Hastings’ Damask Rose eyes NZB Kiwi glory with view to Golden Eagle

Damask Rose finishes a neck in front of Babylon Berlin in an 1100m barrier trial at Taupō on Wednesday of last week. Her connections are pleased with her condition going into today’s $3.5million NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie.

Hastings racehorse owner Kieran Pollard is as confident as he can be going into today’s $3.5 million NZB Kiwi after the horse he owns a 10% share in, Damask Rose, drew barrier eight in the 1500m event.

Barrier draws for what will be the richest 3-year-old race in Australasia were made at a special function at Auckland’s Hilton Hotel last Tuesday evening in what could only be described as “egg-mania”.

The promoters of the function decided to use big golden eggs for the draw, with each one containing a number one to 14.

As each of the 14 slot holders was drawn out of a barrel a representative was asked to come forward and select an egg and then smash it open with a hammer to reveal a piece of paper that had the barrier draw for that slot holder’s runner on it.

Unfortunately, the stand that the eggs were placed on to be smashed was made of plastic and broke after the first few hammer blows and what should have been an organised occasion developed into controlled chaos, with eggs rolling off the table and smashing on the ground, egg shells scattered in all directions and the barrier draws having to be, at times, retrieved from the floor.

Damask Rose is representing the slot holder Te Akau Racing. She is owned by the Te Akau Coming Up Roses Racing Partnership, of which Kieran Pollard is a 10% shareholder, and she is prepared by Te Akau’s resident trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson.

Pollard was at home watching Tuesday’s barrier draw and said he became a bit concerned when the egg their slot holder’s representative drew to hit with the hammer was one of the ones that ended up smashing on the floor.

Damask Rose will carry the hopes of little known Hastings racehorse owner Kieran Pollard in next month’s $3.5million NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie.

“I thought I hope that’s not going to be an omen for things to come,” Pollard said when contacted on Wednesday.

He also thought it was a bittersweet result when Damask Rose came up with barrier eight.

“In the ideal world, drawing a couple more closer in would have been good but it’s not too bad and she should get a good run from there,” he said.

Damask Rose has not raced since winning the $1 million Karaka Millions Three-year-old (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 25 but the Savabeel filly showed she is right on target for today’s feature with an impressive barrier trial win over 1100m at Taupō on Wednesday of last week, where she beat the speedster Babylon Berlin by a neck.

“Craig Grylls rode her in the trial and said she did everything right wouldn’t have blown a match out after it,” Pollard said.

He added that top Australian jockey Blake Shinn, who was aboard in the Karaka Millions win and will again team up with the filly in today’s race, viewed the trial from his Melbourne base and was also very impressed.

Pollard and his partner were driving up to Auckland yesterday (Friday) and whether they stay one or two nights in the big city will be decided by how Damask Rose performs in the big race.

“Reports are that everything is good with her going into the race and we are just hoping for a good result,” Pollard added.

“If it is a good result there will be a fair bit of celebrating before we get home.”

The winning stake for the NZB Kiwi is $1.2m; second $575,000; third $375,000; fourth $250,000; fifth $200,000 and from sixth to 14th is $100,000.

Kiwi winner given chance at a bigger prize

This Saturday’s inaugural $3.5m NZB Kiwi (1500m) slot race has officially become a “Golden Ticket” race, granting the winner direct entry into Australia’s prestigious A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 1, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Racing New South Wales have announced.

This agreement between NZTR and Racing NSW marks a major step in enhancing the international appeal of the NZB Kiwi and serves as a key pathway to one of Australia’s richest races.

The NZTR Board has agreed to fund the transport – both to and from Sydney – for the winner of the inaugural NZB Kiwi, should they choose to accept the “Golden Ticket” offered by Racing NSW for the 2025 running of the Golden Eagle.

NZTR chairman, Russell Warwick, was thrilled by the partnership, emphasising the significant benefits it brings to both jurisdictions.

