South Island racing lives in the shadow of that in the North. November and the two Group 1 New Zealand Guineas races is when Riccarton gets to shine. Late February or early March is Wingatui’s turn to be in the spotlight. The weather gods smiled and the ten race card offered stakes worth $1 million, a first for the country’s southernmost metropolitan track.
The day’s feature was the White Robe Lodge Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) which, at weight-for-age, makes it the most prestigious race south of Riccarton. Named after the region’s premier stud, the race honours a filly bred by stud founder Brian Anderton’s father which also provided the younger Anderton his first win as a jockey.
The 2026 running resulted in the lowest ranked runner as the winner. Cluedo Lane (Ghibellines), at his 23rd start, used a Benchmark 75 (1600m) race as his lead up but had to carry 61 kilograms before an apprentice’s allowance saw him carry 60 kilograms. His 78 rating was due to having placed in open company despite having only three wins to his name, Saturday’s feature just his fourth.
Final acceptances placed him on the ballot but with one scratching he gained a start. Without that he would have raced in the Benchmark 75 earlier in the day. His odds were surprisingly short ($9.10) given his rating compared with the other 15 White Robe Lodge Stakes runners.
He was first into stride but soon dropped into second before taking over near the 600m. Prior to straightening he kicked away and had three lengths on his opponents starting the run home. The lead stretched to four lengths at the 200m and remained the same 100m later. The field descended on him late but too late and he had a length to spare at the wire. Jockey Akshay Balloo can take all the credit for the win, catching the field completely off guard.
The six-year-old’s connections have been patient. He took eight starts to break his maiden (October 2024) as a five-year-old but win two took place at his next start while win three was his last start for that season on the synthetic at Riccarton. Saturday’s big win was his second start for new trainer Joe Waldron.
Cluedo Lane’s dam Treat Me (O’Reilly) was passed in at the 2013 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale then made $7,000 as a broken in two-year-old at NZB’s Mixed Sale in May 2014. She won once and from four foals to race has bred three winners.
Her sister is Fromm, dam of Battle Hero (Stratum), an 11-time winner in Perth who won two Group 3s and five Listed races. Recent Western Australian Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) winners Storyville (Overshare) and Treasured Star (Toronado) can claim Fromm as their granddam.
As a yearling, Treat Me was offered by Waikato Stud and represents the foundation family of the stud, initiated when Garry Chittick purchased Georgina Belle (Pakistan II) in the USA, the mare having raced successfully as a two-year-old in New Zealand before she was exported.
Chittick sent Georgina Belle to England to be covered by Habat (Habitat), foaling Habania there. Habania was sent to Australia to land seven wins including at Flemington and Moonee Valley, recording a Group 3 third at Caulfield. Both ended up at Waikato Stud.
Habania was a wonderful matron for the stud producing 14 foals for ten winners including two Listed winners. Group 1 winners Probabeel (Savabeel), Vision And Power (Carnegie), Glamour Puss (Tale Of The Cat), Savvy Coup (Savabeel), Espiona (Extreme Choice), Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer), Dom To Shoot (Shooting To Win) and Never Been Kissed (Tivaci) all descend from Georgina Belle.
Cluedo Lane has a close connection to White Robe Lodge being by Ghibellines (Shamardal) who stood 11 seasons there, siring Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Smokin Romans and ten further stakes winners. Cleudo Lane was stakes winner eleven.
Ten and eleven
Ghibellines’ tenth stakes winner is Noble Knight who landed his maiden stakes success when taking out Saturday’s Dunedin Gold Cup (Listed, 2400m), 40 minutes prior to the Group 3 feature.
Ghibellines was represented by four runners including two eight-year-olds and it was these two who formed the quinella with Noble Knight a clear winner when drawing away from the 100m to score well from the fast finishing Capo Dell Impero (Ghibellines).
Noble Knight arrived at Wingatui in solid form. His previous start was a second in the Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m) and before that he was successful at Riccarton in the Marlborough Cup (2000m).
In Saturday’s win he sat wide into the straight, drew level with the leaders at the 200m but was too strong from the 100m and clearly the best stayer on the day to record his ninth win in 61 starts for earnings approaching $500,000.
His record includes an exasperating 15 second placings. Last November he finished third in the Metropolitan Trophy (Listed, 2600m) at Riccarton and last season, at the same track, was third in the Canterbury Gold Cup (Gr 3, 2000m). His first stakes placing was third in the 2024 Dunedin Gold Cup. He was perhaps overdue to land his maiden stakes win even though he’s in the twilight of his career.
