Randwick, G1 TAB Chipping Norton S., $600,000, 1600m
Race summary:
Coming into this campaign, Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was a proven high-class galloper, Cox Plate placegetter and popular cult figure, but he had never won a Group 1 race.
That has dramatically changed in the space of two starts this month, winning the BCD Group Sprint at Te Rapa in New Zealand and adding Saturday’s Chipping Norton.
Ridden as usual by Opie Bosson, the 5-year-old chestnut gelding dropped back to fourth-last behind what was only a moderate pace.
He began to improve his position on the outside in the straight, but still had a mountain to climb at the 200-metre mark with more than 4l to make up.
But then he unleashed a massive finishing burst, running home over the top of Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) to win by 0.5l.
Fierce Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has finished third, 1.25l behind the first pair.
Te Akau Shark completed a huge Group 1 double for trainer Jamie Richards, who also won the Surround S. with Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel).
Te Akau Shark was a $230,000 purchase at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, who shares ownership with a large group of owners from both sides of the Tasman.
From 12 starts, Te Akau Shark has won seven races and more than $1.38 million in stakes.
Pedigree notes:
Te Akau Shark was bred by Darrell Hollinshead.
He is by Windsor Park’s well-performed shuttle stallion Rip Van Winkle (Ire), who returned to Windsor Park Stud for his ninth New Zealand season in 2019 and commanded a service fee of NZ$12,500.
Rip Van Winkle has sired 398 winners from 693 runners worldwide, with 31 individual stakes winners. Te Akau Shark is one of two Group 1 winners, the other being the Curragh Phoenix S. hero Dick Whittington (Ire).
Rip Van Winkle’s Southern Hemisphere progeny have featured 165 winners from 276 runners including 16 at black-type level.
Te Akau Shark is out of G2 Waikato Cup winner Bak Da Chief (NZ) (Chief Bearheart {Can}), who is the dam of three winners from six foals to race. Her next two foals were also by Rip Van Winkle – the placegetter Melarita (NZ) and Baby Shark (NZ), who has had two starts to date. Bak Da Chief produced a colt by Redwood (GB) in 2018.
Bak Da Chief is out of Havitbak (NZ) (Bakharoff {USA}), who won eight races and was twice placed at Group 3 level.
She is a half-sister to Bak Da Princess (NZ) (Danske {NZ}), who is the dam of Group 1 winner Pondarosa Miss (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and the three-time stakes winner Ecuador (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who placed in the G1 Epsom H., C.F. Orr S. and Futurity S.
Randwick, G1 Heineken 3 Surround S., $500,000, 1400m
Race summary:
Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) won both of her meetings with star Kiwi filly Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) in the spring, but on Saturday the tables were turned.
Ridden by Opie Bosson, last-start Karaka Million 3YO Classic winner Probabeel dropped well back in the early stages of the race. The G1 Flight S. winner Funstar, with James McDonald aboard, did the same.
It was Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi (Sidestep) who set the pace, while her favoured stablemate Flit (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) was close up behind her but struggling to find a spot from her wide gate.
Things changed quickly in the straight as Funstar and Probabeel made their runs, Funstar striking the front first but hauled in by Probabeel over the closing stages. In a tight finish, Probabeel finally got her revenge over Funstar and snatched victory by a head.
Xilong (Deep Field) ran on well to finish third, 0.5l behind the first pair.
Probabeel is trained by Jamie Richards and raced by Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay. She was a $380,000 purchase at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
Probabeel has now won six of her 12 starts and more than $1.5 million in stakes.
Pedigree notes:
Probabeel was bred by Waikato Stud’s Garry Chittick.
She is by Waikato’s champion sire Savabeel, who has dominated New Zealand stallion ranks in recent years and boasts a total of 649 winners from 918 runners including 98 individual stakes winners. Probabeel became his 19th individual Group 1 winner.
Probabeel is the only foal out of Far Fetched (NZ) (Pins), who won three races and placed in the G3 Lowland S.
Far Fetched is out of a half-sister to the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Legless Veuve (NZ) (Pins) and the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Tootsie (NZ) (Pins), who is the dam of multiple Group 2 winner Ocean Emperor (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Another half-sister, Eudora (NZ) (Pins), is the dam of G1 New Zealand Oaks and Livamol Classic winner Savvy Coup (NZ) (Savabeel).
Randwick, G2 Drinkwise Sweet Embrace S., $200,000, 1200m
Race summary:
Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}) came from last and soared into Golden Slipper contention with a scintillating finishing burst.
The Chris Waller-trained filly had finished second at Flemington in her only previous start, and she was rated fourth favourite in the seven-horse field.
The favourite was the last-start Magic Millions placegetter Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt), who was pushed forward from her wide gate and tried to lead all the way.
Jockey Brenton Avdulla still looked confident at the top of the straight as he eased the brakes off Stellar Pauline, but Hungry Heart and James McDonald suddenly charged down the centre of the track.
