New Zealand-bred horses sweep Australian Grand National meeting at Ballarat

New Zealand-bred horses dominated the Australian Grand National meeting at Ballarat on Sunday, winning four of the six jumping races, including a phenomenal performance by The Good Fight to win the A$400,000 ($436,000) Grand National Steeplechase (4500m).

In his first preparation over fences, The Good Fight has made a rapid rise through the grades, progressing from a maiden hurdle success at Warrnambool in late June to a game second behind fellow Kiwi bred Affluential in the Australian Grand National Hurdle (4200m) on August 4.

The 10-year-old was out to go one better in the steeplechase equivalent, where impressive front-runner Stern Idol was tipped the horse to beat coming off a success in the Crisp Steeplechase (4200m).

Stern Idol, in his customary role, led the field through most of the contest while The Good Fight bided his time midfield, and it became apparent nearing the home turn it was going to be a two-horse battle between the latter and the Te Akau Racing representative Leaderboard.

A very game Leaderboard began to tire over the second-last fence as The Good Fight was seemingly full of running, and the gelding powered away at the finish to score by 25 lengths under Darryl Horner Jnr.

Rachael Cunningham, who prepares The Good Fight at Pakenham, was thrilled to collect her second Steeplechase crown after winning in 2020 with another former Kiwi in Bee Tee Junior.

“They all mean a lot, this one means a hell of a lot,” Cunningham told Racing.com.

“This horse is very special - he’s an incredible horse, I’ve wanted him for years and I was underbidder on Inglis.”

“Even before today, this is his first jumping prep… he’s had a mammoth season, and coming into this race today, I just knew he was better than he was at the start.

“We were confident in our preparation, we were confident in the horse, in Darryl. We were confident in what we’d done to get him here.

“It’s a race, so you just hope that it all comes together, and it did today, thankfully.”

A son of High Chaparral, The Good Fight was bred by Dame Sian Elias and Hugh Fletcher, who sold him for $300,000 to Shaune Ritchie at the 2016 Karaka Yearling Sales. Ritchie and co-trainer Colm Murray prepared the gelding to win the Group 3 Rotorua Cup (2200m) in 2021, alongside placings in the Group 3 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) and Group 3 Wellington Cup (3200m).

Following his Rotorua Cup triumph, The Good Fight crossed the Tasman and was transferred to the stable of Michael Moroney before subsequently being sold for $40,000 via Inglis Digital to Reece Goodwin, who trained him for a short period of time prior to entrusting him in the care of Cunningham to commence his jumping career.

Sunday’s victory increased his career earnings over $746,000, with seven wins and 19 minor placings in 61 starts, surpassing the total stakes of his talented dam Pravda, who was a two-time Australian Group Three winner and runner-up in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Earlier in the meeting, unbeaten hurdler The Cunning Fox maintained his unblemished record when scoring in the J.J Houlahan Hurdle (3250m), coming out on top in a tough battle in the closing stages with second-favourite Point Napean.

Prepared by Patrick Payne, The Cunning Fox is a 6-year-old son of Westbury Stud sire Reliable Man, who was exported to Australia as a weanling and sold to Prime Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $34,000.

The Cunning Fox is now a winner of eight races and $521,850 in stakes, with stakes-level credentials on the flat placing in the Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) and Listed VRC St Leger (2800m).

He was ridden by ex-pat Kiwi hoop Aaron Kuru, who also won the previous race aboard Nassak Diamond after a successful protest against Hit The Road Jack, with the latter being relegated to second following evidence of interference in the home straight.

Bred and owned by The Oaks Stud, Nassak Diamond is another former Ritchie-Murray galloper, having won the Jericho Cup (4600m) for the Cambridge trainers and remained in Australia with Payne, who has prepared her to win both of her hurdles starts to date.

An outstanding quartet of Kiwi victories was completed by Duke Of Bedford in the Henry Dwyer Steeplechase (3600m), the son of Tavistock putting on a stylish display in front throughout to coast in by 12 lengths to Cleaver and Not Usual Dream, the placegetters also both carrying the NZ suffix.

Duke Of Bedford was bred by Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax of Blandford Lodge.

– LOVERACING.NZ newsdesk.