Karaka Select Sale in the Spotlight

Karaka Select Sale in the Spotlight

Karaka Select Sale graduates raced into the spotlight at Riccarton on Saturday, winning four of the day's events including the feature Group 1 First Sovereign Trust Two Thousand Guineas (1600m) by The Pooka (Tobougg x The Banchee by O'Reilly).

A nail-biting finish saw race favourite The Pooka, ridden by Lisa Cropp, thwart a strong challenge down the home straight from Alamosa (O'Reilly x Lodore Mystic by Centaine) to defeat him by just a head on the line. Rios (Hussonet x Gussy Godiva by Last Tycoon) was a further one-and-a-quarter lengths back in third to complete a Karaka graduate trifecta.

Having won the Group 2 WRC Wakefield Challenge Stakes and the Group 3 Taranaki 2YO Classic last season, The Pooka's comfortable win in the Christchurch Casino 3YO Handicap last weekend was a sign of his readiness for Saturday's test. With five wins from 12 starts now under his belt, he is aimed at the Group 1 Levin Classic on 20 November before heading off for a well-deserved rest.

The Pooka, who has won NZ$415,400 to date, was selected by his New Plymouth-based trainer John Wheeler at the 2006 Karaka Select Sale for NZ$35,000 from Rodmor Stud. Bred by Sharen Mack, the three-year-old is raced by P Holland, Woodward Lodge Ltd, GD Rutherford and John Wheeler.

Alamosa - the second highest rated two-year-old last season - was a NZ$60,000 purchase by the Montego Lodge Partnership from Waikato Stud. Rios was a NZ$65,000 purchase by Stuart Hale from Little Avondale Stud at the 2006 Karaka Premier Sale.

Karaka Select Sale gradautes were also to the fore earlier in the day, claiming three of the first four events including the Listed Ford Welcome Stakes.

At Race 2 Lisa Latta's 2004 Karaka Select Sale purchase Fercertain (Centaine x Lady Fergie by Sir Tristram) was the first of back-to-back winners for now deceased sire Centaine, when he won the Vernon & Vazey Truck Parts Premier (1600m).  A NZ$35,000 purchase from the Ryan family's Delahunty Farm, the two-and-a-quarter length victory took Fercertain's earnings to NZ$64,200.

Backing up after winning the Group 3 Stewards' Cup on Wednesday, David Walsh retained the ride on the Michael Pitman trained Coup Bloomsbury (Centaine x Winds of Conquest by Quest for Fame) to win the Wuhan Jockey Club Trophy (1400m) for the second year in a row.  From the family of champion sire Nassipour (Blushing Groom), Coup Bloomsbury has won eight and been placed on 12 occasions for almost NZ$180,000 in earnings.

Bred and sold by Bloomsbury Stud, owner Ray Coupland bid to NZ$47,000 to secure Coup Bloomsbury at the 2003 Select Colts Sale.

The Graeme Rogerson and Gary Newham trained San Bernardino (Gold Mine x Miss Katella by The Commander) provided Hallmark Stud's Gold Mine with his first stakes-winner following a three-length win in the $55,000 Listed Ford Welcome Stakes (1000m). Just the third raceday outing for the two-year-old, he is now eyeing up the one million dollar prize pool of the 2008 Karaka Million at Ellerslie on 27 January.

Bred by Trevor Hurley, Rogerson Bloodstock secured San Bernardino from Hallmark Stud at the 2007 Karaka Select Sale for NZ$28,000. The colt's dam, Miss Katella, is a multiple stakes-winning sister to the outstanding dual Group 1 winning mare Gee I Jane (Jahafil).

New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs takes place tomorrow and Wednesday at Karaka.  For further information go online or contact 09 298 0055.

READY TO RUN SALE
20 & 21 November
at Karaka

New Zealand Bloodstock
Karaka Sales Centre
PO Box 97-447
South Auckland Mail Centre New Zealand

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