The ghost of Tavistock
For the third Saturday in succession the late Tavistock (Montjeu) sired a Group 1 feature winner. The sequence, which began with the Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) won by Ceolwulf, was continued with the Livamol Classic (Gr 1, 2040m) won by Snazzytavi then completed with Ceolwulf’s devastating run to deny the warm fan favourite Pride of Jenni (Pride of Dubai) in last Saturday’s King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick.
Here we are, nearly five years after Tavistock’s tragic loss and we keep being reminded of the New Zealand industry’s great loss. Almost three months into the new season Tavistock sits top of the New Zealand sire listings and fifth in Australia.
Now a four-year-old, Ceolwulf, from that last small crop by Tavistock, looks like the new star on the scene. He first came into focus last autumn when second, beaten three-quarters of a length in the Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) and by a long neck in the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m), both to champion Riff Rocket (American Pharoah).
His Epsom-King Charles III double has stamped him as something out of the ordinary and he appears to have inherited Tavistock’s turn of foot. The one question remaining is whether he can take this form to Melbourne for his first attempt left-handed. However, Saturday’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) is not on the agenda. It’s also too soon and his connections have elected to wait until next year for that challenge. The tight and tricky track that is The Valley has undone many a challenge, especially first up.
Although his stellar form has been over 1600 metres (under handicap conditions and at weight-for-age), there is no doubt about his getting the added 440 metres required in the Cox Plate. No, the only doubt is the Melbourne way of going and we may find out at Flemington, perhaps in the Champions Mile (Gr 1,1600m) or the Champions Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
Ultra brave Pride of Jenni did all she could in her tenacious second, fighting off a strong challenge from My Oberon (Dubawi), but Ceolwulf’s storming finish was well-timed and too late for her to respond.
Saturday’s Randwick mile saw the mare very wide early and she didn’t reach her customary position in front until they had travelled 300 metres. Past the 600 metres her lead over Major Beel (Savabeel) was two lengths but there was a large gap to the third runner, My Oberon, heading the pack.
She extended her lead short of the straight and held it past the 300 metres. My Oberon’s challenge was bravely repelled at the 100-metre mark but that’s when the complexion of the race changed markedly.
Meanwhile, Ceolwulf had extricated himself from a rails spot back of midfield from the 400 metres. Out in the centre of the track he took his time winding up but when he did the response was electric. His last 150 metres was especially quick to run Pride of Jenni down. Assuming she had anything left in the tank, any response would have been too late as he was travelling like the wind.
A Ceolwulf-Pride of Jenni Cox Plate match race is off the table but a certain Mr Brightside (Bullbars) will ensure that the race will lose none of its excitement. Mr Brightside is as tough as nails, can race on pace and knows The Valley like the back of his hoof.
As for Pride of Jenni, by all accounts she will be at The Valley on Saturday for the Cox Plate. Yes, she is extremely tough but backing up for such a test is a huge ask.
Talking of tough…..
The ‘other’ big race at Randwick was the newly-promoted to Group 1 status, The Everest (1200m) and Bella Nipotina (Pride of Dubai) showed similar toughness, not to mention durability. She too is a daughter of Pride of Jenni’s sire Pride of Dubai (Street Cry) and from the same 2017 crop, making them seven-year-olds. Who says good horses need to be coddled and saved for stud, especially when the prize-money is so lucrative? As the great New Zealand trainer Bill Sanders once said: “They’re racehorses, so I race them.”
One remarkable fact that came out of Saturday’s three features, the Everest, the King Charles and the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m), was that Ciaron Maher came within three-quarters of a length of training all three. It’s no secret that Maher has a massive stable but when the stars are out the Maher stable is front and centre when it comes to big-time results. His staff must be amazing as he cannot possibly do everything apart from provide the brains.
The iron lady of sprinting, Bella Nipotina lined up for her 55th start and had no favours in the running, trapped three deep from the outset. She could have been forgiven for not going on with it half way up the straight but she dug in. When Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) shot along the inside she saw him and responded magnificently. She is something else.
Four of her ten wins have been at Group 1 level while eight of her 25 placings have also been amongst elite company. Bella Nipotina has only raced against the best in recent times but her early record gave no indication of her greatness.
In seven starts at two she was placed second three times but remained a maiden. By the end of her three-year-old career and 18 total starts she had one victory to her name, the Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield, her first start at three.
