12th March 2009 - Vol 39

Reactor's sensational Auckland Cup win

Champion Auckland Reactor became Mach Three's second million dollar earner when he trounced a top lineup in the $600,000 Group 1 Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park last Friday (March 5).

After drawing the outside post, driver Mark Purdon elected to take hold of the four-year-old as the mobile arms folded back, easing back to the rear of the nine-horse field and, at one stage, was spotting the leaders 15 lengths start.

Set alight three-wide at the 1200 metre mark, the ‘Reactor' circled the entire field in the space of 150 metres to assume control at the bell. He was untroubled in the run home to beat Monkey King, Changeover and Our Awesome Armbro.

Auckland Reactor, who was accorded a tumultuous reception on returning to the birdcage, tramped his last ‘half' in 56.1 seconds, the last quarter in 27.9, and appeared to have something in reserve.

Purdon said he'd always planned to go back at some stage and then loop the field.

"I was thinking of going around earlier but the pace really went on," he said. "He had to do a little work to get to the lead and he was holding them well at the end. I didn't need to draw the stick." It was the ‘Reactor's' ninth win at Group level and his 20th win from just 21 starts. He has now earned $1,080,298, of which $749,198 has been banked since last October.

The $1.2million Inter Dominion Championship, starting at the Gold Coast next Saturday (March 14) is next on the agenda for the pacing sensation. Ranked fourth heading into the series, Auckland Reactor is now the $2.10 favourite after his latest win.

Meanwhile, Mysta Mystical Mach, another of Mach Three's outstanding first New Zealand crop, scored a hat trick of feature wins in Western Australia recently.

The hard-hitting gelding took out the $35,000 Group 3 Lord Mayor's Cup at Gloucester Park after racing three-wide for the last lap and followed up with successes in the $25,000 (Listed) 4YO Classic at Pinjarra and the $30,000 Group 3 Bunbury Pacing Cup.

With a bankroll of $444,625 from nine wins, Mysta Magical Mach is the highest money-winning pacer in Australia this season.

Mach Three, whose progeny have earned $2.4million in Australasia in 2008/09, sired the quinella pair in Babyitsu and Make A Memory in the Tasmanian Guineas at Hobart. Mach Ruler, Mach Dynasty and Taiaha, a trio of Gloucester Park winners, and the talented three-year-old Brookfield Ruler are other good performers sired by him.

In Canada, the Mach Three daughter The Three Of Us captured a leg and the $54,500 final of the Ontario Girls Pacing Series at Woodbine recently.

Leading for the last 1000 metres in the Final, The Three Of Us survived some midrace pressure before scoring by three-and-three-quarter lengths in a new stakes record time of 1:51.8. It was the third win from four starts this season and boosted her career bankroll past the $100,000 mark.

Mysta Magical Mach

NZ Easter Cup sponsorship

Stallion Station will be the sponsor of the time-honoured New Zealand Easter Cup to be run at Addington on April 11. The Group 1 handicap for open class pacers carries a purse of $150,000.   The Stallion Station Easter Cup is the first major sponsorship of one of NZ's marquee events by the giant Victorian-based breeding conglomerate.

Top filly by ‘Courage'

Young Stallion Station sire Courage Under Fire is fast establishing himself as one of the most promising sires around with a plethora of standout performers over the past few months.

Two of the best for the In The Pocket horse in February/March were Lancome and Bells And Whistles who were feature winners at New Zealand and Australia respectively.

Out of a Soky's Atom mare, Lancome made it three wins from as many attempts when she captured the $30,000 Group 3 two-year-old fillies' feature at Addington on March 8, and is rated the top filly on the South Island.

Starting from inside the back row, driver Blair Orange extricated her from an early tight spot before working up to lead the outside division.

Lancome stared down her stablemate, Casarina down the back straight the last time before bolting for the finish rounding the home bend. She won as she liked.

On the other hand, Bells And Whistles extended his unbeaten streak to four in the $20,000 Victoria Sapling Stakes at Moonee Valley. Despite a horror barrier draw and torrid passage, the colt won by almost two lengths in a brilliant 1:57.8.

Of the three-year-old brigade, Sleepy Tripp won a heat and was an unlucky second in the $600,000 Group 1 Northern Derby Final at Auckland, Kotare Ash won at Ashburton in a flying 1:55.9, Future Fire scored at Alexandra Park in 1:57.7 and Sue Courage was a runaway winner at Albion Park, Brisbane.

First winner for Righteous Hanover

Our brilliant, young sire Righteous Hanover was credited with his first winner when the two-year-old Good Luck Dollar emerged successful at his second start at Narrogin (WA) on February 24.

From a New York Motoring mare, Good Luck Dollar had finished third at Pinjarra on debut.

Righteous Hanover, a three-quarter brother to 2005 US Horse of the Year Rocknroll Hanover, has also sired several placegetters and trial winners from his first crop.

Riverboat stars at Albion Park

Riverboat King's very impressive son Riverboat Star tuned up for a tilt at the Gold Coast Inter Dominions with a fighting win in 1:55.1 at Albion Park last Saturday, his seventh win for the term at the Brisbane headquarters' track.

In America, the Riverboat King gelding Quandary Hanover won at consecutive starts at The Meadowlands in 1:50.8 and 1:51.2. He boasts lifetime earnings of almost $US230,000.

Stig stings rivals

The Armbro Invasion gelding Stig is rated New Zealand's leading square-gaiter , particularly after his win in the $40,000 Group 3 City Of Sails Free-for-all at the Auckland Cup meeting.

Trapped wide in the early part, the six-year-old surged to the front at the 1900 metre mark and despite being pressured by One Over Kenny in the latter stages, shot clear to win in convincing fashion.

With a bankroll of $353,527, Stig is more than $220,000 ahead of his nearest rival on this season's NZ all-aged trotting stakemoney list. Armbro Invasion's stock have earned $950,000 in NZ alone this term.

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