The Chosen One reigns supreme in Thorndon Mile
A late nomination to contest the Group 1 feature at Trentham on Saturday paid dividends for the connections of The Chosen One (6 h ex The Glitzy One by Flying Spur) as the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained runner scored a stunning victory in the Harcourts Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) and in doing so provided Waikato Stud-based sire Savabeel (Zabeel) with his 27th top-flight winner.
Having his first start since running a gallant fifth in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) last November, the six-year-old entire was well suited under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race, having to carry just 55 kilograms in the contest.
Rider Matt Cameron had The Chosen One beautifully positioned in fourth throughout as he tracked a solid pace set up by Wild Moose (Nadeem), before angling into a challenging position rounding the home bend.
Momentarily headed by Harlech (Darci Brahma) with 300 metres to run, The Chosen One unwound powerfully for Cameron as he burst clear to win comfortably by just on three lengths from Coventina Bay (Shamexpress), who stormed home along the rail to snatch second from a brave Mali Ston (El Roca) who also made up good ground in the closing stages.
Cameron was thrilled to see The Chosen One add a deserved Group 1 victory to his CV.
“Sometimes these stallions only do what they have to until you ask them,” he said. “I gave him one behind the saddle and he really accelerated and showed that determination to win, which was just awesome.
“I’m lucky that Murray and Andrew support me and when you get these big race wins it makes it all worthwhile.”
Baker, who was watching on from his Cambridge home, as he continues to rehabilitate after having a knee replacement operation, was thrilled that a plan hatched while the horse was spelling after his Melbourne exertions had come to fruition.
“It was a very good effort,” he said.
“He had a month in the paddock when he came home from Melbourne, but he had retained a fair bit of fitness.
“He also has an excellent fresh-up record, so we studied the conditions of this race and decided to have a crack at it.
“He’s won more than twice the prize-money of any of his rivals and with the light weight we thought he could be pretty competitive, as he has raced against some of the best in Australia and hasn’t been disgraced.
“It was a lovely ride by Matt and it’s a thrill to win the race for everyone involved in him.”
The win brought up the 56th Group 1 victory for Baker, with 22 of those coming in Australia and he will look to add another to his haul in New Zealand when The Chosen One tackles the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Te Rapa next month before another Australian campaign.
“He ran second in the Herbie Dyke fresh-up last year so it would be nice to think he might be able to go one better this year,” Baker said.
“That is the natural target for him and then we will have a think about taking him to Sydney in the spring for a race like the Sydney Cup.
“He is just so versatile and I would think the win today has definitely set him up for a stud career once he has finished on the track, as he comes from a fabulous family and is by a champion sire.”
Bred by Tony, Joe, Ray and Martin Dennis, The Chosen One is out of the Group 3-placed Flying Spur (Danehill) mare The Glitzy One, who won eight races from 1400 metres to 2500 metres.
It is a family The Dennis Brothers of Southland have cultivated over generations, with the grandam the dual Group 1 winner The Jewel (O’Reilly).
After failing to meet his $150,000 reserve when offered at 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, The Chosen One was syndicated by the Dennis family, who retain a 40 per cent interest, at the behest of Milan Park’s Tony Rider, who also has a share.
The syndicate includes Janine Dunlop, who regularly prepares the Dennis brothers horses for the National Yearling Sales at Karaka under her Phoenix Park banner.