Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
The sole New Zealand stakes race last weekend took place at Ellerslie, the last meeting at the track before the big Karaka Millions night, set for January 24. Named after former New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Gingernuts (Iffraaj), the Gingernuts Salver (Listed, 2100m) provides a preview of Derby aspirants as it is not only run over a fairly testing 2100 metres but also staged at the same track.
Sunday’s Good 4 surface also meant a fair contest with the winner emerging from an unlikely preparation. Thinking outside the square, trainer Stephen Marsh backed up Ammirati (Savabeel) eight days after running fifth, beaten three lengths (fifth), in Trentham’s Levin Classic (Gr 2, 1400m).
Ammirati’s last run prior to Trentham was over 1600 metres, at Otaki in the Wellington Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), a race he was handed when leader Road To Paris (Circus Maximus) dumped his rider strides from the line. Ammirati was severely hampered but managed to hold on by the barest of margins, the win achieved by pure good fortune.
The Levin Classic is 200 metres shorter than the Wellington Stakes and Ammirati was seen putting in his best work late which set up Marsh’s plan to back up for the 700-metre further Salver.
Although bold, the plan succeeded. Ammirati sat third past the 600 metres then moved out a lane entering the home straight. Rider Matt Cartwright was patient and waited until the 300 metres to level up. At the 200 metres they led but the connections would have been rapt to see the gelding lower his head and stretch out approaching the line, exactly what you’d like to see aiming for the Derby.
In eight starts Ammirati has three wins for earnings of $140,805, so, some way to go to recoup the $450,000 outlayed at the 2024 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale. He is the only winner from Happily (Pins), a three-quarter sister to Anniversary Handicap (Listed, 1600m) winner Glad (Pins). Happily’s half-brother, Listed two-year-old stakes winner Exuberant (Savabeel) and Ammirati are three-quarter brothers.
Happily’s granddam McHappy (Rory’s Jester) ranks as a half-sister to Scandinavia (Snippets), the granddam of unbeaten champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit). Ammirati was bred by Waikato Stud who will offer his brother (Lot 467) later this month at the 100th NZB National Yearling Sale.
Marsh Stable representative Dylan Johnson stated that Ammirati will now head towards either the Waikato Guineas (Gr 2, 2000m) or the Avondale Guineas (Gr 2, 2100m) in between now and the March 7 Classic. Johnson didn’t rule out racing in both Guineas as they are two weeks apart.
Black-type bound
A quiet weekend regarding stakes racing provides an opportunity to reflect on two runners which made substantial impressions during the holiday period. Sweynesday (Sweynesse) and Afternoon Siesta (Shamus Award) are clearly bound for bigger and brighter things judging from their recent form and their race records to date.
The final race of Ellerslie’s two-day carnival saw Sweynesday put away a useful field in the open class Skycity 1200 (1200m), taking his record to five wins and three second placings in his eight career starts.
This was Sweynesday’s first attempt in open class and despite a wide draw and fair degree of greenness in the home straight, he is destined for black-type success. The slow 6 surface meant that the 1200-metre was run in a leisurely 1:11.47 but he is just as effective on top of the ground, having recorded a shade under 1:10 when taking out his third win which was at Te Rapa in December 2024.
The five-year-old has been patiently handled by trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood and was not tried at two, breaking his maiden at his second of two starts at three. At four he faced the starter just four times for two wins and this season is unbeaten in two races. His winning margins are not large but he knows where the line is.
In both starts this preparation Sweynesday has caught the attention of the stipes. During the concluding stages of his Benchmark 75 win at Ellerslie on November 29 he bumped another runner at the 50-metre mark. The same wayward tendencies were apparent in his most recent win, this time throughout the home straight. On the plus side, when he is balanced he shows very good acceleration as well as determination. When he learns to gallop straight he will only add to his already promising record.
A graduate of the 2022 NZB Ready to Run sale fetching $80,000, he is one of five winners from the three-time winner Keep Thinking (Faltaat) whose brother Faaltless (Faltaat) was twice a Listed winner in Singapore. His granddam, Riccarton winner Circus Dance (Carnegie), ranks as a half-sister to International star and ten-times Group 1 winner So You Think (High Chaparral). Sweynesday was co-bred by Windsor Park Stud’s Mike Moran who also bred his sire.
