It was an up-and-down season for Survived. It started in the best possible way, with a commanding Group 1 win at his home track in the season-opening Makfi Challenge Stakes. Two starts later there was a commendable third in the Spring Classic, followed by another stakes win in the Group 3 Tauranga Stakes. But interspersed with those were numerous below-par performances - a nightmarish Windsor Park Plate, disappointing failures in the Zabeel Classic and Thorndon Mile and a controversial trainer swap late in the season. Hopefully he can push on as a 5-year-old and return to what we all know he's capable of.
One of Survived's wins in the previous season was a triumph in the Hawke's Bay Gold Cup, and another Hawke's Bay runner followed in his footsteps a year later - Waipukurau's hero, Intransigent. Sent out as a big outsider, well into double-figure odds, Intransigent looked a forlorn hope 600m from home, way back in last place. But then he cut the corner and exploded, dashing to the lead and running away to a tremendous win, sparking euphoric scenes in the stands and winners' circle. A solid Rotorua Cup effort followed, and he looks set for a productive winter, despite rising towards the top of the weight scale.
Recite began the season as Hastings' undefeated superstar - one of the very best of her generation. But she lost her unbeaten record to the exceptional Bounding in her season debut, and a series of disappointing results followed as her performance was hindered by growing pains. But The Oaks Stud and John Bary were admirably patient with the Darci Brahma 3-year-old, and they were rewarded in spades when Recite bounced back to her brilliant best with a stunning win in the Group 1 Levin Classic at Trentham. Then she came second to top older mare Viadana in the Group 1 Breeders' Stakes, before closing out her season with an unplaced effort on wet footing in Sydney.
Finishing second to Recite in the Levin Classic was her stablemate, Franzac. Stakes placed at 2, high hopes were placed on the Iffraaj gelding for his classic season with the 2000 Guineas and Derby firmly on the agenda. After a slow and disappointing start to the season, Franzac gradually began to hit his stride, and he finally delivered on his reputation and potential with his mighty second in that Trentham Group 1, sending Derby hopes sky-high. But he never made it to Ellerslie in March - instead sold to Hong Kong for a healthy sum.
Another Bary trainee, Miss Selby, had the pedigree to be good - a daughter of O'Reilly and Group 2 winner Singing Star. And she looked the part straight away. Following a third behind the top-class Spellbinder on debut, she ran second next time out and then scored an easy maiden win at her third attempt. Flying finishes into stakes placings followed with a second in the Eulogy Stakes and second in the Desert Gold Stakes, and then she had her career highlight so far in scoring a Group 3 win in the Lowland Stakes on her home track. She then ran second to Miss Mossman in the New Zealand Oaks, before a fair seventh to fellow Kiwi Rising Romance in the Australian Oaks - a performance that impressed Aussie rider Glen Boss.