Exciting Updates for Karaka 09 Entries

_Exciting Updates for Karaka 09 Entries

Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley and weekend racing provided plenty of exciting updates for some of the yearlings entered for New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 National Yearling Sales Series (26 January - 3 February).

The feature was Australia's premier weight-for-age race, the Group 1 Tatts Cox Plate and it was the NZ-Bred Maldivian (Zabeel-Shynzi by Danzig) who returned triumphant, after Karaka Premier Sale graduate El Segundo (Pins) carried the NZ-suffix to victory last year.

The win by the Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan-bred Zabeel gelding gave New Zealand's champion sire a record fourth Cox Plate winner. The win also provided great excitement for the team at Dormello Stud in Hamilton, who are looking forward to New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka in January where they will be offering Maldivian's half brother, a bay colt from the oldest crop of their impressive young stallion Duelled.

By champion sire Redoute's Choice, Duelled, like Maldivian, let the world know of his racing quality on Cox Plate Day when he took out the 2005 Group 2 AAMI Moonee Valley Vase.

Murray Gregory of Dormello Stud describes their Duelled-Shynzi colt as "very similar to Maldivian at the same age, being a real classic type of colt with plenty of scope and possessing a fantastic temperament like his father."

Millbank (Keeper-Woodini by Woodman) was another Kiwi to shine at Moonee Valley. He demolished his rivals in the Gr3 Schweppes Stakes (1200m) and firmly introduced himself to the local racing fans as a future three-year-old sprinting star of their turf.

Bred by WH Holdings Ltd, Millbank was born and raised on Jo Wilding's magnificent Te Mania Thoroughbreds farm, just below Kaikoura in the South Island. Rogerson Bloodstock, purchased Millbank for NZ$64,000 at the 2007 Karaka Select Sale from Te Mania.

This year entered under the Te Mania banner is a full sister to Millbank in the Karaka 2009 Select Sale.

Kelvin Mahood of WH Holdings Ltd has high praise for the filly. "She's a real star in the draft, a big strong filly in the mold of her impressive young sire Keeper. She has a lovely nature and a beautiful head."

Back to Australia, and this time at Rosehill, Karaka Premier Sale graduate Ahdashim (Elusive City-Clinique by Dance Floor) won the STC Pages Event Equipment Handicap (1300m) to take his race record to an unbeaten three from three.

Trained by Gerald Ryan, the son of Haunui Stud's Elusive City (Elusive Quality), beat his rivals with real authority, a one and a quarter length margin, and gave the impression that there were bigger things to come.

Bred by Keltern Stud Ltd and Trelawney Stud he was sold to Gerald Ryan at the 2007 Premier Sale for NZ$150,000. Trelawney Stud will offer a half-brother to Ahdashim by Van Nistelrooy (Storm Cat) at the Karaka 2009 Select Sale.

Brent Taylor of Trelawney Stud describes their Van Nistelrooy-Clinique colt as "a nice moving, correct colt with scope, good bone and muscle". Taylor also reported that just last week Clinique foaled a healthy full brother to Ahdashim at their Cambridge property.

On Sunday, Riccarton Park played host to the North Canterbury Jockey Club's feature race of the year, the Canterbury Stakes (1600m), a key lead up to the $1,000,000 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. This year the very smart Tell a Tale (Tale of the Cat-Cheeky Veronica by Sir Tristram), bred by Davilora Lodge, took victory by half a head, following up from his brilliant win in the Hawkes Bay Guineas on 4 October.

Ainsley Downs have entered a half-brother to Tell a Tale in the Karaka 2009 Select Sale, a colt by Widden Stud's first season sire, Snippetson (Snippets).

Courtney Howells of Ainsley Downs describes his Snippetson-Cheeky Veronica colt as "a colt with real presence about him, he is an impressive, athletic colt, with a great head and a good length of rein".

Next year's New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale Series takes place at Karaka from Monday 26 of January to Tuesday 3 February 2009, with catalogues out at the beginning of December.

ENDS

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