A superb front-running display enabled by Damien Oliver in today’s Gr.3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) has seen our game Kris Lees-trained galloper Kalapour (IRE) (War Command) gain a golden ticket into Tuesday’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup.
This combination of Oliver and Lib Petagna’s Elsdon Park silks has previously been seen to best advantage by Lucia Valentina in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and with Tivaci (1400m) in the Gr.1 All-Aged Stakes.
Both trained by Lees, Kalapour will be looking to improve on Lucia Valentina’s 2014 Melbourne Cup outing for Petagna, with the three-time Gr.1 winning racemare finishing midfield on this occasion.
Purchased by Lees and Justin Bahen after a win from four career starts in the UK, Kalapour has shown his Australian adeptness with four wins and six placings from 15 starts, with additional black-type also counted in May’s Gr.3 Chairman’s Hcp (2000m).
Kalapour was bred by His Highness The Aga Khan’s Studs and is co-owned by Elsdon Park with Gurners Bloodstock Co (Syndicate), Joe Singh, William Guest, Michael Clemenger, Tim Watson, David Redgrove, Susan Redgrove, Todd Johns, Ian Clifton, Peter Filipovic, Janne Guest, Jill Cross, Narelle Malone, Sue Grayson, MJM Racing (Syndicate Manager Ralph Huddy), Tah Boys (Syndicate Manager Anthony).
According to Racing Victoria, the Head of Handicapping David Hegan has elected not to issue a Melbourne Cup penalty to Kalapour, who will remain on 50 kg’s and will be ridden by Zac Lloyd.
The exciting 3YO Savabeel colt Ravello stamped his mark as a horse to follow with a tough-as-teak win at Kembla Grange today.
Trained by John O’Shea, Ravello had to draw on his fighting reserves when rival Tavs was quickly descending, but when sighting this opponent, he changed gears and found more for pilot Alysia Collett, pulling away to score by a head margin.
Bred by Max Whitby and co-owned with Sam Williams and Greg Clarke, Ravello has now put together a record of two wins from four starts.
Out of the American-bred stakes performer Cover Charge, Ravello was purchased from the draft of Cambridge Stud by Bruce Perry at the 2022 NZB Book One Sale.
Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) today announced a partnership with Elsdon Park, with the New Zealand stud signing on to sponsor the newly created $1m open 4YO race to take place on TAB Karaka Millions night.
To be known as the Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic, the race will be run over 1600m for $1,000,000 under set-weight conditions on TAB Karaka Millions night (27th January 2024), one of the highlights of the ATR calendar.
Elsdon Park sponsored the Group 2 Royal Stakes at the New Year’s Day Races in 2023, held at Te Rapa Racecourse whilst Ellerslie was under construction, and it’s pleasing to officially welcome Elsdon Park to the ATR stable for the 2023/24 season.
“Elsdon Park is a significant player in the thoroughbred breeding industry making them a natural fit for that night in particular which showcases the best of New Zealand racing to an international audience,” says ATR chief executive officer Paul Wilcox.
ATR sponsorship manager John O’Malley is also delighted to welcome Elsdon Park into the fold.
“We are thrilled to have Elsdon Park’s support of the all-new $1m 4YO race on TAB Karaka Millions night.
“The race, one of the innovations to come from the $20.3m stakes injection from the TAB NZ/Entain strategic partnership, is an exciting addition to what’s already the glamour night of racing in New Zealand.”
Elsdon Park general manager, Kerrie Cox, is equally excited to be joining forces with ATR.
“This is an exciting race meeting that we had previously singled out as being one we really wanted to be involved with.
“To be a part of one of New Zealand’s biggest racedays, with a $1 million race that should attract a quality international field, and on the eve of our National Yearling Sale Series, is something we are delighted to now be a part of.”
Elsdon Park’s owner, Lib Petagna, echoed those sentiments.
“The newly formed TAB NZ and Entain partnership provides a significant boost to our industry and this meeting, with its domestic and global coverage, provides a unique opportunity to build our brand and partner with ATR on this exciting initiative.”|
The $1,000,000 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic will be run on Saturday 27th January 2024, as a part of the TAB Karaka Millions. The TAB Karaka Millions sees the who’s who of the New Zealand racing and social set take to the racetrack to cheer on the thoroughbreds running for the biggest prize money in New Zealand racing.
-NZ Racing Desk
Our first foal of the season has arrived! Over the weekend the team welcomed this smart Ardrossan colt from the Pins mare Cosmic into the world.
Pictured at just a few hours old, this colt hails from a family that features the Gr.1 winners Probabeel, Never Been Kissed and Savvy Coup, and black-type standouts such as Legless Veuve, Tootsie and Ocean Emperor.
