The dream burst into reality for Hastings racehorse owner Kieran Pollard when Damask Rose powered home from near last on the home turn to take out the inaugural running of the $3.5million NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie last Saturday.
Pollard is a 10 per cent shareholder in the Te Akau Coming Up Roses Racing Partnership which owns the Savabeel three-year-old filly.
At this stage he is unsure what, in monetary terms, the win will mean for him personally as he is still just soaking up the euphoria surrounding the result.
The prestigious event was the first slot race ever to be in New Zealand, whereby 14 slots were put up for auction several months ago.
The successful slot holders then had to either come up with a horse they owned or negotiate with others to secure a horse to race in their colours and do a deal on percentages.
Te Akau Racing, headed by David Ellis, purchased one of the slots and selected Damask Rose as it’s representative. Pollard said his understanding is that the deal was 60 per cent to Te Akau Coming Up Roses Racing Partnership and 40 per cent to Te Akau Racing.
First prizemoney in the race was set at $1.2million but, with bonuses attached, it amounted to $1.8million.
Pollard envisaged that, less nomination and acceptance fees as well as 10 per cent to the horse’s trainers and five per cent to the jockey, his syndicate should clear just under a million dollars.
He and his partner drove up to Auckland on the eve of Saturday’s race with hopes and dreams that the horse that had already given them so many highs could pull off the biggest prize in New Zealand racing history.
Not only did Damask Rose win the 1500m event but she gave a field of outstanding three-year-olds a head-start and a beating, aided by one of the best rides you will ever see by top Australian jockey Blake Shinn.
Shinn never went around a horse as he steered Damask Rose, on a rail-hugging route, from the tail of the field turning into the straight to surge clear in the final stages for a 1-1/2 length win over the Australian-trained favourite Evaporate, with Checkmate a half-head back in third.
Pollard described being there to witness such an incredible win as “an amazing feeling” and one he will cherish forever.
“I am only just starting to come down from Cloud-9,” he said, when contacted on Wednesday.
“It was just a fantastic day and the result made it so much special.
“I was jumping up and down that high that I think I could have beaten that guy who won the high jump Gold Medal for New Zealand at the Olympics.”
Pollard said he was talking to someone when the race started and so missed seeing Damask Rose jump out of the barrier. But when he did look up to see her at the tail of the 14-horse field his heart sunk.
“I thought that didn’t go to plan and we are now in big trouble,” he said.
He added that those thoughts were also in the minds of the filly’s trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, who were standing in close proximity.
“I heard Sam say to Mark she’ll have to be something special to win from there and I thought then we were no hope.”
The only person not worried was Blake Shinn who showed an amazingly cool head in letting the filly get into a rhythm at the back before plotting a path for victory.
“She was a bit slow at the start so we had to go to Plan B and ride her a bit quiet, so fortunately the speed was on,” Shinn said after the race.
“I was contemplating coming wide but the way the race set up I had to look for inside runs, which came and she was good enough to capitalise on them.
“She has an electric turn of foot, a real desire to take the gaps and savage the line as the pressure was starting to tell up against the rails but she pinned her ears back and I’m just delighted.”
Pollard said that it wasn’t until he saw the overhead drone shot of the field coming up the home straight that he got to appreciate just what tight gaps Shinn took to secure Damask Rose a clear run.
“She was banging up against the rail at times but he (Shinn) said that seemed to switch her on more and she seemed to pin her ears back and wanted to get there.”
Pollard said when he shook Shinn’s hand after the race the quietly spoken jockey said: “You have got a good one here. She’s a real Group 1 horse.”
He added that Ben Hayes, co-trainer of second placed Evaporate, re-iterated Shinn’s comments by saying she was a very classy filly.
Damask Rose has now had seven starts for four wins, a second and a third for stake earnings of more than $2.2million.
Besides her win last Saturday, she also won the $1.5million Karaka Millions Three-year-old Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie in January and finished second in the $1million Karaka Millions Two-year-old Classic (1200m) in January last year.
By winning last Saturday’s NZB Kiwi the filly has now gained automatic entry into the A$10milllion Golden Eagle (1500m) on the Rosehill track in Sydney on November 1 and Pollard said that is now the spring target.
“Mark and Sam will now work back from there and plan a programme for her,” Pollard said.
“It’s great because New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing will pay the transport to and from Sydney.”
He added that he is already making plans to be on track at Rosehill if she gets to line up in the big race.
