Youth was too good for experience when Ginner Hart (NZ) (Volksraad) upstaged his open class sprint rivals at Hastings.

Four daughters of eight-times champion sire Volksraad demonstrated their outstanding sire’s versatility when winning four races on the seven race card at Waipa yesterday.

Now ten years old, Sir Slick (Volksraad x Miss Opera) showed that he was ready to settle into the green pastures of retirement when he ran home at the tail of the field in the Group 3 Awapuni Gold Cup.

A remarkable career has ended as the result of a paddock injury for eight times champion New Zealand sire Volksraad, just days short of his twenty-fourth birthday.

His final resting place at Windsor Park Stud will be alongside predecessors Silver Dream, Star Way and Kaapstad.

This week the team at Windsor Park remembered Volksraad’s influence on the New Zealand and Australian breeding industry, his 58 stakes winners including 14 at Group One level, and his rapidly growing stature as a broodmare sire.

Rodney Schick, son of Windsor Park’s founders Nelson and Sue Schick, described Volksraad’s loss as gut-wrenching, but added there was so much to celebrate about the stallion’s achievements.

Windsor Park general manager Steve Till’s association has been even closer. He was part of the 1993 syndicate formed by the Davison family and Windsor Park which initially stood the son of Green Desert at Matamata’s Mapperley Stud at a fee of $2,500.

A first crop of only 49 foals produced nine stakes winners, including the Gr. 1 Oakleigh Plate winner Dantelah. In 1999 he was transferred to Cambridge’s Windsor Park Stud.

“It has been a wonderful journey,” Till told The Informant.

One of the special milestones of that journey was winning his eighth New Zealand sires’ title, a feat only bettered by the iconic Foxbridge in the 1940s, but his sheer versatility has been his greatest asset.

He sired progeny who could jump out of their bridles at two like Vinaka, Zola, Katana, One Under and Thriller; metric two-milers like Willie Smith (Wellington Cup) and Torlesse (New Zealand Cup); and everything in between including Group One-winning sprinters, metric milers and the 2010 New Zealand Derby winner Military Move.

Unquestionably, however, his flagship performer has been the seemingly ageless Sir Slick, winner of 22 races and more than $2 million in stakes. Now 10, Sir Slick celebrated his 147^th start with an unplaced run in the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, but at his previous start he had dead-heated for second at Te Rapa to level his number of second placings with his wins. Additional weighing-in performances include 17 thirds, 11 fourths and 15 fifths. Few stallions have sired a more beloved and hardy campaigner.

With big numbers of Volksraad’s progeny still on the track, and more to follow from what amounts to 19 seasons at stud, his statistics are firmly poised to be further enhanced, including his progeny earnings of more than $47 million. An even more lasting legacy will follow through his broodmares.

“Great sires almost always become great broodmare sires,” says Till. “His mares have already produced 19 stakes winners, so obviously he’s already following the pattern.”  

Volksraad’s Group One winners

SIR SLICK (01g, Paris Opera, Sir Godfrey). 22 wins from 1400m to 2000m, NZ$1,851,700, A$118,292, S$60,000, WRC Thorndon Mile, Gr.1-twice, ARC Zabeel Classic, Gr.1, New Zealand S., Gr.1, Waikato RC International S., Gr.1, Otaki Maori RC WFA S., Gr.1.

VINAKA (98g, Famous Star, Khozaam). 8 wins-3 at 2-to 1400m, NZ$475,900, S$10,575, WRC Telegraph H., Gr.1, ARC Railway H., Gr.1.

ONE UNDER (96f, Sir Tristram, Trictrac). 6 wins-4 at 2-to 1400m, NZ$195,425, A$19,050, ARC Ellerslie Sires' Produce S., Gr.1, Manawatu Sires' Produce S., Gr.1.

STAR SATIRE (97f, Kaapstad, Crest of the Wave). 5 wins-2 at 2-to 1400m, NZ$201,250, A$31,600, Otaki Maori RC WFA S., Gr.1.

CLIFTON KING (95g, English Harbour, Le Filou). 17 wins-3 at 2-from 1000m to 1600m, R1,849,750, Gosforth Germiston November H., Gr.1, Greyville South African Guineas, Gr.1.

DANTELAH (94f, Icecapade, Caro). 8 wins-2 at 2-to 1200m, NZ$50,000, A$862,488, HK$249,100, VATC Oakleigh P., Gr.1.

VELOCE BELLA (03f, Crested Wave, Sovereign Edition). 12 wins from 1200m to 2100m to 2010-11, NZ$645,925, A$20,000, Waikato RC International S., Gr.1.

VELOCITEA (05f, Felix the Cat, Beaufort Sea). 7 wins-2 at 2-at 1000m, 1200m, NZ$28,750, A$537,988, SAJC Goodwood H., Gr.1.

DEZIGNA (99g, Conquistarose, Crested Wave). 11 wins from 1200m to 1600m, NZ$712,115, A$45,500, WRC Captain Cook S., Gr.1.

ORANGE COUNTY (02g, Kaapstad, Super Gray). 9 wins-2 at 2-to 1400m, A$842,875, MRC Sir Rupert Clarke S., Gr.1.

ZOLA (95f, Chem, Long Row). Third top filly on The 1997-98 Australasion 2YO Classification.5 wins-4 at 2-from 1000m to 1600m, NZ$152,625, A$79,800, ARC Ellerslie Sires' Produce S., Gr.1.

MILITARY MOVE (06g, Just a Dancer, Mussorgsky). Second on 2009-10 NZ 3YO Free H (1601+m).4 wins from 1200m to 2400m to 2011-12, NZ$1,502,775, HK$2,796,250, New Zealand Derby, Gr.1.

WILLY SMITH (01g, Sound Reason, Roi Lear). 6 wins from 1600m to 3200m, NZ$377,850, Wellington Cup, Gr.1.

DISTILL (08g, Casual Lies, Success Express). 2 wins-1 at 2-at 1000m, 1600m to 2011-12, NZ$164,375, Levin Classic, Gr.1.

One of the great rags-to-riches New Zealand stallion stories ended when champion sire Volksraad was put down at Windsor Park Stud on Tuesday night.

One of New Zealand's greatest thoroughbred stallions, Volksraad, has been put down.

Eight-times champion sire Volksraad was laid to rest at Windsor Park Stud yesterday following injuries sustained in a paddock accident.

A son of Green Desert and the Secretariat mare Celtic Assembly, Volksraad was just a few days short of his 24^th birthday and began stud duties initially at Mapperley Stud in Matamata before transferring to Windsor Park in 1999, two years before winning his first Sire’s premiership.

Commencing his stud career in 1993 at the modest fee of just $2,500, Volksraad fashioned an outstanding career as one of New Zealand’s greatest stallions of the modern era.

He made a sensational start with his first crop siring 9 stakes winners from just 49 foals that included Group One VATC Oakleigh Plate winner Dantelah.

His feat of winning eight sire premierships between 2001 and 2009 stands as a modern day record, a total only exceeded by the great Foxbridge in the 1940’s.

To date Volksraad has sired 58 stakes winners with total progeny earnings over $47 million and this season his record of consistently siring top class gallopers was added to with the recent Group One victory of his 3YO son Distill in the Levin Classic on November 25^th.

Volksraad’s 14 Group One winners also includes ‘peoples champion’ Sir Slick, winner of 22 races including six at Group One level and 2010 New Zealand Derby winner Military Move.

The versatility of Volksraad’s progeny is exemplified by them winning Group One races from 1100m to 3200m and he remains one of the few New Zealand based stallions to sire Group One winners at 1100m, 1200m and 1400m in Australia.

“We have been fortunate to stand a number of champion stallions at Windsor Park and Volksraad rates among the best”, commented Windsor Park Stud proprietor Nelson Schick.

“His contribution to Windsor Park and the breeding industries in New Zealand and Australia has been immense and his influence looks set to continue for many years with his daughters now proving such wonderful broodmares at stud”.

“We will forever be indebted to Volksraad who was not only a great stallion but a real character and we are thankful for the journey we have enjoyed with him these past 19 years”.

Ginner Hart is back in work with his part-owner and trainer Alexander Fieldes who was stumped by the three-year-old’s unplaced performance in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

“We don’t know what happened there and had the vets go over him but they couldn’t find anything wrong,” the Wanganui horseman said. “We’ll have to put it down to the track. He cantered to the turn and didn’t let down.”

Ginner Hart had won his only start at two and made an impressive return as a three-year-old to score on the opening day of the Triple Crown meeting at Hastings.

The son of Volksraad returned there to finish third behind Antonio Lombardo in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas before his unsuccessful bid on the Guineas.

“He has three weeks off after Riccarton and he’s been back for the last 10 days at the beach,” Fieldes said. “We’ve put in a late entry for the Derby this week – you’ve got to dream with a horse.”

Ginner Hart, who has attracted interest from potential Hong Kong buyers, is likely to resume in a Rating 85 sprint at the Marton Cup meeting on January 14 before a possible trip north to Auckland.

“We’ll see how he goes and he might go up for the Karaka Mile at Ellerslie after that and that will give us an idea about the Derby,” Fieldes said. “We don’t know yet whether he’s going to stay but it’s worth $750,000 so you’ve got to be in.”

