(Credit: NZB)
Fillies are two and zero over their male counterparts in the two early races specifically for the sophomores. Ruakaka’s Northland Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), staged on August 15, fell to She’s No Saint (Prague). That day the boys never had a look in as the first six home in the nine horse field were all fillies.
Ten runners fronted for Saturday’s Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1200m) and the boys fared a little better, but the fairer sex formed a Stephen Marsh stable quinella. Five of the ten were maidens so the race could not be categorized as especially strong.
Perfect Chaos (Hello Youmzain), one of the better maidens in the country, sat parked outside the lead until the straight then took over. A kick at the 200 metres saw her drive more than a length clear and after that the chasers were never going to run her down.
The winning time of slightly worse than 1:15 for the 1200 metres was not indicative of a Heavy 10 surface which saw the open sprinters break 1:14.
Colts and geldings must wait until September 12 and Hastings’ El Roca Trophy (Listed, 1200m) to strut their stuff as this coming Saturday’s Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 1200m) at Ellerslie is restricted to fillies.
In landing both her maiden success and maiden stakes success, Perfect Chaos provided her sire Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) with his 15th individual stakes winner and is one of 145 winners throughout both hemispheres. His oldest north of the equator are four-year-olds, while here in the south they have just turned four so his numbers are impressive.
Back in January, at the Karaka Yearling Sale, Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumptre informed the writer that Hello Youmzain had just reached 100 winners, which means that in the intervening seven months he has added another 45. Interestingly, all seven of Hello Youmzain’s southern hemisphere stakes winners are fillies, headed by the exciting Drops Of God.
Perfect Chaos has been to the races five times and showed up at Wanganui with three second placings. She was due. A graduate of NZB’s 2025 Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), Perfect Chaos was knocked down to the Stephen Marsh/Dylan Johnson team, fetching $50,000. The filly is already in the black.
“She is nominated for the One Thousand Guineas so we would like to get her out to 1400 metres in time,” said Marsh’s right-hand man Johnson, “but we have the runs on the board now and we can plot our way through to Christchurch.”
Her dam Kali (Darci Brahma) landed Ashburton’s John Grigg Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m). Kali’s great grandam, Ellerslie Royal Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) winner Shagolvin (Sharivari), is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Bit Of A Skite (Showoff II) and to Olympic Aim (Zamazaan), dam of Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Circles Of Gold (Marscay). The later foaled Elvstroem (Danehill) and Haradasun (Fusaichi Pegasus) who between them bagged eight Group 1s. Seven times Group 1 winner Highland Reel (Galileo) is a grandson.
Many readers will recognise this family, the Eulalie (Absurd) branch of the Eulogy (Cicero) family which also includes the fabulous sprinter and now successful sire Starspangledbanner (Choisir) whose grandam is a half-sister to Circles Of Gold. A century ago Eulogy lived at Koatanui Stud very near Wanganui and Perfect Chaos is the seventh descendant to score the Wanganui Guineas.
Call me Mister
Only last week Kiwi Chronicles detailed two metro winners by Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (Wootton Bassett). The stallion is on fire and has now added Rosehill winner Mr Miller who is putting together a potential stakes-winning resume.
Mr Miller was offered via Blandford Lodge’s 2024 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale draft with an $80,000 reserve but did not sell. Given his early education by Pam Gerard, he made a big first impression. Before he won his first trial Gerard commented: “I like this horse and think he is an outstanding specimen and prospect for the future.” Mr Miller then won trials at Te Rapa and Taupo before being snapped up by Ozzie Kheir. His Taupo trial win was a breeze as he was under a good hold at the line.
The four-year-old has been patiently handled by Chris Waller and made his race debut last April, claiming a rich Super Maiden at Warwick Farm in good style. Two seconds followed after which he was put aside, returning to Warwick Farm on August 19 with an easy victory at Benchmark 72 level over 1400 metres.
Improving with every run, this latest win, a Benchmark 78 over 1500 metres, was pretty cruisy, assuming the lead at the 300 metres then breaking clear over the final 100 to win untroubled. He looks a bit special.
“He’s very fast out of the machines, and then as soon as you put him in a spot, he switches off,” reports jockey Tommy Berry, adding: “He feels like he has so many gears.”
His breeders, Blandford’s Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax, have retained a share but sadly they lost his dam, Miss Miller (Pins) after just two foals, she a winning sister to Group 3 placed Angel Bee, dam of Golden Pendant (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Vangelic (Vancouver). Mr Miller’s grandam Zabeels Angel (Zabeel) won nine times including Riccarton’s Winter Cup (Gr 3, 1600m).
