20th November 2008 - Vol 32

New Zealand Group 1 double

Auckland Reactor and Stig, New Zealand's most outstanding pacer and trotter respectively are both products of Stallion Station sires, stole the show on the final day of the New Zealand Cup carnival at Addington. Both were successful at Group 1 level.

The winner of the ‘junior' Free-for-all on NZ Cup Day, Auckland Reactor firmly clinched his claim to being the best pacer in Australasia three days later when he soundly trounced his rivals in the $280,000 New Zealand Free-For-All.

Despite sitting parked on the outside of NZ Cup winner Changeover for the last 1000 metres, the reigning NZ Horse of the Year surged to the front half-way down the running and had almost two lengths to spare at the end.

The Mach Three four-year-old put up a fresh NZ record for 2000 metres of 2:21.8, a mile rate of 1:54 - 0.2 inside Waipawa Lad's mark set in the same race 12 months earlier. He tramped his last 800 in a scintillating 54.4 seconds.

The win stretched Auckland Reactor's unbeaten winning skein to 14 and lifted his stakes tally to $535,043.

One hour earlier Stig humbled the best trotters in commission in the $100,000 Group 1 NZ Trotting Free-For-All (2600 metres).

Working to the front early, the Armbro Invasion gelding was never seriously challenged and won untouched by two-and-a-half lengths in 3:16.6, the equivalent of a 2:01.6 mile rating.

With a season's bankroll of $102,557 from three wins in four starts, Stig is clearly the leading stakes-winning square-gaiter in NZ today.

On the same program Ray (by Armbro Invasion) continued his march through the grades with an easy win in the ‘minor' trot, extending his record to eight wins from 12 starts.

Fiery Falcon (by Mach Three) was another big winner on the NZ Cup Day program. Leading for the last two laps, the former star juvenile never looked in danger of defeat and peeled off a flying 55.9 final stanza to leave his rivals gasping for breath.

The win took Fiery Falcon's lifetime earnings past the $550,000 mark. In North America, Mach Three sired a winning double at Woodbine on Saturday night in Themachmanprophecy 1:50.8 and Mach You And Me 1:51.8.

Somebeach over $3 million

Somebeachsomewhere achieved yet another moment of glory in a brilliant career when he pushed his stake earnings past the $3 million mark.

His superlative success in the $300,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final at Woodbine boosted his earnings to $3,078,755, of which $2,198,003 has been earned in 2008.

Starting a short-priced favourite, the Mach Three colt pinged straight to the front and carved out fractions of 27, 27.2, 26.8 and 29.6 to win in 1:50.6 on a track rated three seconds off. It was his 19th win from 20 lifetime starts.

‘Somebeach' won in the manner of a true champion, scoring by 11¾ lengths without his driver having to turn the whip, and the crowd accorded the charismatic colt a great reception on his return to scale.

Summing up his experience of driving Somebeachsomewhere for the past two seasons Paul MacDonell succinctly said: "The horse of a lifetime."

He will make his final appearance in the $500,000 (guaranteed) Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands on November 29.

Courage winners

Courage Under Fire's reputation as one of the emerging stars on the Australasian breeding scene continues to prosper.

Stallion Station's newest acquisition sired a winning double at Auckland last Friday in the four-year-old Pembrook Benny, a winner of six of his 11 starts, and three-year-old Fiery Fella. Pembrook Benny and Itz Cherry Ripe ran the quinella in the fast-class race.

Other winners last week for ‘Courage' included Raging Fire (Ashburton, NZ), Britagne (Penrith) and Tooth Under Fire (Bathurst).

Harold Park double

Finn (by Riverboat King) and Dalton Invasion (by Armbro Invasion) gave Stallion Station a winning double at Harold Park last Friday.

Finn, in particular, was very impressive. Settling down one-out one-back, the four-year-old was switched three deep by Neil Day at the bell and made a long, searching run to hit the front on the home turn. He clocked a smart 57.8 for his final 800.

It was the third Harold Park win on end and the ninth from just 13 starts for this very promising pacer.

Dalton Invasion, a winner of eight races in NZ, broke through for his first win on Australian soil with a commanding win in the Trotters Discretionary over 2565 metres. He looks capable of taking a much tighter mark.

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