Bardia’s Dream (Super Seth ex Kissmekate) extended Elsdon Park’s successful graduate tally to four this week, with a bold run under Damian Lane at Seymour yesterday.
The Simon Zahra-trained four-year-old mare dashed home outwide in the 1200m assignment, winning by a half-length for owners SZ Racing No 1, Mrs D J Ellis, Ms J Crewes, Mr J Addamo, Mr A J Blackshaw, Leacra Syndicate, Mr P Robinson, Mr S D Kempster, Mr L Barker, Mr G V Barker, S R Devlyn, Mr A Sofos, Mr C McDonald-Sofos, and Mr M J Evans.
The now two-time winner was purchased by Zahra and Cameron Cooke Bloodstock from Elsdon Park’s 2023 Karaka Book One Yearling draft.
Elsdon Park’s four successful horses this week comprise: Saltcoats (Listed Wyong Cup), Sarrismo, Fairy Dream and Bardia’s Dream.
Written By LOVERACING.NZ News Desk – Paul Vettise
Tardelli (I Am Invincible) has the looks to match his rich pedigree, and his upcoming preparation will be focused on adding a top-level performance to boost his future stallion prospects.
The Stephen Marsh-trained four-year-old showed he was in prime order to resume when untouched by rider George Rooke to win an open 1100m heat at Tuesday’s Ellerslie trials.
“He’s a really smart horse, we haven’t seen the best of him yet and the goal is obviously to win a Group One with him,” Marsh said.
The son of I Am Invincible is a two-time winner and has placings to his credit in last season’s Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m) against the older horses and in the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m) and Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m).
“He’s come up super and the plan is to kick off at Ellerslie on September 20 in an open 1400m,” Marsh said.
“He might go to the Matamata Cup (Listed, 1600m) and then maybe look at something like the Thorndon Mile (Gr.1, 1600m).”
Tardelli was offered by Yarraman Park at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and sold for A$360,000, with agent Bruce Perry signing the ticket for a syndicate including Lib Petagna’s Elsdon Park, Hawridge Developments, Jamieson Park and the Little Avondale Trust.
He is a son of Pierro Moss, an unraced daughter of Pierro and the stakes-winning Fastnet Rock mare Upon This Rock with the Gr.1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) winner Charm Stone also featuring on his pedigree page.
Tardelli’s stablemates Ardalio (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon) also furthered their upcoming preparation with trial outings at Ellerslie.
Dual Group Three winner Ardalio was given an easy time when runner-up in her 1100m heat and is on target to resume at Te Rapa on September 27.
“She’ll run in an open 1200m and then look at the weight-for-age race at Rotorua (Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes, 1215m) on October 12,” Marsh said.
“We would like to get her in the big sprints later and have a crack at the Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m) with her.
“Glamour Tycoon went really well in her trial and she needs good tracks, so we’ll wait and see if she goes toward the Sweynesse.”
Congratulations to our Broodmare Manager Mel Heyns and her husband Ian, the successful breeders of today’s smart debut winner Fairy Dream (Proisir x Fairygem).
The promising Kingclere Stables-trained 3YO was ridden by George Rooke, who had the Saddlery Warehouse Maiden 1300 at Cambridge’s Synthetic track all sewn up with dominant run out wide.
Fairy Dream was sold through Elsdon Park’s draft at the 2024 NZB Book One Sale. The successful purchasers being her trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood. Interestingly, the win represented the 1300th domestic win for James.
Raced by Colin and Helen Litt – the noted owners of Champion 3YO and Champion Stayer Orchestral – Fairy Dream holds nominations for November’s Gr.1 NZ 1000 and 2000 Guineas.
The regally-bred Sarrismo proved way too strong for his rivals in the Class One Bundy Rum Hcp (1300m) at Hawkesbury Racecourse today.
Conditioned by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, Sarrismo bounded clear of rivals when asked for the effort by jockey William Stanley, crossing with four lengths to spare.
The smart four-year-old gelding’s race record now reads two wins and a third from three career outings.
Co-bred with Yarraman Park Stud, Sarrismo is by I Am Invincible and is out of the Group-winning racemare Francaletta, who also raced in these colours.
Francaletta will visit the multiple Gr.1 winning sprinter Brave Smash this season.
Congrats to our fellow connections Yarraman Park Stud, D A Dickson, and A R Smith!
