Source: NZ Racing Desk

Group One performer Andalus (NZ) (Almanzor) may get another chance at Derby glory as he settles into his new home in Australia.

The Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up has joined the Randwick barn of John O’Shea after his seventh-placed run in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at the Sydney track last Saturday.

Raced by Elsdon Park principal Lib Petagna under his JML Bloodstock banner, Andalus was met by a rain-affected track in his Australian debut, and his connections were pleased with his run despite the unfavorable track conditions.

“We were really happy with his run in the Derby, we were just disappointed that we got rain on the day. He is a horse that needs a good track,” said Bruce Perry, Petagna’s racing manager.

“He has stayed in Australia with John O’Shea and the idea is he will race as a four-year-old over there.

“If he comes through it (Derby) really well there is a chance he could go up to Brisbane.”

Andalus was purchased out of Waikato Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by Perry on behalf of Petagna for $420,000.

Under the care of Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, Andalus won one and placed in four of his 11 starts in New Zealand, including stakes placings in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1000m), Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m), and New Zealand Derby.

Former stablemate Cruz Missile (NZ) (Savabeel) is also set to continue his career in Australia but is currently spelling after pulling up sore following the New Zealand Derby.

“He came out of the Derby and had pulled some muscles behind, so he has gone to the paddock,” Perry said.

“He will end up going to Australia, but he won’t be seen out as a four-year-old.”

Meanwhile, Saturday’s Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) runner-up Aprilia’s (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) future also lies in Australia.

“Aprilia is going for a break and there is a chance she will go to Melbourne for a race like the Thousand Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), depending on what Andrew (Forsman, trainer) wants to do,” Perry said.

Elsdon Park’s racing colors have enjoyed a perfect two runners for two winners today, with two-year-olds Aprilia and Ravello celebrating juvenile success on both sides of the Tasman.

The Andrew Forsman-trained Aprilia (US Navy Flay – Miss Avalon) set the ball rolling at Matamata, winning with half a length up her sleeve under Kozzi Asano.

The 1200m victory came at her second start, with an earlier third placing being struck on debut on Cambridge’s synthetic track in February.

“We expected her to be hard to beat on debut, so we were scratching our heads a little bit that day,” reflected Forsman.

“We gave her a trip away to Avondale for a trial afterwards, and that seemed to have switched her on.  It’s good to see her go out there today and show the ability that we had seen from her at home,”

Bred by Kevin Hickman ONZM, Aprilia was purchased by Bruce Perry from Valachi Down’s Unreserved Young Stock Sale on Gavelhouse.

Aprilia, who is co-owned with Max Brown, will now target the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at Awapuni on the 1st of April.

Elsdon Park’s second two-year-old winner Ravello (Savabeel – Cover Charge) came less than an hour after Aprilia, with the exciting colt enjoying the best possible debut at Warwick Farm.

Trained by John O’Shea, Ravello was deemed a $21 shot in the market and after receiving a peach of a rails ride just behind the leader from Brenton Avdulla, pulling out in the straight to have the race at his mercy with 100m to run.

At the line, the Savabeel colt – who is co-owned with Greg Clarke and Little Avondale Stud – had the measure of his nearest rival by a neck.

Bred by Max Whitby, Ravello was purchased by Bruce Perry from Cambridge Stud’s 2022 NZB Book One yearling draft.

Happily, Elsdon Park’s office administrator Sarah Scott sealed some serious bragging rights with the win, astutely outlaying $100 on the nose for the team’s betting syndicate.

Excitingly, Ravello is nominated for the Gr.1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 1^st.

This sets up a possible three Gr.1 chances for Elsdon Park on April 1^st, as in addition to Aprilia and Ravello’s assignments, the farm also has Andalus (Almanzor – Genius) stepping out for trainer Stephen Marsh in the Gr.1 Australian Derby at Royal Randwick.

Source: NZ Racing News

Hong Kong Champion jockey Zac Purton is playing a pivotal role in the fortunes of Kiwi runners in this year’s Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Last Saturday he upset the applecart when driving late with Artorius to nab the Mark Walker-trained Imperatriz on the line to win the Gr.1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick.

He will be on the other side of the coin with Kiwis next month after accepting the ride on Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up Andalus in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 1.

There has been fierce competition to secure the services of the in-form hoop in the A$2 million Classic, with Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh coming out on top.

Andalus is currently a $12 winning chance with bookmakers for the Australian Derby, with New Zealand Derby hero Sharp ‘N’ Smart at the top of the market at $4.

Source: NZ Racing News

Andalus (NZ) (Almanzor) will head across the Tasman next month after nearly pulling off a massive upset in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Punters who backed Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) into 2-5 odds for Saturday’s feature were briefly put into a state of panic as Andalus, a 100-1 chance on the tote, came to challenge in the final 150m.

But despite a strong fight, Andalus fell a long neck short of becoming a second 100-1 New Zealand Derby winner for Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh following Crown Prosecutor in 2019.