Noble Knight’s connection to White Robe Lodge is even stronger than Cluedo Lane’s as he is not only by Ghibellines but is also from a mare by the stud’s former stallion Yaminan Vital (Sir Tristram) who raced successfully in Japan, winning five of his 15 races and recording a Group 2 placing. The connection doesn’t end there as Noble Knight’s granddam is by White Robe Lodge’s most successful ever stallion, multiple champion sire Noble Bijou (Vaguely Noble).
Noble Knight is the sole winner from his dam Flight Arrival (Yaminan Vital) whose half-brother Royal Flight (Danzighill) was a Listed winner of nine races. His great grandam Flight Judge (The Judge) is a half-sister to Champion New Zealand 3YO Our Flight (Imperial Guard). Their dam Jane Flight is a daughter of White Robe Lodge’s Champion Sire Mellay (Never Say Die).
The Andertons’ Ghibellines sired three winners on the day including race five, a Benchmark 75 event in which the first three home were by the sire. Sadly, Ghibellines passed away late last year.
Hello again
With three wins in seven starts including back-to-back stakes, Hello Hayley (Hello Youmzain) looks the pick of the South Island three-year-olds. Two weeks ago she took out the Southland Guineas (Listed, 1400m) and adding Saturday’s Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1600m) has assumed top Southern ranking among her age group.
From midfield she began her run from the 600m but was three wide into the straight. She found a lane on her inner from the 300m, ranged up to the leaders inside the 100m and did best of five good chances to score narrowly but well. This was a decent field and she won nicely. There are more wins in store for her.
Withdrawn from the 2024 NZB Karaka Yearling Sales, her dam is a winning half-sister to Waikato Gold Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) winner Bak De Chief (Chief Bearhart), herself the dam of the brilliant Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle). Another half-sister is Bak De Princess (Danske), dam of Ellerslie Easter Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ponderosa Miss (High Chaparral).
Wide awake
Found for $4,000 from an Inglis online sale, Afternoon Siesta (Shamus Award) appears wide awake, taking her imposing record to four wins in six starts when landing Trentham’s Cuddle Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) on Sunday, her maiden stake success.
Eligible for Benchmark 75 races, Afternoon Siesta was faced with a significant jump in class. Her previous start saw her run a 0.4 lengths second behind Anderson Bridge (Savabeel) in the Douro Cup (1600m), also at Trentham but the latter won again earlier on Sunday’s card when scoring at Benchmark 75 level carrying top weight of 59.5 kilograms, so the formline looked good. Nine of Afternoon Siesta’s opponents were stakes winners yet punters sent her out as favourite and she delivered – narrowly but well. She has plenty of ability.
From the jump she led briefly before settling fourth (rails) to the 600m. Kelly Myers moved her one lane wider into the home straight where the two leaders split, providing a perfect opportunity to pounce. She drove through, put a length on them at the 200m then ran to the line to hold out the very fast finish of She’s A Dealer (Ace High) by a head, turning $4,000 into $192,000.
The lightly raced mare is stakes winner 32 for Shamus Award (Snitzel) from Princess Snooze (Hard Spun), the latter an only foal. Her granddam Sooze (Archway) won six times and was twice stakes placed in Victoria. Sooze ranks as a three-quarter sister to dual Group 1 winner Roman Arch (Archway) from the family of the great Luskin Star (Kaoru Star). If $4,000 was beyond your budget, Afternoon Siesta’s dam could have been purchased from the same sale for $700.
NZB Kiwi update
Since last week’s Chronicles, three further slots for this week’s $4 million NZB The Kiwi (Listed, 1500m) have been filled.
As suggested last week, runner-up to Belle Cheval (Savabeel) in the Uncle Remus Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m), Panther (Ace High), has been secured for the slot held by Wexford Stables, who, unsurprisingly, train Panther. His run in the Uncle Remus was sound, taking ground off the winner late so he is worthy of a slot.
From the same race is fourth-placed L’Aigle Noir (Ribchester), also trained by Wexford’s Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. L’Aigle Noir fills Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s slot. He broke his maiden late last year and his last three runs have been at Group 3 level including a strong finish for third in the Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) in early December. His fourth in the Uncle Remus could have been better except for being held up late. He was in serious traffic until very late, driving through when the race was all over.
Sixth in the Uncle Remus Stakes was Zivou (Bivouac) who was caught wide throughout before finishing sixth. His prior form includes back-to-back wins, the latter in a big finish at Waverley. He has taken up the slot owned by Cambridge Stud.
Two slots, one belonging to Waikato Stud, and the other to the Kerri Spence Bloodstock & Clotworthy Racing team, will have to be filled this week.