Stellar Pauline tried to lift, but Hungry Heart had too much momentum and raced to victory by 0.75l.
Racing in the colours of breeders Yu Long Investments, Hungry Heart has now had a win and a placing from two starts for $143,850 in stakes.
Pedigree notes:
The sire of Hungry Heart is the champion racehorse Frankel (GB), who won all of his 14 starts including 10 at Group 1 level. He has sired 203 winners from 302 runners to date, with Hungry Heart becoming his 50th individual stakes winner. That group is headed by 10 Group 1 winners.
Hungry Heart is out of Harlech (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who raced once. Harlech is a daughter of the Listed Radley S. winner Zoowraa (GB) (Azamour {Ire}), and a half-sister to the Group 2 placegetter Maamora (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Hungry Heart is Harlech’s first foal. The mare produced a colt by Snitzel in 2018 and a filly by the same sire in the spring of 2019 .
Randwick, G2 Schweppes Skyline S., $200,000, 1200m
Race summary:
Trainer John Thompson is set to contest his first Golden Slipper after winning a key lead-up with first-starter Mamaragan (Wandjina).
Ridden by Hong Kong-based Blake Shinn, who positioned him in second and on the outside of the front-running Postcode (Vancouver).
Mamaragan quickened well in the straight and overpowered Postcode, racing clear and putting too much distance between himself and the fast-finishing Osamu (Exceed And Excel).
Mamaragan won by 1.25l from Osamu, with another 0.75l back to Aim (Star Witness), who finished the race off well after being held up for a run.
The big disappointment in the race was the $2.60 favourite Prague (Redoute’s Choice), who was unable to make any impression in the straight and finished sixth.
Mamaragan’s debut victory came at 19-to-one odds and earned $111,350 in prizemoney. He was a $180,000 purchase from Newgate Farm’s draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Bred by Aston Bloodstock, Mamaragan is the first stakes winner the Newgate Farm stallion Wandjina, who stands for a service fee of $22,000.
Wandjina is the sire of 26 winners from 77 runners, with Mamaragan now heading a list of progeny that also features stakes placegetters Grand Scholar, Express Pass and Deep Chill.
The dam of Mamaragan is the General Nediym mare Forbidden, a five-race winner and half-sister to the stakes winners Son of Maher (Al Maher) and Dance With Her (Al Maher). Son of Maher has won seven races including the G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile and Listed Dunedin Guineas, and he also placed in the G1 Levin Classic. Dance With Her’s 12 victories include the Listed Centaurea S. and Warrnambool Cup, and she placed in the G2 Brisbane Cup.
Forbidden’s dam Dance Hit (NZ) (Tights {USA}) won the Listed York H. and Tattersall’s Cup.
Forbidden has been represented by three winners from three foals to race. She produced a filly foal by Foxwedge in 2019.
Randwick, G3 Liverpool City Cup, $160,000, 1300m
Race summary:
The Liverpool City Cup turned into an epic two-horse battle down the Randwick straight, and it was Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt) who prevailed.
From the moment the starting gates opened, Vegadaze (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Quackerjack held the first two positions. That was the way it stayed, and the chasers were unable to make any impression in the straight – perhaps not helped by a significant bump between Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Imaging (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
Vegadaze and Quackerjack were well ahead of the rest as they went to war down the straight, and in a head-bobbing finish, Quackerjack got the upper hand and won by a short head.
The best of the rest was Rock (Pierro), who finished 2.25l behind the first pair.
Quackerjack was ridden by Josh Parr for trainer Mark Newnham, and he has now had 19 starts for eight wins, four placings and more than $900,000 in stakes. He was a $240,000 purchase by Newnham at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes:
Quackerjack is by outstanding stallion Not A Single Doubt, who is the sire of 642 winners from 903 runners including 69 individual black-type winners.
The dam of Quackerjack is the Ustinov mare Quack It (NZ), who won two races and is a half-sister to stakes winners Anatina (Fastnet Rock) and Pricked (NZ) (Thorn Park). Fellow half-sisters Acupuncture (NZ) (Pins) and Fluffy Duck (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) both placed at stakes level and produced two black-type performers apiece.
Quack It’s granddam Mother Duck (Luskin Star) won four stakes races including the G3 Gimcrack S., and she placed in the G2 Magic Night S., G3 Sweet Embrace S., and the R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Quack It is the dam of four named foals, all of them winners. She had a filly foal by Vancouver in 2018, and a filly by Sebring in 2019.
Randwick, G2 Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbreds S., $200,000, 1400m
Race summary:
Dawn Dawn (All Too Hard) collected her first black-type win and completed a remarkable day for the Hawkes stable and owner-breeders Robert and Pam Crosby.
The same connections also won the G3 Frances Tressady S. at Flemington with Sylvia’s Mother (Snitzel), and now both horses are likely to be aimed towards the G1 Coolmore Classic.
