New Zealand Racing

[_ed_]

Carlisle Bay/Best Gift didn't go much better than last time. He's behaving really badly at the start at the moment, tiring himself out before the races even start! Don't know why he's doing that.

Sir Slick won another race yesterday, his 17th career win and he was carrying 62.5kg. Amazing horse.

And now, since I'm bored at work, it's time to have another look at the Derby. Let's see how the ones I talked about in my last post about the Derby are going...

BRUXAAR - 3 g Xaar - Kindergarten - 3 starts, 2 wins, 1 second
Trainer Allan Sharrock, who won the Derby last year with Wahid, rates this horse as "one of the best I've trained". This is a huge call. He's going to the Levin Classic (G1) later this month and is going to be very hard to beat in that.

His record is now 6 starts, 4 wins, 1 second. His last start was an easy win against a tough field at Woodville, and he showed some explosive acceleration that only pretty special horses have. He's 12-1 for the Derby. Distance is an issue for him, but if I had to pick a horse for the Derby right now it'd be Bruxaar.

BERIO - 3 g Zabeel - Abbaye - 1 start, 1 win
Huge debut win this weekend, looks like a big powerful boy who won't have any trouble with the Derby distance. Look out.

Oops. Got this one wrong. Not in contention.

THUMBS UP - 3 g Shinko King - Regelle - 1 start, 1 win
Went out at 44-1 on debut on Wednesday and was 4 lengths behind the 2nd last horse around the final turn...flew down the outside and won with ease. That field was probably not the strongest, but what a win.

2 times out of the money since this, so I might have this one wrong too...I still have hope for this guy though.

SIX O'CLOCK NEWS - 3 g Zabeel - Maurine - 2 starts, 1 second
Amazing breeding (son of multiple G1 winning mare), and is getting better as he runs over more and more distance. Another big powerful guy.

Yay! This is one I did get right! He's now had 6 starts for 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third, and that third was a fast-closing effort in the G2 Great Northern Guineas last start. He's 12-1 for the Derby too.

Rios, Nom Du Jeu, Pierre Joseph and The Pooka haven't raced since. I'm expecting them to appear again in the next couple of weeks.

There are some I hadn't even heard of when I did that post that are now the leading contenders now though...

PRINCE KAAPSTAD - 3 g Kaapstad - Brilliant Princess - 8 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third
G2 Great Northern Guineas winner, a very impressive effort and there's no doubt he'll get the distance. 10-1 for the Derby.

IL DIVO - 3 g Don Eduardo - Rubiton's Best - 5 starts, 1 win, 3 seconds
Closed nicely for second in that Guineas. 12-1 for the Derby.

STEEL - 3 g Zabeel - Tennessee Midnight - 4 starts, 2 wins, 2 thirds
This horse has been getting better every race, finishing nicely for 3rd in his first 2 races before clearing maidens impressively and winning again last start. Both of those wins were at the Derby track, Ellerslie. He's a Zabeel, of course he'll get the distance. 10-1.

RED RULER - 3 g Viking Ruler - Ransom Bay - 3 starts, 2 wins, 1 third
The Derby favourite. What's he beaten? Absolutely nothing. But the way he's done it has been so impressive, 8-1 almost looks like good value.

This looks like a pretty talented crop. I hope so anyway.

[_ed_]

Some fantastic entries for Telegraph Sprint Day at Trentham, the first day of Wellington Cup week.

ANNIVERSARY HANDICAP
Final Reality
Ombre Rose
Shamrock Star
Avaroadi
True Valour
Fercertain
Black Fox
Point Guard

WAKEFIELD STAKES (G2 2yo)
Reuben Thorn
Fully Fledged
Fyfetheknife
Khamseen
Stand And Deliver
Captain Fantastic
Izonit
Sanjura
Viva Volksraad
Lady Alberton
Amazing Sky
Key Message
Solo Flight
Pure Strike
Hell Yeah
Joan's Chance
Seathepost
Awesome Planet
Encantada
Starring

WELLINGTON STAKES (G3 3yo)
Alamosa
The Pooka
Prince Kaapstad
Bruxaar
Run Like Al
Mission Critical
Nom du Jeu
Halfametreshort
Van Who

TRENTHAM STAKES (G3 wfa)
Xcellent
Delbrae
Kerry O'Reilly
Everswindell
Miles
Three Chimneys
Twinkling
Sakura Cluden

TELEGRAPH HANDICAP (G1)
Seachange
Dezigna
Clifton Prince
Kay's Awake
Irlanda
Imananabaa
Our Umaga
Rabkalajo
O'Cartier
Pinsoir
Brianna
Maximum Star
Accardo
Manten
Pinmdown
Leadership
St Verdi
Smartway
Victory Code
Mary Ellen

Wish I could be down there!