Her 11 starts at four delivered three wins including a Randwick Group 2, a Caulfield Group 3 and her first Group 1 placing when second in the 2021 Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Her nine starts at five brought her first Group 1, the 2022 Manikato Stakes.
Many breeders would have pulled the plug there and then but Bella Nipotina was just getting warmed up and her six-year-old season resulted in three further wins in a busy season of 14 starts, two of which were Brisbane Group 1s, namely the Doomben Ten Thousand (Gr 1, 1200m) and the Tattersall’s Tiara (Gr 1, 1400m). In between those fine performances she was second in the Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) and narrowly missed in the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m).
Race hardened and a short spell, she was set for The Everest with two solid Randwick placings. Old boots have nothing on her. She was ready.
The $80,000 outlayed for her at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale has turned into $18.8 million. Her family is not exactly prolific as a producer of stakes winners. In fact, since the importation of Columnist (Columcille), her eighth dam (bred in 1942), there have been just six stakes winners, all within the most recent five generations.
Offsetting that number is that three of the six are well above average. Bella Nipotina’s dam is a three-quarter sister to Hallowell Belle (Starcraft), a Group 2 Flemington winner who was placed five times at Group 1 level. Prior to Bella Nipotina, the best performer representing the family was 2003 Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner In Top Swing (Beautiful Crown) whose sister, Bella Inez (Beautiful Crown), is Bella Nipotina’s granddam.
Pure Te Akau
Of course David Ellis bought Otaki juvenile winner on debut, Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel), from Book 2 of the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Why wouldn’t he? The pure Te Akau filly was offered by Newhaven Park, home to the filly’s sire Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel). The latter was a highly successful purchase by Ellis at the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale for $150,000 and in six starts, all at two, landed the Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and the Karaka Million 2YO (RL, 1200m), returning $707,560 to his syndicate group. Due to a tweaked suspensory ligament Cool Aza Beel, ranked the champion two-year-old of his crop, was retired without competing as a three-year-old.
The Te Akau connection does not end there as the filly’s dam Irene is by another Ellis purchase, Xtravagant (Pentire), a graduate costing him $375,000 out of the 2014 NZB Karaka Premier Sale. Xtravagant, also stationed at Newhaven Park, won six of his 12 starts including the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).
Irene is from Hades (Encosta De Lago), a Sydney–winning daughter of champion Australian two-year-old filly Hasna (Snippets), winner of two legs of Sydney’s two-year-old Triple Crown, the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
Cool Aza Rene trialled successfully over Saturday’s 800-metre win at Rotorua prior to her trip to Otaki where she was always handy before taking over soon after straightening. Kept up to her work by Craig Grylls, she was in command over the last 150 metres to score convincingly.
It may have been accidental but for Cool Aza Rene to win in the Central Districts was somewhat appropriate as Cool Aza Beel was bred just up the road in Longburn, at Fairdale Stud. The filly is Cool Aza Beel’s the first starter in New Zealand, however he has had two starters for a placegetter in Brisbane.
Reliable Swiss
There being no stakes races in New Zealand over the weekend it was up to Westbury Stud to provide the New Zealand breeding industry’s highlights. In Sydney, Lekvarte (Reliable Man) secured her third Group 3 win among a total of nine career successes when taking out the Angst Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m).
Lekvarte was last when they straightened before thundering home over the top of them in a super effort. The grey was a $210,000 purchase from Westbury’s Book draft at the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale. Of the 27 stakes winners by Reliable Man (Dalakhani) Lekvarte is one of 17 which are fillies.
Lekvarte is the best performer in her family since Toy Show (Showdown), her fourth dam. Toy Show was a fabulous two-year-old, winning the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and the AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes, adding the One Thousand Guineas (Gr 1), 1600m) and the VRC Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m at three.
Westbury’s Swiss Ace (Secret Savings), now 20, gained his 21st individual stakes winner and his second this month when Niance sped away at the 150 metres before holding on in the Alinghi Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
The five-year-old mare, who began her career in New Zealand with a win on debut at Ruakaka, is on a roll since transferring to the stable of Grahame Begg. Her record in Victoria is four wins (three in town) in five starts and Saturday’s Listed win was just her ninth start.
Her granddam is a half-sister to two Group winners and like Lekvarte, she too descends from a Showdown (Infatuation) mare named Verdi who was talented enough to land a Group 3 in Perth, having racked up an agonising five Group 1 placings at two and three. The best runner in the immediate family is Verdi’s grandson, Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and Caulfield Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Mr Murphy (Danehill).