Fittingly, this colt is by the exciting young sire Ardrossan, who we not only raced but retain an interest in at stud also.
The Andrew Forsman-trained gelding Leedox capitalized on a sweet inside run from Kozzi Asano to finish back on top of his rivals over 1400m at Ruakaka today.
As a two-year-old, Leedox won the Listed Auckland Futurity Stakes at the same distance and in so doing, became the noted first stakes winner in New Zealand for the exciting young sire Time Test.
Since resuming this season as a three-year-old, he notably placed 4th Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and entered today’s assignment with an encouraging last-start second.
“Leedox got into a nice position behind the lead after the jump and the race panned out well for him. The leader rolled off the rail and it all opened up for him, enabling him to kick on nicely to the line for the ½ length win,” said Forsman’s assistant trainer Robert Dennis afterward.
Today’s win took Leedox’s record to two wins and two placings from eight career starts.
Leedox was bred by Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison and was purchased out of his 2021 Karaka Book 1 draft for $220,000 by Bruce Perry on behalf of Elsdon Park’s Lib Petagna.
A confident ride from Tim Clark saw the striking grey Iffraaj gelding Luncies deliver a deserved black-type win in the Gr.3 Tattersalls Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm today.
Justifying his pre-race favouritism, the Kris-Lees-trained six-year-old had placed second in four of his previous five starts.
After the jump, Luncies settled at the rear, but turned for home full of running, letting down strongly for Clark to cross 2.25 lengths ahead of Spirit Ridge (Nathaniel), with a further head margin back to Young Werther (Tavistock) in third.
Luncies has now realised A$878,803 from a 28-start career yielding six wins and nine placings for connections, which comprise: R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd, Mr L Petagna, B & C Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd, Divor, MJM Racing, Mr E J Lucas, Gurners Bloodstock Co, Mr W W Guest, Mr R J Date, Mr M F Clemenger, Mrs K D Evers, Mr M E McKeough, Mr E W Kochmanz, Mr P Filipovic, Mr G Thiele and Mr M K Evers.
In addition to being Luncies first black-type win, the win also saw him become the seventh individual stakes winner for the Elsdon Park racing team this season.
Elsdon Park’s successful seven stakes winners this season comprise: Saltcoats (Ardrossan), Kalapour (War Command), Cruz Missile (Savabeel), Milford (Savabeel), Lost And Running (Per Incanto), One Kiss (Tivaci) and Luncies (Iffraaj).
Source: NZTBA
Left to right: Sarah Scott, Kerrie Cox, Lib Petagna, Bruce Perry, Paige Prime, Gali Zorero, Libby Hales and Yvonne Shanks
In this week’s Dunstan Meet the Breeder, NZTBA talked to Kerrie Cox, the General Manager of Elsdon Park who spoke on behalf of Lib Petagna.
How did you get into thoroughbred breeding?
Through racing a few top-level fillies that become very hard to part with!
How many mares do you breed from?
Around 50
What else do you have in your bloodstock portfolio (youngstock, racehorses etc)
40 racehorses & breakers- a few we race with in partnership, 40 weanlings and shares in a few stallions
Do you breed to retain or breed to trade?
A mix of both. We mainly breed to trade as yearlings or racehorses, however, being a commercial breeding operation we are always looking to upgrade our broodmare band so keeping some fillies from our top mares is important for the business going forward.
Do you have a favourite cross?
Not really but we do love a nice Savabeel mare
Do you seek advice on your breeding decisions?
Bruce Perry has been a great adviser on both breeding and racing through JML Bloodstock over the years and this will continue with Elsdon Park. We do our best to plan matings on type, pedigree and temperament- don’t always get it right but hopefully between the 3 of us we should be alright!
Best breeding advice you have received?
Kerrie – “First and foremost aim to breed an athlete and a horse you would be happy to race yourself.”
Who do you admire in the thoroughbred breeding industry?
The advice and support offered by industry leaders such as Bruce Perry, Sam Williams and Mark Chittick have been influential on the development of the business.
If you could own any broodmare (past or present), who would it be?
Hard to go past a champion broodmare like Eight Carat but wouldn’t have said no to Cannarelle either as it would be pretty awesome to be standing I am Invincible!
What advice would you give someone entering the industry as a breeder?
Kerrie: Be resilient and patient. Listen to the advice of successful breeders, celebrate success and when things get tough, which they can at times, lean on the incredible people around you in the industry.
Proudest moment as a breeder?
The proudest moment as an owner would have to be when Lucia Valentina and Sofia Rosa both won Group 1’s at Randwick on the same day- hard to ever look past an unbelievable day like that.
Now both of these mares have become matriarchs of our broodmare band which is pretty special as a breeder.