“The inclusion of the NZB Kiwi as a Golden Ticket race for the Golden Eagle marks an exciting milestone for New Zealand racing,” Warwick said.

“This opportunity not only enhances prospects for our Kiwi horses, owners, and trainers but also strengthens the deep racing ties between New Zealand and Racing NSW.”

Hastings mare beaten but not disgraced

Hastings-trained Fancy Like Lass only managed seventh in the open sprint over 1200m at Trentham last Sunday but her connections were not too concerned going forward.

The Hellbent mare, trained by Mick Brown and Sue Thompson, was having her first start for seven weeks, struck a track that was too firm for her and got too far back in the running.

Brown said this week the 5-year-old, who has had leg problems in the past, had come through the race well and the plans are to carry on towards the Listed $130,000 Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on March 22.

“The track was a bit too firm for her liking but I think she also needed the run because she had a good blow afterwards,” Brown said.

“She got a bit too far back but ran the third fastest last 600 of any runner in the race so it was not too bad a run.”

The lightly raced Fancy Like Lass has a record of four wins and four seconds from only 11 starts and two of her victories have been on the dog-leg run down the Trentham straight.

The Thompson/Brown stable lined up two starters at Trentham with the other, Nozumi, producing a game run for second in a maiden 1400m event.

The plan was to ride Nozumi in a trailing position but, with no pace on in the early stages, rider Joe Doyle had no option but to let the horse roll to the front.

Nozumi put a break on his rivals at the top of the home straight but was then left a sitting duck and was collared in the last couple of strides by Argyle, going down by a long head.

It was Nozumi’s third second placing from his last four starts and Brown said the Tarzino 4-year-old will now probably head to Tauherenikau on March 23 for a maiden 1600m race.

“He was still gawking around and doing a few things wrong the other day and I think he was beaten by a pretty good horse,” Brown added.

The winner Argyle was having his second start following a debut third over 1200m at Ōtaki last month and is rated highly by his Matamata trainer Cody Cole.

The Hastings stable of Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos also had two starters at last Sunday’s Trentham meeting with Lowry saying they were happy with the performances of both horses.

Candle recorded a fresh-up fifth in a Rating 75 race over 1200m while The Stoney One finished fourth in the 1200m open sprint.

“Candle just wasn’t quite fit enough in what was her first race for two months,” Lowry said.

“She looked a likely winner early in the straight but just came to the end of it.”

He added that the Super Easy mare is now likely to have her next start in a Rating 75 race over 1400m at Trentham on March 22.

“The Stoney One has had breathing problems but always tries hard and gave everything again,”

“Races over 1100 metres suits him best but, unfortunately, there are not many races over that distance around.”

Savaglee has earned a well-deserved rest

Class 3-year-old Savaglee will now head to the spelling paddock following his heroic runner-up performance behind fellow Kiwi-bred Feroce in last Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

Racing in The Oaks Stud’s familiar colours, Savaglee has been a standout in his 3-year-old term for trainer Pam Gerard, winning the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and placing in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) prior to Saturday’s result.

While he was unable to cap that record off with a win at Flemington, The Oaks Stud general manager Rick Williams was rapt with his performance and said it indicates the best is yet to come from the Savabeel colt.

“It was terrific,” he said. “It was quite a significant lift on his run at Te Rapa (in the BCD Group Sprint).”

“Jockey Mick Dee said he is right up to Group 1 form, he was just a bit on the steel early and that cost him in the last 100m. That is just practice and experience at that level.

“I am very happy with him. He is a very sound horse. I think he is still a bit of a baby and is improving. Like most Savabeels, the good ones get better with each year and I think he has still got his best races in front of him.

Williams said Savaglee’s Australian debut performance has only added to his value and he is now rated up with the best 3-year-olds in Australasia.

“I think a very good horse (Feroce) has beaten him and a horse that you will see more of as they go deeper into the autumn.”

Williams said Savaglee was on a flight back to New Zealand on Wednesday and that will be the end of his 3-year-old season.