3 minute read

Azkadellia triumphs on Aussie debut;Xanadu retired;Madam Victoria resumes in style;Moody sends Dissident warning.

Azkadellia triumphs on Aussie debut

Kiwi filly Azkadellia showcased her devastating acceleration when she made a winning Australian debut for trainer Ciaron Maher at Wangaratta on Sunday.

The Shinko King three-year-old only had three rivals in the Bi-Rite Electrical Wangaratta 3YO BM64 Handicap (1170m) but the way she dealt with them was notable.

Azkadellia ($2.40 favourite), an impressive debut winner at Avondale in July in her only appearance for New Plymouth trainer Ilone Kelly, settled last of the four runners at Wangaratta under Michelle Payne before gobbling up her rivals in the home straight.

"When I asked her to quicken up she had an amazing turn of foot," Payne said.

"She's shown she can quicken up really quickly. She didn't let us down, so hopefully she's got a really bright future."

Payne said it was "hard to get a guide" on how far Azkadellia would run.

"She does feel like she could get over ground. She's really clean in the wind and gets a lot of oxygen so that suggests she might get over further. Hopefully she can, and still have that turn of foot at the end of a trip."

Xanadu retired

Top class mare Xanadu has been retired after trailing home the field in Saturday's Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate.

The Ken and Bev Kelso trained daughter of Elusive City retires as a dual Group One winner, boasting victories in last year's Windsor Park Plate and the New Zealand Fiber Fresh Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes in the autumn of her four-year-old season.

She had also finished third as a three-year-old in the Te Aroha fillies and mares' feature, while her numerous big-race placings included seconds in the Makfi Challenge Stakes, Telegraph Handicap, Waikato Sprint and Haunui Farm Classic, all at Group One level.

A daughter of Elusive City, Xanadu was bought out of the paddock from breeders Little Avondale Stud by John Gilbert, his son Mike and Wessel van der Scheer, collectively known as the Block Partnership, for whom she won six of her 28 starts and stakes in excess of $530,000.

"We bought her out of the paddock with a view to racing her and eventually breeding from her," John Gilbert said.

"We've had a great ride and Ken and Bev Kelso have been fantastic. We will sit down and look at suitable stallions for her. She is a big mare, so we have to find the right physical match for her."

Madam Victoria resumes in style

Last season’s outstanding southern three-year-old filly Madam Victoria resumed with an effortless victory at Timaru on Monday, when defeating a small field in the NZB Insurance Pearl Series & NZTR F&M Bonus (1200m).

The Terri Rae-trained daughter of High Chaparral is on track for a tilt at the Gr.2 Couplands Bakeries Mile at Riccarton in November.

Ridden by visiting Central Districts jockey Darryl Bradley, Madam Victoria was under a hold for much of the contest and was barely expended to score by a length-and-a-half from the Jan Hay & Andrew Carston-trained Revolutionary.

Moody sends Dissident warning

Peter Moody has warned punters that Dissident faces a ‘herculean’ task to win Sunday’s Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Despite the four-year-old coming off back-to-back Group 1 victories, Moody said the horse would be vulnerable on Sunday with October’s Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) Dissident’s main focus.

“I think punters have probably got to be aware that he’s being trained for the Caulfield Stakes (2000m) and the Cox Plate,” Moody said.

“He’s not being trained for the Rupert Clarke, it’s the race on the way through.

“Ability will take him a long way in that race but I’m training him for 10 furlongs (2000m) now not seven furlongs (1400m) so I think everyone’s got to be quite mindful of that.”