A November to remember
November, the last month of spring, has been massive for Rich Hill Stud, whose stallions are in huge demand – and for good reason.
Their month began on Melbourne Cup day when Defibrillate (Shocking) returned from a successful Australian campaign to land the Balmerino Stakes (Gr 3, 2050m) at Pukekohe. By the same sire, Hezashocka put up a great performance to be second across the line (then relegated to third) in the Champions Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), while here at home Self Obsession (Shocking) was nutted in the Counties Cup (Gr 3, 2100m) and Kopua (Shocking) flashed home for second in the Stewards’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m).
Proisir (Choisir), however, is all the talk, and has taken the New Zealand sire premiership by the throat, surging to an $800,000 lead and adding two Classic winners (Pier and Legarto) to his roster. Legarto’s crushing win in the 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) was the conversation starter at the recent New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run sale.
Normally, that would be plenty to hang one’s hat on but last Thursday, Rich Hill’s Vadamos (Monsun) put his hand up again with Devastate, an all-the-way winner of the Wellington Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Otaki.
Wrapping up the month, Proisir’s Waitak flew down the outer to snare Saturday’s Eagle Memorial Stakes (Listed, 1500m) to notch his sire’s tenth individual stakes winner. Those are just the stakes horses.
In Australia, Proisir’s initial stakes winner Riodini claimed the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange the previous week.
Not to be overlooked, Rich Hill Stud’s young sire Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) sired Tokyo Tycoon to an eye-catching win in Te Rapa’s two-year-old event. His oldest are three and this month Satono Aladdin has also sired Sacred Satono, who ran third against the older sprinters in the Counties Bowl (Gr 3, 1100m) while Pennyweka was third behind Devastate (above) in the Wellington Stakes last Thursday.
In the wake of recent success, Kiwi Chronicles caught up with Rich Hill’s John Thompson, who commented: “There’s no way anyone could have predicted such results, even when compared to the heady days of Pentire.
“Proisir has joined an elite few stallions to sire both Guineas winners and, as good as this month has been, it might be a case of the best is yet to come”.
When asked what was his first impression when offered to stand the stallion by agent Michael Otto, who also sold Pentire to Rich Hill, Thompson was quick to point out the great battles between Proisir and Dundeel (High Chaparral).
“He was from a first-rate crop that included Dundeel, Pierro, Sacred Falls, Rebel Dane and Norzita. His run in the Cox Plate was super for a three-year-old,” he said.
Regarding the stud’s five stallions, Thompson added: “We are dealing with numbers that the stud has not previously experienced and the staff are rather looking forward to the end of the season”.
In readiness for next season, now might be a good time to install traffic lights outside the gates?
Next great hope
Dubbed “The Upgrader” by Thompson, Proisir is possibly the next great hope. In New Zealand, a stallion rebuilding process has been ongoing over the last few years, with Savabeel (Zabeel) doing all the heavy lifting in the meantime.
Waikato Stud’s Savabeel has had to do it all. From the sales ring to the racetrack, he has essentially held the industry together. He is the major reason the Aussies have returned to Karaka, year after year.
Savabeel is by no means a spent force. Far from it. The multiple champion stallion leads the Australian listings after four months, enjoying a $1.4 million lead over Moroccan-based Scissor Kick (Redoute’s Choice).
Locally, the next few months will be very interesting. Savabeel has plenty of firepower. His Prise De Fer capped a run of recent stakes placings with his tenth career victory (and fourth stakes) when scoring Saturday’s Eagle Technology Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Te Rapa. Now that the tracks have improved, the Savabeels will be out in abundance and Proisir will need to maintain his game.
Eight successive New Zealand Champion Sire titles says as much. Savabeel is one of our all-time great sires and is certain to overtake his own grandsire, Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor), in his haul of individual stakes winners. Catching his sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram), is another matter.
At age 13, Proisir is just reaching his prime. The quality of his mares has improved and the market has woken up to his capabilities.