By contrast, there are no doubts about stablemate Marea Alta’s stamina and she will take her place in Saturday’s Gr.2 Waikato Gold Cup.

The daughter of Montjeu won four on the bounce for Fieldes during the winter and culminated with her victory in the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup at Te Rapa.

“The only thing that worries me a bit is she’s had two lead-up runs on concrete tracks but I’ve had her at the beach and she’s well,” he said.

She resumed over ground after a break at Riccarton and last time out she finished a creditable eighth under regular rider Noel Harris in the Listed Wanganui Cup.

“The track really dried out with the wind and Noel said she would still have been right in it if there had been any give,” Fieldes said. “He said the 2400 metres at Te Rapa would be ideal for her.” Marea Alta holds nominations for all the feature summer cups.

New Zealand Derby winner Military Move (NZ) (Volksraad) looks destined for stakes class after scoring an impressive victory in the Class 1 Peninsula Golden Jubilee Challenge Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday however his future looks to be not in Hong Kong.

A classic winner in his home country, the son of Volksraad (Green Desert) has taken some time to adjust to Hong Kong but has demonstrated an affinity for the Sha Tin all weather surface, winning two races and finishing second in another from just three starts, giving trainer John Moore something to contemplate.

Partnered by jockey Neil Callan after Darren Beadman was stood down with back pain Military Move (NZ) showed his dominance, running out a one-and-three-quarter-length winner.

"I rode him once for John last season in the Classic Mile and we slung him up on the speed and it didn't suit him and he just fell away," Callan recalled.

"But he seems more grown up now and, when he was up on the speed, I wasn't too concerned that he was wide because he has such a big stride. He was taking one stride to two from the others and I think it was just more important that he had a clear run at it. When he let down, he put a bit of distance between himself and the others and then he just idled a bit the last 50m to the line. Bad luck for Darren but just my bit of luck to get on a good one in a better class of race and get the job done."

The victory will likely take the gelding's rating past 110, with virtually no all-weather racing available to him any more.

"He's holding his form on this surface where he gets some cushion underfoot and that seems to be the key but what we do next is a problem. He might find a race at Happy Valley or we'll have to put him back on the turf at Sha Tin to get his grade," Moore said.

"I guess we could think about somewhere like Dubai, if we want an artificial surface, but the Tapeta isn't really like the all-weather here. Maybe it's an option. I'll have to talk to the owner about it but at least I'm pleased that the horse is winning races now after coming here highly-rated from winning a New Zealand Derby and it initially looked like he was going to be a bit disappointing."

Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Military Move (NZ) is by Champion Sire Volksraad, from the Just A Dancer (NZ) (Star Way) mare All Night Party (NZ).

Yearlings by Volksraad on offter at the 2012 NZB Yearling Sales: Premier (3), Select (14) and Festival (1).

It’s come as no great surprise to Windsor Park Stud boss Nelson Schick that Volksraad has notched another Group One result, but there’s no hiding his parallel admiration for the other side of the equation that came up with last Friday’s Levin Classic winner Distill.

Windsor Park Stud boss Nelson Schick (right) and his general manager Steve Till.

The upset win by Distill in the Otaki three-year-old feature was another reminder of a pint-sized mare bred at Windsor Park by Casual Lies named Fairy Tipsy. She won five races and in the finale to her 24-start career in the autumn of 2003 gained black-type when third in the Gr. 2 Hawke’s Bay Cup.

“Pound for pound she would have to be one of the best racehorses I’ve ever had,” Schick reminisced. “There was nothing of her, she was as plain as get-out, but as a racehorse she gave everything.”

Fairy Tipsy, who was out of an unraced sister to the Gr. 1 Railway Handicap winner Coogee Walk, was trained by Mark Walker, as was her second foal, the Golan filly Absinthe.

“That filly tore the bulb off a front heel as a young horse and as a result had a limited career, but she still won a race and we’re breeding from her now,” Schick said.  

But the only two colts that Fairy Tipsy has produced are what she’s best regarded for - the 2004 son of Montjeu now known as Mr Tipsy and her 2008 Volksraad colt Distill. Mr Tipsy, sold for $41,000 at the 2006 Karaka Premier Sale   to Auckland racing enthusiast Scott Richardson, has to date won nine races as well as being placed in the Auckland, Sydney and - at his most recent start - Counties Cups.

Distill’s Levin Classic win may have come as a shock to some given that he had won only once previously, but there’s no denying the overall strength of his first season form that included a Group Three placing and fourth in the Gr. 1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

When Distill went to the races for the first time last December 27 he was still owned by Windsor Park Stud, having been passed in 11 months earlier as a member of the Cambridge nursery’s National Yearling Sale draft.

“We basically didn’t get much interest in him as a yearling,” says Schick. “He was a bit on the small side and was probably overshadowed by others, but he had his chance and when he didn’t make his reserve we were quite happy to take him home.

“It’s interesting when you look back at that draft and see that we also passed in Sangster – not bad you’d have to say that we ended up taking home two horses that were to become Group One winners.”

Distill, who was in Windsor Park’s Premier draft, had a reserve of $40,000, while Sangster, offered on behalf of his breeders Clive and Pat Buckingham, could have been bought for $25,000 from the Select session.

“As breeders producing quite a large number of horses from one year to the next, our approach has to be that once we make the decision they’re all for sale,” Schick added. “We try to put realistic reserves on them but if they don’t get there we take them home and set about marketing them at some later date.”

In the case of Distill, that entailed handing him on to Awapuni trainer Roydon Bergerson with the intention of developing him and seeing what he could produce on the track. Bergerson’s relationship with Windsor Park Stud goes back more than a decade, with an early result being the 1999 Wellington Guineas win by the Bergerson-trained Marrok, a Windsor Park-bred and owned son of Distill’s dam-sire, Casual Lies.

“Roydon picked this horse out of the paddock and he got him up to win a trial in early summer,” Schick says. “When he won first-up at Christmas he was very tradeable and when you look at where he’s at now, everyone’s a winner.

“Roydon is still training him and his Hong Kong owner is a happy man with a live chance set up to race for him up there. As for us, we’re just thrilled to notch up another Group One winner - and it’s a bonus that he’s by Volksraad.

“He’s been a wonderful sire and never ceases to amaze us with the way he keeps coming up with so many good racehorses,” said Schick of the rising 24-year-old currently serving his nineteenth book of mares for the Windsor Park-Mapperley Partnership. “His broodmares are now doing fantastic job, so he’s going to have an influence for a long time yet.”

Last Friday saw Distill (Volksraad) power home to win the Levin Classic (Gr 1, 1600m), his first win at the highest level and the 14th Group 1 winner for his sire Volksraad (Green Desert), writes Darryl Sherer.

A champion sire eight times in New Zealand, Volksraad ranks as one of the most successful stallions to stand at stud in New Zealand in recent years and has sired 58 stakes winners from 818 runners to date. His 14 Group 1 winners have won over distances from 1200 to 3200m.

Distill is bred on the same cross as the Auckland Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 2, 2400m) winner Mistrale, their broodmare sire Casual Lies a son of Lear Fan, (Roberto) while the redoubtable Sir Slick is out of a mare by Paris Opera, a grandson of Biscay, the sire of Bletchingly, the sire of Distill’s fourth dam Boardwalk Angel.

Like Elusive Quality, Turffontein, Declan’s Moon, Grand Lodge, Be My Chief, Johar and Weekend Surprise, Volksraad is inbred to Somethingroyal through her sons Sir Gaylord and Secretariat and he has done well with mares carrying a strain of Somethingroyal through these two stallions.

Volksraad has sired the Group 1 winners Velocitea (Felix the Cat), Orange County (Kaapstad), One Under (Sir Tristram) and Star Satire (Kaapstad) with an additional strain of Somethingroyal ,as well as Group winners Katana (Sir Tristram), Casabella Lane (Kaapstad), Bahnhof Zoo (Sir Tristram), Blackrock College (St Hilarion) and Foxy Blonde (Kaapstad) carrying an additional strain of Somethingroyal through Sir Gaylord.

Otherwise Volksraad has worked across a wide range of pedigree. Beaufort Sea (Nashua) appears as the broodmare sire of his New Zealand Cup (Gr 2) winner Torlesse, and the maternal grandsire of Velocitea and Crested Wave (Crozier) is the broodmare sire of Group 1 winner Veloce Bella and the maternal grandsire of Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1) winner Dezigna.

Distill is the second stakes winner for his dam Fairy Tipsy after the Marton Cup (Listed, 2200m) winner Mr Tipsy (Montjeu), who also placed in the Auckland Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) and the Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m). Fairy Tipsy was a handy mare herself, winning five races and finishing third in the Hawkes Bay Cup (Gr 2, 2200m).

Distill’s granddam Rebellious Angel is by the champion broodmare sire Success Express (Hold Your Peace) and a sister to Coogee Walk, winner of the Railway Handicap (Gr 1) over 1200m at Ellerslie and a half-sister to the VRC Winter Championship (Listed, 1600m) winner The Big Ask (Bigstone).

Boardwalk Angel (Bletchingly) won the Goodwood Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) and Linlithgow Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and she is the fourth dam of Distill. Boardwalk Angel is a sister to Traipse, the dam of Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Crawl (Dr Grace) and three-time Listed winner Old Man (Dr Grace).

