Credit: Race Images
Attending Hastings’ Howden Mile day on September 26, the writer took an amble through the Members’ Lounge. Sitting alone at one of the small round tables was a gentleman who was particularly well dressed, sporting a smart dark blue suit and easily the best dressed in the room.
I stopped and made a remark, along the lines of: “Old school and dressed for the occasion? Reminds me of the days when people made an effort and wore their Sunday best on race days.” The gentleman responded: “Yes, it is a throw back but we have a runner in the Guineas and I want to be prepared if I need to make a speech.”
We introduced ourselves and shook hands. Then I asked: “What do you have running?” The reply was: “We have a last start maiden winner in the Guineas and we are having a throw at the stumps. It’s a step from maidens but we believe the fillies’ race, the Gold Trail, is a bit short. The 1400 metres of the Guineas should suit her better so we are having a go.”
The filly’s maiden win over 1200 metres at Ruakaka was not just any win as she had to find a way out of an awkward spot on the fence soon after straightening. Her driving finish between runners was impressive as she pinned her ears back to overhaul the leader.
The well-dressed gentleman was Mark Hardy, part-owner of Angels Halo (Proisir). His filly did indeed handle the 1400 metres of the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr 2) and was right there at the finish. After such an encouraging run the connections had every reason to go forward.
At Te Rapa for the James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m), things didn’t quite pan out and Angels Halo was shuffled back before the straight and ran into a wall before moving out for the run home. She was doing her best late but the race was over. Full marks to trainer Hollie Elliot for her decision to proceed. Two positives were that by heading to Riccarton for the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), Angels Halo would enjoy the extra distance and did not have to race against the boys.
Rider Masa Hashizume also stuck with the filly and settled her closer to the pace than previously, aided by the addition of blinkers which Elliot felt had improved the filly’s work. She shared fifth (rails) at the 1000 metres and sat sixth at the 600 metres but needed an out.
At the top of the straight the co leaders both drifted away from the fence. Hashizume didn’t need any better opportunity and drove Angels Halo along the inner and they had the lead at the 300 metres. Was it too soon? Near the 100 metres, Dashing Dixie (Alabama Express), deeper out, was flying but Angels Halo lifted and held off the challenge by three-quarters of a length. Only Dashing Dixie’s last 600 metres was faster than Angels Halo’s 34.68, so she played her part with her strong finish. The first two were noticeably clear of warm favourite Asturia (Almanzor) in third.
For the presentation Hardy was again best dressed in his smart dark blue suit and Angels Halo racked up a third classic winner for her sire Proisir (Choisir) as well as his second New Zealand 1,000 Guineas winner. Proisir’s total stakes winners reached 27 but later the same afternoon grew to 28 when Hyperbolic landed Hawkesbury’s Ladies Day Vase (Listed, 1500m).
Angels Halo is the first winner for her dam Mongolian Angel (I Am Invincible), the latter purchased out of the Premier catalogue at the 2017 NZB Karaka Yearling Sales by David Ellis of Te Akau Racing for whom she placed.
Mongolian Angel’s dam Pipette (Pivotal) was well travelled. She won and was twice stakes placed in England and won in New Zealand before her transfer to Chris Waller’s stable. In Sydney she added wins at Rosehill and Canterbury Park plus recorded Listed placings at Scone and Hawkesbury.
Pipette’s dam Amaryllis (Sadler’s Wells) ranks as half-sister to Hollywood Park Beverley Hills Handicap winner (Gr 1, 9f) Corrazona (El Gran Senor) and Aqueduct Wood Memorial Invitation Stakes (Gr 1, 9f) winner Thirty Six Red (Slew o’ Gold).
Within six
Inching ever closer to his sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram) who sired 166 stakes winners, Savabeel is now within six courtesy of Sun Gift (Savabeel), owned, appropriately enough, by Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick.
When Savabeel reached 130 SWs he was averaging about 12 new stakes winners per season. That clip has slowed but despite his recent passing has three crops yet to make a contribution. The target of 166 will no doubt be achieved. It’s just a matter of when.
Sun Gift’s Matriarch Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) win was unexpected, especially as she was backing up from a run in Wednesday’s Kyneton Cup (2006m) three days prior. She mixes her form yet deserved this as she faced the breeze throughout, sitting just outside the lead to the straight entrance. Michael Dee made the right call by sending the mare clear at the 300 metres. By the 100 metres the lead was too great to be overhauled and the post arrived in time for her sixth and most important win, solidifying her future broodmare career.
Time has been the six-year-olds friend. Her previous best win was also at Flemington last January, a Benchmark 78 over the same 2000 metres. In between she recorded a fast-finishing black-type second in the Victoria Gold Cup (Listed, 2000m) at Caulfield. Saturday’s win took her earnings beyond $500,000.