Further to Thompson’s comments, as a racehorse Proisir gave champion (It’s A) Dundeel all sorts of bother as a three-year-old. He was held in such high regard by his trainer Gai Waterhouse that in his first preparation, after pushing Dundeel hard in the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), he showed up at Moonee Valley for the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m). That was just his fifth raceday appearance, running sixth (beaten six lengths) behind Ocean Park (Thorn Park).
Should Proisir continue to fire out high class winners and become Champion New Zealand Sire, he would be the first from the Danehill (Danzig) line to do so. Given how Danehill (Danzig) has been front and centre of the Australian listings for two decades, that is quite interesting.
Form on the board
On reflection, the above-mentioned Waitak’s win was predictable. At two, he took four starts to break his maiden then immediately stepped up to run third behind Maven Belle (Burgundy) and Wolverine (Tivaci) in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) although there was some margin behind those two.
Three weeks later, in Pukekohe’s Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1600m), he was nailed in the last stride by Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood), subsequent winner of the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and a quality second in the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m).
Third that day was Mr Maestro (Savabeel) who enjoyed a recent treble of Melbourne wins culminating with the Caulfield Classic (Gr 3, 2000m).
Waitak signalled his Listed win with a sound fresh-up third earlier in the month and now could be on the threshold of some top summer form. Saturday’s effort was especially promising given that he gave all his opponents a start.
Waitak is an all-Rich Hill product. The three-year-old gelding is from a mare by their Shocking (Street Cry) named Repo Bay, a dual winner. Waitak himself was not offered for sale but his dam was. Buyers could have purchased her in 2019 at the Karaka May sale carrying Waitak, her first foal.
Waitak’s third dam, Star (Danehill), is a half-sister to two stakes winners including Western Australian Group 2 winner Entrancing (Bright Finish). His fourth dam, Desirable (Without Fear), was outstanding. Named Champion Australian Two-Year-Old of 1976, Desirable won seven as a juvenile including the AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), plus she finished third behind Vivarchi (Wilkes) in the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
At three she landed the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m), defeating Maybe Mahal (Maybe Lad), and achieved revenge over Vivarchi, who finished third. Desirable, from the New Zealand-bred High Desire (Le Filou), retired with ten wins, seven stakes and two Group 1 placings before producing six winners.
Strong female families
Regular readers will be aware of the writer’s belief in strong female lines and Saturday’s Wanganui Cup (Listed, 2040) winner, La Flora Belle (Iffraaj), qualifies in spades.
For the second week in succession, following the Auckland Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) won by La Darci Bella (Darci Brahma), the famous “Belle” family continues its great history. Initiated by James & Annie Sarten during the 1940s, the family is prolific.
Inherited by their daughter, Marie, the results achieved by this line have not diminished. It’s one thing to inherit an already successful line but to maintain it is no easy task. Marie Leicester’s sire selections and breeding decisions have proved that she also inherited her parents’ love of breeding stakes winners.
Such is the case with La Flora Belle, a mare with a very close connection to champion mare and 14-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle (Commands), ranking as a three-quarter sister to New Zealand Broodmare of the Year, Meleka Belle (Iffraaj), Melody Belle’s dam.
At start 15 La Flora Belle stayed on best to claim her maiden stakes success and career fourth win. Leicester races La Flora Belle in partnership and, as a Listed winner, will no doubt be part of her breeding empire at some point. Saturday’s cup win suggests that more wins may be in store before she finds her way to the breeding paddock.
La Flora Belle is the third winner from her dam, Tsarina Belle (Stravinsky), whose brief career revealed class as a three-year-old, running two Listed placings and third in the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas behind three-time NZ Horse of the Year and multiple Group 1 winner Seachange (Cape Cross).
Tsarina Belle has endured a chequered stud career and is a sister or half-sister to three stakes placegetters from the Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) mare Empress Belle, the dam of 11 winners from 13 to race. The next dam, Imperial Belle (Sovereign Edition), is the daughter of Group 1 winner Honey Belle (Better Honey).
