Even those who backed other runners in the Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha on Saturday would have found it difficult to begrudge the win of the LA bred Xanadu (Elusive City-Forest Dream). Five times Gr.1 placed including behind the likes of Ocean Park and Final Touch, the Ken Kelso trained mare fittingly chose the always competitive and only set weight Gr.1 race for fillies and mares in the country to land her inaugural win at racings elite classification level.
Settling back in her accustomed racing style the 4YO mare made her run through the field on the point of the turn, bursting to the front at the 300m and quickly gapping the rest of the field. From there jockey Michael Coleman did not have to ride her out to win comfortably from Twilight Granita and Diademe.
LA sold Xanadu privately as a weanling to John Gilbert who races her with friends under the Block Partnership moniker. LA sold an Align colt from a half sister to Xanadu at the Karaka Yearling Sale earlier this year and the mare Gloworm (Centaine) has a Darci Brahma filly and is in foal to Darci Brahma.
Promising Towkay 3YO Mendoza (Towkay-Dusky Sound by Van Nistelrooy) made it two wins and a second from four career starts with his latest success at Otaki on Friday over 1600m. At a service fee for the upcoming season of $5,000 plus GST with a live foal guarantee Towkay must be one of the best value for money stallions in the country.
Per Incanto (Street Cry – Pappa Reale), whose fee this season will also be $5,000 plus GST, has 11 weanlings entered at next month’s National Weanling and Broodmare Sale at Karaka. Get along and see what all the fuss over his foals is all about.