Further back and Distill’s fifth dam Fairy Walk (Minor Portion) won the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and was rated the Top Filly on the 1970/71 Australian 2YO Free Handicap when she was also placed in the Blue Diamond (Gr 1, 1200m), and the VRC (Gr 1, 1400m) and AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).

All four of Fairy Walk’s foals to race were winners with three of them at stakes level, the best of them was her first foal, the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m), Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2200m) and Australasian Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Cheyne Walk (Le Cordonnier).

Fairy Walk’s third foal Jubilee Walk (King Of Babylon) won the Flight Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) and is granddam of the Morphettville Guineas (Listed, 1600m) winner Country Walk (Grosvenor), while her fourth foal Sharp Walk (Sharp Edge) won the Ottawa Stakes (Listed, 1100m) and finished second in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and she threw the New Zealand Listed winner Classic Walk (Grosvenor).

Fairy Walk is a half-sister to the Craven Plate winner and successful sire Planet Kingdom (Star Kingdom) and the speedy juvenile Listed winner Fiona (Star Kingdom).

A summer programme culminating in the Telecom New Zealand Derby remains on the table for upset Levin Classic winner Distill.

The Roydon Bergerson-trained gelding is enjoying a brief spell while talks continue between Hong Kong owner Y K Wong and his New Zealand representative, Taupo bloodstock agent Mick Preston.

“He pulled up from the race really well but we decided that now would be the right time to give him 10 days in the paddock. That will allow enough to bring him back for a trial and then maybe kick him off again in the Wellington Stakes,” Bergerson told www.theinformant.co.nz. “If the Derby is a goer the Waikato Guineas and Avondale Guineas would be the ideal lead-up races.

“He’s always shown me plenty and the way he won the other day I’d be surprised if he didn’t manage a middle-distance.”

The 1600-metre Wellington Stakes is scheduled for January 21, the first day of the Wellington Cup carnival. Two-week gaps then follow to the Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa, the Avondale Guineas (2000m) at Ellerslie and finally the New Zealand Derby at the same venue on March 3.

Preston has been in touch with Mr Wong by phone and email and has set out the above race schedule to him.

“There’s no definite decision yet but I was talking to Mr Wong last night,” Preston said today. “Whether he goes along with what I’ve laid out we’ll just have to wait and see. I’m expecting him over here next month so it’s likely that a decision will be finalised then.

“He’s obviously very happy with what the horse has achieved so far, now it’s just a matter of when he wants him up in Hong Kong and what races he’ll start in before then.”

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Derby is off the menu for Antonio Lombardo following his chequered run and eventual third placing behind Distill at Otaki.

Against predictions Antonio Lombardo did not make the pace in the Levin Classic, his first test at 1600 metres. Instead he was settled off the pace by regular rider Sam Spratt but refused to settle and went forward to dispute the pace through the middle stages before going clear on the home turn.

“He felt the run and he wasn’t that happy afterwards, but then nor was I,” said trainer Peter McKay. “He’s having a break for a few days but if he bounces back he can go to the Railway.”

The odds were long but that took nothing away from a hugely popular win by the Robbie Hannam-ridden, Roydon Bergerson-trained Distill in today’s Gr. 1 Levin Classic at Otaki. 

Eight times Champion sire Volksraad played a significant role as both a sire and broodmare sire in the Gr.2  Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes for fillies and mares run at Counties at the weekend.

Part-time Wanganui trainer Alexander Fieldes exceeded his budget to get juvenile Ginner Hart at the Karaka Sales.

At Trentham on Saturday the son of Volksraad justified every cent with victory on debut in dead ground he didn't like one bit.

"He was on the limit of his ability in that going. I was considering scratching on Saturday morning but I rang someone in Wellington and they said they hadn't got the rain," said Fieldes.

Fieldes went to Karaka with $12,000 but ended up paying $30,000 for the youngster. "It's the most I've ever paid for a horse," said Fieldes, who owns him with brother Frazer.

Ginner Hart may have one more start this campaign, at Riccarton in a few weeks. Ginner Hart is named after former top trainer Brian Hart, whom Fieldes admired greatly,

"He was known as Ginger in the beginning, but it became Ginner later in life."

It was Fieldes' second winner of the week, having won with maiden Marea Alta at Otaki on Wednesday.

A win in yesterday’s $200,000 JBBA Moonbeam Vase (Sing Gr 3) over 1800m could be the stepping stone for bigger successes for the connections of New Zealand-bred Dontellthewife (Volksraad), writes Craig Brennan.

Peter Moody looks to have another budding star on his hands when unbeaten filly Lights of Heaven proved too classy for her rivals in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks at Morphettville.

She might not be in the Black caviar class who notched her 11th straight win last night, but like the top mare Lights Of Heaven is yet to taste defeat from four career starts and she has taken some giant steps.

After a country maiden win on debut she scored at a midweek in town, overcoming an outside gate to overpower her rivals.

She then stepped up to a Group 2 at Moonee Valley and raced on the speed, looking a little dour but getting the job done.

Today, though, stepping up to 2000m for the first time, she sat off the speed but quickly loomed up to Southern Speed at the top of the straight and ran away for an easy win.

Absolutely ran on well from midfield down the outside to grab second, while Southern Speed, who raced close to the pace today, boxed on well for third.

Jeter also worked home from midfield for fourth.

Lights Of Heaven , a daughter of Zabeel from the Volksraad mare I'm In Heaven, brought up the first success in the race for Moody and jockey Luke Nolen but their second Group 1 race in the space of 24 hours having won the William Reid at Moonee Valley last night with Black Caviar.

Moody will now set his sights on the Australian Oaks in Sydney as she looks ready made to run the extra two furlongs.

New Zealand-bred Beauty Flash (Golan) made it a hat-trick of Group 1 wins when proving too good for his rivals in yesterday’s Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (HK Gr 1, 1400m) at Sha Tin. Winner of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) and the Stewards’ Cup (HK Gr 1, 1600m), Beauty Flash is now poised to take his talent abroad for his next outing, the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free (Gr , 1800m) at the Dubai World Cup meeting on March 26.

Just over a month ago, a Zabeel filly by the name of Lights of Heaven (NZ) caught the eye with a maiden win at Cranbourne.

Her Royal Highness credited her eight-times champion sire Volksraad with his 56^th individual stakes winner when successful yesterday in the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes over 1600m.

Classy mare, Veloce Bella (NZ) (Volksraad) is finishing her racing career in fine style. The previous winner of five stakes races added the Gr.3 Mills Reef Trentham Stakes (2100m) to her pedigree at Trentham on Saturday.

A change in riding tactics saw the best of Corsage in the $75,000 Progress Stakes over 1100m and brought up a winning double for New Zealand trainer Mark Walker.

A remarkable career has ended as the result of a paddock injury for eight times champion New Zealand sire Volksraad, just days short of his twenty-fourth birthday.

The world beckons for the Windsor Park Stud-bred galloper Beauty Flash (NZ) (Golan).

Last night the five-year-old son of Golan basked in worldwide spotlight following an international Gr.1 win at Sha Tin in the HK$16 million Gr.1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (1600m) – the richest mile race in the world.

Prepared in Hong Kong by Tony Cruz, Beauty Flash (NZ) was able to capitalise on a sweet on pace ride from Gerald Mosse, crossing from the extreme outside barrier to breathe down the quarters of the NZ-bred pacemaker Sight Winner (NZ) (Faltaat) throughout. The striking chestnut got down to business turning for home, hitting the front with 300m to run and subsequently staving off the barnstorming late challenge of Royal Bench (IRE). At the line, he held ¾ length margin over the French raider and had 1 ¼ lengths to spare from the third placegetter, Sahpresa (USA). “I felt the horse pick up by himself and he ran on like a superstar,” said Mosse - the successful 2010 Melbourne Cup jockey. The international merit of the win was likewise recognized by trainer, Tony Cruz. “I’d like to take this horse overseas to race,” said Cruz. “Take him to Dubai, Japan. Some of the biggest mile races in the world.” Interestingly, Sha Tin’s barrier 14 was also the lucky allotment for Beauty Flash’s previous crowning glory, the HK-1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) in January. Beauty Flash (NZ) clocked1:34.39 for this outing - a performance some 0.40 seconds faster than his dominant effort off last night’s leisurely pace. The Kwok Siu Ming-owned gelding is now the winner of a staggering NZ$4,015,763 in stakes and of eight races from 19 outings. Initially the Halidon Hill consignee was snapped up for a moderate NZ$65,000, astutely purchased on this occasion by D O’Donnell at the New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2007 Select Yearling Sale. He received his formative education with Lance Noble in New Zealand. After achieving one-win over the subsequent Gr.1 Metropolitan winner Herculian Prince (NZ) from three career starts, he was exported to Tony Cruz’s Hong Kong stable in 2009. The classically Windsor Park Stud-bred galloper combines the bloodlines of the stud’s former stallion Golan with Wychwood Rose – a daughter of none other than their champion stallion, Volksraad (GB). Golan was previously best distinguished as the sire of the Gr.1 Victoria Derby winner Kibbutz (NZ) (also sold by Windsor Park) and counts 11 stakes winners to his credit. At Karaka in 2011, he will be represented by six yearlings at the Premier Sale , 16 at the Select Yearling Sale and with ten at the Festival Sale. Sadly, Beauty Flash's dam Wychwood Rose, who hailed from the family of the champion 2YO in New Zealand, Maroofity, is now deceased. She produced two winners from three runners. Her sire, Volksraad (GB) has now achieved 13 stakeswinners as a damsire, with the leading lights being Beauty Flash (NZ) and the Gr.2 winners Zarzuela (NZ), Le Baron (NZ) and Fire Song (NZ).   NZ-Bred Hong Kong Mile Winners: · 2010 Beauty Flash (NZ) (Golan) · 2003 Lucky Owners (NZ) (Danehill) · 2000 Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun) · 1997 Catalan Opening (NZ) (Kaapstad) · 1993 Winning Partners (NZ) (Take Your Partner)

New Zealand-bred Beauty Flash ensured the year finished on a high for his breeder Windsor Park Stud, writes Darryl Sherer.

