No one saw that coming
New Zealand Bloodstock general manager Andrew Seabrook was rightly gobsmacked. No one predicted the amazing results achieved in last week’s Ready To Run Sale.
After the two similar format sales in Sydney and on the Gold Coast combined with a dicey economy, the odds that the 2023 edition of the longest-standing sale of its type increasing both the aggregate and average was the last thing on either the auctioneers’ or the vendors’ minds.
Increasing both parameters by 39 per cent and 21 per cent respectively had people shaking their heads.
The writer’s preview to the possible outcome included a lame attempt at a pun, resorting to a heading of “Two Down, One To Go”, expecting the NZB sale to be under some pressure.
Pleasingly, for the entire industry, the results were phenomenal and exactly the boost that breeders, pinhookers and vendors needed.
Last Monday afternoon the writer was on site and the first major vendor I spoke with was Sam Beatson of Riversley Park who caught me slightly off-guard with his comments. Beatson was very encouraged by the faces he’d seen, especially trainers from Hong Kong, plus the number of parades requested of his extensive draft.
Due to his operation’s superb record of producing quality winners, perhaps the parade numbers were less surprising, but the impression was that something was brewing.
Later that same afternoon I spoke with NZB bloodstock manager Kane Jones who explained the auctioneers had worked long and hard to get buyers to the sale and that they had shown up in unprecedented numbers.
Final parade day, Tuesday was very active for all, then Wednesday at 11am the first lot into the ring, a colt by Westbury Stud’s El Roca (Fastnet Rock), jump started the sale with a $400,000 lot. The scene set, things just kicked on from there with 12 lots making $500,000 or more and final statistics smashing all previous records.
NZB’s Seabrook made an observation after the sale which may have explained some of the sale’s success and that is the number of permit holders who came to Karaka along with their trainers. The owners kept the trainers bidding on the lots they really wanted.
Counties Cup day
Racing fans may have been a little disappointed with the field size of three of the four stakes races on Counties Cup day but the quality made up for it. The cup itself drew nine contestants and the solid winner, One Bold Cat (The Bold One), was last of the nine down the back and past the 800 metres. Matt Cameron moved him out from the 600 metres and was much closer, but five deep, at the top of the straight. He drove forward to share second inside the 300 metres, co-led at the 200 metres, then took over near the 100 metres.
One Bold Cat signalled his future form when running a bold fourth in the Thompson Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m) at Trentham five weeks ago. His next start was a big win, also at Trentham, in the Feilding Gold Cup (2100m), a race that lost its Listed status this running.
The son of Grangewilliam Stud’s The Bold One (Fastnet Rock), One Bold Cat is assembling a healthy record, the Counties Cup (Gr 3, 2100m) his seventh win in only 12 starts to become the second stakes winner for his sire. The Bold One’s first stakes winner, Bold Mac, who is trained by Chris Waller, took out the Rowley Mile (Listed, 1600m) at Hawkesbury in August.
Standing at an enticing $4,000, The Bold One’s oldest progeny are six-year-olds. He has fewer numbers racing (53) than most stallions and his winners to runners ratio is 43 per cent (23 winners).
One Bold Cat’s immediate family is not to be found in recent sales catalogues as his dam, Floozie Cat (One Cool Cat), twice a winner, was the only foal of her dam, Floozie, the unraced O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) half-sister to Happy Star (Fiesta Star).
Happy Star was successful on both sides of the Tasman, scoring three wins at two, including the Champagne Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Ellerslie. Before leaving New Zealand he added four more wins, culminating with the Counties Metric Mile (Listed, 1600m). He then journeyed to Victoria for the last part of the 1996-97 season where he landed two wins at Flemington including the Winter Championship (Listed, 1600m).
In the spring of 1997 he raced twice at Caulfield winning both, including his most important career victory in the JJ Liston Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). He was to score twice more, the last of his 13 victories taking place at Caulfield as a nine-year-old.
Happy Star’s dam and One Bold Cat’s granddam are from Immunize (Diplomatic Agent), a Listed winner of the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m). The next dam, My Conchita (Serenader II) was half-sister to Chantecler (The Cobbler), dam of the top NZ three-year-old filly of her year, Great Northern Oaks (Gr 2, 2400m) winner Mer’cler (Crest Of The Wave).
For the older brigade, this is the family of the 1951 Auckland Cup (Gr 1, 2m) winner, Classowa (Massowa).
50 metres too long
Pukekohe’s 500–metre straight proved about 50 metres too long for warm favourite Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) in the Counties Bowl (Gr 3, 1100m).
Australian battle-hardened Sacred Satono (Satono Aladdin), taking advantage of the 6 kilogram weight difference, wore down Babylon Berlin. From fourth of the six runners, he gained rounding into the straight, was poised to challenge at the 300 metres, had the favourite to pass at the 200 metres and gradually wore her down to grab the lead at the 50 metres.