Finish this sentence: The best part of being a thoroughbred breeder is…
The industry is full of dreamers and optimists which is very refreshing!
Interesting fact…
Lib has 5 children- his oldest are triplet sons and Elsdon Park’s 3 racing colours represent the colours that were used to identify them when they were babies.
Elsdon Park’s Ardrossan two-year-old Saltcoats provided Cambridge trainer Sam Logan with her first stakes winner on the flat today when he dominated his rivals in the Listed Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe Park.
The 3.5-length victory confirmed Logan’s high early estimations of the gelding.
“We’ve thought he was special since his first trial,” said Logan.
“Given that we have known he’s had major ability since day one, I feel very privileged that Lib Petagna and racing manager Bruce Perry didn’t decide to immediately send him to Australia and decided to race him in New Zealand with me first.”
Saltcoats had had two previous starts leading into today’s feature and looked as if he would lap up the 1400m distance after closing off strongly at these starts which resulted in minor placings, including finishing third to Solidify at Listed level at his previous outing.
Rider Kozzi Asano was content to settle the Saltcoats in midfield during the early stages although he was caught three-wide in the eight-horse field.
Asano slid forward to issue his challenge on the point of the home turn, where Saltcoats took control as he eased away from the field on the Heavy10 surface to record an impressive four-length victory over Paragon and Chantilly Lace.
“He was really tough today and we are so proud of him,” Logan said.
“I was a little concerned when I saw him get stuck out wide, but I trusted Kozzi’s judgement as he knows him well and the main thing is to get him into a good rhythm which is the key to him.
“Kozzi did say he handled the going okay but is a much better horse on top of the ground where he has an electric turn of foot.”
Saltcoats races in the Elsdon Park colours of Wellington businessman Lib Petagna who bred him from his lightly raced Savabeel mare Savanite, a half-sister to the Gr.2 Waikato Gold Cup (2400m) winner Singing Star.
Saltcoats represents the 4th stakes winner bred by Elsdon Park’s JML Bloodstock banner this season behind Ethereal Star (Snitzel), Lost And Running (Per Incanto) and One Kiss (Tivaci).
The early promise shown by Kalapour (War Command) was franked in dominant fashion on Saturday, when the lightly-raced six-year-old landed his first black-type win in the Gr.3 JRA Chairman’s Hcp at Doomben.
Under the urgings of Tim Clark, Kalapour improved out wide from a midfield position and had the leaders collared in the final 100m to run, crossing the line to register the landmark half-length victory.
Purchased by his now trainer Kris Lees and Justin Bahen after four starts in the UK, Kalapour has had a total of eight starts since his Australian arrival and has rewarded connections during this time with three wins and two runner-up placings.
Kalapour, who races in the colours of Lib Petagna’s Elsdon Park, was bred by His Highness The Aga Khan’s Studs and is co-owned by Gurners Bloodstock Co (Syndicate), Joe Singh, William Guest, Michael Clemenger, Tim Watson, David Redgrove, Susan Redgrove, Todd Johns, Ian Clifton, Peter Filipovic, Janne Guest, Jill Cross, Narelle Malone, Sue Grayson, MJM Racing (Syndicate Manager Ralph Huddy), Tah Boys (Syndicate Manager Anthony).
Kalapour’s first-class staying effort on Saturday came as no surprise to Lees Racing stable representative Mel Eggleston.
“He’s just such a classy galloper and a no-fuss horse, he just does everything right,” said Mel.
“He’s the type of horse that tries to please you all the time.
“We’re looking at the 2400m in the next fortnight at Eagle Farm.”
Following in the footsteps of Cruz Missile, Milford, One Kiss and Lost and Running, Kalapour represents the fifth stakes winner celebrated by Elsdon Park’s racing team this season.
A courageous run in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton on Saturday has seen the Stephen Marsh-trained 𝐋𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 (Snitzel x Lucia Valentina) clinch the honours of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Southern Filly of the Year.
The Cambridge filly went into the race with 4 points, courtesy of her last-start second in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m).
Despite nearly going down at the 600m on Saturday, Luella Cristina picked herself up under Cameron Lammas’ urgings, earning herself another 4 points with a brave runner-up finish, and effectively sealing herself the stunned admiration of her connections and the Southern Filly crown with the effort.
𝐋𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 is bred and raced by Lib Petagna’s Elsdon Park, and she is by champion Australian sire Snitzel out of the multiple Group One-winning mare Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel).
From six starts, 𝐋𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 has now recorded two wins and three black-type placings, including a third in last month’s Group One Levin Classic (1600m).
The NZB Southern Filly of the Year trophy will be presented to Elsdon Park at the South Island Awards in September. Elsdon Park will also receive an insurance policy from NZB Insurance to the value of $50,000 plus GST.