 The outstanding year of New Zealand’s Windsor Park Stud continued at Sha Tin on Sunday when Beauty Flash (NZ) won the HK$16,000,000, Group 1, Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (1600m), the world's richest turf mile race, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s International Race Day.

When Waikato Stud's O'Reilly ended Volksraad's unbeaten run (then six in a row) in the New Zealand General Sires' Premiership back in 2007-08, local breeding students could have been excused for assuming that we had seen the last of Volksraad at the head of the premiership.

Rank	Stallion Ccode Yof - To Stud	Breeding	Rnrs	Wnrs	Wins	SW(SWins)	Earnings	Best Performer
1	Volksraad (GB) 1988 - 1993	Green Desert - Celtic Assembly	112	44	67	6(8)	$2,885,894	Military Move - 1,502,775
2	Pins (AUS) 1996 - 2000	Snippets - No Finer	118	61	84	3(7)	$2,342,665	Katie Lee - 974,750
3	Zabeel (NZ) 1986 - 1991	Sir Tristram - Lady Giselle	65	37	55	4(6)	$1,591,038	Zavite - 600,000
4	Pentire (GB) 1992 - 1997	Be My Guest - Gull Nook	75	36	51	2(3)	$1,329,070	Corporal Jones - 429,725
5	Montjeu (IRE) 1996 - 2001	Sadler's Wells - Floripedes	62	28	47	4(7)	$1,305,953	Wall Street - 364,250
6	Keeper (AUS) 1997 - 2002	Danehill - Nuwirah	109	49	74	4(5)	$1,201,736	Keep the Peace - 300,950
7	Electronic Zone (USA) 1994 - 2001	Rahy - La Griffe	30	15	23	1(3)	$1,184,076	Vosne Romanee - 975,200
8	Stravinsky (USA) 1996 - 2000	Nureyev - Fire the Groom	58	32	53	2(4)	$1,118,589	Sir Time Keeper - 294,325
9	Ustinov (AUS) 1998 - 2003	Seeking the Gold - Let's Elope	57	13	22	1(1)	$917,988	Vonusti - 685,650
10	O'Reilly (NZ) 1993 - 1997	Last Tycoon - Courtza	98	34	55	2(3)	$832,942	Joey Massino - 236,000
11	Shinko King (IRE) 1991 - 1998	Fairy King - Rose of Jericho	62	31	49	3(5)	$744,606	Irish Colleen - 110,525
12	General Nediym (AUS) 1994 - 1999	Nediym - Military Belle	11	7	9	2(2)	$716,060	Sister Havana - 572,500
13	Istidaad (USA) 1992 - 2000	Chief's Crown - Mazzei Mood	118	31	38	2(2)	$708,348	Ginga Dude - 284,150
14	Al Akbar (AUS) 1990 - 1995	Success Express - Gala Night	85	25	42	2(3)	$658,743	Run Like Al - 119,625
15	No Excuse Needed (GB) 1998 - 2003	Machiavellian - Nawaiet	64	25	38	3(3)	$651,661	Daffodil - 215,650
16	Golan (IRE) 1998 - 2003	Spectrum - Highland Gift	69	29	45	2(3)	$649,197	My Scotsgrey - 184,125
17	Thorn Park (AUS) 1999 - 2004	Spinning World - Joy	75	28	45	2(2)	$648,645	Jimmy Choux - 115,050
18	Viking Ruler (AUS) 1998 - 2003	Danehill - Tristalove	80	22	32	2(4)	$645,885	Red Ruler - 319,062
19	Bertolini (USA) 1996 - 2002	Danzig - Aquilegia	103	29	47	1(1)	$643,627	Juice - 157,325
20	Van Nistelrooy (USA) 2000 - 2003	Storm Cat - Halory	58	19	31	2(4)	$591,495	Boundless - 199,275
21	Danske (NZ) 1995 - 1999	Danehill - Our Tristalight	66	23	40	0(0)	$570,852	The Twist - 74,200
22	Sandtrap (USA) 1993 - 1998	Irish River - Timely Reserve	73	27	43	2(2)	$563,258	Indikator - 60,250
23	Ekraar (USA) 1997 - 2004	Red Ransom - Sacahuista	39	13	25	2(4)	$552,157	Ekstreme - 235,000
24	Black Minnaloushe (USA) 1998 - 2002	Storm Cat - Coral Dance	78	22	33	1(1)	$547,658	Beautiful Girl - 133,150
25	Don Eduardo (NZ) 1998 - 2003	Zabeel - Diamond Lover	66	19	28	0(0)	$525,809	Booming - 229,225

Classy filly Mexican Rose (Volksraad) showed she was not quite ready to brood yet following her gutsy win in the $125,000 Shin Min Cup (1200m) on Friday, writes Michael Lee. Already booked on a Melbourne-bound plane with Jolie’s Shinju, the Volksraad three-year-old had been earmarked for a new role as a broodmare in the breeding barn shortly after her unplaced run in last May’s KrisFlyer International Sprint, but not before she gives Singapore racing a few last hurrahs.

• 8-times Champion Sire – a modern day record

• Second greatest reign of success (to Foxbridge) in New Zealand thoroughbred stallion history

• Champion New Zealand Sire of 2YO’s Premiership (1996-97)

• Runner-up (to Zabeel) Dewar Award 2004-05 (Champion New Zealand-based Australasian Sire Premiership)

• First stallion to reach $2 million in New Zealand progeny earnings - 2006-07 season

• Total progeny earnings worldwide exceed $44 million

• Sire of 55 stakes winners – 2^nd leading sire of stakes winners currently at stud in New Zealand

• Sire of international stakes winners at the highest level – Australia, Singapore, South Africa etc.

Questions about whether trainer Laurie Laxon would start both Better Than Ever and Mexican Rose in this Friday’s Shin Min Cup have been laid to rest.

Singapore’s involvement in the upcoming Melbourne spring carnival has taken on another dimension with news smart Volksraad filly Mexican Rose is to head down south.

New Zealand's seven time champion sire Volksraad added to his wonderful season when Mexican Rose and Sir Slick landed an international Group double over the Easter weekend.

The first success came when his classy daughter Mexican Rose produced a record breaking performance to capture the second leg of the Singapore Sprint Series when successful in the Group 3 $200,000 Kranji Sprint.

The win drew comparisons with Rocket Man's win in the corresponding race last year, when as a three-year-old and carrying 50kg, he recorded a 1200m record on the short course.

Carrying 1kg more, Mexican Rose, a three-year-old filly, lowered the 1200m long-course record by 0.24 seconds when she stopped the clock at 1 min 09.00 seconds, bettering the long standing mark set by Yorick in 2001.

Ridden by Saimee Jumaat, Mexican Rose burned the candle at both ends before scoring by a length-and-a-quarter over Dr Lemon (Vorster) with Ntini (Duric) ¾ length away third.

Mexican Rose and Rocket Man are now destined to meet in the Group 1 $500,000 Lion City Cup over 1200m on April 24 with that race determining whether Mexican Rose then goes on to contest the Group 1 $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m on May 16.

On Easter Saturday, Volksraad's war horse Sir Slick, was given a heroes reception when he bounced back to his best to win his third Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup.

Trainer and co-owner Graeme Nicholson mentioned in his victory speech it was the people's champion 22nd win when he contested the Awapuni Gold Cup for the fourth year in succession, following wins in 2007 and 2008 and a second behind MacO'Reilly last year.

“Slick and I love this place,” Nicholson said.

Sir Slick had 1and ¾ lengths on his rivals at the finish, with Manonamission running on well to fill second ahead of Red Ruler and Vosne Romanee.

Volksraad has sired 55 individual stakes winners of 130 stakes races, including 12 individual G1 winners.

Casabella Lane's group win at Tauranga last weekend took his season tally to eight stakes winners, highlighted by Military Move's Derby success and Veloce Bella's Gr.1 win in the International Stakes at Te Rapa.

Volksraad earning's to date this season are $2,725,784, this is a new NZ record for prizemoney won by a sire's progeny in a single season.

Volksraad is currently more than $600,000 ahead on the New Zealand general sires' list as he seeks his 8th Grosvenor Award to draw level with St Leger (1893-1902).

Foxbridge is the benchmark, having won 11 titles from 1941.

Classy filly Mexican Rose produced a record breaking performance to capture the second leg of the Singapore Sprint Series when successful in the Group 3 $200,000 Kranji Sprint over 1200m on Friday.

