A GREAT KICK-OFF AT THE KELT
Congratulations to Hawkes Bay Racing Inc for another memorable Kelt Day. We were thrilled to take the spoils from Aspinal's 3rd in the Hawkes Bay Guineas home with us down SH2 and proud that the sharp end of the Kelt Capital stakes spoils came back to the Wairarapa courtesy of Ian and Alana Smart's Vosnee Romanee. (Aspinal pictured here with Sam and one of the syndicate members Rob Wilson)
Towkay has started where he left off last season in Hong Kong posting his second individual winner during just the second month of their new season. To add to his resume, Xpectation (Towkay-Wooden Doll) won in America, this time over 1600m at Arlington Park in Washington DC in September. Towkay currently sits third of NZ domiciled sires in the Hong Kong Premiership behind O'Reilly and Stravinsky.
Zed's foals and yearlings continue to take the eye of visitors to the farm, so much so that Sam has sold a couple out of the paddock in recent weeks. If you need convincing take a look at a couple of these new seasons arrivals. This filly (pictured right) from Pins mare Pinpoint was born at The Oaks and Dido's filly (left), whose full sister we have retained to race with Bruce Perry, is also all class!
Towkay
Ace Aliado (Towkay - Waikawa) who remained unbeaten winning his fifth consecutive race in Singapore in early September was bred and raced here through to trialing stage by LA client Christopher Grace. The 4YO gelding took his stakes earnings to over $150,000 with his lastest victory.
Some of Towkay's promising local two-year-olds from last season have stepped out at three and quickly shown that the talk was not ill-founded.
The Otto's filly Elbeesutina (Towkay-Gaysutina) backed up from her fresh up fourth in the Listed race at Wanganui to win over 1400m at Te Rapa last Friday while Rampant (Towkay-On Honeymoon) who turned a lot of heads with his 1200m success at Awapuni on 12 September heads for the Wellington Guineas on his way to the 2000 Guineas.
Displaying plenty of that Towkay toughness, the Michael Wallace bred Malaya (Towkay-Libre) won first time to the races at Taupo this week over 1200m.
Other winners for Towkay over the last month have been:
- Ribot Legend (Towkay-Tzigane) made it two wins from just four starts with his latest Hong Kong success over 1400m.
- Katipo (Towkay-Conchelle) broke his maiden over 1400m at Otaki.
- Happee Gift (Towkay-Make Up) who won over 1200m in Hong Kong on 23/9 was bred by Richard Cottle.
- Irish Lassie (Towkay-Mary Robinson) continued the run of the Wallace family with Towkay progeny with her 1400m win at Foxton.
- Bringelly (Towkay-Strannami) won over 1400 in Brisbane on Saturday 12 September.
- Xpectation(Towkay-Wooden Doll) who finished only 3.5 lengths from Alagant Satin in last season's Eulogy Stakes, won over 1600m in America.
Yearling Sales
It's less than four months to Karaka and our draft enter the boxes on 18 October to begin preparations.
Sam's comment that this is the 'best line-up of Towkay colts' he has taken to the sales is probably symptomatic of the better type of mare the stallion has served over the last couple of years. Another example comes in the form of the broodmare mare Lycsis, mother to a 2008 Towkay colt and dam of last month's Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes winner Brown Eyed Girl.
Here are some of the Towkay colts heading to Karaka;
Towkay/La Grandezza - a well grown first foal with plenty of leg from a winning Flying Spur mare who is in turn from a daughter of Shirley Heights.
Towkay/Wake Up Suzie - despite been a later foal this chestnut full brother to multiple Group One placed Kays'Awake already looks like having his sister's strong physique.
Towkay/Heureka - well balanced first foal from a dual stakeswinning mare from the family of recent Melbourne stakeswinner Red Lord.
Towkay/Jabeske - a well grown colt from a young Prized mare whose O'Reilly yearling last season was sold privately to Hong Kong.
Other News
Last month we mentioned the good Victorian form displayed by the LA bred Whitewater Fury (Pins-Racing Waters) pictured here.Trainer Danny O'Brien reports that while tempted, the $230,000 Karaka graduate who won again on 13 September then ran second last week will bypass the Melbourne Spring Carnival in favour of an autumn campaign where the mare will target black type races.
The farms purchase of broodmare We Leica in Australia a couple of years ago has already justified itself with the quality of the Bradbury's Luck 2YO filly which LA are retaining. We are certainly not begrudging the form also of her 4YO Encosta De Lago, Leica Conquistador who has made it back to back wins with a 1400m success in Queensland last week.
With four individual winners from four foals of racing age and yearling sale receipts approaching 1million dollars the LA, Don Gordon and Bryan Hutchinson owned broodmare Nikki's Bride is the type of mare any farm would be proud to own and her racing progeny have been in winning form in Australia of late. Her first foal Le Celibataire (by Montjeu), good enough to run fourth in the Group One TJ Smith Classic as a two-year-old returned to the winners circle with a 1000m success in Queensland while Jervois (Pentire), racing past 1800m for the first time in his short career took a 2024m contest in Adelaide last Saturday. Jervoiswas purchased out of our 2007 Karaka Premier draft by Victorian agent Shane Moore.
A month is a long time in horse racing but fingers crossed that the LA breds Aspinal and Rampant (Towkay Partnership) make it to the 1000 and 2000 Guineas next month. We look forward to seeing some of you down in Christchurch to share in some of the action!
Happy Racing
Team LA
