Photo: Race Images
Roger James and James McDonald teamed up to win the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in 2012 with Silent Achiever, and the pair reunited at the Auckland venue 12 years later to take out New Zealand’s richest race, the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) on Saturday evening.
Fresh off taking out the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with the Stephen Marsh-trained Velocious, McDonald was favoured to secure a Karaka Millions double when he jumped aboard Orchestral (Savabeel) in the three-year-old contest for James and training partner Robert Wellwood.
The daughter of Savabeel was slow to jump from her ace barrier, however, McDonald kept his composure and the pair quickly regained their deficit to settle midfield. Turning for home, McDonald was able to find a passage between runners and Orchestral responded to his urgings down the straight, reeling in pacemaker Pendragon with 100m to go, and dashed away to a 3-1/2 length victory.
It was the second consecutive win in the race for Kingsclere Stables, having won last years’ edition with subsequent Group One winner Prowess.
James was duly delighted with the win and is hoping Orchestral can go on to the same lofty heights as last year’s victor, who claimed the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) before her retirement late last year.
“She didn’t just win it, she bolted in,” James said.
“To win New Zealand’s richest race two years in a row is something that dreams are made of.”
McDonald was left in awe of Orchestral following her win and believes she has the talent to go on and mirror the achievements of her multiple Group One-winning stable predecessor Silent Achiever.
“She is a beautiful filly,” he said. “I reckon Roger has got another Silent Achiever on his hands, she is that nice. She accelerated when I asked her and switched off well. I would have loved for her to begin a little bit better, but we got away with it today, everything panned out perfectly.”
James shared McDonald’s enthusiasm for Orchestral and believes she has the capability of attaining elite-level status like Silent Achiever and Prowess.
“They were multiple Group One winners, this filly has yet to get there, but what she has done to date, there is every reason to think she will,” he said.
Orchestral was purchased out of Haunui Farm’s 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by James and Wellwood for $625,000, and she has now gone on to win three and place in two of his six starts to date, amassing $870,000 in prizemoney.
The victory cemented a Karaka Millions double for McDonald, adding to his Karaka Millions 3YO Classic victory aboard Long Leaf in 2019, and the Sydney-based hoop said the way the New Zealand racing industry is heading, it won’t be another four years before he returns to his homeland.
“What a brilliant night they have put on,” he said. “It is so good to be a part of it and I am rapt I came back. To get a couple of winners is even better.”