A fighting win in today’s Listed Wyong Gold Cup from the Chris Waller-trained Saltcoats (Ardrossan) has seen Elsdon Park proudly land its first stakes winner for the season.
Sent out the $1.80 favourite, Saltcoats settled beautifully in fourth for jockey James McDonald and when called upon, rallied gamely to prevail by a neck from Salt Lake City, with Glory Daze a head away in third.
With the win, Saltcoats is now eligible for the $3m Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on November 4.
Today was Saltcoats’ second black-type win, with previous success registered in the Listed Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m) for Cambridge trainer Samantha Logan as a two-year-old.
The three-start gelding was subsequently sold to a syndicate headed by prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir, with his breeder/owner Elsdon Park retaining a share of the ownership.
Now five, Saltcoats has delivered four Australian wins from 1800m to 2100m and in addition to five stakes placings, he has notably returned A$587,019 from 18 career outings.
Looking ahead, Saltcoats holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on the 18th of October.
Saltcoats is out of the lightly raced Savabeel mare Savanite, a half-sister to the Gr.2 Waikato Gold Cup (2400m) winner Singing Star, who in turn is the dam of Group Three winner Miss Selby.
Whilst Savanite is no longer in their broodmare band, Elsdon Park’s Lib Petagna has plenty of residual interest in Saltcoats’ sire Ardrossan. Not only was Lib part of his racing ownership group, but he retained an interest in him as a sire at Waikato Stud also.
Homebred Ardrossan gelding Saltcoats is all set for the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Randwick on August 23 following a slick win in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) on the Kensington track on Wednesday.
The Chris Waller-conditioned five-year-old was full of running on the rails in fourth as they swung for home, and after a ground-saving ride from Zac Lloyd, he shot up the inside to record a two-and-a-quarter length win from Glory Daze.
“He put that field away comfortably. He is just feeling really well this horse and is the ultimate professional to ride. They took off around the bend, but he put them away within five strides when asked. He did it easily up the straight, with plenty more gears in hand,” said Lloyd afterwards.
Prior to his Australian departure, Saltcoats was best known for his juvenile win in the Listed Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m) for Cambridge trainer Samantha Logan.
The three-start gelding was subsequently sold to a syndicate headed by prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir, with his breeder/owner Lib Petagna retaining a share of the ownership.
Saltcoats has since delivered three Australian wins from 1800m to 2000m for these connections and has been stakes-placed on four occasions.
Excitingly, in addition to the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup in just over a week’s time, Saltcoats also holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on the 18th of October.
Elsdon Park welcomed into the world its first foal of the season at 2:15 am this morning – a lovely Alabama Express filly out of Timely Guest (Time Test).
This agile filly’s unraced dam Timely Guest is a half-sister to Anniesstar (Zed), the noted dam of dual Gr.1 winner Jimmysstar (Per Incanto) and Gr.3 winner Charms Star (Per Incanto).
This is also the family of multiple black-type winner Jacksstar (Zed) and the Gr.1 placed Bourbonaire (Darci Brahma).
Timely Guest is proving a lovely first-time mother, and will visit Per Incanto later this season.
Elsdon Park is set to make its NZB Weanling Sale debut with five impressive youngsters on Thursday.
In preparation for this important sale day, these five weanlings will commence parades at Karaka at 8:30 am on Tuesday.
To see their videos and additional info on these weanlings, please click here: https://elsdonpark.com/sales/
Article: Kevin Robertson, – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
Photo: Kenton Wright, Race Images
While trainer Stephen Marsh may be away in Hong Kong putting the finishing touches on El Vencedor in his bid to win the Gr.1 QE II Cup (2000m) on Sunday, he enjoyed a red-letter day at Te Rapa on Saturday as promising filly Ardalio claimed the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) to bring up a winning treble for the stable.
The three-year-old daughter of Waikato Stud stallion Ardrossan had demonstrated her class when winning the Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night before going on to finish seventh in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) in March.
Given a few days in the paddock by Marsh, Ardalio stripped a picture of fitness for Saturday’s feature and raced accordingly as she produced a devastating home straight burst to claim the major spoils in a hotly contested event.
A late betting plunge saw her start the $4.50 second favourite behind stablemate Velocious ($4.30), with rider Michael McNab having her positioned nicely in midfield against the rail in the early rush for positions.
