Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The Ohaupo-based stud has offered the likes of superstar Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) as well as Group 1 performers He’s A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), Princess Jenni (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), The Chosen One (NZ), Montoya’s Secret (High Chaparral {Ire}), Nurse Kitchen (NZ) (Savabeel {NZ]), Able One (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and more recently the highly talented Bellatrix Star (Star Witness), who performed well over the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Dunlop is busy preparing for Sunday’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale where she will present another quality yearling draft but is hoping to kick the week off with a bang on the racetrack this Saturday.
At the 2024 NZB National Yearling Sale, Phoenix Park sold Too Sweet (NZ) to Chris Rutten Bloodstock (BAFNZ) for NZ$50,000. Her outstanding front-running performance in the G2 Eclipse S. (1200 metres) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day positions her as a strong contender for the lucrative 2-year-old feature on Saturday and Dunlop is hopeful that the filly can bring home the farm's second victory in the race, which they previously won in 2002.
“We've won this race many years ago there with a horse called Lady Dehere,” Dunlop said.
Too Sweet (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“It wasn’t known as the Karaka Millions back then, but it was worth $500,000. As it is called now, I’ve also had a second placegetter, a third placegetter and a fourth placegetter so we have been knocking on the door.
“Bellatrix ran fourth in the race last year for us. Unfortunately, she had that freak accident, but didn’t she perform tremendously in the Spring.
“I thought Too Sweet ran a fantastic race in the Eclipse. I tried to put a few people into her, I don’t usually do a book 2 draft but last year I did because I had a filly like her. I thought she was just an absolute belter. She was certainly a Karaka Millions type. Unfortunately, she’s drawn barrier 15 but they were saying yesterday three horses have won from that draw so maybe it’s good luck. The way she won the Eclipse she certainly had enough speed to get across. I’m sure Roydon Bergerson and Chris Rutten will have a great game plan.”
“I don’t usually do a book 2 draft but last year I did because I had a filly like her (Too Sweet). I thought she was just an absolute belter. She was certainly a Karaka Millions type.” - Janine Dunlop
Rutten, who purchased the filly, is no stranger to Karaka Millions success, having won the race with Vespa (NZ) in 2014 and collected minor placings with Touche (Thorn Park) in 2013, Kingsman (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in 2016, Yourdeel (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) in 2019, Avonallo (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) in 2021 and Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci) in 2022. Rutten will also be represented by In The Air (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) who he purchased for $27,500 at the 2023 NZB National Weanling Sale from the draft of Wentwood Grange.
“Chris Rutten is a great judge,” Dunlop said. “He doesn’t always spend the biggest money either. To have two horses in the race is a compliment to him.”
Bourbon Proof ready to produce best
The other Phoenix Park graduate to run on Saturday is the last-start winner and proven black-type performer Bourbon Proof (NZ), who will contest the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600 metres).
Bourbon Proof (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The son of Justify (USA) will be one of three runners in the 3-year-old feature for Stephen Marsh Racing who bought the colt in partnership with Dylan Johnson Bloodstock at the 2023 NZB National Yearling Sale for $130,000.
Bourbon Proof broke through for an impressive, yet overdue, maiden victory at Matamata last start, after finishing runner-up in the Listed Armacup S. (1500 metres) in November. However, Dunlop has no doubt the colt will be ready to produce a peak performance on Saturday.
“Bourbon Proof has been set for this race,” Dunlop said.
“He’s a beautiful, strapping Justify colt. If you look up his photo from the sales a couple of years ago you’ll see he is just absolutely outstanding. He is from a very, very good family and I’d say Stephen Marsh will have him absolutely primed for the race.
Janine Dunlop | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“We only do small drafts and to have a runner in both the Karaka Millions 2YO and 3YO, I’m pretty proud of that, I have to say.”
Bourbon Proof has also been touted as an early New Zealand Derby hope and is certainly bred to get the trip, being from the family of dual middle-distance Group 1 winner Showella (NZ) (Lord Ballina), whose daughter Showcause (Giant's Causeway {USA}) was a former Champion New Zealand Stayer.
“The build-up has gone perfectly with all three horses,” Stephen Marsh said.
“I’m very happy with all of them, but Bourbon Proof is probably the one who’s really been targeted at this race.”
Phoenix Park to present premium draft
This year’s NZB National Sale will feature a premium draft of 16 yearlings from Phoenix Park, showcasing a combination of established and freshman sires. The offerings will include Lots by Sweynesse, Noverre (NZ), Hello Youmzain (Fr), Ace High, Shamus Award, Pinatubo (Ire), Super Seth, Satono Aladdin (Jpn), and Fierce Impact (Jpn).
“We’ve got a cracking team to put forward this year,” Dunlop said.
“What I like about the draft is they are neat, tidy and correct. That’s big for me. They’ve come up lump and bump free and they are presenting nicely. We haven’t stopped in two days; people are showing good interest.
“What I like about the draft is they are neat, tidy and correct. That’s big for me. They’ve come up lump and bump free and they are presenting nicely.” - Janine Dunlop
“In the colt department we have a pair of Hello Youmzains, Lot 154 and Lot 214, both with a hell of a pedigree. They have been popular and both look like they will be early runners. Lot 409 is a very nice Sweynesse out of the nice stakes-winning mare Windborne. He’s a type that you’d think that would get up and go early too.
“Lot 578 by Satono Aladdin is a lovely big horse. He’s not a 2-year-old type like Too Sweet but he has a great walk on him. His overstep is just phenomenal. There’s a few of them in the sale and it will certainly help if that good little filly pops up and wins on Saturday.
“We have a couple of cracking Noverres, Lot 418 is a filly out of the beautiful mare Za Za Gabor. She’s a lovely filly that just oozes quality. Then Lot 79 is a filly from a young, good quality mare in Livin’ On A Prayer, who is from a very good, tough family.
Gallery: A selection of the Lots on offer in Phoenix Park's draft, images courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“We also have a lovely Fierce Impact filly out of a stakes-winning American mare and a tidy, 2-year-old type by Pinatubo. She looks like she will get up and run. A nice medium size filly with a very strong body. These fillies can be worth a lot of a money with some black type.”
At this sale last year, Phoenix Park sold 10 yearlings for a total of $1.6 million. The top lot was a colt by Proisir from The Pearler (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), now known as The Pearls (NZ). The colt was sold for NZ$460,000 to China Horse Club Racing and is now in training with Chris Waller.
Dunlop positive ahead of Day 1
Dunlop was astonished by the level of activity during the inspections over the last two days at Karaka and anticipates a robust sale, particularly due to the significant interest from pin-hookers.
“NZB have done a tremendous job,” Dunlop said. “It’s been very busy and every horse is getting its opportunity in my opinion.”
“There’s been a lot of pinhookers come through. The ready to run sale back here is going up in leaps and bounds. Joe Walls, the former Chairman of New Zealand Bloodstock, told me many years ago, it’s a sale that just keeps on giving and it is just going to from level to level because you have so many specialised people focusing on that sale, buying from this sale and looking to make money out of it.”
“First, we’ll get them sold and then I wish success to every purchaser. Hopefully they can go and get some black-type after that.”
If history is any guide, Phoenix Park is poised to present another draft that will result in the emergence of a new black-type performer.
The NZB National Yearling Sale will unfold over five action-filled days, with Book 1 taking place from Sunday, January 26, to Tuesday, January 28, starting at 10am NZT (8am AEDT) each day.
