Kirramosa easily wins the WakefulStakes on opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival
Photo NZTM website
The gamble to race Kirramosa (Alamosa-Freyja) in Australia this spring instead of targeting the three year-old fillies' races in New Zealand looks like it is paying off for both Manawatu's Wellfield Lodge and trans-Tasman trainer John Sargent after the classy filly triumphed in the group two Wakeful Stakes on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
"It's pretty satisfying seeing her win in Melbourne. We sacrificed competing her at home to win races in Australia and give Alamosa a boost," according to a delighted Bill Gleeson of Wellfield.
"The plan was to get as much opportunity for Alamosa's progeny in Australia, get them winning and that will make it easier for us to market them there. It's very rewarding that she has shaped up against the best three-year-old fillies in Australia.
"As well it gives John Sargent a profile horse racing in the Spring Carnival."
Kirramosa had two starts in New Zealand as a two-year-old, easily winning on debut before running fourth in the group one Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes. After an impressive trial win at Te Teko in August she switched to the Sydney stable of John Sargent, who not only trains the filly but also has a quarter share in her.
In Sydney she debuted with a fourth, before winning over 1200metres at Newcastle. Back in town she ran fourth over 1400 at Rosehill, and with the addition of blinkers at Randwick three weeks later, ran second - after being hampered at the 1000 - over 1600. Her next start was in the Wakeful at Flemington, where came from last on the turn to win easily by one and three quarter lengths.
"The beauty of that run was that an hour and a half later she was in a paddock full of grass just outside Melbourne with her head down. She came through the race exceptionally well and won't be asked for much before she runs in the Oaks."
Kirramosa was bred by Wellfield Holdings Limited from the Danske(NZ) mare Freyja, an unraced daughter of the champion filly Olga's Pal (Straight Strike[USA]-Tinawin). She is raced by a partnership that includes Sargent, Bill and Mark Gleeson (Wellfield Holdings), Peter Didham, Jospeh McNeill and Glenda and John Reily.
"With such a large number of breeders not breeding their mares, we have leased a number of mares for the stud and she was one of them. Under the lease agreement we took the filly to the New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale in 2012 but she was passed in for $20,000 so we bought the other partners out.
"It's hard to get buyers interested in fillies at that sale when their pedigrees are just slightly off the page. There is an unbelievable opportunity at the Select Sale to buy an outstanding filly on type for little or no money."
"We got offered so many mares and we targeted Freyja for Alamosa. We tried to get as many mares with Zabeel or Sir Tristram blood in the dam side as we could. We recognised that this was a nice cross with Danske (Danehill[USA]-Our Tristalight by Sir Tristram). Sir Tristram blood is pretty hard to beat, and a number of the progeny we have bred along these lines are showing ability."
Freyja has returned to her owners Hawke's Bay breeders Tom and Murray Fleming and after having a season off is back in foal to Alamosa.
Freyja commenced stud duties in Australia before coming to New Zealand to be served by High Chaparral (IRE) in 2005. That foal is Te Karaka, a winner of three races. She has also left Casino Jack by Volksraad(IRE).
Following Kirramosa, she had a colt by another Wellfield stallion, Road To Rock (AUS) (Encosta de Lago- Trewornan) that was bred by the original owners of Road To Rock. He was sold as a weanling for $5,000 and reappears in the Ready to Run sale later this month.
Alamosa's oldest crop are now three-year-olds. In his first season he was also represented by the two-year-old stakes-winner Salamanca (ex Anca) and the listed placed winner Quintette (ex Everswindell). He stands at Wellfield Lodge at $12,500 + gst alongside Road To Rock and Handsome Ransom.
- Michelle Saba
"It's pretty satisfying seeing her win in Melbourne. We sacrificed competing her at home to win races in Australia and give Alamosa a boost," according to a delighted Bill Gleeson of Wellfield.
"The plan was to get as much opportunity for Alamosa's progeny in Australia, get them winning and that will make it easier for us to market them there. It's very rewarding that she has shaped up against the best three-year-old fillies in Australia.
"As well it gives John Sargent a profile horse racing in the Spring Carnival."
Kirramosa had two starts in New Zealand as a two-year-old, easily winning on debut before running fourth in the group one Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes. After an impressive trial win at Te Teko in August she switched to the Sydney stable of John Sargent, who not only trains the filly but also has a quarter share in her.
In Sydney she debuted with a fourth, before winning over 1200metres at Newcastle. Back in town she ran fourth over 1400 at Rosehill, and with the addition of blinkers at Randwick three weeks later, ran second - after being hampered at the 1000 - over 1600. Her next start was in the Wakeful at Flemington, where came from last on the turn to win easily by one and three quarter lengths.
"The beauty of that run was that an hour and a half later she was in a paddock full of grass just outside Melbourne with her head down. She came through the race exceptionally well and won't be asked for much before she runs in the Oaks."
Kirramosa was bred by Wellfield Holdings Limited from the Danske(NZ) mare Freyja, an unraced daughter of the champion filly Olga's Pal (Straight Strike[USA]-Tinawin). She is raced by a partnership that includes Sargent, Bill and Mark Gleeson (Wellfield Holdings), Peter Didham, Jospeh McNeill and Glenda and John Reily.
"With such a large number of breeders not breeding their mares, we have leased a number of mares for the stud and she was one of them. Under the lease agreement we took the filly to the New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale in 2012 but she was passed in for $20,000 so we bought the other partners out.
"It's hard to get buyers interested in fillies at that sale when their pedigrees are just slightly off the page. There is an unbelievable opportunity at the Select Sale to buy an outstanding filly on type for little or no money."
"We got offered so many mares and we targeted Freyja for Alamosa. We tried to get as many mares with Zabeel or Sir Tristram blood in the dam side as we could. We recognised that this was a nice cross with Danske (Danehill[USA]-Our Tristalight by Sir Tristram). Sir Tristram blood is pretty hard to beat, and a number of the progeny we have bred along these lines are showing ability."
Freyja has returned to her owners Hawke's Bay breeders Tom and Murray Fleming and after having a season off is back in foal to Alamosa.
Freyja commenced stud duties in Australia before coming to New Zealand to be served by High Chaparral (IRE) in 2005. That foal is Te Karaka, a winner of three races. She has also left Casino Jack by Volksraad(IRE).
Following Kirramosa, she had a colt by another Wellfield stallion, Road To Rock (AUS) (Encosta de Lago- Trewornan) that was bred by the original owners of Road To Rock. He was sold as a weanling for $5,000 and reappears in the Ready to Run sale later this month.
Alamosa's oldest crop are now three-year-olds. In his first season he was also represented by the two-year-old stakes-winner Salamanca (ex Anca) and the listed placed winner Quintette (ex Everswindell). He stands at Wellfield Lodge at $12,500 + gst alongside Road To Rock and Handsome Ransom.
- Michelle Saba
