Three of Six Group 1 Wins to NZB
5 October 2009
An action-packed weekend of high quality racing saw six Group 1 races take place in Australasia with half of these falling to graduates of the Karaka sales ring.
All three Group 1 victories were captured over 2000m with Efficient (Zabeel x Refused the Dance, by Defensive Play) triumphant in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, Monaco Consul (High Chaparral x Argante, by Star Way) winning the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick, and Vosne Romanee (Electronic Zone x Madison Avenue, by Morcon) proving too good in the Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings.
Efficient
A $220,000 purchase by Rogerson Bloodstock for Lloyd Williams from Curraghmore Stud, Efficient returned to the winners circle at Flemington, a track where he has recorded his last three wins including the 2006 Group 1 Victoria Derby, 2007 Group 1 Melbourne Cup, and now the 2009 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes.
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| �Efficient (NZ) a $220,000 Karaka Premier Sale purchase |
Melbourne Cup bound again in 2009, Nick Williams confirmed Efficient will follow the same route which led him to victory in 2007 by tackling the Group 1 Cox Plate at his next start.
In 2007 Efficient finished 11 of 15 in the Turnbull Stakes before finishing 9 of 13 in the Cox Plate. This year he looks even stronger having run great sectionals in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes last time out, before flashing home from last at the top of the Flemington straight to in the Group 1 Turnbull in the hands of Nicolas Hall, appropriately Lloyd Williams' god-son.
Efficient is trained by John Sadler at Mt Macedon for Lloyd and Sue Williams, Scott Williams, Graeme Hunt and M and J Sellars.
Efficient's half-brother Guillotine (Montjeu), himself a Group 2 winner, has recently entered stud duties at Cambridge's Windsor Park Stud.
Their dam Refused the Dance unfortunately lost a filly by Encosta De Lago this season with Danehill Dancer confirmed as her mate in 2009.
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Monaco Consul
Monaco Consul gave his NZ-based shuttle sire High Chaparral (Sadler's Wells) his first Group 1 winner on Saturday when thrashing the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes field by a length and a half at Randwick.
The three-year-old colt was having his first start in Australia after looking promising in New Zealand for Mike and Paul Moroney with a win and a placing from two starts this season.
Transferred to Mike Moroney's Sydney stable, the lightly tried Monaco Consul relaxed quickly in his new environment according to his trainer who has a big impression of his ability.
"Paul said he would win today. He is very confident in his ability and believes he is the best horse we have had in our stable since Xcellent (Pentire)," Mike Moroney commented.
"I was not sure how he would cope on the heavy track today but he got through it well and we will now head to Flemington with the Group 1 Victoria Derby in mind."
Monaco Consul was purchased by Paul Moroney Bloodstock at the 2008 Karaka Select Sale for $100,000 from his breeder, Windsor Park Stud.
His dam Argante (Star Way) is a half-sister to Group 1 Australian Guineas winner Military Plume (Sir Tristram). This is also the family of recent Group 1 winning half-brothers Niconero (Danzero) and Nicconi (Bianconi).
Barry Lampp of Hunterville would no doubt have felt as good as the winning owners after Monaco Consul got home. Barry purchased a full-sisterto the Group 1 winner, now named So Divine, �for $9,000 at the 2009 Karaka Select Sale.
High Chaparral, also the sire of So You Think, does not have any yearlings this season due to EI but he is represented by foals and two-year-olds.
The champion racehorse is represented by three geldings at Karaka's 2009 Ready to Run Sale (17 November) all of which, like Monaco Consul, are out of half-sisters to Group 1 winners or daughters of Group 1 winners.
Lot 68 - High Chaparral x Royal Cashel (Royal Academy) - Windsor Park Stud
��������� Out of a winning daughter of Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes winner Love Dance (Kaapstad).
Lot 73 - High Chaparral x Rune (Star Way) - Windsor Park Stud
��������� Bred on the same cross as Monaco Consul, this bay geldings dam Rune, the dam of three winners, is a full sister to three-time Group 1 winner Sky Chase (Star Way).
Lot 212 - High Chaparral x Cochicoochie Coo (Touching Wood) - Mangatiti Bloodstock
��������� Out of a winning half-sister to Group 1 winner No Mean City (Star Board).
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Vosne Romanee
Upset winner, Vosne Romanee, broke through for his first black-type win on Saturday in the Group 1 $1,000,000 Kelt Capital Stakes.
Typical of his back-marker running style, Vosne Romanee has found plenty of bad luck in feature New Zealand races over the past few seasons finishing fifth or better on six occasions in Group races with his usual big barnstorming finishes.
Saturday's fine day at Hawke's Bay saw a change of luck for the seven-year-old who again found plenty over the top of a gifted Kelt Capital Stakes field.
Jockey Buddy Lammas, who was elated to win the rich race for long time supporter Jeff Lynds, described his first Group 1 win to gathered media.
"I sat him in behind and tracked Daffodil into the race before he just left the opposition standing still," said Lammas.
Trainer Jeff Lynds was not as surprised as the punters when the 50-1 shot got home by close to a length.
"He has had a lot of bad luck so today was no surprise. He had the right draw, the right track, and we got the right result." Lynds added.
Vosne Romanee was offered by Newbury �Park at the 2004 Karaka Select Sale. He is the first foal of Madison Avenue, a half-sister to Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Hear That Bell (Ring the Bell) from the wonderful Heights family.
Vosne Romanee is Electronic Zone's (Rahy) first Group 1 winner and third stakes-winner from just 52 runners (6% stakes winners to runners).
Second in the Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes was Ginga Dude (Istidaad) whose half-brother by Handsome Ransom will be go under the hammer at the 2009 Ready to Run Sale at Lot 208.
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Further Success
New Zealand Bloodstock Graduates had further black-type success on Saturday:
Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m): Rangirangdoo (Pentire x She Wishes, by Kenfair) - Nearly made it four out of six Group 1s for New Zealand Bloodstock when going down a nose in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick.
$170,000 Karaka Premier Sale
Vendor: Longlands Stud
Buyer: Plumb Racing
Owner: N Morgan
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Group 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m): Keyora (Bachelor Duke x Fairy Lights, by Fairy King) - Gave a great group of owners including Eddie Bourke and Jason Fleming well deserved success when he downed the best of a smart group of three-year-olds in the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Hawke's Bay Guineas.
$200,000 Karaka Premier Sale
Vendor: The Oaks Stud
Buyer: John Wheeler
Owners: E and Miss N Bourke, M Eliason, J Fleming, A Piercy, J Washer, and Estate of the late BJ Fleming.
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Group 3 Kelt Memorial (1400m) - Who Knows (Cape Cross x Ricamo, by Kaapstad) - The super consistent galloper took on and beat a top field here in a close finish which would have thrilled her owner, and fantastic Karaka vendor, Cherie Archer of Archer Park.
$70,000 Karaka Premier Yearling
Vendor: Esker Lodge
Buyer: Robert Priscott
Owner: Cherie Archer
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Message from NZB Airfreight
Re: Auckland - Christchurch Service: NZ Cup Week
Please be advised that we will be operating flights once again this year from Auckland to Christchurch for NZ Cup Week.
The schedule for NZB Airfreigth is much better than in previous years, having the facility to use a freighter on a daily basis - Tuesday through Friday mornings of each week (depending on numbers), loading at approximately 3am each morning.
If you are planning on taking your horses to NZ Cup Week, please do not hesitate to contact us and we can make all the necessary arrangements from Auckland to Christchurch.
Sharon McDowell - 09 298 0055 or [email protected].
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