Azazel, one of the leading chances in today’s A$2million VRC Derby at Melbourne’s famous Flemington racetrack, has a strong Hawke’s Bay connection.
The three-year-old son of Shocking began his education in Hawke’s Bay after Hastings trainer Guy Lowry paid $15,000 to buy the then colt from the Book 2 catalogue at last year’s January Karaka yearling sales.
After being broken in, the horse entered the Game Lodge Stables of Lowry and training partner Leah Zydenbos to be readied for the Two-year-old Ready-To-Run sale 10 months later.
“He was always a nice horse and we gave him an early preparation from our stable and the plan as always to sell him at the Ready-To-Run sale in November,” Lowry said this week.
“We got him up to galloping stage and then sent him up to Chad Ormsby’s Riverrock Farm at Cambridge for the last three months to finish off his sales preparation.
“Chad does a great job and we got a big result because the horse sold for $140,000, so it was a great return.”
The purchaser was Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, who immediately set about arranging a syndicate to race the horse. He took in the prominent Australian racing syndication OTI Racing as well as a large group of other owners.
Azazel is prepared by Mark Walker from Te Akau’s Australian-based Cranbourne stable and has only had three starts for two wins and a fourth.
He launched himself into VRC Derby consideration when scoring a tough win in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) on Thursday of last week.
Ridden by Mick Dee, Azazel was put into the race early when the pace slackened and, despite racing wide over the concluding 600m, he held a narrow advantage at the line to beat Highvol and Savisanta.
Azazel has already banked A$151,250 in prizemoney and a win in Saturday’s VRC Derby would earn his connections another A$1.2million.
He will again be ridden by Mick Dee and will jump from barrier 10 in the 2500m feature. He is rated a $19 chance on the New Zealand TAB Fixed Odds market with the hot favourite being last Saturday’s impressive Moonee Valley winner Observer.
Although Azazel has only had three starts, the VRC Derby has always been on the radar for the now gelding.
“It’s a big relief that he won, he obviously toughed it out well,” Walker’s assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said after his most recent win.
“When I saw that they slowed the pace, and it was going to be a sit and sprint, it was never going to suit this horse. Credit to Mick (Dee), he took off at the right time, and the horse was gallant.
“We’re thrilled to get this win for OTI, it’s our first stakes winner for them. They have given us two horses to use our craft with and it's great to have this horse in the Derby for them. It’s very rare that a plan you plot at the beginning of spring goes smoothly.
“He will love the 2500m. We bought him with that profile, from a good family, so hopefully we get a strong run Derby and a true staying test. He also appreciates a bit of give in the ground so hopefully there is a little bit of rain around on Saturday. If it’s a truly run race, we will be there at the finish.”
Winning rider Mick Dee, who also started his racing career from the Hastings stable of Guy Lowry, has ridden Azazel in each of the horse’s three starts and will again ride him in the Derby.
“He doesn’t have a great turn of foot, but he really keeps grinding away,” Dee said.
“We did want to ride him a bit quieter to see more of a turn of foot. But the way it panned out, we just had to go and put ourselves in the race.
“He is still a little bit green, and he is probably a horse that will never win by a huge margin, but he has a great will to win, and he has improved every time he has stepped out. He looked a picture in the yard, and he will definitely give a sight in the Derby.”
Azazel is out of the Tavistock mare Alagant Angel, who in turn is out of the Group 2 winner Alagant Satin.
His sire Shocking stands at Matamata’s Rich Hill Stud and was the winner of seven races from 27 starts including the 2009 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Azazel is the second $15,000 yearling purchase Hastings trainer Guy Lowry has turned into a huge profit in recent years.
He paid the same price for a colt by Tarzino out of But Beautiful at the 2022 Karaka yearling sales with the plan to sell him on at that year’s Two-year-old Ready-To-Run sale. Riverrock Fam was also entrusted in doing the final sales preparation for the colt and he made $200,000 through the sales ring.
Named Immediacy, he was purchased by the former New Zealand training partnership of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and entered their Cranbourne stable.
The now five-year-old is the winner of five races from only 13 starts, including the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield in February last year. He also finished fifth in both the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and ATC Derby (2400m) and recorded two wins over 2000m in Victoria earlier this year.
Racing at Awapuni on hold again
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, in conjunction with the Racing Integrity Board, has confirmed that all trials and race meetings at the RACE Awapuni track will cease for the remainder of 2025, as they work towards a long-term plan for the sustainability of the track.
NZTR Chief Executive Officer Matt Ballesty said the decision followed extensive efforts to restore the track and careful consideration of its impact on participants.
“NZTR acknowledges that the remediation process for the RACE Awapuni surface has placed a significant strain on our Central Districts participants and the wider industry. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, with horse and rider safety being paramount.”
“Our team, the RIB, and the Club, with the support of independent experts and international advisors, have worked tirelessly in recent months and we share the disappointment felt by many.
“Despite these efforts, the surface has not consistently met the standard required to confidently host full race meetings during what is an incredibly busy period for our sport,” Ballesty said.
Track consultant Liam O’Keeffe said the decision followed careful assessment of the track during recent trials and gallops.
“Following recent trials and gallops at Awapuni it’s evident that further, more aggressive renovation work, is required to bring the surface up to the standard the industry needs. At the same time we’re progressing a wider investigation into the track’s long-term suitability,” O’Keeffe said.
As a result the trials originally scheduled for Thursday at Awapuni were cancelled, with a replacement trial meeting now being held at the Woodville racecourse on Monday, November 3.
NZTR acknowledges there will be date and programming changes as a result of the pause in racing at RACE Awapuni, including a revised racing programme to find new locations for the meetings scheduled for November 14, December 20 and December 26. These changes will be communicated in due course.
Sire Armory off to a perfect start
Mapperley Stud stallion Armory has been an instant success at stud, with his two-year-old daughter Silhouette recording a dominant debut victory over 900m at Trentham last Sunday.
Prepared by Cody Cole and ridden by Sam Collett, Silhouette oozed professionalism, crossing to lead the small field of three and was barely asked for an effort as she extended to win by 4-1/4 lengths.
Silhouette had trialed well when third prior to her raceday outing and shapes as a classy prospect for Cole, who went to $120,000 to purchase the filly from the draft of Trelawney Stud at this year’s Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale.
“I wasn’t surprised by the performance,” Cole said. “She always looked like she could have taken that improvement from her trial and she has a brilliant action and attitude.
“I wouldn’t have gone to Trentham on debut if she didn’t have such a good constitution. We thought she was the right type of horse to go to a race like that because she eats and she isn’t fazed by anything.
“She is only going to be better with six months under her belt but, the way she covers the ground, she has got a pretty effective galloping action.
“Whatever she is doing now, she is going to improve on if we do the right thing by her.”
While Cole hasn’t ruled out a tilt at the Listed TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January, the Matamata trainer said black-type options such as the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) on December 20 could be on the agenda.
Armory is a son of Galileo and was a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed as a two-year-old before training on to be European Champion Three-year-old and runner-up in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) in Melbourne.
Silhouette is out of the Exceed and Excel mare Fashion Sense, whose grand dam is star mare Elegant Fashion, winner of the Hong Kong Derby.
“I went to the sales to buy a filly that I thought we can get some black type with and enhance her value, and I just loved her,” Cole added.
Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison was delighted to see his popular young sire Armory register an early success.
“What a fantastic start for him, a winner from his first ever runner is very exciting,” Davison said.
Armory stands at Mapperley Stud this season for $10,000+gst and has covered more than 100 mares in each of his first three seasons at stud.