Ardalio was desperate for room at the 250m as McNab switched her over heels to find clear running and once she spied that gap she exploded to the front before holding out the late claims of Archaic Smile, Whiskey ‘N Roses and Romilly to win handsomely in a slick 1.10.06 for the 1200m journey on a Soft 5 surface.
Bloodstock agent Bruce Perry, who represents her breeder and owner Lib Petagna, admitted there was plenty of confidence in the camp before the race.
“We did expect she could do that as she has been pretty impressive in all her race wins,” Perry said.
“When she won the Almanzor Trophy at Ellerslie she was quite explosive and her run in the NZB Kiwi was as good as anything in the race as she was wide all the way.
“She was entitled to give it away that day but she just kept fighting right to the line.
“I think it is her attitude that really stands out as she is tough and very determined, enjoys being in a scrap and will do anything you ask of her.”
Perry believes the filly may now be given a winter break before looking at some selected Spring targets.
“I’m not sure what Stephen has planned for her but possibly she will head to the paddock now,” he said.
“She may have quite a light Spring as it can be tough to step up in the early stages of a four-year-old campaign for some horses.
“We know she is only going to get stronger so a light Spring with a focus on some Autumn targets could well be the plan.”
Ardalio is the second foal of Petagna’s Written Tycoon mare Bridgewater with her extended family representing a strong European flavour along with Australian Group Three winner Index Linked.
She has now won three of her six starts and $327,600 in prizemoney.
– NZ Racing Desk
Well-related colt Tardelli (I Am Invincible) will make a return trip to Wellington in his bid to add a black-type victory to his burgeoning record.
The Stephen Marsh-trained son of I Am Invincible continued his impressive progression on Champions’ Day at Ellerslie where he came from last to claim the Windsor Park Stud Trophy (1500m).
He will make his next appearance in Saturday week’s Gr.2 IRT Wellington Guineas (1400m) with his performance at Trentham to decide if he travels further afield.
Tardelli was a A$360,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy with bloodstock agent Bruce Perry signing the ticket on behalf of majority owner Lib Petagna, who races the three-year-old with Jamieson Park, Little Avondale Stud and Greg Clarke’s Hawridge Developments.
He began his two-year-old career in Sydney with John O’Shea and Tom Charlton before relocating to New Zealand.
“He went for a nice break after he came over and had a couple of niggling things which we had to get right right and he’s doing really well now,” said Perry, who has enjoyed a long and successful association with Elsdon Park owner Petagna.
“He’ll got to the Wellington Guineas and then we’ll reassess things, there’s a small chance he could go to Brisbane if he went particularly well at Trentham.
“A race like the Fred Best Classic (Gr.3, 1400m) could suit him, otherwise there are plenty of nice 1400m or mile races here and then possibly Australia later on.”
Tardelli is out of the unraced Pierro mare Pierro Moss, who is a daughter of the stakes-winning Fastnet Rock mare Upon This Rock.
“We bought him as a potential stallion prospect, but unfortunately nothing quite went right when he was in Australia,” Perry said.
Tardelli is making up for lost time and has won two of his five New Zealand starts and has placed in both the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m) at Trentham behind leading three-year-old Savaglee and the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m).
“He is a very good-looking horse and Stephen (Marsh) and Michael McNab were adamant after he ran third in the Levin Classic that he is a Group One horse and they’re still of that opinion,” Perry said.
“Because things didn’t go quite right early, we missed a few of those opportunities.
“The plan is to get a foundation stallion at some point for Elsdon and it would be wonderful it was one we’ve been involved with from day one.”
Tardelli’s stablemate and Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) winner Ardalio (NZ) (Ardrossan), who also races in Petagna’s colours, is enjoying a freshen-up after her luckless seventh from a wide barrier in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m).
“We rode her for a bit of luck and tried to get her in and did, but then another horse came out off the rail and bumped her out again,” Perry said.
“She ended up facing the breeze, three wide the trip and I thought she was huge and one of the runs of the race.
“She was entitled to give it away at the 300, but she still looked like she was going to be right in the finish with 100m to go.
“She’s having a wee break and will probably go to the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) in late April.”
Meanwhile, another talented Petagna-raced filly in the Marsh team will resume at Tauranga on Saturday.
“Love Poem (Snitzel) will be stepping out and, all going well, will then head to Australia. There are Group options at the autumn carnival for her,” Perry said.
The Snitzel filly is a multiple black-type placegetter, including a runner-up finish in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and hasn’t raced since she ran fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).