Monday, March 8, 2021 | Dedicated to the Australasian bloodstock industry - subscribe for free: Click here ROCKET DELIVERS IN SPADES TO CLAIM THRILLING NZ DERBY - PAGE 2 Monday, March 8, 2021 | Dedicated to the Australasian bloodstock industry - subscribe for free: Click here HK: FLAGSHIP GLORY ENTERS DERBY FRAME - PAGE 11 TE AKAU ENJOY DERBY DAY SUCCESS - PAGE 3 Rocket delivers in Read Tomorrow's Issue For: Stallion Watch spades to claim Kiwi Chronicles What's on thrilling NZ Derby Stakes races: Morphettville (SA) - Adelaide Cup (Gr 2, 3200m), Cinderella Stakes (Listed, Aussie-bred son of Fastnet Rock comes out on top 1050m), Matrice Stakes (Listed, 1200m), in three-way finish CS Hayes Memorial Cup (Listed, 1600m), Morphettville Guineas (Listed, 1600m). Canberra (ACT) - Canberra Guineas (Listed, 1400m), Canberra Cup (Listed, 2000m) Metropolitan meetings: Morphettville (SA) Race meetings: Coffs Harbour (NSW), Warrnambool (VIC), Mackay (QLD), Canberra (ACT) Barrier trials / Jump-outs: Coffs Harbour (NSW), Kembla Grange (NSW), Gold Coast (QLD), Pinjarra Park (WA) International meetings: Wolverhampton (UK) Sales: Gavelhouse.com Thoroughbred 08 March Auction (NZ) Rocket Spade (inner) defeats Milford (middle) and Frontman in the NZ Derby RACE IMAGES RACING NEWS three-year-old for the third year in succession. Capitalist’s Kalashnikov BY ALEX WILTSHIRE | @ANZ_NEWS Winner of the Avondale Guineas (Gr enters Slipper foray oolmore’s stalwart stallion Fastnet 2, 2100m) a fortnight earlier, the Lance Kalashnikov (2 c Capitalist - Rough Ride by Rock (Danehill) sired the winner O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained colt Flying Spur) is the latest Capitalist (Written of the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, was sent off favourite and emerged victorious Tycoon) colt to throw his hat into the 2400m) for a second consecutive in what was a thrilling finish to the race, Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) ring after he Cyear, as Rocket Spade (3 c Fastnet Rock - with Milford (Savabeel) a head second, and battled to a hard-fought victory in the Black Affairoftheheart by Fusaichi Pegasus) ensured Frontman (Makfi) a neck behind the winner Opal Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Canberra the Classic was won by an Australian-bred in third. Continued on page 3>> yesterday. Racing News page 10 >> Follow us @anz_news | 2 | Brought to you by Rocket delivers in spades to claim thrilling NZ Derby | 3 | Monday, March 8, 2021 << Continued from page 2 In a rough and tumble race staged at Ellerslie, Rocket Spade took the inside track, one off the fence, when travelling at the rear of the field rounding the turn, while Milford and Frontman took the wide berth, cornering in the centre of the track. Picking his way through as the holes appeared, Craig Grylls found clear air on Rocket Spade, who joined his rivals in the centre and proved too strong for the battling pair inside the closing furlong. A visibly emotional O’Sullivan, who won the race as a jockey in 1990 aboard Surfers Paradise (Crested Wave) and again in 1993 with Popsy (Sir Tristram) was delighted at the success. “This is pretty special for Andrew and all of the team,” he said. “Scotty Amarelinha (closest) TRISH DUNELL (Andrew Scott) has done a great job with this horse and it’s a great result. “They went hard and Craig said he was going to ride him for luck as It is also the third consecutive year the race has gone to an Australian- he believed in the horse. It was a no-panic, ten-out-of-ten ride that won bred horse, with Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro) winning in 2019 him the race. after being purchased out of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale “This is probably more special for me as it is a lot harder to do as a for $50,000 in 2017. trainer. I’m just thrilled for Craig and the team we have behind us. Rocket Spade is out of the stakes-placed Affairoftheheart (Fusaichi “Andrew told me I can retire now because I’ve won a Derby.” Pegasus), a winner of six races, and half-sister to dual Group 1-winning Carrying the colours of the Eugene Chuang-owned Hermitage filly in New Zealand Soriano (Savabeel) and Group 3 winner Kaiser Franz Thoroughbreds, Rocket Spade was purchased for $425,000 out of the (Savabeel). Soriano has a Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) filly catalogued for Tyreel Stud draft from the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale April’s Inglis Easter sale under the Yulong draft (Lot 95). when picked out by O’Sullivan’s brother, Paul, for his current owners, who He is the second winner out of Affairoftheheart, whose two-year-colt fielded the well-fancied Dragon Leap (Pierro) in last year’s edition of the by Snitzel trialed for the first time at Rosehill on Thursday for Matthew NZ Derby, only