Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
As of 7:45pm NZDT, the lead piece for this week’s edition appeared to lean heavily towards the clear-cut win by Snazzytavi (Tavistock) in the Livamol Classic (Gr 1, 2040m).
After 800 metres of the Toorak Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) there was no reason to change course but in the space of 220 metres and an electrifying last-to-first burst by Antino (Redwood), a new lead emerged.
Blake Shinn’s experience was key when he correctly judged a slackening pace, setting Antino alight from the 800 metres. The six-year-old’s acceleration was a sight to see and the other jockeys were possibly in two minds: What’s Blake doing! Or, have we been caught napping?
It was a bit of both but the latter became obvious when they straightened for the run home at the 300 metres. Cruising with full head of steam, there was no stopping the son of Redwood (High Chaparral) as he careered away to bolt in by more than six lengths. Trainer Tony Gollan’s previous comment about Antino’s sustained finish was in play and a feature of the race. “We just wanted to travel and then be able to use that long sustained run and that’s what he did,” said Gollan.
A graduate of the 2020 NZB Ready To Run Sale, Antino showed ability from the outset although he was allowed 15 months before his raceday debut, as an autumn three-year-old. At Caloundra he gave his opponents no chance on debut after which Gollan took over as trainer. Between November 2022 and June 2023 Antino added seven more wins in eight starts culminating with a Listed win at Eagle Farm.
This time last year he was tried in Melbourne and Sydney and in five starts landed the Sandown Stakes (Gr 3, 1500m) before a game and close second in the 2023 Toorak. Fresh up at Eagle Farm last May he scored the Victory Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), his tenth win in only 15 starts yet showed little in Brisbane’s two Group 1 feature sprints.
His three starts prior to Saturday’s blowout were solid efforts. A good finish for fourth fresh up in the Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) looked promising and thirds in the Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and the Feehan Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) saw him chase hard. Perhaps at six he just needed a couple more runs than earlier to reach peak fitness.
Financially, Antino has been a rags-to-riches story beginning with the sale of his dam, Mahamaya (Bahhare) carrying Antino, in 2018 at the NZB Karaka May Sale. Mahamaya had produced one winner at that stage. She ranked as a sister to two stakes winners namely Captain Cook Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) victor Hurrah (Bahhare) and twice Group 1 placed Hong Kong Listed winner Carlisle Bay (Bahhare), who raced there as Best Gift, so $3,000 seemed great value.
Fast forward to the 2020 NZB Ready to Run Sales and Antino fetched $27,000, clearly a spec buy which has been turned into $1.66 million. Meanwhile, his dam has produced two foals both by Tarzino (Tavistock), the most recent in 2023, her record reading: nine foals, four named for three winners.
Wise purchase
Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay sold last week’s Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ceolwulf (Tavistock) at the 2022 NZB Ready to Run Sale but wisely purchased Snazzytavi (Tavistock) after an effortless trial win. At three she broke her maiden by more than five lengths. Four starts and 13 months after that she won again at Pukekohe, last December. Win three, also at Pukekohe on Boxing Day was in the Stella Artois Championship Final and win four was at Matamata in late February.
With Ellerslie out of action last April the Easter Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m) was staged at Te Rapa. In that race Snazzytavi was never on the track throughout. Three wide to the end of the back straight and widest into the home straight she put in a huge run down the centre of the track before running away by three and three-quarter lengths.
Te Rapa on Saturday saw some similarities except that Warren Kennedy somehow found a midfield spot, two out, from an awkward barrier draw of 15. From the 500-metre mark Kennedy asked her to accelerate but at the top of the straight she was again six lanes wide and had at least five lengths to make up. Just short of the 200 metres she launched and at the 100m it was all over as she raced clear to win by the same margin as her Easter win.
For Te Rapa to run the feature at 2040 metres, the same distance as both the Cox Plate and the Livamol, when held at its usual base, Hastings, was a nice touch.
The five-year-old mare has had just 13 starts for seven wins, four of which have taken place at Te Rapa where she is unbeaten. Being so lightly raced, Snazzytavi looks to have another year to enhance her record. Could a Melbourne stakes this spring be a possibility? Certainly next autumn in Sydney must be considered.
