Before and after
It is all very well to note that Orchestral (Savabeel) was, as expected, an easy winner of the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m) but what took place past the post should have her New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) opponents looking for a miracle if they think she might find the longer distance a shade too far.
Her winning margin of four lengths and acceleration from the 200 metres were impressive but she also took an age to pull up which suggests that the Roger James and Robert Wellwood team have her cherry-ripe for the Derby, set for March 2 at the same track.
“From the 200 metres it felt every 50 metres she was getting quicker,” said winning rider Craig Grylls, underlining that the added 300 metres is not going to present any problem at all.
Grylls was happy with the pace. “We got a perfect run, about four back and one off,” he continued. “There was good speed on and she relaxed beautifully, which was great to see in her first time up over ground.”
But it was Grylls‘s closing comments which ensures her favouritism for the Derby. “She wanted to keep going past the line too and would hardly blow a candle out now, which is a good sign for the step up to the Derby trip. It’s exciting,” he added.
Her last two performances have been devastating. Her explosive finish in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m) was the performance of the night and Saturday’s quickening from the 200 metres looked similar. She can settle then sprint when asked, a trait only found in the best.
Perhaps the last word should go to co-trainer James. “I’ve always been a great advocate for pace in a race, it ensures that the best horse wins,” he said. “I noticed that she was very strong past the line as well, which was another good sign from a Derby point of view.”
Orchestral was a $625,000 purchase from the 2022 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1) but has recouped that and another $352,000 from four wins and two seconds in seven starts.
He’s back!
As an easy winner of the 2022 New Zealand Derby, Asterix (Tavistock) looked like he had the world at his feet but as can happen, he went amiss, several times.
At $450,000 from the Curraghmore draft of the 2020 NZB Ready To Run Sale he was not inexpensive, yet justified his cost after just four starts with a dominant Derby win. That alone put his account in the black.
He was out for nine months, returned at four at Te Aroha but was clearly not himself. The following month he beat a small field at Tauranga but his rider that day, Craig Zackey, was not happy with his action. Zackey was onto something because at his next start, in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), Asterix was never in it, lost a plate and pulled up lame.
A month later he ran an even fourth in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2050m) before running a shocker in Sydney in the Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 2, 2600m).
Issues with his feet, plus heart defibrillation, meant another spell, this time for nine months. He ran third in an open handicap over 1600 metres at Te Aroha in December but in his next two starts showed little.
In Saturday’s Avondale Cup (Gr 2, 2400m), Asterix was back of midfield, stuck on the fence at the 600 metres, but into the straight Lynsey Satherley hauled on the left rein and moved out into the centre of the track. With clear running he drove up to share the lead inside the 100 metres and got the better of Dionysus (Ocean Park) over the last 50 metres for the half–length win.
Perhaps he just needed racing because in Saturday’s Cup Asterix looked a little like his old self. He may have upset a few punters but who doesn’t like to see a former Derby winner find form again?
He remains undefeated at Ellerslie. Two starts, two wins, both over 2400 metres.
The light is on
He took a few starts for the light to switch on but Mike Moroney and Pam Gerrard appear to have found the answer with Pericles (Rubick) whose surge over the last 50 metres of Ellerslie’s Uncle Remus Stakes (Listed, 1200m) took his winning record to three wins in his last four starts.The three-year-old broke his maiden at Rotorua in December at start four and two starts later surprised at Pukekohe, fighting on well to win gamely.
Similar to stablemate Pendragon (U S Navy Flag), who recently got under the guard of punters on three successive occasions, Pericles surprised paying $29.70, yet there were few excuses for his rivals.
From midfield at the 600 metres, he was widest into the straight and took some time to get into a challenging position. Levelling up at the 100 metres, he took over at the 50 metres and was strong to line in a good time of 1:09.6. Vinnie Colgan has been aboard for all three wins and will presumably retain the ride in next month’s Wellington Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m), the gelding’s next target.
Paul Moroney gave $110,000 for Pericles, who was offered by Pencarrow Stud from their 2022 NZB Karaka Yearling sale draft. Although by Rubick (Encosta De Lago), he was foaled at Pencarrow, the first foal of Empyrean, an O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) daughter of the champion stayer Ethereal (Rhythm).