New Zealand’s war horse Sir Slick (Volksraad), who almost died on Christmas day of rat poison, was given a heroes reception when he bounced back to his best to win his third Awapuni Gold Cup yesterday.

Brilliant Volksraad 2YO filly Mexican Rose remained unbeaten in Singapore and improved her CV to four wins from only five career starts in the $S200,000 Gr.3 Singapore Juvenile Championship over 1200m at Kranji on Friday night.

Prepared by champion trainer Laurie Laxon and ridden by Singapore’s leading jockey Saimee Jumaat, Mexican Rose scored impressively by half a length over Always Certain, with Fuku Kitaru two and a quarter lengths away third.

After beginning just fairly, Mexican Rose raced in fourth position, three wide outside the pace. By the time the home turn was reached Mexican Rose was sitting outside the leader and once jockey Saimee Jumaat ‘pressed the button’ with 200m to run, the filly quickly put a gap on her rivals.

“She’s got a terrific turn of foot and I had to ride her like a good thing ... wait, wait, wait. She is all class”, said Saimee.

Mexican Rose is a daughter of Champion Sire Volksraad, who is enjoying a stellar season with a seventh New Zealand premiership title in the bag, two further Gr.1 Australian performers in Orange County and Sir Slick and a season-ending Group race finale in Singapore courtesy of Mexican Rose. Responsible for ten Gr.1 winners and a winners-to-runners tally of 66.5 %, Volksraad was also New Zealand’s Champion Sire of 2YO’s in 1996/97.

A daughter of the unraced Gone West mare Down View, Mexican Rose was bred by Olympic equestrian Gold medallist Mark Todd and his wife Carolyn in partnership with Lord Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber's, Watership Down Stud. 

Closely related to Gr.1 Arlington Million Stakes winner Mill Native, Mexican Rose was an $85,000 purchase by Laurie Laxon at the 2008 New Zealand Bloodstock Select yearling sale.

Brisbane could beckon for Saturday’s smart Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) winner Veloce Bella (NZ) (Volksraad).

Returning to the sort of form that had her billed as a star 3YO two seasons ago, Veloce Bella (NZ) blitzed rivals in a storming display from the rear.

Pulled wide by jockey Opie Bosson, Veloce Bella (NZ) reeled the leaders brigade in with 100m to run and at the Te Rapa post stopped the clock at 2.05.39 ¾’s of a length clear of the Gr.1 winner Culminate (NZ) (Elnadim), and with a further ½ length to spare from fellow Volksraad galloper, Gin Dartre (NZ) in third.

Depending on suitable flight arrangements, Veloce Bella (NZ) and trainer Mark Brosnan could now find themselves heading to Brisbane to target the $A500,000 Doomben Cup (2020m) on May 16 and the $A300,000 Brisbane Cup (2400m) on June 6.

Victory here would be sweet reward for Brosnan and her connections alike.

Bred by Hamilton woman Margaret Hardy, who now part owns the filly with husband Murray, along with Helen & Paddy Preston and Tony and Frances Schramm, Veloce Bella (NZ) has enjoyed both the highs and low of racing.

As a 3YO, Veloce Bella (NZ) won the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) before going on to deny the subsequent Gr.1 winner Princess Coup in both the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and the Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m).

A tendon injury would then rob the Volksraad mare of racing opportunity for over a year and to further complicate matters, a barrier mishap in January did little to improve her racing confidence.

Clearly back to her best on Saturday, Veloce Bella’s (NZ) performance on the Good track marked the end of a 19 month win absence.

Victorious in 7 starts, Veloce Bella (NZ) is one of 50 stakes winners for Windsor Park Stud’s champion stallion, Volksraad (GB), who has already had the Gr.1 winner in Australia this season with Orange County.

Currently on track for his 7th NZ Sires’ Premiership, Volksraad lays claim to a 66.3% winners-to-runners ratio and is available to breeders for NZ$20,000 plus GST in the 2009 season.

Veloce Bella’s Crested Wave dam, Wave To Lottie, made only two outings to the racetrack but in the breeding department has struck success with her sole representative.

Since producing Veloce Bella (NZ) in 2003, Wave To Lottie (NZ) has visited the sires Kaapstad, Daggers Drawn (twice) High Chaparral and Darci Brahma (twice).

Champion Sire Volksraad has now forged to what could be an unbeatable lead on the New Zealand Sires Premiership, with stakes earnings for the season of nearly $1.9 million putting him clear of Scenic (IRE) and Encosta de Lago.

This is the seventh successive season in New Zealand that Volksraad’s progeny earnings have exceeded a million dollars and his six consecutive Championship title wins have been book ended by filling the runner up positions to Zabeel in 2001 and O’Reilly in 2008.

Izonit’s (Volksraad-Label Basher) recent win in the Gr.3 The Oaks Stud Manawatu Classic (2000m) on Saturday, has now taken his sires individual Stakes Winners tally to 50.

So far this season, Volksraad  has sired more individual winners and his progeny have won more races than any other stallion. This season he has sired three individual Gr.1 winners including Orange County (in Australia), Dezigna (Izonit’s brother) and ‘peoples champion’ Sir Slick while Richard Beymer, Gin Dartre and Butch James have also been successful at stakes level.

Only Australia’s Champion Sire Encosta de Lago has sired more Gr.1 winners (4) this season.

With a promising crop of 2YO’s to represent him, including Gr.1 Diamond Stakes placegetter Corsage, Gr.2 placegetter Veldt and the smart winners Shuttleworth, Volgus, Donthassleme and Mexican Rose, Volksraad looks ideally placed to continue his stranglehold on the Sires Premiership well into the future.

Similar in appearance to Starcraft (Soviet Star) (NZ), big, bold two-year-old galloper Donthassleme (2 B. G. Volksraad – Radigund, by Marauding) won the $30,000, Fairview Motors Ford Juvenile (1200m) on Group I Breeders’ Stakes Day at Te Aroha on Saturday.

Responsible for the purchase of both Starcraft and Donthassleme, bloodstock agent Robt Dawe picked them out of New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales for $85,000 and $80,000 respectively, and although the latter has some way to go before being mentioned in the same breath as the former European Champion Miler, he is on track following two wins and a second from three starts.

After driving through a narrow gap near the rail to win his previous start at Pukekohe on March 19 with Andrew Calder aboard, the same partnership strode up to muscle second placed Poetic Music (Stravinsky) out of contention inside the final 100 metres before surging clear to win impressively by one and a quarter lengths.

Two and a half lengths away in third was the locally trained Time Keeper (Stravinsky).

Notably, the time for the 1200 metres, 1:09.61, compared favourably with that of subsequent group one Levin Classic winner Altered Image (Strategic Image), who won the corresponding race a year ago in 1:10.58.

Trained by Don Sellwood at Cambridge, Donthassleme is owned by New Plymouth couples Rodger and Christine Hassall and Bernie and Raewyn Honeyfield, all on-course to relish seeing their very promising charge take the glory.

Dawe said, “I couldn’t find a suitable horse for them the first year I looked. I like a horse with a bit of size, strength and scope, and a good bit of leg, and he reminded me to a degree of Starcraft.”

“He will probably be turned out now and come back for the classics at three. His dam is a half-sister to the dam of Shanzero, and I think there is a Brisbane Cup winner in his family, so he should have no trouble getting up to a mile.”

Izonit ‘s (NZ) win in the Gr.3 The Oaks Stud Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni on Saturday not only credited his champion sire Volksraad (GB) with his 50th individual stakes winner, but also edged the Windsor Park Stud stallion closer to attaining an incredible seventh New Zealand General Sires’ Premiership.

Volksraad dominated New Zealand general sires’ list, with six consecutive titles from 2001 to 2007, and with four months of racing remaining of the 08/09 season, he has to date sired more individual winners and his progeny have won more races than any other stallion.

In total Volksraad, who began stud duties at Windsor Park in 1993 has sired the 10 Gr.1 winners and his current percentage of winners to runners is 66 per cent. One of 46 individual in New Zealand this season for Volksraad, Saturday’s victory was the second from 13 starts for Izonit (NZ).

Bred and raced by Margaret Evans, Izonit (NZ) is a full brother to the Gr.1 winner Dezigna (NZ), and is the fifth winning foal from seven to race for the Conquistarose mare Label Basher (NZ).

Following the weekend’s racing six-times Champion Sire Volksraad has now edged to the front of the New Zealand Sires Premiership with total stakes earnings for the season to date in excess of $1.3 million. This is the seventh successive season in New Zealand that Volksraad’s progeny earnings have exceeded a million dollars.

Volksraad’s offspring have a well documented dislike for rain affected going, however, even in the adverse conditions which have prevailed over racing surfaces in the past week his progeny have managed significant placings. These include at Matamata on Saturday where his very promising 2YO daughter Corsage finished third in the Gr.2, 1200m, Robin, Duke of Bedford Matamata Breeders’ Stakes while Dezigna finished fourth in the Listed Stanley Group TRAC Stakes over 2000m.

To this stage of the New Zealand racing season Volksraad has sired more individual winners and his progeny have won more races than any other stallion and this season alone he has sired three Gr.1 winners including Orange County (in Australia), Dezigna and ‘peoples champion’ Sir Slick.