The last on the card at Trentham a week ago resulted in another performance which had patrons buzzing when Afternoon Siesta demolished a Benchmark 75 over 1400-metre, careering away by five lengths with plenty in hand.
Like Sweynesday, Afternoon Siesta is a lightly raced five-year-old, her most recent win just her fourth start and her third successive win. She didn’t see a raceday until she was four which involved two starts, breaking her maiden at the second time of asking, bolting clear to win by a huge margin. This season she was impressive when scoring at Tauherenikau by more than three lengths but her Trentham win was another level. Stakes company should be well within her scope.
Her owner Graham Stewart found the mare at Wm Inglis’s digital on-line sale in July 2023, outlaying a mere $4,000 for the daughter of Shamus Award (Snitzel), then an unraced 3YO filly. Her dam, Princess Snooze (Hard Spun) was sold at the same sale for just $700.
Princess Snooze is the only foal of Sooze (Archway) a Melbourne winner who was twice Listed placed. Sooze ranks as a three-quarter sister to Roman Arch (Archway) whose 17 wins included the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) and the Toorak Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m). Sooze’s great granddam is a three-quarter sister to the flying Luskin Star (Kaoru Star).
Numbers don’t lie
As we are on the cusp of the 100th National Yearling Sale it might be interesting to compare stats from 40 years ago when Wrightson Bloodstock held their Diamond Jubilee or 60th National Yearling Sale at Trentham, the second to last sale staged there.
The foal crop of 1,984 totalled more than 5,400. The most recent stud book stats reveal that the total foals born in 2024 was half that of 1,984.
The Diamond Jubilee catalogue featured eight New Zealand-based first season sires, two of which turned out to be successful, namely Grosvenor (Sir Tristram) and Prince Echo (Crowned Prince). For the Centenary Sale there is just one New Zealand-based first season sire, Windsor Park Stud’s Profondo (Deep Impact). Numbers don’t lie.
Perhaps one advantage of fewer stallions is less competition meaning they can attract and cover more mares. In the case of Profondo, in 2023 he covered 177 mares resulting in 115 live foals, 62 of which have found their way into NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale including 37 in Book 1. Only Rich Hill Stud’s Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact) and Proisir (Choisir) have a greater representation with 68 and 63 lots respectively.
Profondo topped the Magic Millions Yearling Sale in 2020, fetching $1.9 million and took out the Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) at just his third start. Although he lost form at four he was, due to his good looks and first-rate pedigree, much sought after as a potential stallion.
By multiple champion sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence), Profondo also represents the female family which produced US Horse of the Year and Champion US Sire AP Indy (Seattle Slew) whose three-quarter sister Almond Essence (Seattle Slew) is Profondo’s great granddam.
AP Indy raced just 11 times for eight wins which included the Belmont Stakes (Gr 1, 12f) and, courtesy of an epoxy-built hoof, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f). His half-brother, Summer Squall (Storm Cat) was similarly talented, landing 13 wins including the Preakness Stakes (Gr 1, 9.5f). Interestingly, both AP Indy and Summer Squall were ridglings.
Of the large selection of Profondos on offer at Karaka last this month, three caught the writer’s attention. Lot 139, from the Carlaw Park draft, is the half-sister to Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Stolen Dance (Alamosa). Stolen Dance also scored the Cal Isuzu Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) among ten wins and placed at Group 1 level on three occasions. The family has been represented recently by Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) Magic Carpet (Satono Aladdin). Plenty of residual value here.
Leanach Lodge will offer Lot 307, a colt from Bellaconte (Burgundy), his dam’s second foal. Bellaconte’s four wins included the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) as well as a Listed race at Wanganui, so she could run. He is from a nice back family containing Horse of the Year Probabeel (Savabeel) as well as champion three-year-old Savvy Coup (Savabeel).
Another filly with plenty of residual value is Lot 323, offered by Beaufort Downs. The filly is from a Makfi (Dubawi) half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Lizzie L’Amour (Zabeel). Apart from the New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), Lizzie L’Amour also recorded three Group 1 placings. Granddam Sabia (Sadler’s Wells) is a sister to European dual Group 1 winner Saddex (Sadler’s Wells). Successful sire Spinning World (Nureyev) also features in the family.