Albert Bosma’s Go Racing, in conjunction with Blandford Bloodstock, outlayed $200,000 for Pericles’s Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) half-brother at last month’s NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.
The winner of four Group 1s, Ethereal will forever be remembered for her Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) – Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) double in 2001.
Empyrean never raced but Ethereal has foaled a stakes winner and three stakes–placed winners, plus Sopra Tutto (Van Nistelrooy), the dam of dual Group 2 winner and four-time Group 1 placed Supera (Savabeel). Supra Tutto is also the dam of dual Group 3 winner and VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) third Eleonora (Makfi), dam of the two-year-old stakes winner Ethereal Star (Snitzel).
This is Pencarrow’s foundation family, descending from their international stakes–winning mare Romanee Conti (Sir Tristram).
Southern belle
One fact became clear after the running of the Southland Guineas (Listed, 1600m) – We now know which three-year-old is the best in the south – and her name is Aberlour (Mongolian Falcon).
Her ability was revealed at her second start, fresh up at Wingatui last October. That day she was third, but it was a sparkling third, and she came home strongly over 1200 metres after being hampered at the start.
At Riccarton during Cup week she again ran third after being caught late then on New Year’s Day, at Riverton, she bolted in over 1200 metres before stepping up to stakes class for the Gore Guineas (Listed, 1335m). That win was different as she was joined after leading into the straight but refused to be headed and fought back hard for the win.
In making it three on end on Saturday she played with the field at Ascot Park, had a huge lead halfway down the straight, and still won easing up by five and a half lengths. The Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1500m) winner Collect Your Cash (Rageese) could finish no closer than sixth so Aberlour can rightfully claim to be the best of her age down south.
Her sire Mongolian Falcon (Fastnet Rock) stands for $3,000 at Vicki Wilson’s Hau Ora Farm, Kahuranaki which is situated about 10 km south of Havelock North, Hawkes Bay on the eastern banks of the Tuki Tuki River.
Mongolian Khan’s best performance was when winning the 2016 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) in which he defeated Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Jon Snow (Iffraaj). At the same age he was second in the James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) to 2016 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ugo Foscolo (Zacinto).
Clearly, he had ability and Wilson did well to attract 78 mares for his first season at stud. Numbers have fallen since then but Aberlour’s win might resurrect those numbers, especially if she continues in the same form.
The Tyler family owners found Aberlour’s dam, a grey, Sophie Louise (Postponed) in the Select Session of the 2011 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale for $7,000. Her pedigree was interesting in that she ranked as a three-quarter sister to Easter Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Pasta Post (Postponed), who had also succeeded in the City of Auckland Cup (Gr 2, 2400m).
Pasta Post’s granddam was the imported mare Lyphinale (Lypheor), a US-bred French Listed-placed half-sister to English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner Mystiko (Secreto) who raced during the early 1990s.
No sham
One of only two New Zealand-breds in The Vanity (Gr 3, 1400m), three-year-old Grinzinger Belle (Shamexpress) provided her Windsor Park Stud sire with stakes winner number ten. The daughter of Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) victor Shamexpress (O’Reilly) was also the only New Zealand-bred stakes winner in Australia on Saturday.
From her outside draw (12) the long-striding filly eventually found the lead at the 1000 metres and looked comfortable in front. Deep into the straight she stole a two–length lead and inside the 200 metres the damage was done and she held on well by a length and a quarter to record her second win at start eight.
In her maiden win, at Sandown last September, she also led and was strong to the line. This win was fresh up from a second in the Moonee Valley Fillies’ Classic (Gr 2, 1600m) on Cox Plate Day.
The bay with four white feet was purchased by JR Wheeler for $32,000 from Book 2 of the NZB 2022 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale from the Windsor Park Stud draft.
She is the first foal, and so far only winner, from Ripsomemore (Rip Van Winkle), a half-sister to the good South African performer Golden Parachute (Montjeu). As well, Ripsomemore is a half-sister to the dam of Wild Night (Vanbrugh), one the better three-year-olds from last season and winner of the James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes. Grinzinger Belle’s granddam is Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner, Maxamore (Volksraad). Her immediate bloodlines are Windsor Park’s, through and through.