Volksraad’s stallion companions at Windsor Park Stud in Cambridge, Thorn Park, King’s Chapel and Golan, are also enjoying a successful season.

Thorn Park’s recent run of success, culminating in a trans-Tasman stakes race double for his progeny at the weekend, has seen him rise to second position on the Second Season Sires table and to fourth position on the Two Year Old Sires Premiership.

King’s Ransom’s stakes win at the weekend has propelled his sire King’s Chapel to the head of the New Zealand First Season Sires list while the outstanding season being enjoyed by Golan has positioned him in third place on the Two Year Old Premiership and in the top ten on the general Sires Premiership.

The South Island’s recent economic resurgence has more to do with bovines than equines, but the original home of Phar Lap can still breed a decent racehorse or two.

Like 2007 Caulfield Cup winner Master O’Reilly, bred by David & Pat Jones, and Karaka graduate Orange County (Volksraad-Saffie by Kaapstad) whose sparkling win in the 2008 MRC Sir Rupert Clarke S. G1 gave his Southland breeder Onawe Miller a thrill of Olympic magnitude.

The sight of the six-year-old grey gelding sprinting home generously for his ninth and biggest victory in an admirable five-season career was an emotional moment for NZTBA Life Member Onawe,  who lives near Winton with her husband Murray, and operates in the bloodstock world as Moorabool Farm.

 The Gr.1 winning grey Orange County in full flight  

She describes the Rupert Clarke victory as “equal to a gold medal at the Olympics…It also keeps my husband off my back!”

Orange County has what a lazy glance at his pedigree would call humble origins. Onawe’s father Harold Day would go round station clearing sales, buying cattle, and the occasional horse. In 1960 his purchases includes a supposedly empty 16-year-old mare Bayboa, descended from Cissy, a stakes-winning sister to the outstanding 19^th century racehorse and sire, Trenton.  (2005 MRC Underwood S. G1 winner Perlin and 1976 Melbourne Cup winner Van Der Hum are from the same tribe.)

Some months after Harold consigned Bayboa to the top paddock on his farm, she sprang a Christmas surprise by producing  a grey filly to her last covering by Kurdistan, the sire of 1970 Melbourne Cup winner Baghdad Note among a host of tough, versatile and talented horses.  

Named Midmeadow Maid, the filly was good enough to win a race, but had only three foals, one of them a grey filly, Meadow Bell by Bellborough, another leading post-war New Zealand sire based in Southland. 

Onawe Miller inherited Meadow Bell from her father and achieved early success as a breeder with the mare’s second foal, Super Dude, whose 15 wins up to Group 3 level pre-figured the competitive durability, if not the class of Orange County.

Although Super Dude stood at stud, his impact was negligible (29 foals in seven seasons), so it was left to his younger half-sister Winter White to kick the family along. Her first four foals included the game Group 3-winning racemare Sopherim (13 wins), Australian stakeswinner Ronzino (eight wins) and Sydney metropolitan winner Shining Buccaneer (nine wins).

With this kind of performance on the pedigree page, Karaka sale-ring success followed, most memorably in 2000 when Onawe received $130,000 for Winter White’s colt by champion New Zealand sire Volksraad, and later confessed she’d needed a couple of gins-and-tonic to enter the vendors’ box, never mind leave it.  The horse did his bit, racing as Air Cooled to win nine and place in 11 of 37 starts across seven seasons in Victoria for his owners the Carrick & Cooke families.

Onawe had also retained Ingres (Super Gray-Meadow Bell) and in partnership with her daughter, Auckland fashion designer Petrena Miller, sent her to Windsor Park’s Kaapstad. The result was Saffie, unable to win herself, but so far the dam of three winners, Titan Happiness (six wins in Singapore), Ain’t No Pussycat and finally, the Group One horse Onawe has spent 30 years striving for.

A $70,000 Karaka Select yearling purchase by trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith, Orange County was “always a lovely horse with a very good temperament.” His laidback nature was evident very early in his racing career. As Onawe tells it, he dived towards the fence immediately after winning as a two-year-old at Flemington and his jockey bailed out. Instead of bolting around the track, Orange County went another ten metres, put his head down and proceeded to eat grass.

Of his relatives, only Air Cooled was what Onawe would describe as a handful. “He was a big, strong horse who took off across the rose gardens at Karaka after he was sold, and bit his handler.

“But the whole family is very genuine, they run in most conditions, and are so consistent and reliable, both colts and fillies.”

Onawe rates temperament very highly when she’s considering mates for her mares. “Sensible horses don’t get themselves hurt, and people like them. They don’t spend too much nervous energy and they recover quickly from their races.”

The long standing Belmont track record for 2000m of 2.03.26, held by the great Meliador and set in 1978, was lowered by the Frank Maynard trained Windfields Farm (NZ) in the Tabform Handicap on Monday.

Troy Turner showed why he is one of the best distance riders in the state, trusting his trade mark patience to sit back off a high speed and come with a late finishing burst.

Peter Knuckey almost stole the show when he pounced with Kia Ora Miss on the leaders near the 800 metre turn and struck for home, only to be caught in the shadows of the post.

Striken made up his usual amount of ground to place third ahead of the fast finishing Forest Frolic in fourth spot.

“I thought if Troy could hold up from barrier 1 and come with a late finish he would be hard to beat. We were pretty confident about winning today.” Frank Maynard said after the race.

Windfields Farm ($7) is a seven year-old gelding by Volksraad out of Windfield Dancer, with six wins from 29 starts and stake money earnings over $200,000.

Numbers 10,7,9,1,4 Margins Neck x 1 ¼ x 1 Time 2.02.68 (34.44)

Saturday, 20 September 2008:

Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith had his faith in Orange County (by Volksraad) rewarded when Damien Oliver took out his sixth Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Gr.1, on the grey at Caulfield.

Drawn awkwardly in barrier 14, Orange County was wide with a handful of horses behind him settling down before charging up six-deep rounding the home turn and racing clear to a 2-1/2 length win.

Last year's winner Bon Hoffa ran on well from behind Orange County to finish second wide out on the track, a neck ahead of Turffontein.

Mayfield-Smith said he was confident Orange County would win, but was mindful of how luckless the horse had been in the past.

'We have had our problems with the horse but I never lost faith in him,' Mayfield-Smith said.

'I was pretty confident it was going to be his day.

'He is very honest and it is good to see he has been vindicated with a victory like this.'

Mayfield-Smith said farrier Mick Grogan had helped turn the horse around and get him to a point where he could perform at his top.

Mayfield-Smith has been a leading Melbourne trainer for more than a decade and Orange County gave him his first Group One win since Lyrical Bid scored an upset victory over Seachange in the 2006 Myer Classic during the Melbourne Cup carnival.

'I was due for a Group One,' Mayfield-Smith said.

He couldn't have picked a better jockey to get the job done in the Rupert Clarke, given Oliver's outstanding record in the race over nearly 20 years.

In 1990 Submariner won the feature to give the champion jockey his first ever Group One win.

He followed with further success on Mannerism (1992), Poetic King (1994), Encosta De Lago (1996), Testa Rossa (1999), and Mr Murphy (2001).

'This race has been great for me and when I hit the line in front today it was a great feeling,' said Oliver who has now won 81 Group One races.

He said the fast pace worked out well for Orange County who was able to launch a strong run from well back in the field.

'I probably got there a fraction sooner than I wanted to but the horse was going so well. It was a dominant win.'

PICS - Fiona Tomlin.

6-times Champion sire Volksraad sired his 46th stakes winner on Saturday when the Dennis brothers-bred 3YO filly The Pearler won the NZ Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes over 1600m. at Riccarton.

With The Pearler’s success Volksraad has now sired the most individual stakes winners in NZ this season (6) and now sits just $251 behind long-time leader O’Reilly on the NZ Sires Premiership table.

In New Zealand, Windsor Park Stud's multiple champion sire Volksraad (Green Desert-Celtic Assembly, by Secretariat) added another Gr1 triumph (plus 3rd placing) when 6YO gelding Sir Slick (Volksraad-Miss Opera, by Paris Opera) notched his 5th Gr1 win in a 3-way photo-finish to the NZ$200,000 weight-for-age Gr1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie in Auckland.

Front-running favourite Sir Slick (ridden by Bruce Herd for trainers Graeme Nicholson & Paul Allbon) scored by a neck from 5YO mare Ombre Rose (O'Reilly-Lady Chanele, by Citidancer) with a further head to Dezigna (Volksraad-Label Basher, by Conquistarose).

Sir Slick (a NZ$48,000 yearling at the 2003 NZ Bloodstock Select Colts Sale) took his record to 17 wins (also including 2007's Gr1 Zabeel Classic over 2000m, Gr1 Otaki-Maori over 1600m, Gr1 Whakanui Stud International Stakes over 2000m, Gr1 Thorndon Mile over 1600m, Gr2 Awapuni Gold Cup over 2000m, Gr2 Japan-NZ International Trophy over 1600m & Listed Anniversary Handicap over 1600m. Plus 2006's Gr2 NZ-Japan International Trophy over 1600m, Gr3 Tauranga Classic over 1550m & Listed Postponed Anzac Handicap over 1600m).