“I would say that the ownership group could grow because there are a few others who want to be involved in making the trip,” he added.
In the meantime Damask Rose is now headed to the spelling paddock.
“She is off for a well-deserved break,” Bergerson said. “We have peaked her twice for the Karaka Millions and NZB Kiwi, it would be hard to go again.
“We will bring her back and potentially aim her at a Golden Eagle prep now that she has got the golden ticket into it.
“We think the world is her oyster and we still think there is a bit of upside there.”
Pollard said Damask Rose is the only horse the Te Akau Coming Up Roses Partnership is racing and for some of the members it is their first venture into horse racing ownership.
“You could imagine emotions were pretty raw after race with plenty of people crying with joy,” Pollard said.
“Even Reece Trumper, who is racing manager for Te Akau Racing, had tears in his eyes so it is something I will never forget.”
Sun shines again for Hawke’s Bay couple
Napier couple Alister and Jeannette Cameron enjoyed many high moments in racing when they raced the multiple stakes winning mare Kay’s Awake a number of years ago and their enthusiasm has been re-ignited by a horse now racing in Australia.
The couple own a five per cent share in Majorca Sunset, a three-year-old gelding by The Autumn Sun who created a good impression when winning an A$100,000 maiden race over 1600m at Sydney’s Warwick Farm track on Wednesday of last week.
Majorca Sunset is prepared by ex-pat New Zealand trainer Bjorn Baker and was having his sixth start, following two seconds and a third from his previous five outings.
Josh Parr, who has built up a great association with the Baker stable, was aboard Majorca Sunset last week and had the horse in a trailing position until the home turn before kicking him clear over the final stages for a half-length win.
Majorca Sunset is bred to be good as his dam Rosa Bonita is a daughter of Deep Impact, who was crowned Japanese Champion sire for nine consecutive years and one of the world’s most dominant stallions.
The Cameron’s raced Kay’s Awake from the Matamata stable of Peter McKay back in the early 2000’s and the Towkay mare’s six wins included the Listed Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie. She also recorded nine second placings and four thirds from her 37 New Zealand starts and was twice runner-up behind the great mare Seachange at Group 1 level, in the Telegraph Handicap (1200m) at Trentham and Waikato Draught Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa.
Another Aussie campaign for La Crique
Trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander have always felt distance would be La Crique’s best friend, and they will give her the opportunity to step up over ground when they head to Australia with her later this month.
The daughter of Vadamos kept her perennial bridesmaid tag firmly intact last weekend, going down by the barest of margins behind El Vencedor in the Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie, extending her elite-level runner-up sequence to four.
Despite going down again, La Crique’s conditioners were proud of her efforts, particularly the tenacity she showed in the closing stages after being the aggressor throughout the contest.
“We were super happy with our mare, she made it a race, and that is what we intended going out to do. Michael (McNab, jockey) made a good decision during the running that we had to take it to them and see if she could hang on.
“If it was a dead-heat that would have been the dream, but she has pulled up super well from it so that is the main thing.”
La Crique’s last three starts have been over 2000m, and Alexander is looking forward to trying her over further ground once more, with the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on March 29 now firmly in the planning.
It will be La Crique’s third Australian campaign, having previously finished fourth in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in 2022, and winning the A$500,000 National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm last June.
The Tancred’s 2400m will also be the second time La Crique has been tested over that distance, having previously finished runner-up to Asterix in the 2022 edition of the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
“Craig Grylls rode her in the trial and said she did everything right wouldn’t have blown a match out after it,” Pollard said.
He added that top Australian jockey Blake Shinn, who was aboard in the Karaka Millions win and will again team up with the filly in today’s race, viewed the trial from his Melbourne base and was also very impressed.
Pollard and his partner were driving up to Auckland yesterday (Friday) and whether they stay one or two nights in the big city will be decided by how Damask Rose performs in the big race.
“Reports are that everything is good with her going into the race and we are just hoping for a good result,” Pollard added.
“If it is a good result there will be a fair bit of celebrating before we get home.”
The winning stake for the NZB Kiwi is $1,200,000; second $575,000; third $375,000; fourth $250,000; fifth $200,000 and from sixth to 14th is $100,000.
Kiwi winner given chance at a bigger prize
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Racing New South Wales are thrilled to announce that this Saturday’s inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) slot race has officially become a ‘Golden Ticket’ race, granting the winner direct entry into Australia’s prestigious A$10million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 1.
