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

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.

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).