with 22 Group 1 winners from 40% less sale graduates than any other major Australasian company.

Karaka's record of success in selling thoroughbreds who perform at the highest level continued immediately this season when Andrew Campbell's Tavistock (Montjeu x Upstage, by Quest for Fame) overcame a field of sixteen, including seven Group 1 winners, to win the $220,000 Mudgway by half a neck.

The Karaka Select graduate defeated a game Mufhasa, also a Karaka Select graduate and New Zealand's 2008/09 Horse of the Year, to give the Sale a quinella in the first-leg of the rich Hawke's Bay triple crown.

By leading international sire Montjeu, Tavistock was good enough to win at two and place sixth in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes before crossing the Tasman to run strong races leading up to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas as a spring three-year-old. These strong showings included a win over Romneya at Flemington and top four finishes behind Fernandina in both the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude and Listed Vain Stakes.

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�Montjeu the racehorse

Clearly improved further this season at four, Tavistock jumped from barrier 13 on Saturday with Jason Waddell aboard. Waddell settled the strapping bay entire midfield before applying pressure quickly in the home straight down centre track.

Mufhasa showed his horse of the year qualities and fought hard to the wire but Tavistock proved too good in a time of 1.22.09.

Tavistock became the�third Group 1 winning son of Montjeu in the Southern Hemisphere following closely on the heels of 2009 Australian Derby winner Roman Emperor.

Though no longer shuttling, Montjeu has three well performed sons who have recently been retired to stud in New Zealand much to the delight of breeders who now recognise the pre-potency of the 1999 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner. These sons include Gallant Guru (Group 2 winner, White Robe Lodge), Guillotine (Group 2 winner, Windsor Park Stud), and Mettre En Jeu (Listed winner and Group 1 placed, Letham Thoroughbreds).

Tavistock was bred by the Duchess of Bedford's Bloomsbury Stud and later sold in 2007 to Campbell for $85,000. A direct descendent of Mrs Moss, Tavistock will continue towards New Zealand's richest spring race the $1,000,000 Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes (2000m) on October 3.

The next New Zealand Bloodstock Sale to mark in youe calendar is�the Spring Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka on Friday,�25 September.

Catalogues will be available from�Monday 7 September.

Contact [email protected] for more information.

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