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The New Zealand arm of Sean Buckley’s extensive Australasian racing and breeding operation is making its presence felt.
Under his Ultra Thoroughbreds banner, he was successful with the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Street Ranger at Hastings on Thursday and stablemate Caesour's Dream followed suit with victory in Saturday’s Wentwood Grange 2YO Premier.
“We’ve got horses in Sydney and Melbourne and a big base in Adelaide with Phillip Stokes,” Ultra Thoroughbreds’ general manager Toby Koenig said.“The focus is on New Zealand as our international base. It’s been a super week and things are really starting to click for us.”
They also have Coerced Witness, a Star Witness mare who won four races from Stokes’ stable, with Baker and Forsman.“We’ll be looking for some black type for her before she goes to stud next year, she’ll be going to Savabeel,” Koenig said. “We’ve got half a dozen mares we’re now breeding from at Waikato Stud.
“We’ll be selling at Karaka as well with colts by Shamus Award and Savabeel, who were foaled at Waikato, in the Bradbury Park draft.”Caesour’s Dream had been placed at her first two starts before she led all the way to open her account at Te Rapa.
“She did everything right after she raced greenly the other day at Otaki,” Baker said.“She’s a lovely filly and we might look at a stakes race at Ellerslie for her over Christmas, but she will be even better in the autumn.”
Buckley is no stranger to Group One success in New Zealand - he won the 2009 NZ Bloodstock Breeders’ Stakes with the Lee Freedman-trained Dane Julia – and plans are afoot for a crack at another feature.“Captain Duffy is nominated for the New Zealand Derby,” Koenig said. “We’re fielding some offers from Hong Kong for him, but if he isn’t sold he’ll go over.”
Trained by Stokes, Captain Duffy has won two of his nine starts including a front-running victory over 2200 metres in the Listed Geelong Classic.