[my miss storm cat]

Of course i only know about a fifth of the names but looks like a great day.

[my miss storm cat]

Glad your girl Seachange won again.

[_ed_]

Everyone knows about poor Xcellent's career-ending injury at Trentham on Saturday, but apart from that awful moment it was a really good day, spent the whole day on the couch in front of the TV.

The first of the big races, the Wakefield for 2yos, is a good example of how quickly your luck can change in racing. A horse called Fully Fledged hit the lead and looked like it would kill them, but then for some reason it decided it wanted to jump over the rail. So Captain Fantastic (by Fantastic Light), Xcellent's stablemate, ended up winning!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzacCr9-4Es

Then in the Anniversary Handicap, Fiscal Madness made it 2 big mile races in a row, and this was a nice win under a big weight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UcLS-aWvC4

Alamosa's probably our best 3yo. None of the others have won a race as impressively as he won this Wellington Stakes against a very good field including Bruxaar, The Pooka, Prince Kaapstad and Mission Critical. He's a very impressive colt and has won 7 out of 15 now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwnsx8ok01E

Then it was the Trentham Stakes. At least Xcellent ended his career with a win. Apparently the injury happened early in the stretch, and they think he was in a lot of pain as he ran, but he was just so determined to win. That's how I'll remember him. We'll miss you X.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJFrTQ-s6X4

And the main race of the day, the Telegraph, was absolutely awesome. They said Seachange couldn't win with that massive weight against such a strong field...they were wrong. Look out Dubai, here comes one of the toughest little mares you've ever seen. And she's pretty fast too. Don't know if she's as good as some of the others who will be in the Duty Free, but I really hope she goes well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRg9zb1vRNU

[my miss storm cat]

Thanks for the links.

I had read about Fully Fledged..... geez, Antonius Pius-esque.

[my miss storm cat]

How good did this one look, ed?

http://www.virtualformguide.com/cgi-...80126young.txt

[_ed_]

He was really good, it was a weak field (apart from Pasta Post, but he didn't handle the distance) but he smashed them. Was good to see Resolution get up for 2nd for the trainers of Xcellent and Jokers Wild.

The video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMH24Gj7khw

The track was a bit off (and the weather had been fine, they just watered it too much ), but some of the other races were still really good.

Keepa Cruisin won another big one in the G2 Desert Gold, very impressive win after being given a great ride by Leith ('Lethal') Innes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2Tn3bElrQ

And then Alamosa smashed the older horses in the G1 Thorndon, which was awesome to see. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVHsHvDAZMM

Tomorrow is a big day at Ellerslie, with the first ever Karaka Million ($1 million race for 2yos). Here's the field: https://www.ebetonline.co.nz/forms/2...#view=FitH,top Lots of talent in here, very hard to pick.

And some of the other races on the card are good too, with Derby contenders like Steel, Red Ruler and Minqar Qaim all running on the undercard.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

The first of the big races, the Wakefield for 2yos, is a good example of how quickly your luck can change in racing. A horse called Fully Fledged hit the lead and looked like it would kill them, but then for some reason it decided it wanted to jump over the rail. So Captain Fantastic (by Fantastic Light), Xcellent's stablemate, ended up winning!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzacCr9-4Es

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRg9zb1vRNU

Was he a bit better behaved today?

Glad to hear he won.

[_ed_]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Was he a bit better behaved today?

Glad to hear he won.

He was much better today, very professional. He enjoyed the applause as he came back after the race.

Here's a replay: http://www.ellerslie.co.nz/show.cfm?...wf&w=294&h=240

And the other G1 was won by Sir Slick, his fifth G1 win.
http://www.ellerslie.co.nz/show.cfm?...wf&w=294&h=240

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

He was much better today, very professional. He enjoyed the applause as he came back after the race.

Here's a replay: http://www.ellerslie.co.nz/show.cfm?...wf&w=294&h=240

And the other G1 was won by Sir Slick, his fifth G1 win.
http://www.ellerslie.co.nz/show.cfm?...wf&w=294&h=240

Oh my God those were wonderful! Thanks!!!

"... like a professional today!"

... and hooray for Sir Slick!