Bart Cummings who purchased Derby winner Roman Emperor from our 2007 Karaka Premier draft looks to have another serious candidate for major Australian three-year-old honours judging by the impressive win of Kudakulari (Savabeel-Oenotria) in Saturdays Listed Fernhill Handicap at Randwick. Bred by JML Bloodstock and Brown Thoroughbreds, Kudakulari was part of our 2009 Karaka Premier draft selling to the master trainer for $140,000.
Despite racing wide throughout the two-year-old colt came away over the concluding stages of the 1600m contest in the manner of a horse set to improve even further as the distances of his races increase. Kudakulari is a confirmed starter for this weekends Group One Champagne Stakes at Randwick.
The private purchase in 2005 of Kudakulari's dam Oenotria by Bruce Perry Bloodstock for JML Bloodstock and Brown Thoroughbreds has proven to be most inspired. Oenotria's first foal for her new owners (her second overall) was La Collina, a Van Nistelrooy filly who ran third in the Group 2 Royal Stakes earlier this year and Kudakulari is her second and latest progeny for the partnership
Oentoria is currently back in foal to Savabeel and the resultant full sibling to Kudakulari looks set to be a feature of our Karaka Premier draft in 2012.
The finish of the Skycity 1200 at Ellerslie for three-year-olds on Saturday had a distinctive LA flavour: the winner Blonde Bombshell (Towkay-Millie Munroe) sold from our 2008 Karaka Premier draft and the runner-up Aspinal bred by us and raced with a group of friends. Aspinal - who should have lost few admirers when you consider Blonde Bombshell carried two kgs less than the runner-up and is a quality filly herself, having run third in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic - remains on target for the Group Three Cambridge Breeders Stakes later this month.
Towkay's very consistent Hong Kong performer Happee Gift (Towkay-Make Up) gained a well deserved victory on Sunday after two fourths and two thirds in his previous four starts. The five-year-old who is a full brother to 2004 Group 1 Levin Classic winner Ambitious Owner was bred by Richard Cottle and J Drinkwater and purchased from our 2006 Karaka Premier draft for $160,000 by M Kent.