Unlucky in her two previous appearances, Dawn Dawn made amends in style on Saturday. Ridden by Tommy Berry, she dropped back to near-last before unleashing a flying finish to nab victory by a short half-head from Sweet Deal (Casino Prince). Pohutukawa (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) was right alongside them, the same margin away in third.
Dawn Dawn has now had 16 starts for five wins, six placings and more than $363,000 in stakes. Her previous best black-type performance was a third placing in the G3 How Now S. at Caulfield.
Pedigree notes:
Dawn Dawn is the 15th individual stakes winner for her sire All Too Hard, who has been represented by 201 winners from 326 runners overall.
The dam of Dawn Dawn is Dawned (NZ) (One Cool Cat {USA}), who was a winner and finished fourth in the G3 Maribyrnong P.
Dawned is a half-sister to two stakes winners. Beat the Fade (NZ) (Maroof {USA}) won the G2 Emancipation S. and placed in the G1 Coolmore Classic and Thousand Guineas. Dawn Till Dusk (NZ) (Manntari {Ire}) won the G3 Cuddle S. She is the dam of two Listed placegetters.
Another half-sister, The Nightingale (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), is the dam of Singapore Derby and Kranji Mile winner Infantry (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
Dawned is the dam of two winners from four foals to race. Her Sepoy filly born in 2015, Enjoy Elsie, was a winner last season over 1000 metres. She had a colt by Frosted {USA} in 2018, and a filly by Pride of Dubai in 2019.
Ellerslie, G1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby, NZ$1 million, 2400m
Race summary :
Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock) was given a dream ride by Michael Walker and the Tony Pike-trained runner proved to be the superior stayer.
He travelled comfortably one off the fence in a handy spot and strode to the front halfway down the straight.
The favourite Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) tried gamely but had to settle for second and Scorpz (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) rushed into third. Dragon Leap (Pierro) had his chance , but wilted to fourth after challenging 250 metres from home.
Pedigree notes :
A brother to the Listed Morphettville S. winner Royal Ocean, Sherwood Forest is out of Chasing Mammon (Giant’s Causeway {USA}).
She is a half-sister to the stakes-winner Zelsnitz (Snitzel) and their dam Eishin Maysville (USA) (Jade Hunter {USA}) was a winner in Japan.
She is in turn a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner and champion sire Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) and the G3 Tokyo City Cup winner Milanova (Danehill {USA}), who was also a dual Group 1 placegetter.
Ellerslie, G3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate, $NZ100,000, 1200m
Race summary :
Spring Heat (More Than Ready {USA}) got home well for third in the G1 Telegraph at her previous appearance she’s now added a Group 3 victory to her CV.
As is her style, the mare settled back in the field and she wound up powerfully wide out in the straight to take the thick end of the stake.
Its Destinys Child (NZ) (Castledale {NZ}) also attacked the line strongly to go down by a slender margin and Pretty To Sea (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) finished off generously closer to the fence for third.
Pedigree notes :
A $240,000 Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale graduate, Spring Heat is out of the unraced Emaurismo (Redoute’s Choice).
Five of her six foals to race have been successful and she is a daughter of the G2 Silver Shadow S. winner Katima (Zeditave).
Under the second dam is the G2 Pago Pago S. winner Deferential (Royal Academy {USA}) and the Listed Canberra Guineas winner Eusebio (Benfica).
Ellerslie, G3 McKee Family Sunline Vase, NZ$70,000, 2100m
Race summary :
Communique (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) boosted her G1 New Zealand Oaks hopes with a strong staying performance.
She settled off the pace for rider Michael Walker and he brought her with a well-timed finish for trainer Stephen Autridge and breeder-owner Kevin Hickman.
Karalino (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) completed a quinella for the winning connections and Meghan (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) worked home along the rail for third.
Pedigree notes :
Communique is out of Al Bayan (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who has produced five winners, and she is a sister to the G1 Adelaide Cup winner Cronus (NZ) and to the G2 Taranaki Cup winner Pravda.
The former champion filly and multiple Group 1 winner Samantha Miss (Redoute’s Choice) and the G3 Newmarket Newcastle H. winner Artistry (Shamardal {USA}) are also members of this family.
Ellerslie, Listed Mufhasa Fasttrack S., NZ$60,000, 1300m
Race summary :
Star Of Bombay (NZ) (Atlante) has made a grand start to her career and she posted her first black type-winning strike.
The filly settled in behind the pace and once the field fanned out she sprinted quickly for the third win of her five-start career.
Bella Mente (NZ) (El Roca) got well back and finished quickly for second while the favourite Run To Perfection (Sepoy) also found the line strongly from the tail of the field for third.
Pedigree notes :
The Jamie Richards-trained Star Of Bombay was a NZ$50,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale purchase and is the first winner for the Starcraft (NZ) mare Astardia.
It’s a family with no other stakes performers in the first two generations, but the third dam is Loving Cup (Bluebird {USA}), who was successful in two Listed events and ran third in the G1 Golden Slipper S.
The three-time black type winner Hoss Amor (General Nediym) also features deeper into the pedigree.
