Weekend Melbourne and Brisbane Group 1 racing was impacted by winter rains whereas Sydney’s racing at Rosehill was conducted on a Soft 5 surface providing a fair test for all, the feature won by 2400m specialist Thebudgiesmugla (Redwood), winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Listed, 2400m), formerly raced as the Winter Cup.
Stakes winner 17 for Westbury Stud’s Redwood (High Chaparral), Thebudgiesmugla has definitely mastered the 2400m, Saturday’s maiden stakes was his fourth victory at the distance. He doesn’t get warm until he has covered 2200 metres, the distance of his other two wins in New Zealand before he was sold to Australian interests.
Parked one out and one back to the 800 metres, jockey Dylan Gibbons woke him up approaching the turn and rounded into the straight three deep. Taking over inside the 200 metres, Thebudgiesmugla withstood all challenges and over the final 50 metres was simply too strong, grinding out win six at start 12. Thebudgiesmugla has earned $345,000, a fantastic return on the $3000 outlayed at an online auction.
Connections may have wondered whether a trip to Eagle Farm and the Brisbane Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) would have brought greater riches. He was an acceptor for the Brisbane race and the track there would have been well within his scope as he has won on a Heavy 9 surface. However, a win is a win and the gelding is proving his worth.
One of four winners from four to race from the Keeper (Danehill) mare Hot Pants, a winning three-quarter blood sister to Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1600m) winner Sworn To Secrecy (Keeper) and to the dam of triple Listed winner Guns At Five (Duelled). Hot Pants is also the dam of two-year-old Bella Bonita (Noverre), third placed in Ellerslie’s recent Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1600m).
No stopping the warrior
Eight-year-old marvel Western Empire (Iffraaj) marched to a stakes treble adding Perth’s Strickland Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) to the Hyperion Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) and the Belmont Sprint (Gr 3, 1400m), both last month.
Rider Willie Pike knew he was on the best runner and sat the gelding third, covering no extra ground until they straightened. Finding a lane outside the pacemaker they reached the lead inside the 200m and thereafter gave nothing else much of a chance to be well clear at the line and win number 14, his earnings approaching $3.7 million.
Originally owned and raced by his breeder Bob Peters before being sold to trainers Grant and Alana Williams, Western Empire is one of eight winners from Western Jewel (Jeune), three of which are by Iffraaj (Zafonic). The mare also foaled the Listed winner Western Temple (Dream Ahead) and she herself ranks as a half-sister to another Perth Listed winner Western Blaze (Hard Spun). For more on Western Empire see Kiwi Chronicles’ June 2nd edition.
Plenty of spirit
Deep south stud White Robe Lodge near Dunedin will be excited about the prospects of Arwen, the three-year-old daughter of their resident stallion Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit).
In the most impressive performance of the day at Te Rapa, Arwen drew barrier 13 of 15 and began well but was trapped wide forcing rider Corentin Berge to ease the filly and sit in the back half of the field. Leaving the back straight she was still three wide and into the last corner sat widest. From the 300 metres she lengthened stride, levelled up and had the measure of her opponents a long way out to win convincingly, her second win in four raceday starts.
A winner on debut in March, Arwen placed third twice before her return to the winner’s circle but the manner of her latest win suggests she is a filly with a bright future.
Ancient Spirit was ranked the leading miler of his crop in Germany at three, landing two Group 2s including the equivalent of the German Two Thousand Guineas (1600m). Kept in training, he added two Listed wins in Ireland as a five-year-old.
Arwen represents his first crop which also includes current season Listed winner Bobby McGee and Listed placed Golden Spirit. A graduate of the 2024 NZB National Yearling Sale (Book 1), purchased by her trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $80,000, the filly has something to live up to as both her dam and grandam were well above average performers.
Her dam Coulee (Gallant Guru) bagged 10 wins, three of which were at Group 3 level, namely the White Robe Lodge Stakes (1600m) and two versions of Riccarton’s South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Arwen his her third winner from three to race.
