The winner Showboy was stupendous in victory sitting three wide in the open the whole way and digging deepest over the closing stages to win this G2 event. It was his first race left-handed too and when he gets to 1200m and 1400m will be better for sure. No excuses whatsoever for those behind this Nigel Tiley trained gelding as he under rider Jonathan Riddell covered more ground and worked harder throughout than any other. The winning time for the 1100m of 1:03.12 is bionic for juveniles but always disregard times here (and at Riccarton) down the chute and dogleg for distances of 800m up to 1200m as they simply cannot ever be believed. The distances run are either wrong (stalls placement and/or the junction from chute to course proper is measured using a supposed bubble path when runners can cut across more directly) and it is downhill too. The pair of Team Rogerson fillies in Serena Miss and Jacquetta ran on well the last little bit for second and third when likely to be fourth and fifth 100m out. They swamped late the two up front in filly She Is Stryking (outside leader) and the gelding Billy Mojo (led inner) that tired late when seemingly sure to both pay place money. The first starter Artwork was distant but at least plugged on and would be hard to beat in a maiden juvenile. Forgive the run of Platinum Looker after being crowded at the start. The winner has scope and will tackle the Karaka Millions (richest race in New Zealand but open to some and not all youngsters so is restricted) where the draw is more important than anything else. Showboy does look like a G1 winner in the autumn and being able to cope each direction augurs well seeing Ellerslie and Awapuni host the only top shelf juvenile events each season.
Previous Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
STEEL ROSE
(NZ)
2F GUILLOTINE (NZ) - AGA PANTHER (NZ) VIKING RULER (AUS) |
SAMANTHA COLLETT | 54.5 | J R WHEELER | 4 |
|
|
RECITE
(NZ)
2F DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) - CHANT (NZ) TRADITIONALLY (USA) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 54.5 | JOHN BARY | 3 |
|
|
PUSSY WILLOW
(NZ)
2F O'REILLY (NZ) - OCTAPUSSY (AUS) OCTAGONAL (NZ) |
S C SPRATT | 54.5 | STEPHEN MCKEE | 12 |
|
|
SHUKA
(NZ)
2G BACHELOR DUKE (USA) - ALABAMA ROSE (NZ) CAPE CROSS (IRE) |
O P BOSSON | 56.0 | PETER & DAWN WILLIAMS | 4 |
|
|
JIMMY CHOUX
(NZ)
2C THORN PARK (AUS) - CIERZO (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS) |
J K RIDDELL | 56.0 | JOHN BARY | 12 |
|
|
KING'S RANSOM
(NZ)
2G KING'S CHAPEL (AUS) - JOAN (NZ) COLONEL COLLINS (USA) |
T N HARRIS | 56.0 | MARK WALKER | 13 |
|
|
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
(NZ)
2C FANTASTIC LIGHT (USA) - REGAL ASH (GB) GREEN DESERT (USA) |
H S TINSLEY | 56.0 | MIKE & PAUL MORONEY | 1 |
|
|
THE POOKA
(AUS)
2G TOBOUGG (IRE) - THE BANCHEE (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 56.0 | J R WHEELER | 9 |
|
|
LA ITALIA
(NZ)
2F STRAVINSKY (USA) - CAPOTE CROSSING (USA) CAPOTE (USA) |
V A COLGAN | 54.5 | SHANE KENNEDY & RICKY CARSTON | 13 |
|
|
WAHID
(NZ)
2G ALMUTAWAKEL (GB) - RORY'S HELEN (NZ) RORY'S JESTER (AUS) |
L G INNES | 55.5 | A SHARROCK | 4 |
|
|
KAPSDAN
(NZ)
2F KAAPSTAD (NZ) - DANASELVAM (AUS) DANEHILL (USA) |
O P BOSSON | 54.0 | MARK WALKER | 10 |
|
|
MAROOFITY
(NZ)
2G MAROOF (USA) - HOWKUDAI (NZ) DON'T FORGET ME (IRE) |
L A O'SULLIVAN | 55.5 | MARK WALKER | 4 |
|
|
DANROAD
(AUS)
2C DANEHILL (USA) - STRAWBERRY GIRL (USA) STRAWBERRY ROAD (AUS) |
L A O'SULLIVAN | 55.5 | C MCNAB | 5 |
|
|
VINAKA
(NZ)
2G VOLKSRAAD (GB) - SHEPHERD'S DELIGHT (NZ) FAMOUS STAR (GB) |
L G INNES | 55.5 | JIM GIBBS & ERIC BET | 5 |
|
|
SPRING RAIN
(NZ)
2F CENTAINE (AUS) - PEARL DRAGON (NZ) GROSVENOR (NZ) |
V A COLGAN | 54.0 | R JAMES | 11 |
