Hastings-trained Creation looked a horse destined to progress through the grades when scoring a decisive maiden win over 1600m at Tauherenikau last Sunday.
The four-year-old Dundeel gelding, prepared by the husband and wife team of Mick Brown and Sue Thompson, was having only his second race start and his three-quarter length winning margin flattered his rivals.
Creation has always shown potential but is a horse that has needed time to strengthen and mature and the patient policy shown by his trainers looks to be reaping rewards.
Owned by prominent Christchurch racing identity Colin Whiteman, Creation was a private purchase from Cambridge Stud and started out in the South Island stable of Danny Frye.
He was placed in an Ashburton 1000m trial in November 2024 before being transferred into the Brown/Thompson stable at the beginning of last year.
He finished a distant third in a 1000m Waipukurau trial in February last year but was then given a lengthy spell and only returned at the beginning of this year. He then recorded a win and a third in two 1000m trials before making his race debut over 1400m at Waverley on April 10, where he produced a strong finish from well back on the home turn to finish third.
Senior jockey Jonathan Riddell rode Creation in his debut and was again aboard at Tauherenikau.
He jumped the gelding out well from the barrier and had him box-seated, third on the fence, until the home turn.
Riddell then angled his mount around heels and once in the clear Creation shot to the front and had his ears pricked when eased down close to the finish line.
Creation is certainly bred to be good as he is not only by a highly successful sire but also comes from a strong maternal family.
His dam Sara Ann is a Stravinsky mare who has also left Sanstoc, a four-time winner in Australia, as well as Tavago (three wins) Sweet Anna (two wins) and Sunny Rose (one win).
Creation’s grand-dam was the Zabeel mare Tricia Ann, who only won two races from nine New Zealand starts but finished third in the Group 2 Grosvenor Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie and fifth in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
Grylls riding in Queensland
Champion jockey Craig Grylls will take time out from domestic duties this weekend to continue his successful association with Single Red.
The 36-year-old has ridden the filly in two of her three wins and jumped at the chance to partner the Andrew Forsman-trained three-year-old in her Australian debut in today’s Listed A$160,000 Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m).
“I’m pretty lucky to be given the opportunity by Andrew and OTI Racing, they could have easily put on a local jockey, so I’m really stoked and appreciative,” Grylls said.
The daughter of Vanbrugh confirmed her trip to Queensland with a last start victory at Te Rapa where she accounted for her age group rivals with authority.
“Off a freshen up, I had to work a bit to cross them. She switched off once she got there and put them away pretty convincingly,” Grylls said.
“The step up in trip from the mile to 1800m on Saturday should be ideal for her.”
All going well, she will run two weeks later in the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) and then the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) a fortnight after.
Single Red has made impressive progress this year and, following a debut fourth, she strung together consecutive wins at Te Rapa and Waverley.
The filly then bridged the gap to black type company when runner-up in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2100m) and was given a break following her third placing in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
Her form took on further lustre when the winner of both of those events, Ohope Wins, came out and added the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) to her record.
Grylls won last season’s New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership with 141 winners and holds a more than 40-win buffer on closest rival Samantha Collett in his title defence.
“It’s been unbelievable again, week in and week out I’ve been getting on really good horses and been able to get the job done,” he said.
Ellerslie race next for Excite
A trip to the Queensland winter carnival remains in the mix for talented colt Excite but the immediate focus is on another domestic black-type target.
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained son of Wootton Bassett continued his rise when he accounted for stablemate Incandescent in last Saturday’s Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Services Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa.
Excite will now run in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) on May 16 before a decision is made on a trip to Australia.
James has nominated Excite for the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) in Brisbane and, if he was to win again impressively next start, it would probably confirm a trip there.
Prior to his Te Rapa success, Excite had finished runner-up in his first two appearances before a luckless fourth in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham.
“He’s learning his trade and grew up a bit more after his trip to Wellington. He should have run second in the Sires without a doubt,” James said.
Meanwhile, older stablemate and last-start Group 3 King’s Plate winner Sweynesday headed across the Tasman on Wednesday and will make his Australian debut this Saturday ahead of a possible tilt at the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
“Sweynesday will run in the Takeover Target (1200m) at Gosford on Saturday and Solid Gold will also go over a week later,” James said.
The latter booked her trip with success in the Group 3 Championship Stakes (2100m).
“We might run her in the Rough Habit Plate (2000m) and then that gives us three weeks into the Queensland Oaks (2200m). She is just thriving,” James added.
Latta-trained three-year-old in Guineas
Exciting three-year-old gelding Platinum Pantheon has made his way across the Tasman where he will commence his Queensland campaign this weekend.
The son of Hanseatic has been in solid form for trainer Lisa Latta this season, winning four of his seven starts, and earned his ticket to Australia with a runner-up performance behind Drops Of God in the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa on ANZAC Day.
Latta began to map out a Queensland plan for Platinum Pantheon following his victory over 1200m at Tauranga in March, and she was pleased he has continued his good run of form with his last start Group placing.
“He went really well in the Cambridge Breeders’, and I think the draw just beat him,” Latta said.
Platinum Pantheon arrived in Australia last Monday in preparation for this Saturday’s Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m), with his weekend performance dictating future plans.
He could potentially be joined by stablemate Platinum Diamond, however, Latta said she will have to improve from her unplaced run over a mile at Te Rapa last month to warrant the trip.
It was an uncustomary subpar showing from the Hello Youmzain filly, who last year strung together three consecutive stakes victories.
Platinum Diamond will get her opportunity for redemption when she heads to Arawa Park this Saturday where she will drop back to 1400m.
“She was ridden handy over the mile and she just went quite hard, so we will just go back to square one,” Latta said. “She has come through the run well, I am happy with her.”
Two valuable mares to be auctioned
Two stakes winning mares from Stephen Marsh’s Cambridge stable are entered for an upcoming Gavelhouse Plus auction.
Stephen Marsh Racing will offer Group 2 winner Hitabell and dual Listed winner Glamour Tycoon in a high-quality online offering.
“They’ve been two standout mares for us and it’s now at the stage of their careers where it’s time to offer them to the market as breeding prospects,” Marsh said. “I’m sure they’ll have their share of admirers on Gavelhouse Plus and will be quality additions to anyone’s broodmare band.”
This will be the second time Hitabell has been auctioned on Gavelhouse Plus. The daughter of Embellish was offered by Henley Park during the 2023 National Online Yearling Sale, where Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock bought her for $9,500.
Hitabell has turned that small purchase price into more than $233,000 in stakes from an eight-race career. She won three times as a three-year-old last season including the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m).
Her three appearances as a four-year-old this season included a close second behind the quality sprinter Master Fay in a 1200m open handicap at Ellerslie, followed by a sixth, only three lengths from the winner Ardalio, in the Group 3 Counties Bowl (1100m) at Pukekohe.
Stephen Marsh Racing secured Glamour Tycoon from Book 1 of Karaka 2022, and cost $220,000. She has had 21 starts for five wins, 10 placings and $315,710 in prizemoney.
Like Hitabell, Glamour Tycoon won the O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes at Wanganui as a spring three-year-old. She went on to add the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham last season and also placed in the Group 3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) as well as the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) and Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1200m