In total Sir Slick has had 22 placings (including his last 2 starts in both February's Gr1 Otaki-Maroi over 1600m & Gr1 Whakanui Stud International Stakes over 2000m, plus 2007's Gr1 Starcraft Stakes over 2000m, Gr1 Stoney Bridge Stakes over 1600m, Gr2 Rich Hill Mile over 1600m, Gr3 Lindauer Brut Cuvee Stakes over 2000m & Gr3 Sir James Fletcher Stakes over 1600m, as well as 2006's Gr1 Captain Cook Stakes over 1600m, Gr3 Merial Metric Mile over 1600m & G3 Great Northern Challenge Stakes over 1600m) from 68 starts for stakes in excess of NZ$1.3 million.

Sir Slick is now being aimed at the Hong Kong's Gr1 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup (2000m) on April 4 & Singapore's Gr1 Singapore Airline International Cup (2000m) on May 17.

Nicely bred mare Pams Pompallier (4 B. M. Volksraad – Kaapentyne) gained valuable black-type when she accounted for a talented field of fillies and mares in the $66,150 First Sovereign Trust Wairarapa Breeders Stakes (1600m), a listed race at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day.

Contested annually, the race generally attracts a strong line-up of better performed female gallopers, and this year was no exception as a terrific contest unfolded.

The victim of getting too far back on a moderate pace at Trentham on January 19 at her previous start, Pams Pompallier had really let go with a devastating sprint to win at Elllerslie on New Year’s Day, and was greatly assisted on this occasion by a first-class ride from Hayden Tinsley.

After clearing the gates quickly, Tinsley settled Pams Pompallier in sixth position one off the fence. Ranging four wide entering the home straight she was brushed up to level with the leader and quickened clear late when asked to produce her best.

Runner-up in the race two years ago, Penny Florence (Pentire) fought gallantly for second again after sweeping to the lead on the home turn, while Lady Cavalier (Towkay) came out of the pack with a strong finish for third. The runs by fourth placed Geordie Girl (Towkay) and Sent To Sea (Crested Wave) in fifth both contained plenty of merit.

The margins were three quarters of a length, by a half head, and half a length, in a time of 1:36.20 for the mile journey.

Pams Pompallier had trekked south from the Ardmore stable in Auckland of her trainer Stephen McKee, and by recording her fifth win from fourteen starts increased her stakes earnings to $95,000 for the Three Fillies Counties Syndicate that race her.

The dam of Pams Pompallier, Kaapentyne by Kaapstad, won three races and is a full-sister to top staying horse Kaapeon who won 11 times, including victory in the 2001 Group II Counties Cup. Current promising galloper Kaapeon Way, the winner of three races, is also a full-brother to her dam.

Pams Pompallier is still at the improving stage physically and boasts the right attributes to add further to this notable success as she continues to furnish.

Pams Pompallier didn't have the easiest start to her racing career, but the promising Volksraad mare has triumphed over adversity. Lightly-tried due to setbacks, the four year-old realized her potential with victory in yesterday's First Sovereign Trust

Wairarapa Breeders' Stakes at Tauherenikau. “It's nice to get them over the line in a stakes races and I thought she won really well, Ardmore trainer Stephen McKee told nzracingnews. “She's an improving type of horse and hopefully it's a platform to better things for her.”

A $72,500 yearling purchase at Karaka, Pams Pompallier showed early promise before an injury-forced break. “She chipped a fetlock as a late two-year-old - early three-year old and had to be put aside.” McKee explained. Pams Pompallier returned to string together a hat-trick of lower grade wins before going amiss again in April of last year.

'We tried her over ground at Te Rapa and she ran third but she suffered a hairline fracture of her knee so she had to go out again,' said McKee. “She hasn't had it easy.'

Pams Pompallier came back to winning form at Ellerslie on New Year's Day to earn herself a crack at the Tauherenikau stakes feature. “We set her for this a while ago so it's pretty satisfying,' said McKee, who also enjoyed success in the race in 2004 with Belle Femme when training in partnership with his father Trevor.

“They're actually very similar horses at this stage,' said McKee. “Belle Femme went on to win the Rich Hill Mile so hopefully this mare can go on with it as well. I think she will.”

WAIRARAPA BREEDERS’ STAKES (Listed)

$65,150, Tauherenikau, WFA, F&M, 1600m, Good.

PAMS POMPALLIER (NZ) 4 b m, 56.5 kg

Volksraad (GB) - Kaapentyne (NZ), by Kaapstad (NZ)

2nd dam: Leontyne (NZ), by Star Way (GB)

3rd dam: Our Fair Susie (NZ), by English Harbour (GB)

O: Three Fillies Counties Syndicate B: Windsor Park Stud Ltd

T: Stephen McKee J: Hayden Tinsley

$72,500 NZ Bloodstock Select yearling

14 starts: 5-1-1 $99,350

2. Penny Florence (NZ) 6 gr m, 56.5 kg

Pentire (GB) - Neo-Classic (Aus), by

B: F Lee T: John Sargent J: Jason Waddell

3. Lady Cavalier (NZ) 5 ch m, 56.5 kg

Towkay (Aus) - Malahide (NZ), by

B: M J R Brown T: Graham Thomas J: Opie Bosson

Margins: 3/4 len, half-head. Time: 1:36.26

Sir Slick, the people's champion, continues to surprise his trainer Graeme Nicholson.

'That's not his distance. But he fights likes a tiger, doesn't he?' Nicholson said after the six-year-old got up by a nose to win the $50,000 Waikato Stud Handicap at Ellerslie yesterday.

It was just his second win at 1400m from eight starts over the distance.

Nicholson will now attempt to win the same group one treble he completed with Sir Slick last year which begins with the Thorndon Mile Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on January 26.

The second and third legs of the treble are the $200,000 weight-for-age Waikato Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on February 9 and the $200,000 Otaki Weight-For-Age (1600m) at Otaki on February 22.

All going well, Sir Slick could then head to the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai World Cup (2000m) in Dubai on March 29. It's the richest race in the world with a stake of $US6 million ($NZ7.65m).

The Dubai World Cup is run on a dirt track. Often horses that race well on turf cannot handle dirt tracks but Nicholson doesn't see it being a problem for the versatile Sir Slick.

'It wouldn't worry him,' he said.

Nicholson said the timing of the world cup also works in well for Sir Slick's programme.

'I've got a few races in February I need to take care of first. But in March there's really nothing for him.'

Nicholson said he was tempted to bypass autumn racing in Australia. The recent equine influenza crisis could present complications in travelling further abroad.

Yesterday's win took Sir Slick's record to 67 starts for 17 wins, 12 seconds, nine thirds and seven fourths. His stake earnings are $1.12 million.

The Volksraad gelding was ridden by Roxanne Rattley, once apprenticed to Nicholson but now with Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie.

Rattley, 23, settled Sir Slick in fifth place. The horse loomed up in the straight but the leader Tipulater kicked strongly and for a while it appeared Sir Slick would be denied.

But he knuckled down the last bit and nailed Tipulater on the line.

'He just loves a dog fight,' Nicholson said.

There was a gap of two and a half lengths to third-placed Bulginbaah who ran on well along the inside after being in the rear at the top of the straight.

A long neck away fourth was Vosne Romanee who got back to last from a wide draw then went around the field approaching the home turn.

Courtesy of an optimum trip from the sought after number one barrier, Fiscal Madness (6 B. G. Volksraad – Belle Nuite) won the $125,000 Group II Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, but not without a stern tussle with another son of Volksraad, the ‘people’s champion’, Sir Slick.

Rider Jason Waddell gave Fiscal Madness a perfect run in the trail behind Sir Slick throughout, launched a challenge on his inside in the straight, and kept delivering powerfully to hold a narrow yet dominant long neck margin at the line.

Doing his utmost to prevent defeat, second placed Sir Slick, winner of the group one Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, was incredibly gallant under his 60.5kg weight impost, while up-and-comer Sterling Prince (Colombia) came home with a strong finish for third, a short neck away.

The favourite Charliehorse (Bahhare) finished fourth.

Fiscal Madness was bred Jo Wilding, is raced by The Fiscal Madness Syndicate, and trained at Matamata by John Sargent.

Recording his eleventh win from thirty-nine starts, Fiscal Madness increased his stakes earnings to $433,000.

Try as he may Xcellent (Pentire) couldn’t bridge the gap to overhaul Sir Slick (Volksraad - Miss Opera) in the $200,000 Group I Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, and victory went the way of the ‘people’s champion’.

From his customary position of pacemaker Sir Slick came to the 350 metres with a six-length buffer on Xcellent, and although storming home with his usual zestful finish, Xcellent could only get to within a long head at the line.

Co-trainer of Xcellent Paul Moroney was humble in defeat, “Give credit where credit is due, we might have been coming to the end of his run, and he (Sir Slick) was holding at the line.”

While the two stars fought out the finish, Dezigna (Volksraad) did best of the rest for third, one and a quarter lengths away.

Increasing his stakes to over one million dollars with the victory, Sir Slick was recording his fourth group one win, and will next attempt the Group II Rich Hill Mile at Ellerslie on January 1, while his main mission is the Group I Thorndon Mile at Trentham on January 26, a race he won last year.