A multiple black-type placegetter at two, Andalus broke through for a maiden victory at Te Rapa in January, and his run for seventh in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) on February 18 was better than it looked after he was fractious before the race and lost three lengths at the start.

“He actually went really well in the Avondale Guineas and his jockey thought he could have gone close to winning if he got out of the gates better and had a clearer run. The run was a lot better than it looked,” Marsh said.

“Everyone knew they were going to struggle to beat Sharp ‘N’ Smart but I certainly didn’t think he deserved to be the price he was.

“He got caught three-wide and covered a lot of ground coming into the straight so I thought his run was very brave.

The gelding’s reward will be a trip across the Tasman for the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 1, and another potential meeting with Sharp ‘N’ Smart.

“It took a while for the penny to drop at three and it probably helped gelding him. This preparation has been good. He’s a natural staying horse and we’ve always thought a lot of him,” Marsh said.

“We’ve got a month into the Australian Derby, and all going to plan that will be his next race.

“He will handle a little bit of sting out of the track but he wouldn’t want heavy rain and he’d prefer a good track.”

Elsdon Park will have two chances seeking to emulate Crown Prosecutor in this Saturday’s Gr.1 NZ Derby (2400m) at Te Rapa.

In 2019, Elsdon Park’s Lib Petagna enjoyed success in the blue riband event as co-owner (along with Huntingdale Lodge’s Harvey Green) when the $105-to-$1 rank outsider Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro) powered home to win by a head from In A Twinkling (Fastnet Rock).

Crown Prosecutor was trained by Stephen Marsh, who again saddles Petagna’s chances in the Gr.1 feature, this edition courtesy of Andalus (Almanzor) and Cruz Missile (Savabeel).

Andalus was third in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes on debut on two and enters with a win to his name at the track over 1600m two starts back.

Elsdon Park’s second chance in the race is the recent Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) winner Cruz Missile (Savabeel).

Cruz Missile comes into the race with a record showing five starts for two wins and a placing.

Saturday’s NZ Derby market is dominated by the talented Gr.1 winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart (Redwood) who is paying $1.70 for the win. Both Andalus and Cruz Missile are currently rated as $41 chances by the NZ TAB.

Strong market support saw Elsdon Park deliver an impressive debut at the 2023 NZB Book One Yearling Sale.

All told, Elsdon Park took 14 yearlings to Karaka, with market demand strongly endorsing this quality offering in the Sir Patrick Hogan auditorium with a 93% clearance strike rate.

A brief summary of Elsdon’s debut follows…

-NZ Racing Desk

Newly established farm Elsdon Park are starting off as they mean to continue at Karaka.

The Matamata farm featured prominently on the opening day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 Yearling Sale when selling lot 97, the Savabeel filly out of Makfi mare Chiaretta, to trainer Andrew Forsman, and bloodstock agents Andrew Williams and Bevan Smith.

Elsdon Park principals Lib and Katrina Petagna formed their new breeding operation last year after purchasing the former Valachi Downs property off Kevin and Jo Hickman, and they were pleased to get such a positive result from their debut draft at Karaka under the Elsdon Park banner.

“It is brilliant, I am very happy with that,” Lib Petagna said.

“We only brought our best stock. The good fillies are here and they make their money when you bring your best stock.”

Petagna is well-known in the racing fraternity, having raced a number of quality horses under his JML Bloodstock banner, and the Wellingtonian was intent on establishing his name as a genuine seller of quality fillies at Karaka.

“We made a big investment on the farm and have 35 foals on the ground. This is our first time selling under our own brand and we want to be seen as genuine vendors,” Petagna said.

“Usually people see me as a buyer of racing stock, so the market needs to know they can buy good stock from us and selling Ethereal Star (last year) really helped.”

Ethereal Star (Snitzel) was purchased by Forsman, Williams and Smith for $600,000, and the Snitzel filly has already rewarded their judgment with victory in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m) and a runner-up result in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).

Savabeel fillies are in limited supply and Petagna was confident that would help the filly’s cause.

“I came in thinking that there were only 11 or 12 Savabeel fillies, so a lot of people were retaining them,” he said.

“We brought two nice fillies, so as long as you have got a couple of people on them, they will make their money.

“We put a low reserve on her, she was on the market and was here to sell. You get rewarded when you have the right product. She has gone to a good trainer, so she will have every chance.”

Forsman was rapt to secure the filly, having been caught in a bidding duel with Te Akau’s David Ellis.

“She was a very neat type and very athletic. She looks to have that real Savabeel class about her and probably the sharpness of the mother as well. She was quite a good racehorse and hopefully that shows through in her progeny,” Forsman said.

“Lib and Bruce (Perry, racing manager) have been great supporters of me and my career. “We bought a very nice filly (Ethereal Star) last year off them who we think a lot of and she has probably done enough to hold her value, and we are hoping we can do similar things with this filly.”