Runs in the family
Unbeaten in three starts is Proxima Dea (Tarzino) who caught this column’s eye on July 11 when the filly showed real courage on debut at Randwick. That day she led, was headed but fought back hard to score narrowly in a tough effort. Since then she made it two from two, at Gosford, against three others, again fighting hard when looking vulnerable.
Back in town, her third win, Saturday’s Midway Handicap (1800m), was quite different as she was fourth rounding into the straight yet eight lengths adrift of the tearaway pacemaker. Even at the 100 metres her task looked daunting but she knows where the line is and lunged late to keep her unbeaten record intact.
“I peeled off on the turn and thought we’d run a nice second,” said apprentice rider Braith Nock, “but she knuckled down and reeled him [the pacemaker] in.”
Big sis, Gypsy Goddess, also won her first three races before tackling stakes class, taking out Eagle Farm’s Grand Prix Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m). Her winning streak ran to five and later that same season she landed the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m). At four she was a great third behind I Wish I Win (Savabeel) in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m).
Secured by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $300,000, Proxima Dea was the sole lot by Tarzino (Tavistock) at the 2025 Wm Inglis Easter Yearling Sale but she is trained by Rosehill trainer David Payne who believes the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) is a worthwhile target. “There’s a lot of options leading up to the Oaks for her, both here and in Melbourne,” said Payne. “She just keeps getting better and better. I think the best is still to come.”
Twelve, going on nine
In addition to two New Zealand-bred winners, Retourne (Shamexpress) and Mr Trafficanti (Turn Me Loose), a curiosity took place at Morphettville when 12-year-old Nicajon (Nicconi) took out the Benchmark 78 over 1600 metres. The old marvel is racing better at eleven and twelve than at any time in his long career, spanning 73 races.
One reason for his longevity may be that he did not race until he turned four, winning once at that age. At five he won again and twice placed at Moonee Valley. He was off the scene at six but from 18 starts at seven he failed to win. As an eight-year-old he found a new lease of life to win twice including at his now favourite track, Morphettville.
As a nine-year-old he could not add to his win tally but undeterred came back at ten, winning at Ballarat. His best season, as an eleven-year-old, was the season just ended. Nicajon won three times, twice at Morphettville.
Officially 12, and racing for the third time this season already, he weaved through the pack from midfield and handily beat his opponents for win nine and banked his biggest cheque yet, $35,500, taking his career earnings beyond $360,000. Clearly, he doesn’t know how old he is and punters were not put off either as the “senior” started as the 5-2 favourite.
He also has a distant New Zealand connection as the descendant of 1948 Auckland Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Frances (Bulandshar).
They were right
The TAB Advisory Committee was right. They claimed that the current operating model of NZTR was “unsustainable” and now we know it is true with the release of the planned funding of stakes for the 2026-27 racing season.
Group 1 races will lose more than $1.3 million in funding headed by the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) which drops from $1.25 million to $1 million. The Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) also loses $250,000 to $750,000, while the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) drops from $1 million to $800,000. All other Group 1s will have their value reduced from between $100,000 to $50,000 yet none will drop below $450,000.
Will this affect the quality of these elite races? Not likely, but owners and trainers have no other choice. This week we will also discover what effect the austerity measures will have on Group 2, Group 3 and Listed races. A hollow plus for owners and trainers is that the minimum stakes of $18,500 during the summer and $17,000 during the winter are not affected. It would be good to know what measures, other than stakes, NZTR are taking to reduce costs. Is that too much to ask?
Similarly unaffected is the NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m), funded via the purchase of slots, which will be run next March for $4.5 million (an increase of $500,000). As well, the two NZB Karaka Millions Listed races restricted to sales graduates, funded via an NZB premium, retain their value at $1.5 million for the three-year-olds and $1 million for the two-year-olds.
Sorry to see you go
Nick Johnson is to depart his post as CEO of the NZTBA to take up the same role at Waikato Thoroughbred Racing. His three-year stint has been all too short but the writer is compelled to report that Nick’s stay has been highly successful and thoroughly professional. The TBA is a unique organisation but Nick engaged himself in their ways quickly and efficiently. The association will have a task finding someone of the same calibre. Sorry to see you go but hope that you are equally successful in your new post.