Iffraaj (Zafonic), Stravinsky, Sir Tristram and Sovereign Edition (Sovereign Path) says quality. The line is secure.
More and more
The Kiwis wrapped up the Melbourne spring carnival at Caulfield with a Group 3 winner and two Listed winners of the nine stakes races run.
Formerly trained in New Zealand, Milford (Savabeel) returned to winning form in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m), his fourth career victory and second at Group 3 level at Caulfield. Fifth into the straight, he moved up to share the lead inside the 200 metres, but once he took over was never in danger of defeat to score convincingly.
A Listed winner at Ellerslie as well as a neck second to Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock) in the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) when trained by Stephen Marsh, Milford is now under the care of expat Kiwi Mike Moroney. From a sister to dual Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner and sire Sacred Falls (O’Reilly), his bank balance stands in excess of $550,000.
In the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m), Little Brose (Per Incanto) improved upon his debut second in the Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) on Melbourne Cup day, to become Per Incanto’s 26th individual stakes winner. He was fourth at the top of the straight but when let go, cruised alongside the leaders then went clear for an impressive win.
A $200,000 purchase from this year’s Gold Coast Magic Millions sale, Little Brose is certainly eligible for a start in the rich Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), however, reports are that he will instead be set for the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), this year scheduled to be run at Sandown at the end of February.
Not bred in New Zealand, Little Brose was conceived here but foaled in Australia and is one of four winners from his dam, Mohegan Sky (Straight Man), a Listed winner at New York’s Belmont Park. Mohegan Sky’s Listed winning half-sister Vous (Wild Rush) is the dam of champion Chilean filly Ruby Love (Scat Daddy).
The $40,000 outlayed at the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale for Gin Martini (Rip Van Winkle) is looking particularly good value now, as the staying mare took her record to three wins and $361,540 in prize-money with her maiden stakes success in the Sandown Cup (Listed, 3200m).
Placed at Group 3 level at two, at three she broke her maiden at start seven over 2000 metres in Class 1 company, backed that up with a second win at her next start then recorded two more stakes placings, including when third in the 2022 ATC Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) behind El Patroness (Shamus Award).
This term, she signalled another win was imminent when placed in The Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle leading up to Saturday’s breakthrough. The four-year-old was ridden by Craig Williams, who commented that the mare does not have a sprint but does appreciate a true staying test.
One of three winners from her dam, Tanqueray (Red Ransom), Gin Martini’s granddam, Gordon’s (Kaapstad), was also a good stayer, winning six including the Hawke’s Bay Cup (Gr 2, 2200m). Gordon’s half-brother is the Group 3 winner Foromor (St Hilarion) while a half-sister is Young Gaye (St Hilarion), the granddam of NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner, Juice (Bertolini). Their granddam was the champion NZ Two and Three-Year-Old Tang (Taipan II).
In Sydney, another former New Zealand-trained runner, Bonny Ezra (Road To Rock), put up a terrific performance to bag the ATC Cup (Listed, 2000m), his fifth win and maiden stakes success at start 28.
He was last at the 800 metres and hugged the fence to the top of the straight. Gaining ground, he in zig-zagged his way to the 100 metres, found a gap four-out and drove through to grab the lead near the post.
By the same sire as Hong Kong star Beauty Generation (Road To Rock), Bonny Ezra is the only winner from his twice stakes placed dam, Ascolini (Bertolini), herself a daughter of Ascona (Grosvenor), winner of the Auraria Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m) in Adelaide.
Ascona’s two half-brothers, Andermatt (Amalgam) and St Gallen (Decies), were multiple stakes winners in Malaysia. Her half-sister, twice Group 3 placed Celerina (Harbor Prince) produced Waikato Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) winner Okiwi Bay (Kinjite) while another half-sister, Fionnay (Crested Wave) foaled the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500) winner, Bulla Borghese (Belong To Me).