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A filly who cost only $600 as a weanling has been crowned New Zealand Bloodstock’s Southern Filly of the Year.
Courte Zarindi, by Any Suggestion from the Pentire mare Courte Noire, wrapped up the series when she won Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton, completwng one of the best stories of the New Zealand racing season.
Heading into Saturday’s final leg of the series Courte Zarindi had nine points and a two-point lead over Respin (Power) and Kiwi Ida (Squamosa).Her Warstep Stakes victory carried her well clear of those rivals with a total of 16 points. She had previously won the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) before finishing third, beaten by two noses, in the NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m).
Court Zarindi is trained at Invercargill by Sally McKay. It was the second Southern Filly Series title in a row for McKay, who achieved the same feat 12 months ago with Showemup (Showcasing).But this was extra special, coming at the end of a nerve-racking week.
“She’s sensational to do what she did. It was unreal that she made the race, let alone won it,” McKay said.“She got a massive boil, the size of an orange, on her wither and she ended up missing about eight days work. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d get her to the race.
“I knew on Friday she was coming right, but I was worried about the work she had missed.”Raced by Bill McNamara and his grandson Sam Fryer, Courte Zarindi has now had 13 starts for four wins, five placings and $93,335 in prize-money – more than 155 times her purchase price.
Bred by Rich Hill Stud, she was bought from their draft for a mere $600 at the 2015 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale.Courte Zarindi’s fourth dam is the champion mare Horlicks (Three Legs), the Japan Cup and multiple G1 winner and dam of Melbourne Cup winner Brew (Sir Tristram).
NZB Insurance Stakes winner Respin and Canterbury Belle Stakes winner Kiwi Ida shared second spot on the Southern Filly Series table with 7 points apiece.Warstep Stakes placegetters Za Za Gabor and Wee Gilly picked up their first points of the Series with 4 and 2 respectively.
• Mastercraftsman gelding Saint Emilion, passed in for $80,000 as a yearling at the 2013 Karaka Select Sale, has risen to the very highest tier in New Zealand racing.On Saturday he claimed the 14th win of his outstanding 38-start career, scoring by a nose in the G3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton.
The grey has enjoyed a career-best season in 2017-18, headed by his first G1 win in last month’s New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.Saint Emilion went more than a year without success after winning the G3 OMF Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie in November 2016. He ended that losing streak when scoring fresh-up over 1500m a couple of months ago and has now won three of his last four starts.
Saturday’s weight-for-age feature was a strong follow-up, leading all the way to beat the gallant local challenger Who Dares Wins (NZ) (Iffraaj).Saint Emilion (Mastercraftsman x Roseario by Pentire) is raced by the estate of his late breeder Robyn Horton. He has earned $446,845 in prize-money – more than five and a half times his reserve at the 2013 Select Sale.
Runner-up Who Dares Wins is also a Karaka graduate, bought for $44,000 at the 2014 Festival Sale. He has now had 35 starts for six wins, 11 placings and $139,525 in prize-money.Saturday’s third placegetter Boots ‘N’ All (Perfectly Ready), was passed in at the 2014 South Island Sale with a reserve of just $5,000. He has had 32 starts for eight wins, 11 placings and $170,415 in stakes.
• Megablast, a son of Shinko King who could have been bought for $25,000 at the 2013 NZB Ready to Run Sale, collected the biggest win of his career in Saturday’s G1 Easter Handicap at Pukekohe.
Megablast had previously made a name for himself as a stayer, placing in the G2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and G3 Waikato Cup (2400m) and a close fourth in last year’s G1 Auckland Cup (3200m).Megablast (Shinko King x Thirst by Desert Sun) has now had 28 starts for nine wins, six placings and $268,736 in prize-money for his owner-breeders Dr John and Di Bowbyes who retained him after he was passed in at the 2013 Ready to Run Sale where he fell short of his $25,000 reserve.
He is the 19th stakes winner by Shinko King including six G1 winners.Runner-up Brighton was an $8,500 purchase at the 2014 Festival Sale. He has now earned $180,515, with four wins and five placings from 30 starts.
Third-placed Romancer, bought for $110,000 at the 2015 Select Sale, has earned $90,875 in his 14-start career to date. He has picked up four wins and five placings.• The late sire Azamour was responsible for his 39th stakes winner when the Richard Collett-trained 3YO Azaboy won the G2 Championship Stakes at Pukekohe.
Azaboy (Azamour x Cataari by Mantarri) is raced by his syndicate of breeders that include ex-pat Kiwi and Welsh rugby coach Warren Gatland.