Karaka Graduates Take Major New Year Cups Glory

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Karaka Graduates Take Major New Year Cups Glory

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates won both feature Cups races over the New Year's period, with Six O'Clock News taking the City of Auckland Cup and Guyno winning the Perth Cup.

Six O'Clock News (Zabeel - Maurine, by Harbor Prince) lived up to his pedigree when securing victory in the $200,000 Group 2 Don Ha City of Auckland Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie, marking a dream start to 2009 for father and son training combination, Paddy and Trent Busuttin.

The gelding, by champion sire Zabeel out of Group 1 Avondale Cup winner Maurine, settled beautifully in running for jockey Noel Harris, aided by a genuine tempo set up by Pentour (Pentire). Rounding the home bend the raced looked a wide open affair but Six O'Clock News soon put pay to that with a strong burst down the middle of the Ellerslie track, beating fellow Karaka graduate The Foreman (Faltaat - Sandy's Angel, by Tolomeo) by one and a quarter lengths.

An $110,000 purchase from Blandford Lodge at the 2006 Ready to Run Sale by Stuart Hale, Six O'Clock News is raced by the Six O'Clock News Syndicate for whom he has now won five races and $228,425 in prize money. The gelding bred by the Bax Family and Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan is maturing into a wonderful stayer and it would be no surprise to see the one time New Zealand Derby favourite capture further Cup glory in 2009 and 2010.

JK Farm will offer a High Chaparral filly out of a three-quarter sister to Six O'Clock News at the upcoming Karaka 2009 Select Sale on 28 January. The filly out of Inishcleir (Grosvenor) is bred to excel at a middle distance.

Australia's major Cup feature over the New Year period, the A$418,000 Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m), was also won by a Karaka graduate, Guyno (O'Reilly-River Century, by Centaine), in a Kiwi trifecta.

The gelding who won the 2007 Group 1 WATC Derby and finished twelfth in the 2008 Melbourne Cup behind Viewed (Scenic), showed his class by finishing strongly to beat fellow NZ-bred The Fuzz (Danasinga - Drama Queen, by Prince of Praise) by half a head, with another Kiwi bred and Karaka graduate Ballack (Montjeu - Trephina, by Last Tycoon) one and a quarter lengths back in third.

Trainer Lou Luciani was delighted with the victory. "I must thank my son Dion, he has done a marvelous job with this horse. He was in Melbourne with him and for us to bring him back to WA and win the cup is a great achievement".

The O'Reilly gelding was offered by his breeder Waikato Stud at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale before making his way to Australia's most western state. He is a half-brother to Legs (Pins), winner of the Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes and the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks.

Little Avondale Stud will offer Lot 199, a filly by Pins from a full sister to Guyno's dam River Century. Of the full sister in blood to Legs, Sam Williams of Little Avondale Stud says the filly is a reluctant sale. "She has my number 1 brand on her shoulder and I never sell the filly with that number. However due to the recent recession we entered her at the last minute, and she is a real good sort that will attract plenty of interest. "

"She is a filly with real scope and will make into a lovely classic type later on."

The 2009 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series are set for 26 January through to 2 February. To view the catalogue log on to http://www.nzb.co.nz/ or to request a catalogue contact reception@nzb.co.nz.

ENDS

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