Recording his second group one aboard Sir Slick, Bruce Herd capped a marvellous day, having won the Group II Eight Carat Classic aboard Satinka (Stravinsky) earlier on the card.

Trained in partnership by Graeme Nicholson and Paul Allbon at Te Aroha, Sir Slick is owned by Nicholson and his good friend Barry Brown.

Even Sir Slick's biggest fan knew the horse achieved something extra special by winning today's $200,000 Zabeel Classic here at Ellerslie.

Last season Sir Slick elevated his Waikato owner-trainer Graeme Nicholson into one of racing's most loved personalities and earned the moniker of 'people's champion' after he won three group one races in a row.

But none of his wins matched today's achievement of becoming the first horse to defeat dual Horse of the Year Xcellent on New Zealand soil. Xcellent had previously been unbeaten in seven New Zealand starts.

'It's the biggest thrill he's given me because this was the cream of racing today,' Nicholson said.

'Xcellent is probably the best horse racing in Australasia and I have got the horse that toppled him for the first time in New Zealand.'

Sir Slick went to the front for jockey Bruce Herd shortly after the start and set a solid pace in the group one 2000m weight-for-age race. Xcellent settled in his customary last position.

Herd was able to put the pressure on coming to the home turn, while Xcellent's jockey Michael Coleman was having trouble getting clear of Ben Hogan to make his run before the home turn.

Xcellent got into the clear about 300m from the line but had eight to 10 lengths to make up and couldn't quite make it, finishing a long head in arrears of Sir Slick.

Said Herd: 'I knew the way he was travelling (well) on the turn that if anything was going to catch him it could only be Xcellent.

'Xcellent went past him so easily the last time they met that I thought he might do it again.'

Herd said Sir Slick, who had to settle for placings in the spring, had now got right back to his best and he was looking forward to taking on Xcellent again.

Nicholson said Sir Slick might race again in the group two $125,000 Rich Hill Mile Handicap (1600m) next Tuesday, possibly with former stable apprentice Roxanne Ratley the rider.

'I know she can't claim (an apprentice allowance) but if the pressure goes on and he gets tired she will probably give him an easier run.'

Nicholson said Herd would definitely be back aboard in the group one $250,000 Thorndon Mile Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on January 26.

Xcellent's co-trainer Paul Moroney said he wasn't disappointed with the run.

'Sure we would have liked to stay unbeaten but they all get beaten some time and Sir Slick is a great horse,' Moroney said.

'Michael said he had trouble getting out and by the time he did he had too much to do.

'Even so, I thought he might win 150m out but Sir Slick fought back and I think was holding him on the line.'

Xcellent is likely to race next in the group one $200,000 weight-for-age International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, Hamilton, on February 9 where he could meet Sir Slick again.

There were 1-1/4 lengths to third-placed Dezigna and a length to Sarajay, fourth.

RICH HILL MILE (Gr 2)

Registered as the George Adams Handicap

$125,000, Ellerslie, Open, 1600m, Fast.

1. FISCAL MADNESS (NZ) b g 6, 56.5 kg

Volksraad (GB) - Belle Nuite (NZ), by Balmerino (NZ)

2nd dam: One Night Stand (NZ), by Ward Drill (GB)

3rd dam: Fly By Night (NZ), by Time And Again (GB)

O: The Fiscal Madness Syndicate B: Mrs J M Wilding

T: John Sargent J: Jason Waddell

39 starts: 11-6-7 $433,412

2. Sir Slick (NZ) b g 6, 60.5 kg

Volksraad (GB) - Miss Opera (NZ), by Paris Opera (Aus)

B: Monovale Holdings T: Graeme Nicholson J: Bruce Herd

3. Sterling Prince (NZ) b g 4, 51.5 kg

Colombia (NZ) - Sterling Princess (NZ), by One Pound

Sterling (GB)

Margins: Long-neck, short-neck Time: 1:34.04

Betting: 4/4, 1/1, 3/3.

Also ran: Charliehorse, Fercertain, The Silence Sir, High Octane,

Alonzo, Zeta Black, Black Panther, Taalisman, Avaroadi, Ististar

& Penny Florence, last.

Xcellent suffered his first defeat in New Zealand when he failed to reel in the gallant Sir Slick in yesterday’s Zabeel Classic (Gr 1) at Ellerslie. Sir Slick quickened up well into the straight and he wasall out to hold the challenge from Xcellent but he had a long-head to spare at the end of the 1600m.

In winning Sir Slick made it his fifth at the highest level and his 16th from 65 starts and the win pushed his earnings through the seven figure barrier to total $1,069,400 for the son of Volksraad (GB).

“This is a dream come true,' said trainer Graeme Nicholson, who also part-owns Sir Slick with a neighbour, Barry Brown. “This is the cream of New Zealand racing and I have the only horse who has been able to

beat Xcellent in New Zealand,” he told nzracingnews. “It doesn't get better than this.”

Herd has formed a winning partnership with Sir Slick and he stood in the saddle and raised his whip as he approached the winning post. “He was jumping the shadows in his preliminary and I knew then he was on his game. He did the same last season when he won the Thorndon.”

Herd's confidence increased as he rounded he home turn on Sir Slick. “He really kicked and I knew then if anything could catch me it would only been Xcellent,” said Herd, who also won last year's Gr I Zabeel

Classic on the ill-fated Mikki Street. 

FOURTH GROUP 1 FOR SIR SLICK

ZABEEL CLASSIC (Gr 1)

$200,000, Ellerslie, WFA, 2000m, Dead.

1. SIR SLICK (NZ) b g 6, 59 kg

Volksraad (GB) - Miss Opera (NZ), by Paris Opera (Aus)

2nd dam: Brierley (NZ), by Sir Godfrey (USA)

3rd dam: Justaz Wealthey (NZ), by Resurgent (GB)

B: Monovale Holdings T: Graeme Nicholson J: Bruce Herd

2. Xcellent (NZ) 6 b g, 59 kg

Pentire (GB) - Excelo (NZ), by Centro (NZ)

B: G F Gimblett Family Trust T: M. Moroney J: M. Coleman

3. Dezigna (NZ) 8 b g, 59 kg

Volksraad (GB) - Label Basher (NZ), by Conquistarose

(USA) B: Mrs M. Evans T: V. & W. Hillis J: M J Walker

Margins: Long-head, 1 1/4 lens. Time: 2:03.81

Then followed: Sarajay, Alamosa, Dorabella, Genuine Offer,

Twinkling & Ben Hogan, last.

SIR SLICK. 16 wins from 1400m to 2000m, NZ$949,400, to 2007-08, Auckland RC Zabeel Classic, Gr 1., WRC Thorndon Mile, Gr 1, Waikato RC International S., Gr 1, Otaki Maori RC WFA S., Gr 1, Manawatu RC Awapuni Gold Cup, Gr 2, BOP RC Japan-New Zealand International Trophy, Gr 2-twice, Tauranga S., Gr 3, WRC Anniversary H., L, Feilding JC Anzac 1600 H., L, ARC Coca Cola H., BOP RC Trac Trainers' Bonus 3YO H., Wealleans Groundspread H.-twice, Te Aroha JC Ecolab Ltd H., 2d ARC New Zealand S., Gr 1, Hawke's Bay Stoney Bridge S., Gr 1, ARC Rich Hill Mile, Gr 2, Sir James Fletcher S., Gr 3, Skycity Mile, Manawatu RC Mercedes Super Bonus Prelude, Avondale JC Albion Hotel Juvenile S., BOP RC Brebner Print H., Te Aroha JC Ambreed NZ Ltd H., 3d WRC Captain Cook S., Gr 1, ARC Lindauer S., Gr 3, Great Northern Challenge S., Gr 3, Marton JC Metric Mile, Gr 3, ARC Speight's H., Cambridge JC Presland Tocker Insurance H., Avondale JC New Zealand Bloodstock Juvenile H., Waikato RC Mandalay Bay Syndicate H., 4th WRC Captain Cook S., Gr 1, Hawke's Bay Stoney Bridge S., Gr 1, WRC Anniversary H., L.

1st dam: MISS OPERA. 6 wins (2 at 2) 1200 to 1300m, Foxton RC Castletown S., L, Manawatu RC Awapuni Motor Hotel H., Hawke's Bay Gold Cup H., Levin RC Chaineys Simpson Appliance H., Taranaki RC Fayette Park H., 2d Wanganui JC Sovereign Lodge T.V. Heart Throb S., L, Taranaki RC BP Oil H., 3d Masterton RC Lowland S., Gr 3, ARC Soliloquy S., L, Manawatu RC Grasslands Penetrometer H., Stratford RC Mountain Motors H., 4th Hawke's Bay Gold Trail S., Gr 3. Dam of:-

1999 g Gaumont by College Chapel. 3 wins 1000 to 1200m, SAJC Nursing Australia H.

2001 g SIR SLICK by Volksraad, see above.

2002 g Mr Jinky - Sugar on Top (H.K.) by Volksraad. Winner at 2, Wairoa RC De Luxe Ford Futurity S; 3d

Avondale Guineas, Gr 2.

2003 f Shortblackmini by Black Minnaloushe. 2 wins at 1200m to 2007-08; 3d Taranaki 2YO Classic, Gr 3, etc.

2004 c Swiper by Golan. Raced once.

2006 f by Kaapstad.