This agreement between NZTR and Racing NSW marks a major step in enhancing the international appeal of the NZB Kiwi and serves as a key pathway to one of Australia’s richest races.
The NZTR Board has agreed to fund the transport - both to and from Sydney - for the winner of the inaugural NZB Kiwi, should they choose to accept the ‘Golden Ticket’ offered by Racing NSW for the 2025 running of the Golden Eagle.
NZTR Chairman, Russell Warwick, was thrilled by the partnership, emphasising the significant benefits it brings to both jurisdictions.
“The inclusion of the NZB Kiwi as a Golden Ticket race for the Golden Eagle marks an exciting milestone for New Zealand racing,” Warwick said.
“This opportunity not only enhances prospects for our Kiwi horses, owners, and trainers but also strengthens the deep racing ties between New Zealand and Racing NSW.”
Hastings mare beaten but not disgraced
Hastings-trained Fancy Like Lass only managed seventh in the open sprint over 1200m at Trentham last Sunday but her connections were not too concerned going forward.
The Hellbent mare, trained by Mick Brown and Sue Thompson, was having her first start for seven weeks, struck a track that was too firm for her and got too far back in the running.
Mick Brown said this week the five-year-old, who has had leg problems in the past, has come through the race well and the plans are to carry on towards the Listed $130,000 Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on March 22.
“The track was a bit too firm for her liking but I think she also needed the run because she had a good blow afterwards,” Brown said.
“She got a bit too far back but ran the third fastest last 600 of any runner in the race so it was not too bad a run.”
The lightly raced Fancy Like Lass has a record of four wins and four seconds from only 11 starts and two of her victories have been on the dog-leg run down the Trentham straight.
The Thompson/Brown stable lined up two starters at Trentham with the other, Nozumi, producing a game run for second in a maiden 1400m event.
The plan was to ride Nozumi in a trailing position but, with no pace on in the early stages, rider Joe Doyle had no option but to let the horse roll to the front.
Nozumi put a break on his rivals at the top of the home straight but was then left a sitting duck and was collared in the last couple of strides by Argyle, going down by a long head.
It was Nozumi’s third second placing from his last four starts and Brown said the Tarzino four-year-old will now probably head to Tauherenikau on March 23 for a maiden 1600m race.
“He was still gawking around and doing a few things wrong the other day and I think he was beaten by a pretty good horse,” Brown added.
The winner Argyle was having his second start following a debut third over 1200m at Otaki last month and is rated highly by his Matamata trainer Cody Cole.
The Hastings stable of Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos also had two starters at last Sunday’s Trentham meeting with Lowry saying they were happy with the performances of both horses.
Candle recorded a fresh up fifth in a Rating 75 race over 1200m while The Stoney One finished fourth in the 1200m open sprint.
“Candle just wasn’t quite fit enough in what was her first race for two months,” Lowry said.
“She looked a likely winner early in the straight but just came to the end of it.”
He added that the Super Easy mare is now likely to have her next start in a Rating 75 race over 1400m at Trentham on March 22.
“The Stoney One has had breathing problems but always tries hard and gave everything again,”
“Races over 1100 metres suits him best but, unfortunately, there are not many races over that distance around.”
Savaglee has earned a well deserved rest
Class three-year-old Savaglee will now head to the spelling paddock following his heroic runner-up performance behind fellow Kiwi-bred Feroce in last Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
Racing in The Oaks Stud’s familiar colours, Savaglee has been a standout in his three-year-old term for trainer Pam Gerard, winning the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and placing in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) prior to Saturday’s result.
While he was unable to cap that record off with a win at Flemington, The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams was rapt with his performance and said it indicates the best is yet to come from the Savabeel colt.
“It was terrific,” he said. “It was quite a significant lift on his run at Te Rapa (in the BCD Group Sprint).”
“Jockey Mick Dee said he is right up to Group 1 form, he was just a bit on the steel early and that cost him in the last 100m. That is just practice and experience at that level.
“I am very happy with him. He is a very sound horse. I think he is still a bit of a baby and is improving. Like most Savabeels, the good ones get better with each year and I think he has still got his best races in front of him.
Williams said Savaglee’s Australian debut performance has only added to his value and he is now rated up with the best three-year-olds in Australasia.
“I think a very good horse (Feroce) has beaten him and a horse that you will see more of as they go deeper into the autumn.”
Williams said Savaglee was on a flight back to New Zealand on Wednesday and that will be the end of his three-year-old season.