Phill Cataldo
Trish Dunell
Phill Cataldo's association with Ciaron Maher has quickly soared to the highest level.
The respected Te Horo (near Otaki) bloodstock agent and the successful Caulfield trainer combined to celebrate victory in Saturday's Queen of the Turf Stakes at Randwick with the New Zealand-bred Azkadellia.
"She's the first horse I've bought for Ciaron so to be there when she won a Group One was pretty special," Cataldo said.
"The post-race celebrations were something else, especially after Lucia Valentina's win – I'm quite close to those guys and with another mutual friend of ours Tony Muollo we spent a lot of the day together.
"It was great for all of us and for New Zealand."
Azkadellia won her only start in New Zealand on a heavy track at Avondale in July, 2014, before Cataldo sealed a deal for the Ilone Kelly-trained two-year-old.
"I knew Ciaron was looking for one and she was a good-actioned filly and I had heard on the grapevine that Ilone had a good one coming up," he said.
"I've had a lot of time for Shinko King and I thought he was an under-rated stallion who could leave a very good filly.
"I rang Ciaron and told him Azkadellia could be the one he was looking for. Physically, she ticked all the boxes and she was a beautiful filly who has furnished into a lovely mare."
The respected Te Horo (near Otaki) bloodstock agent and the successful Caulfield trainer combined to celebrate victory in Saturday's Queen of the Turf Stakes at Randwick with the New Zealand-bred Azkadellia.
"She's the first horse I've bought for Ciaron so to be there when she won a Group One was pretty special," Cataldo said.
"The post-race celebrations were something else, especially after Lucia Valentina's win – I'm quite close to those guys and with another mutual friend of ours Tony Muollo we spent a lot of the day together.
"It was great for all of us and for New Zealand."
Azkadellia won her only start in New Zealand on a heavy track at Avondale in July, 2014, before Cataldo sealed a deal for the Ilone Kelly-trained two-year-old.
"I knew Ciaron was looking for one and she was a good-actioned filly and I had heard on the grapevine that Ilone had a good one coming up," he said.
"I've had a lot of time for Shinko King and I thought he was an under-rated stallion who could leave a very good filly.
"I rang Ciaron and told him Azkadellia could be the one he was looking for. Physically, she ticked all the boxes and she was a beautiful filly who has furnished into a lovely mare."
Azkadellia
Darryl Sherer
Azkadellia has won a further five races in Australia and just once has finished out of the money.
"The only bad race she's gone was at Flemington in November 2014 and she was x-rayed after that and she had a bone chip that was taken out," Cataldo said.
"She was extremely unlucky not to have won the Myer (she finished third) in the spring – she was a tragedy beaten so Saturday's Group One win was thoroughly deserved."
Cataldo's second purchase for Maher was Billie Frechette after she had won one of her two New Zealand starts.
"She had six starts for Ciaron for two wins and two seconds, but unfortunately she broke down," Cataldo said.
"I've bought four for Ciaron so far and another one called Harvard, who's by Shocking, is trialling today.
"It's a thrill to be involved with a stable that's going so well – he's a great trainer." – NZ Racing Desk.
"The only bad race she's gone was at Flemington in November 2014 and she was x-rayed after that and she had a bone chip that was taken out," Cataldo said.
"She was extremely unlucky not to have won the Myer (she finished third) in the spring – she was a tragedy beaten so Saturday's Group One win was thoroughly deserved."
Cataldo's second purchase for Maher was Billie Frechette after she had won one of her two New Zealand starts.
"She had six starts for Ciaron for two wins and two seconds, but unfortunately she broke down," Cataldo said.
"I've bought four for Ciaron so far and another one called Harvard, who's by Shocking, is trialling today.
"It's a thrill to be involved with a stable that's going so well – he's a great trainer." – NZ Racing Desk.