(Credit: Racing Photos)
Not for the first time has Kiwi Chronicles highlighted the quality sire-line exploits of High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells). In February 2023, while discussing whether he might establish his own Australasian sire line, we remembered that during the Sydney 2022 Championships So You Think (High Chaparral) sired three Group 1 winners in successive races. Knights Order landed the Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), Nimalee the Queen of the Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600) and who could forget the brilliant tactical ride by Nash Rawiller, angling Think It Over to the outside fence in a stunning renewal of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
June 7, 2025 was similarly noteworthy. That day at Eagle Farm, the first three home in the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) were Maison Louis who is by High Chaparral’s grandson Super Seth (Dundeel). Second was King Of Thunder who is by Tivaci, a son of High Chaparral. Third was Chase Your Dreams, by Contributer, yet another son of High Chaparral.
Poor weather caused the Queensland Derby to be delayed seven days which meant that the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) was run the same day. The result was another triumph for High Chaparral as You Wahng, the daughter of So You Think, was victorious. The late So You Think’s stakes winners tally has grown to 71.
Adding fuel to the fire, last February giant worldwide breeding entity Coolmore secured Super Seth in the biggest stallion coup of the decade, lending further credence to High Chaparral’s continuing story. His sire, Dundeel, is now the sire of 40 individual stakes winners.
Another treble was achieved this past Saturday. Birdman, by High Chaparral’s son Free Eagle, took out the Underwood Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m). Blind Raise, by son Ace High, was a classy winner of the Guineas Prelude (Gr 3, 1400m) and here in New Zealand Knock Off, by son Fabulous, led all the way to score Trentham’s Metric Mile (Gr 3, 1600m).
Northern hemisphere-bred sons of High Chaparral are headed by Toronado whose stakes winners number 53. Birdman’s sire Free Eagle stands in Ireland, shuttling to Australia for four seasons after landing Royal Ascot’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) at four. He has not set the world on fire as a sire yet can claim a Sire Premiership – 2023 Champion Sire in Slovakia.
Birdman, also foaled in Ireland where he scored at Listed level followed by a Group 2 placing at Royal Ascot, heads Free Eagle’s list of eight stakes winners. Aged six by southern time, Birdman proved his quality back in June, taking out the Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), one of six stakes in a career of seven wins, earning in excess of $2.4 million.
The next generation to continue the story is shaping up to be a contest between Dundeel and So You Think. The former is represented by Super Seth, Castelvecchio and Celestial Legend. The latter by D’Argento, Peltzer and Inference. Should Tron Bolt maintain his form, as one of few colts by Toronado, he might be his sire’s best bet when retired.
All clear
The Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), scheduled for October 10 (less than three weeks away) is now the clear target for Blind Raise who gave some good sorts a galloping lesson in Saturday’s Guineas Prelude (Gr 3, 1400m).
Caught three deep from the jump to the 700m, where he finally found a slot one off the rail, two back runners slingshotted past. Not wanting to lose his position, Blake Shinn quietly urged him to hold his ground and the three shared the lead at the top of the straight. Passing the 200m Shinn sat still and it wasn’t until the 150m that he gave the reins a shake. A few pumps and it was all over, away by two and three-quarter lengths in a sharp time of 1:22.50 with plenty in the tank. On that run he is deserving of favouritism for the Group 1.
Describing the 3YO as an exceptional horse, Shinn commented: “That definitely was a statement ahead of the Caulfield Guineas.” Co-trainer Trent Busuttin knew it was game on as the gelding was “asleep” prior to parading. In a bold comment, Busuttin mentioned that the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) may be on the cards should everything go according to plan.
A $70,000 purchase by Busuttin Young Racing from The Oaks Stud draft of the 2025 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), Blind Raise’s earnings now stand at $440,475 from four wins in five starts. Two earlier wins were in Melbourne Listed company.
He is the second winner from Away Cruising, the winning Darci Brahma (Danehill) daughter of the elite class filly/mare Seachange (Cape Cross). The latter was indeed all class and was twice named New Zealand Horse of the Year. Seven of her 14 wins were Group 1s, which says all.
They are not the only good ones close in the family as Away Cruising’s half-sister, Pelican (Fastnet Rock) has produced Group 2 winner Storm Boy (Justify) and Group 3 winner Shangri La Boy (Pierro), both of whom placed at Group 1 level. If Blind Raise can inherit just some of that family talent he should have a great future.
From anywhere
Lightly raced 7YO gelding Knock Off arrived at Trentham having had three starts in stakes company. His first was a year ago for the 2025 running of the Metric Mile, finishing second. This time he went one better and gave nothing else much of a chance from barrier rise.
