Classic test for promising Victoria Derby-nominated Karaka colt
A glowing endorsement from Peter Cunningham had syndicator Cameron Bennett excited about the prospects of Let’s Karaka Deel (Dundeel) and 18 months on from the unexpected text message the three-year-old will this weekend press his Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) claims and back up the raps placed on him by the horse breaker.
The lightly-raced colt, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, has been carefully managed since his second placing at Bendigo in July and connections stuck to the plan despite a luckless last-start run at Flemington on September 23 by keeping him fresh for tomorrow’s Caulfield Classic (Gr 3, 2000m).
Bennett yesterday revealed that Cunningham had compared Let’s Karaka Deel with Flying Start Syndications’ flag bearer and Group 1-winning mare Amphitrite (Sebring) during the colt’s early education at Cranbourne in May last year.
“This is true. I’ve still got it in a text message, my breaker who worked with Amphitrite down in Cranbourne, messaged me after working with him and he said ‘this is your next Group horse’,” Bennett told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“He is a pretty good judge. The horse hasn’t done it yet, but hopefully the breaker is right,”
Amphitrite won the 2018 Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and would go on to retire from racing as the winner of five races from 17 starts and more than $750,000 in prize-money. She was sold for a seven-figure sum to Japan as a broodmare prospect after being retired last November.
“(Cunningham) said that Amphitrite was the best horse he’d touched early on,” Bennett recalled.
“She was like a dog was the way he explained it to me. He could stand in the ring, call her over and she would come over, turn left, turn right. She just did everything he asked of her and that just doesn’t normally happen.
“I guess that is what makes them better than most horses. They’re intelligent and they have that different quality to them.”
Let’s Karaka Deel was narrowly beaten at Bendigo at his first start, but made up for that with a comfortable maiden victory at Swan Hill on August 24, prompting Maher and Eustace to target the Victoria Derby Trial (1800m) at Flemington on September 23 when the colt, who was ridden by John Allen, was badly held up for a run to be beaten three and a half lengths in 11th by Cetshwayo (Dundeel).
“It took me about a day to get off the floor after that run,” he said.
“The jockey was shattered but that is racing. He thought he was going well enough to win. That is what they took out of it.
“They have always thought he was a pretty good horse and we’ve just taken steps along the way and that was one of the races but it didn’t pan out.”
Momentarily, Eustace and Maher considered backing up Let’s Karaka Deel in the Super Impose Stakes (Listed, 1800m) on October 3 but decided against it.
“They were worried with the tracks being hard and he is a better horse kept fresh and we only wanted to give him one more run if he does go to the Derby,” he said.
“If he went to the other race (Super Impose Stakes) he would have needed another run again before the Derby, so that’s the reason they didn’t back him up.
“They were thinking that straight after the race, but 24 hours later, they were never going to go there as they wanted to give him another few weeks.
“He’s really clean-winded, he pulls up well and he doesn’t need a tonne of work. They keep him on the fresh side.”
Let’s Karaka Deel was an NZ$80,000 purchase by Bennett and Pinhook Bloodstock’s Dave Mee from the Wentwood Grange draft at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale after the syndicator sought out the progeny of Arrowfield Stud’s Dundeel (High Chaparral).
“I still remember the first time they pulled him out of the box and I honestly did like him and Dave (Mee) liked him too, which was good, because sometimes there are horses I like that he doesn’t,” Queensland-based Bennett said.
“We looked at him two or three times and he was from Wentwood Grange who are good breeders with Kolding and a heap of other good horses in a short time.”
Flying Start Syndications also has another promising New Zealand graduate in training with Maher and Eustace, the three-year-old Oceanography (Ocean Park) who won at Sandown in September.
The colt, who was purchased from Cambria Park, had his last start in the Super Impose Stakes but the talented stayer has since been spelled.
“We have tipped him out. They like him, too, but the Flemington track was rock hard and he just didn’t stretch out,” Bennett said.
“They tried to keep him going, but he’s just a bit sore. He will appreciate time and he got a lot further this preparation than what we thought he would.”
Bennett and Mee paid NZ$25,000 for Oceanography who is by Waikato Stud’s sire Ocean Park (Thorn Park).
“I spoke to Dave Eustace (on Wednesday) and he wants to target him towards the Adelaide and Brisbane carnivals. He thinks he’s up to that grade,” he said.
“Dave did say, ‘you wouldn’t think he’d win a race six weeks ago and six weeks later he’s up to a Listed race’ but the Ocean Parks can improve that much in a short space of time.
“They galloped him with some good horses and that is why they thought he had some ability, so we should be able to have a bit of fun with him.”