As is Waikato Stud’s breeding policy, (keeping the first two fillies from their mares), Sun Gift was retained and will be a most worthy addition to the band, especially as a Flemington Group 2 winner, one of three winners from her dam, Sunniva (Pour Moi).
Sunniva is an unraced three-quarter sister to Moonee Valley Group 2 winner Guillotine (Monjeu) and half-sister to Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) and Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Efficient (Zabeel). Another half-sister, Cold Shoulder (Volksraad), produced On The Rocks (Alamosa), winner of the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m). Sun Gift, bred on a similar pattern to Efficient, will be a welcome addition to the New Zealand breeding industry.
Chittick’s day began with a Benchmark 84 win from Superfabulistic (Super Seth) who landed her fourth win from ten starts when scoring the Ronald McDonald House Vic/Tas Mile (1600m). The five-year-old won very convincingly and is yet another mare for Waikato Stud’s future broodmare band.
It will not surprise if she adds to her record and black-type looks very likely before she too heads to the breeding paddock. As a half-sister to three stakes winners including $5.2 million earner and Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Icebath (Sacred Falls), her future foals will enjoy major appeal from Australian buyers.
Sweet smell of success
A bold move paid off in spades when Rotten Tommy (U S Navy Flag) accepted for Saturday’s Legacy Lodge Sprint (Listed, 1200m) at Te Rapa. With a rating of 70, Rotten Tommy was given an opportunity in open Listed company, not considered normal for one going through the grades with two wins from eight starts.
The four-year-olds talent is one thing but that has been overshadowed by his distaste for right-handed tracks, even though both his previous wins were achieved at right-handed Ruakaka, his home track.
His speed is all too evident and he handles the bend okay but when into the straight he veers out. In his maiden win he was very wide past the line. For his second win he was virtually brushing the outside fence at the finish. His earlier racing, before his maiden success, caught the attention of the authorities.
Logic would suggest racing left-handed and that’s what the connections did. However, after a short spell the speedster returned to Matamata and carried the field to the top of the straight then compounded to beat two home. On Labour Day, October 26, connections tried again at rating 75 level over 1200 metres, this time, at right-handed Te Rapa. Rotten Tommy sped away again and it was only a bob of the head that brought about his nose defeat.
Partnered for the first time by Bridget Grylls, Tommy drew the ace for Saturday’s feature sprint and combined with his 53 kilograms took full advantage. In driving rain he was first away and starting the bend was more than a length clear. Grylls let him slip further clear into the home straight and inside the 100 metres it was all over, the lead too much to be run down.
Tommy is an exciting addition to the sprinting ranks, not only due to his obvious speed but also because of his reputation. He has some antics, solved to some degree by racing anti-clockwise. Trainer and co-owner Anthony Burton commented: “He is not the easiest to work with as he has a few quirks. Hopefully we can get him going right-handed and then we will definitely see a good horse.”
The obvious target must be the Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on Karaka Millions night and Ellerslie’s track-direction will be the major question. It’s one thing to veer out at Rating 65 level and still win. At Group 1 level, such mistakes are financially punishing.
Rotten Tommy could have been bought but was passed in with a reserve of $20,000 at the 2023 NZB National Weaning Sale. He is the sole winner from his dam Gumpert (Roc De Cambes), a winning sister to Group 3-placed Trail Blazer. His grandam Hot Pursuit (Spartacus) is an Ellerslie Group 2 placed daughter of stakes-placed Dominant (Deputy Governor), the sister to Kiwi Hero, best known for his New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) victory, one of 15 wins. This family was managed well by Chequers Stud’s Jim Campin, led by dual Group 1 Oaks filly Domino (Grosvenor), Tommy’s fourth dam.
Top ten
Champions Day at Flemington offered three Group 1s worth $3 million each and that prize money did have some effect on the Australian Sire Premiership in that The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), due to Autumn Glow’s Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) win, now sits third behind Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and Street Boss (Street Cry).
Meanwhile, in Sydney was the Five Diamonds (Gr 3, 1800m) and the $1,155,000 earned by Evaporate (Per Incanto) has jumped his sire into the top ten. It has been a very good spring for Little Avondale Stud’s multiple award-winning sire whose Jimmysstar has amassed $2.2 million of the $5.15 million seasonal total.
Evaporate was overdue for a big prize. On four previous occasions he has just come up short in high value races, namely third in the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), second in the rich NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m), third in the 2025 Golden Eagle (1500m) and second in the All Star Mile (Gr 1, 1600m). His bank manager is not too upset however as the five-year-old has cashed cheques totalling a little over $4.5 million.