Arwen’s grandam, Cherry Creek (Monashee Mountain), won eight times, her feature win the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Riccarton. Her dam Stage Flash (Lake Coniston) is a half-sister to the dam of another White Robe Lodge bred South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes winner, Live Drama (Ghibellines).
Rumblings
Two newsletters were published last week touching on the current and future state of the New Zealand racing industry. By natural extension, what affects the racing industry also affects the breeding industry. One piece was guardedly optimistic, the other more pointed, from a source which often specialises in looking closely at issues which many would prefer to avoid. Where there is smoke there is fire and the second piece paints a different picture, especially regarding finance and the administrative structure.
In terms of finance, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) costs have escalated somewhat dramatically. The numbers pertaining to operation costs have ballooned 142% in nine years, from $8.4 million to $20.4 million. The cost of running the arm of NZTR known as the Racing Integrity Unit (RIU) has more than doubled in ten years, from $9 million to $19 million. Within that timeframe the country’s peak inflation rate of 7% took place soon after the Covid pandemic but that was for one year, not nine or ten.
Therefore, few should be surprised that a government appointed TAB Advisory Committee, comprising industry heavyweights Sir Peter Vela, Sir Brendan Lindsay, Ken Breckon, Greg Tomlinson, Chris Waller and Mark Chittick, wrote to NZTR’s Members’ Council. One conclusion of the committee stated that the current operating model of the New Zealand racing industry is “unlikely to remain sustainable beyond the 2027-28 guaranteed funding period, without coordinated structural reform.”
While such a conclusion regarding finances is a major concern, the Advisory Committee didn’t stop there, presenting a framework intended to “address persistent issues that have not been resolved through incremental or voluntary measures, including fragmented governance, duplicated administration, an over-extended venue footprint, and structurally stranded capital.”
The bombshell comment was that the Advisory Committee also concluded that without structural change nothing will change, apparently suggesting that board resignations, perhaps the entire board, might be in order.
Kiwi Chronicles’ conclusion is: When a group such as those on the Advisory Committee see the industry’s future, (not to mention their own investment), hugely impacted by NZTR’s management, the industry at large also needs to be aware and informed.
On the road again
On a lighter note, the innovative annual Windsor Park Stud tour and road show is once again taking place. Last week the marketing department took their product to the people, putting on drinks and nibbles while presenting their stallions to breeders in Auckland, Waikato and Hawke’s Bay. This coming week takes in New Plymouth (Wednesday 17th), Wanganui for lunch on Thursday 18th and wrapping up at Palmerston North that evening.
The NZB National Weanling Sale, set for Thursday June 25th, means that the show will continue the following week in Christchurch and Invercargill. Wellington breeders will get their opportunity to hear the latest in early July.
In conjunction with Mapperley Stud, the stud has, since their last tour, added Savaglee (Savabeel) to the roster. Savaglee was the dominant three-year-old of his crop, his best winning effort the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). An equal measure of his ability and class occurred in defeat when finishing a mighty second in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). Prior to his Australian venture he was also a solid third at weight-for-age in Te Rapa’s CBD Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m).
Savabeel’s sons Embellish (six stakes winners) and Cool Aza Beel (sire of Group 1 2YO Cool Archie, now at stud) are making their way. Noverre sired his first winner this past week. Savaglee certainly deserves his chance.
Also since last year are the first foals by champion miler Paddington (Siyouni) while the first crop from 160 coverings by Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact) is due this coming spring. Meanwhile, Profondo (Deep Impact) continues to be very popular, covering 153 mares in his third season. He already has 230 foals from his first two crops on the ground so has been given plenty of opportunity to succeed.
Circus Maximus (Galileo) is off and running, siring the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Road To Paris from his initial crop but the highlight of the presentation might be race replays of the best sprinter in the world, Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress). His sire has known fertility issues but breeders are prepared to take their chances. The last two seasons Shamexpress (O’Reilly) has averaged 100 mares, up from a previous average of just under 60. Who wouldn’t love to breed another Ka Ying Rising?
