Bruno Cannatelli
The Melbourne Spring Carnival provided an exciting start on the Victoria Derby Day when Ready to Run Sale graduate Luvaluva (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) came from the back to score an outstanding win in the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes.
Nearly one year on since she was purchased at the Sale for $55,000 her half-brother at Lot 424 is set to be offered at the Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs.
Luvaluva’s kiwi breeders Christopher Grace and wife Susanna had multiple success on the first day of the carnival with home-bred mare Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel) winning the Gr.1 Kennedy Mile. Lot 134 who is out of a sibling to Shillelagh will be offered at the Sale.
Lot 49 is from the same family as Gr.1 Myer Classic winner Shoals (Fastnet Rock) while Lot 349 is a close relation to the five time winning filly who has had only seven starts.
Lot 174 is a full brother to dual Gr.2 winner Formality (Fastnet Rock) who won his previous start in the Gr.3 Blue Sapphire Stakes. He then travelled to Flemington and continued his smart form with a third placing in the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Sire dominance on the first day of the carnival came from six-time Group One winner High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) with his progeny winning two of the feature races. The biggest of the day came in the Gr.1 Victoria Derby when Ace High stormed home for the win, followed by the Gr.3 Lexus Stakes with Karaka graduate Cismontane’s (NZ) impressive score.
Melbourne Cup day continued the winning streak for the sire of over 100 stakes winners in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Undoubtedly the most exciting race of the week, the Emirates Melbourne Cup, saw Rekindling notch up his fourth career win.
Four two-year-old’s by High Chaparral are catalogued at the Ready to Run Sale, while three of his Group winning sons will also be represented. Ten-time Group One winner and 2010 third place getter in the Melbourne Cup, So You Think (NZ), has four progeny set to be offered, six-time Group One winner Dundeel (NZ) will be represented by two of his crop, and Group Three winner Redwood has eight two-year-olds catalogued.
Ready to Run graduate Odeon (NZ) (Zacinto) stepped out for a two-length victory on Cup Day when he sprinted down the straight in the Listed James Boag’s Premium Stakes. There are two Zacinto (Dansili) colts catalogued for the Sale.
With the last two legs of the carnival still to unfold there are five New Zealand thoroughbreds lined up for the VRC Oaks today in which two of the last seven winners of this A$1 million race were bred in New Zealand. Luvaluva, hot favourite Aloisia (NZ) (Azamour), Rimraam (NZ) (Commands), Hiyaam (NZ) (High Chaparral), and Reliable Dame (NZ) (Reliable Man) are all accepted.
Lot 89 catalogued in the upcoming Ready to Run Sale is from the same family as Hiyaam.
Emirates Stakes Day will see the last leg of the carnival with four Karaka graduates accepted for the Group One feature.
Multiple Group One-winning Ready to Run graduate Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj) is among the names along with Odeon, Antonio Giuseppe(NZ) (Shocking) and All Our Roads(NZ) (Road to Rock).
Ready to Run Sale Lot’s 84, 223 and 265 are related to All Our Roads. -NZB