What is most gratifying is that she will return to Cambridge Stud for her stud career. New Zealand’s broodmare ranks need to be maintained and the Lindsays will see to that.
From Tavistock’s (Montjeu) second last crop, Snazzytavi is the fifth winner from five to race from New Zealand St Leger (Listed, 2500m) winner Ritzy Lady (Zabeel), a six-times winner who ran second in the Counties Cup (Gr 2, 2100m). Ritzy Lady’s first foal, Group placed Le Societe (Anabaa), produced the Geelong Classic (Listed, 2200m) winner Grand Pierro (Pierro).
Her granddam, Ever Clever (Centaine), is a half-sister to three stakes winners, the best being Hancock Park (Pompeii Court), a Group 3 winner in South Africa who, in turn, foaled Group 2 winner Park Lane (Elliodor).
Prime timing
The last couple of weeks have provided a boost for Grangewilliam Stud. Their stallion The Bold One (Fastnet Rock) landed his first Group 1 winner, One Bold Cat, in the Arrowfield Stud Plate (Gr 1, 1600m) and now barnmate Derryn (Hinchinbrook) has chipped in with his first Group winner courtesy of Spencer (Hinchinbrook) in Saturday’s Spring Sprint (Gr 3, 1400m).
This was a handy win by the five-year-old as there was no respite from the jump. He was one of five vying for the lead early and became the main chaser once the field left the back straight. Tackling the leader before they lined up for the run home he then led at the top of the straight and could have been forgiven for fading. Instead, he skipped clear and was strong to the line, his sixth win in 18 starts.
Grangewilliam’s Mark Corcoran was especially pleased, suggesting that Spencer’s win will help keep Derryn’s name out there at the right time. Corcoran’s delight would have doubled when Shoes (Derryn) won the very next race on the card, the Thompson’s Suits 1200 Benchmark 65.
Spencer represents a family that has been controlled by the Schumacher family of Midhurst, Taranaki since the early 1980s when they purchased Mandy Lu (Alcimedes) as a 12-year-old mare. Mandy Lu previously had five foals but the first live foal bred by the Schumachers was Mini Mandy (Long Row), foaled in 1984.
Mini Mandy did not race but at stud her first live foal was the splendid mare Aimee Jay (Famous Star), a multiple Group winner of 11 races. Aimee Jay not only landed the Easter Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m), she also bagged back-to-back runnings of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) and did the same in two runnings of the Travis Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m).
Aimee Jay’s half-sister Starmandy (Spectacular Love) came along in 1996 but like their mum she never made it to the races either and produced just two foals, one being Darcistar (Darci Brahma) the unraced dam of Spencer. Good luck finding a catalogue reference for this family because the Schumachers breed to race, not sell.
Overdue
Little Avondale Stud might be both pleased and relieved that Jimmysstar (Per Incanto) has finally produced the goods and bagged an overdue stakes race to become the 31st for his sire Per Incanto (Street Cry). It’s not as if Jimmysstar has raced a lot. He’s had just 12 starts but has promised so much since his transfer to Australia in November last year as the winner of two of three starts in New Zealand.
In Victoria he maintained his winning form by scoring at Bendigo and Cranbourne then after a short let up returned to add his first metropolitan win at Caulfield. Four subsequent starts, all at black type level, produced two Listed placings at Flemington and Eagle Farm.
A decent spell of more than four months saw him return to Caulfield last month and a narrow victory at Benchmark 100 level over 1100 metres prior to Saturday’s impressive win in the Weekend Hussler Stakes (Listed, 1400m). Midfield at the 600 metres he was three deep and had go wider for a run when they lined up for the run home. Once balanced, he charged after the leaders and gobbled them up before the 100 metres then went clear to win easily.
Jimmysstar is now five and the Listed win may well be a sign of bigger and better things to come. That turn of foot combined with his determination is a sure sign. Moonee Valley might not suit his style of running but the upcoming Flemington carnival should prove fruitful.
As his sister Charms Star (Per Incanto) was successful at 2000 metres and placed in both the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) and Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), the connections might be tempted to have a throw at the stumps in the Champions Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on the final day at Flemington. More likely however may be the Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m).