This was career win five, a tally which includes his first stakes victory in the Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m), also at Pukekohe last December. That was on the back of a top-rate second in the 2022 Counties Bowl as a three-year-old.
The colt has ventured to Sydney twice, for a three-start campaign last autumn and more recently a tilt at the rich Silver Eagle (1300m), in which he finished seventh. He is sound, tough and experienced and will be a force in any of the upcoming feature sprints.
His six-time winning dam, Belle Joie (Mellifont) is a half–sister to champion sprinter-miler King Mufhasa (Pentire) and to Keeper Cheval (Keeper), not only the dam of three-time Group 1 winner The Bostonian (Jimmy Choux) but also the granddam of 2023 Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner, Kovalica (Ocean Park).
A little bit fresh
When Campionessa (Contributer) scored in the Rich Hill Mile (Gr 2, 1600m) at Te Rapa in January, she was fresh up from a win over 2500 metres at Riccarton, in the Metropolitan Trophy (Listed) run eight weeks prior. At the time it was considered quite a training feat by Te Akau’s Mark Walker.
In a patient and clever ride by Matt Cameron, the fresh up scenario occurred again in Saturday’s Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m).
Campionessa had two starts, both below par, in September and eight weeks later showed up at Pukekohe and illustrated her class with a clear-cut win, her eighth success, including three in stakes company, in 25 starts.
She saved ground (midfield) all the way, held her ground (rails) around the bend and into the straight but when the leaders fanned she drove along the fence. Second at the 300 metres, she took over at the 200 metres and was never going to be headed to the line.
After her Rich Hill win, Campionessa ran second to Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood) in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) before another second behind Prowess (Proisir) in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2100m).
Campionessa had to give three-year-old Sharp ‘N’ Smart 3 kilograms, the margin three-quarters of a length, and three-year-old Prowess 5 kilograms, the margin a neck, after a series of bumps in the straight. Now a six-year-old, this might be her last season to pull off a Group 1 win, which would be fitting for a mare of her quality.
Dazzled
On the drive home after the Ready To Run Sale, the writer was treated to a tour of Cambridge Stud. The original reason for the stop was to view the Heritage Centre and the tribute to two great knights, Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) and Sir Patrick.
The museum is everything I imagined and more. I have to agree with my friend John Richardson who, having been so taken with the life-like replica of the stallion, said: “I wanted to give him an apple!” I can see why.
As a historian I was in my element. The memorial is a mixture of incredible thoroughbred history and high tech. It presents the dual knights’ stories tastefully and with reverence. Can you imagine what our industry would be without Sir Tristram and Sir Patrick?
That treat was not all. With tour guide CEO Henry Plumptre, I was driven around the entire complex and visited every building (except the night watch tower). Cambridge Stud has taken the breeding side of our industry to a different level. The attention to detail is staggering. The place is simply pristine and has an atmosphere of extreme efficiency.
Any of the lawns could stage the New Zealand Croquet Championships and every paddock I viewed looked scrupulously clean and lush. Every mare and foal were in some sort of paradise. Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s vision combined with the vast experience of Plumptre, have produced a magnificent site.
Friday was my first look at Almanzor (Wootton Bassett), Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) and Sword Of State (Snitzel). I had seen Embellish (Savabeel) when his first crop were foals.
Seeing Hello Youmzain reminded me of the June 2020 night I set the alarm to get up to watch his win in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Royal Ascot. Seeing Sword Of State reminded me of the stud’s general manager Marc Devcich’s comment that Sword Of State moves like a panther. Indeed he does.
Plumptre took us for a walk over to the remembrance area where Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy), Tavistock (Montjeu) and Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice) are laid to rest. It is a solemn place but a wonderfully reflective area, reminding us of the beautiful, if sometimes tragic, life and times of thoroughbreds. Cambridge Stud has honoured these stallions with a serene area. There are few words spoken here.
The sub heading is no accident. The Lindsays have a talented mare, named Dazzled (Pierro) who was most impressive in the second race at Pukekohe on Saturday, a Benchmark 65 event over 1200 metres.
Dazzled showed a super turn of foot from the 150 metres when let go by Warren Kennedy and ran her last 600 metres in 33.45 seconds to win going away. The mare, now a four-year-old, was placed twice last season but this season looks to be a black-type winner in the making.
She ranks as a half-sister to the good sprinter Gift Of Power (Power) from Group 1–placed Capital Diamond (Lucky Unicorn), descending from multiple Group 1 producer and a Group 1 winner herself, Diamond Lover (Sticks And Stones). There are no prizes for knowing that she represents the famous Eight Carat (Pieces Of Eight) family, the best part being that when retired, Dazzled will remain at Cambridge Stud.