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

Ethereal Star as a yearling

Source: NZ Racing Desk, Photo Race Images PN

The Listed Barfoot & Thompson Gingernuts Salver (2100m) has become one of Stephen Marsh’s favourite stops along the road to the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), and a last-gasp triumph by Cruz Missile (NZ) (Savabeel) at Pukekohe on Sunday gave the Cambridge trainer his third win in the last four years.

Marsh had previously won the Salver with Scorpz and Milford, who both went on to make their presence felt in the Derby. Scorpz ran third to Sherwood Forest and Two Illicit in the 2020 edition of the Ellerslie classic, while Milford was runner-up behind Rocket Spade a year later.

Cruz Missile comes from a similar mould to Milford, both being sons of super-sire Savabeel and both racing in the distinctive green, blue and yellow silks of Lib Petagna’s Elsdon Park – colours that were also carried by Marsh’s 2019 Derby hero Crown Prosecutor.

Sunday’s Salver marked the first step up beyond a mile for Cruz Missile, who had made a favourable impression from his three previous career starts. He produced an eye-catching late run for second on debut over 1300m at Hastings, then failed on heavy ground at Tauranga before a dominant last-start maiden success over 1560m at Rotorua.

In a messy race, Cruz Missile landed in a perfect position sitting in third on the rail as Highly Vindicated and Loosespender set a sedate pace in front.

There were a few nervous moments after rounding the home turn, with jockey Michael McNab trying to angle Cruz Missile to the outside but being held in a pocket by Bitcoin.

By the time Cruz Missile finally found clear air, Devildom had dashed through along the inside and opened up what appeared to be a winning break.

But Cruz Missile worked through his gears and lengthened stride impressively in the final 150m, snatching victory right on the line by a long head.

Cruz Missile is the fourth stakes winner raced by Elsdon Park this season behind One Kiss, Milford and Lost And Running.

Milford and Blake Shinn winning the Gr.3 Lomaro’s Hotel Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield. Photo: Darryl Sherer

The tough Mike Moroney-trained Savabeel gelding Milford produced another dominant black-type display to land today’s Gr.3 Lomaro’s Hotel Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield.

Jockey Blake Shinn had the front runners within striking distance upon straightening and with 200m to go, had the race at his mercy, crossing with half a length to spare from El Gladiator (Ghibellines).

Milford is raced by Elsdon Park’s Lib and Katrina Petagna along with Greg Clarke and David and Nicki Wilson. To date, he has provided great cause for celebrations with a total of three stakes wins and with a bold runner-up performance in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby.

Milford registered his first stake win in New Zealand’s Listed Te Akau Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie when he was trained by Stephen Marsh. He reiterated this black-type class upon transfer to the Melbourne yard of Mike Moroney, with victory following in the Gr.3 Easter Cup (2000m).

Milford was purchased by Bloodstock agent Bruce Perry for $360,000 from Waikato Stud’s 2019 NZB Book One Yearling draft.

Bred by Waikato Stud, Milford is out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Etiquette and hails from the Gr.1 family of Sacred Falls.

Milford represents the third individual stakes winner this season for the Elsdon Park racing team, with successful earlier counterparts including One Kiss (Tivaci) in the Listed CJC Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) and Lost and Running (Per Incanto) in Randwick’s Gr.2 ATC Premiere Stakes (1200m).

Today proved a very special day at the farm, with our multiple Gr.1 winning mare Lucia Valentina delivering a beautiful filly by I Am Invincible.

As you can see, Lucia (and the team) are justifiably smitten…

The Elsdon Park-filly One Kiss (Tivaci) notched the landmark first stakes winner for the season today, with a smart win in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.

The win came at just her second start, with the Mark Walker-trained 3YO powering home under jockey Opie Bosson to hold her nearest rival by three-quarters of a length.

The win is made particularly special as not only did Lib and Katrina breed her, but they also raced her sire Tivaci.

Looking ahead, One Kiss holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 50th New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton Park on November 12.

This marks the second stakes winner for One Kiss’s dam Discreet Evening (USA) (Discreet Cat), with her Savabeel daughter Santa Catarina having won the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes.

Discreet Evening is booked to visit Tivaci at Waikato Stud this season, whilst daughter Santa Catarina carries a pregnancy to Alabama Express and is due to foal any day now at Elsdon Park.

Australasia has welcomed a new thoroughbred vendor to its ranks today, with Elsdon Park officially coming to life.

Established by Lib and Katrina Petagna, Elsdon Park is a private thoroughbred breeding operation dedicated to the development of elite racehorses.

“We are all so excited to begin this new venture for Lib and Katrina,” said Elsdon Park’s General Manager Kerrie Cox.

“How fitting that our journey begins on the first day of a new season.

“There is a real buzz in the air with our first foal not far away and we can’t wait to get stuck in.”