Elsdon Park’s first-ever yearling draft is ready to make its mark at the NZB Book One Sale at Karaka on Sunday.

The draft numbers 15 in size and embodies a wide variety of proven and up-and-coming stallions.

To see the full details of the draft and each horse, please click this link to visit the Sales section of our website: https://elsdonpark.com/sales/

In the meantime, here is a pictorial summary of a draft we are very proud of. See who takes your eye…

The dream of our silks being seen to advantage in a second Gr.1 New Zealand Derby was kept alive and well today when the talented 3YO gelding Andalus (Almanzor) powered home under Craig Zachey to win the Waikato Draught Mile at Te Rapa.

Along with co-owner Huntingdale Lodge 2012 Ltd (Mgr: Harvey Green), Elsdon Park’s Lib and Katrina Petagna first tasted success in the classic New Zealand feature courtesy of Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro) in 2019.

Like Crown Prosecutor, Andalus is trained by Stephen Marsh.

As a 2YO, Andalus was stakes placed on debut in the Gr.2 Hiddenbed Wakefield Challenge Stakes. At his second start, he placed second in the Listed Fairview Matamata Slipper.

𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞

Age: 3YO

Record: 9-1-2-1

Breeding: Almanzor – Genius (Savabeel)

Breeder: Garry Chittick

Purchaser: Bruce Perry

Sale: NZB 2021 Book I Yearling Sale

Trainer: Stephen Marsh

Source: Michael Guerin, NZ Herald, photo Trish Dunell

New Zealand has only three $1 million thoroughbred races but that doesn’t mean Saturday’s Karaka Million is the grand final for exciting Lib Petagna-bred filly Ethereal Star.

Although trainer Andrew Forsman would love to win the juvenile dash for mega cash for the first time he says his stable representative is more than a one-race filly.

“Of course we want to win this Saturday and still think she can but this race isn’t the be-all and end-all,” says Forsman. “She is a filly I think has real class and she won her way into this race on natural ability.

“Because she could do that in only two starts and didn’t need to have a searching prep to do, so we decided to go for it, but we haven’t screwed her right down for the one race.

“If this was the sole focus of her season, or even her career, as it can be for some horses, then we might have trialled her and even put the blinkers on to get everything out of her, but sometimes that can send them over the top.

“So she is ready to run well but I think she will keep getting better after this race.”

Ethereal Star was a $600,000 Karaka purchase last March and has deep bloodlines, so while winning on Saturday would more or less see her pay for herself in one race, her future worth will be determined by her ability to win at Group 1 level.

So victory in a race such as the Sistema Stakes, the Group 1 two-year-old at the Auckland Cup carnival, would be worth more to her and her offspring in the years to come.

Forsman’s attitude to the Karaka Million is one reason Ethereal Star didn’t dazzle when more than 20 of Saturday’s contenders worked at Pukekohe on Monday morning.

She was never asked for her best against race rival Ulanova and finished at least a length behind but Forsman was unfazed.

“That was all we wanted from her,” he says. “She is ready to go, as ready as we can get her without another race or trial, so now we hope for a good draw.”

The draw for both the Karaka Million and the Three-Year-Old Classic will be at 11am today and it could decide who champion jockey Opie Bosson rides in the Million as he looks to win it for the sixth time in seven years. Bosson has the option to ride either of the two Te Akau-trained favourites in Tokyo Tycoon or Trobriand, who are both unbeaten and worked well in different pairings at Pukekohe on Monday.

Tokyo Tycoon, who looks a jump and run Karaka Million type, recorded a quicker last 600m and

has race-winning experience at Pukekohe but Bosson is a huge fan of Trobriand, so he will wait until after the barrier draw to see if one gains a genuine advantage.

Although Bosson’s final decision will cause some jockey juggling for Te Akau, Forsman has engaged outstanding Australian jockey Damian Lane for Ethereal Star and says a rider of Lane’s class doesn’t need too much instruction.

“He is world-class, so I won’t bother him too much, we will just have a chat raceday,” Forsman says. “He knows what he’s doing.”

Lane will also ride The Intimidator in the three-year-old Mile for Forsman, one of three representatives has in the race alongside Wessex and Devastate.

“All three of ours are really well but it is a very, very strong race.”

Ethereal Star Fact File

• Breeding: Snitzel – Eleonora (Makfi) 2020 filly

• Breeder: Lib Petagna

• Trainer: Andrew Forsman ( who also trained her dam to success in the Gr.3 ARC Sunline Vase and the Gr.3 MRC Ethereal Stakes – a race named in honour of her great grand dam – with Murray Baker)

• Sale: 2022 NZB Book 1 Yearling Sale

• Buyer: Forsman Racing, Andrew Williams, Bevan Smith Bloodstock

• Owners: Miss K L Clarke, G Hatwell, P M Kay, Ben Kwok, Dr Henry Poczwa, Mrs M E Williams & Zame Partnership