to finish fourth. Dunn, finishing second. The mare is resident at Sun Stud in Victoria and “Paul picked this horse out at the sales and he keeps taking credit for missed to National Defense (Invincible Spirit) in 2019, but is currently in it, so good on him,” said O’Sullivan. foal to the stallion. “Thanks to the team at Hermitage who let us buy him at the sales. They told us we had five years to buy them a Derby winner and we’ve done it.” Te Akau enjoy Derby Day success Rocket Spade became the 41st top-flight winner for the revered Although only able to finish 13th in the feature race of the day with Fastnet Rock, who claimed the race for a second year in a row after the Perfect Scenario (Iffraaj), it was still a day to remember for Te Akau Racing, success of Sherwood Forest in 2020. Fastnet Rock has also sired runners- with the tangerine and blue silks flashing home to claim the other three up in the race, Rock ‘N’ Pop (2012) and In A Twinkling (2019). stakes races among five wins on the Ellerslie card. Three-year-olds Need I Say More (No Nay Never) and Amarelinha (Savabeel) furthered their burgeoning race records, while the lighty-raced mare Entriviere (Tavistock) took her record to five wins from six starts by landing the King’s Plate (Gr 3, 1200m). The racing giant claimed two further races on the card through Prise De Fer (Savabeel) and Markus Aurelius (Ghibellines). It was relief more than anything else for Jamie Richards as short-priced favourite Amarelinha continued her winning march to the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) with victory in the Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m) although she was run to within a short head by Needle And Thread (Makfi). Leading the field into the straight Needle And Thread, who stole three lengths on the fence as Amarelinha tracked wide under Opie Bosson, was reeled in by a gritty display from the star filly. “That is certainly a relief,” Richards said after hearing the result of the photo-finish. “It was unfortunate that when Opie tried to get forward and mobile, they all dug up inside him and she (Amarelinha) was very wide from the Lance O'Sullivan (left) and Andrew Scott with Rocket Spade TRISH DUNELL 600 metres.” Continued on page 5>> Follow us @anz_news | 3 | Brought to you by ZOUSTAR’S DIAMOND DAY GLISTENING ZOUTORI & MIZZY LIGHTSABER Winner G2 Indian Pacific (runner up) Runner-up Winner G2 Reisling G1 Quinella G1 Canterbury VRC Sires’ Stakes Newmarket Handicap Stakes Produce Widden Stud have 27 yearlings selling at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale Antony Thompson: Matt Comerford: +61 427 470 507 +61 424 742 672 WIDDEN.COM Te Akau enjoy Derby Day success | 5 | Monday, March 8, 2021 << Continued from page 3 Amarelinha, a $300,000 purchase for David Ellis out of the Karaka Yearling Sale in 2019, backed up a win in the Fillies’ Classic (Gr 2, 2000m) and a second to Aegon (Sacred Falls) in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (RL, 1600m) to take her record to four wins from six starts. The pair are likely to square off again for the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) on March 20. “The second horse is no slouch as she has got very good form, so we will head to Wellington in a fortnight, ready to go,” added Richards. Need I Say More also had to contend with a runaway leader entering the straight, however he picked up last-start winner Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) with slightly more ease, going on to win the Mufhasa Stakes (Listed, 1300m) by three-quarters of a length, with closing stablemate Need I Say More TRISH DUNELL Cornflower Blue (Savabeel) a further half-length back in third. The victory was a sixth in eight starts for the $130,000 Karaka Yearling on Oaks Day, where the trainer is likely to field a strong line up. Sale purchase, with five of those at stakes level, including the Waikato “He will go to the Wellington Guineas in a fortnight,” added Richards. Stud Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m) at two and the James & Annie Sarten Memorial “Cornflower Blue will be there with him and I thought she went nicely Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at three. first up. “He’s a quality horse who sneaks under the radar a little at home as he “We could actually have four in that race as we might also have Brando doesn’t put a lot of enthusiasm into his work,” Richards said. and Kahma Lass, who have come back from Australia, there as well.” “He ran last at the Pukekohe trials the other day, but that’s just him Need I Say More is the first foal out of Fastnet Rock mare Bo Bardi, and he turns up on raceday.” who has an Impending (Lonhro) filly at foot and is now in foal to Too Darn The gelding will likely head to the Wellington Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) Hot (Dubawi).