The heavy track specialist led after 50 metres and although under a hold went clear from the 800 metres. From the top of the straight, near the outside rail, he stretched the lead to three lengths and the length of the straight had his opponents struggling in his wake, away by more than three lengths on the Heavy 10 going. From 19 starts he has scored six wins and has earned in excess of $200,000.
Knock Off is further proof that good horses can emerge regardless of their modest bloodlines, which gives hope to breeders whose budgets are limited. Knock Off fits that category in spades and on both sides of his pedigree.
His sire Fabulous (High Chaparral) never made it to the racetrack. Entered but withdrawn from the 2012 NZB Ready To Run sale, the colt broke his shoulder during his first preparation. Owner/trainer Peter McKenzie decided that the colt impressed sufficiently to stand him at his Strathcarron Stud, just south of Levin in the lower North Island. His fee was set at $500.
According to Arion Pedigrees’ superior database, in ten years (his last crop was foaled in 2024), Fabulous averaged 19 mares and sired 107 live foals of which 37 made it to the races including 17 winners. Prior to Knock Off, his best performer was twice Listed-placed Happy Star whose earnings have topped $433,000 from 15 wins. Happy Star is one of the country’s star hurdlers.
McKenzie had enjoyed success with a lightly raced son of Grosvenor (Sir Tristram) named His Royal Highness, training many of the progeny himself including Sculptor, a Great Northern Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) winner at Ellerslie as well as a Saab Quality Stakes (Gr 3, 2500m) at Flemington, two of his seven wins. While at Windsor Park Stud, one of High Chaparral’s mates in 2009 was Sculptor’s maiden winning sister City Of Dreams, the result being Fabulous.
During an interview with the NZTBA about seven years ago, McKenzie explained: “I bought his grandam from Trelawney and Troy Corporation as a yearling. She had been brought out in utero from the States and descended from a very good internationally known broodmare called Pocahontas. At the time I had a stallion called Tom’s Shu, who was by Tom Rolfe whose dam was Pocahontas, and I wanted to double that up. Unfortunately I only bred two colts. It is a family of tough horses,” said McKenzie.
Knock Off is tough too. Although he descends from the Pennon (Coriander) branch of the famous Eulogy family, his branch has not had a lot of stakes success in quite some time. In fact, Knock Off is the first stakes winner in five generations. However, his fifth dam, Dashing Lady (Pakistan II) is a half-sister to Our Rene (Harleigh), the dam of Group 1 sprinter-miler Our Shah (Shahram), an Easter Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner. Another half-sister, Hansa (Faux Tirage), is the grandam of Manawatu Sires’ Produces Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Precocious Lad (Otehi Bay). Both raced in the 1980s.
Ellerslie etc
A blustery and showery day at Ellerslie failed to dampen a good day’s racing where Te Akau Racing nabbed four of the nine winners, none more impressive than Top Shelf (Savabeel).
While winter clings on, the wonderful StrathAyr track provided a great surface. Speedy Golden Wings (Super Seth) ran 1:10.67 for the 1200m of the Benchmark 75 sprint. The Open 1400m, sponsored by Windsor Park Stud, was run in 1:24.08 and Top Shelf gave a huge hint of bigger things to come, especially considering the way her race panned out.
A speed war developed up front when Perfect Dividends (Overshare) broke away by three lengths. With 600 metres to run the distance between the fifth and sixth runners was another seven lengths to a group which included Top Shelf who sat three deep. Rider Michael McNab did not panic and smoothly sent his charge forward upon straightening. Approaching the 200 she had three to beat. At the 100, she was a closing third but travelling too well took over in the last few strides. Nothing was going better at the line, skipping the last 600 metres in 34.88.
Proving most consistent and honest, Top Shelf has won or placed in ten of her 12 starts which includes three wins (two at Ellerslie). One of her five second placings took place last autumn in Ellerslie’s Easter Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m) where she went under by a head after a similarly strong finish.
Bred by Fairdale Stud, who have retained a share, Top Shelf is a valuable commodity. She is by multiple champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel) and ranks as a sister to dual Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed Brando (Savabeel), the winner of nine races and more than $435,000. They are two of four winners from five to race from Saoirse (Iffraaj).
Her grandam Eire Hostess was an O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) Flemington 2YO Listed winner. Lovely blood. The mare knows where the line is and deserves a place in your Black Book. It will not surprise if she becomes Savabeel’s 160th stakes winner, sooner rather than later.
