Tell a Tale and Il Quello Veloce Siblings for Karaka
17 November 2008
The emphatic performance by both Tell a Tale and Il Quello Veloce in the $1,000,000 NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) provided an early spotlight on the yearlings to be presented at the 2009 National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.
Tell A Tale, in the hands of Troy Harris, took home the first $1 million race to be run in the South Island beating favourite Il Quello Veloce, ridden by Noel Harris, Troy's father. Il Quello Veloce seemed to have the race in her safe keeping, but a final burst of speed from Tell A Tale proved otherwise.
The chestnut son of Tale of the Cat is out of the Sir Tristram mare, Cheeky Veronika and was bred by Davilora Lodge. A half-brother to Tell A Tale by Snippetson (Snippets) will be available at the 2009 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale in the Ainsley Downs draft.
Following Tell A Tale's victory on Saturday, Courtney Howells of Ainsley Downs said, "It took me a while to stop shaking. Like everyone else, I didn't think he could get clear in the straight, never mind get up and win. He was almost the forgotten horse, and he has kept on delivering. The way that he is finishing his races, you would think he may go even further."
Courtney described his Snippetson-Cheeky Veronica colt as, "A colt with real presence about him, he is an impressive, athletic colt, with a great head and a good length of rein."
To add another string to the bow of the Karaka Yearling Sales Series in 2009, Westbury Stud has a full brother to Il Quello Veloce (Captain Rio - Nishaani, by Gold Brose) in the Premier Sale. The filly put in a monumental effort to run second in the NZ 2000 Guineas against the best of New Zealand's colts, a performance that compliments her Group 1 victory at two, with lots more in store for the future on current form.
Russell Warwick of Westbury Stud describes their colt as "a lovely, lovely colt, well grown, very forward and a quality individual in his own right". Warwick expects a lot of interest in the colt who " is in the similar mould to his sister, a filly who was outstanding at two and has carried that on into her three-year-old year".
It was a great week for Captain Rio (Pivotal) with two-year-old Brazilian Princess (Saigon Princess, by Rhythm) winning by six lengths at the Gold Coast on Wednesday, and Alegrio (ex Eledance, by Dancing Spree) winning in a strong three-year-old Handicap at Tauranga on Saturday for trainer Richard Collett. Both are Karaka graduates and both were sold by Raffles Farm.