Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au
As recently as March 25 this column discussed the results from the only two studs in the lower half of New Zealand’s North Island, Grangewilliam Stud in Waitotara and Little Avondale Stud in Masterton and the same two studs provided two of the stakes winners on day one of The Championships at Randwick .
Evaporate (Per Incanto) improved on his top rate second in the NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m) a month ago in a one-race raid. Back in Australia for the Carbine Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) he was far too good, led at the 300 metres and was never in any danger to the line for his fifth win, second at Group level and taking his earnings beyond $1.5 million.
Evaporate is one of two winners from Savanna (Animal Kingdom), a half-sister to Sydney Group 3 winner Belluci Babe (Per Incanto) which makes Evaporate and Belluci Babe three-quarter relations. Belluci Babe’s Zoustar (Northern Meteor) yearling colt fetched $1.7 million at Riverside yesterday.
Evaporate’s in depth family background was covered by Kiwi Chronicles after he scored in the Stutt Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) last September. His roots begin with the very first mare, Haggada (Rabbi), to grace the paddocks of the famous Te Parae Stud. That story is here: https://www.anzbloodstocknews.com/lost-and-found/
Since three-quarter relations are part of discussions, what about the Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) winner, Belle Detelle? Is it imagination or did we see the ghost of Verry Elleegant (Zed) make a return to Randwick? It’s possible as they, too, are three-quarter sisters because Belle Dettelle is from Verry Elleegant’s winning half-sister Black Lace (Towkay) who was sent to Australia carrying Belle Dertelle, making Belle Detelle Aussie-bred.
Grangewilliam Stud lost Verry Ellegant’s and Belle Detelle’s sire Zed (Zabeel) last year but his name won’t be going away anytime soon, evidenced by Belle Detelle’s authoritative win in the Adrian Knox. Shades of Verry Elleegant were apparent also. That rousing finish and strong to the line is highly reminiscent of the great mare who was described as bay (dark bay) whereas Belle Detelle is brown. Looking through that same white bridle certainly brought back recent memories for the writer.
The filly was making her fifth start, having not debuted until last December at Seymour where she finished second. At her next start she was a length and a quarter behind Shanwah (Too Darn Hot), one of the best of his class this season and who finished third in the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) later in the day.
Her fourth start brought her maiden win over 1600 metres at Sandown (Hillside) then two open class trials in Sydney where she was last of ten both times over very short distances. In the Adrian Knox, from midfield she moved out from the 600m and was second widest turning for home but travelling well. She had about five to beat at the 300-metre mark but just one to pass at the 200 metres and took over narrowly at the 100 metres but to the line she was pulling out more and has the look of a future topliner.
In Melbourne Torranzino (Tarzino) added individual stakes winner number six for his sire Tarzino (Tavistock) when the five-year-old put up a sizzling 2:01.16 for the Easter Cup (Gr 3, 2000m). In a crowded finish and a rocky run from the 1000 metres Torranzino had to dive between runners to get the last before holding on in a head bobber.
It was a maiden stakes success and fifth career win for the gelding who has an affinity with Caulfield, this his fourth win there. He was purchased for $75,000 out of Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park draft of the 2021 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.
He is the sole winner from his dam, Goldilicious (Helmet), a half-sister to Bourbon Proof (Justify) who has recorded three Group and Listed placings in New Zealand this season. Goldilicious is a half-sister to Desert Gold Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) winner Showbeel (Savabeel) whose dam Showileo (Galileo) is a half-sister to three stakes winners including Showcause (Giant’s Causeway). The latter scored the City of Auckland Cup (Gr 2, 2400m), the Avondale Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) and the New Zealand Cup (Gr 3, 3200m). His dam was the dual Group 1 winner Showella (Lord Ballina), herself a granddaughter of Hall of Famer and wonder mare Show Gate (Gate Keeper).
Rewarded
Whereas the industry’s entire focus was on the first day The Championships at Randwick, there was one stakes race in New Zealand and a former Lowland Stakes (Gr 2, 2100m) winner Val Di Zoldo (War Decree) returned to form.
The now five-year-old does not win out of turn. Saturday’s Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 2050m), this year run at Wanganui, was her 30th start and third win but she has been pretty honest throughout her career, beginning with a Group 3 second as a juvenile.
It took her ten starts to break her maiden but leading up to that she recorded three fourth placings at Group level, scored her maiden win in February of 2023 then promptly added the Lowland Stakes, defeating New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) and Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Pennyweka (Satono Aladdin). Her nine starts as a four-year-old failed to yield a win but delivered a further three fourths in black-type races including an unlucky run when losing an iron during the running of the Travis Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m).
Her nine starts this season have been less consistent yet her success is deserved and overdue. The race itself was run a dawdle until the 1200 metres and the pace was not introduced until the seven runners were approaching the final corner. They all went wide for better running, Val Di Zoldo took the lead at the 150 metres and held off all the challenges to score by a neck in slow time.
If she were to be catalogued, her page would look a bit thin due to her dam Civetta (Thorn Park) being an only foal. Civetta has produced two winners from three to race. Val Di Zoldo’s great-granddam, French Kaper (Kaapstad), ranks as a three-quarter sister to the best performer in her immediate family, Tall Poppy (Kaapstad), the winner of 11 races including the New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), the Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) and the Waikato Draught Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m).
Tall Poppy’s mother (French Kaper’s half-sister) wasn’t too shabby either. Fun On The Run (Racing Is Fun) won 18 times including the Jarden Mile (Gr 1, 1600m), five further Group races and seven Listed races. Fun On The Run was one of two Group winners from the imported mare Freniche (Jim French) who was imported by Haunui Farm’s Ron Chitty in 1984.
Kiwi connections
Officially, the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner, Aeliana (Castelvecchio), was foaled in New Zealand but inescapable is that she was conceived in Australia, and that, in the writer’s opinion, should be the determining factor. Her actual breeding took place in Australia but that discussion is perhaps one for the future yet Aeliana has more in connection with New Zealand than her mere foaling and was reared at Rich Hill Stud.
Purchased out of the 2023 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1) for $180,000, Aeliana was offered by Rich Hill Stud who also sold Aeliana’s subsequent half-sisters, both by Proisir (Choisir), at the 2024 and 2025 NZB Karaka Sales.
Aeliana’s owner Star Thoroughbreds also purchased the 2023 Proisir filly this past January, outlaying a healthy $300,000.
Rich Hill Stud bought Aeliana’s dam, Temolie (Star Witness), carrying Aeliana, out of the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $200,000 as part of Rich Hill Stud’s broodmare upgrading program.
Temolie, a half-sister to three stakes winners including Group 1 winner Invincibella (I Am Invincible) – was also raced by Star – and her dam, Abscond (Galileo), were bred in Australia. However, Aeliana’s great-granddam, Luminata (Zabeel) is New Zealand-bred and was sold by Fairdale Stud at Karaka in 2002 and won twice in Australia. Luminata’s half-brother, The Hind (McGinty), won the Adelaide Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
Luminata’s dam Taciturn (Noble Bijou) was a triple Listed winner in the South Island while her dam Top Secret (Mellay) was a Listed winner scoring 17 wins. Further back in the family are the Group 1 brothers Taras Bulba (Oncidium) and Turfcutter (Oncidium).
Pulling up a 4×4 of Aeliana’s grid pedigree shows an interesting pattern. Via her sire Castelvecchio, her paternal grandsire Dundeel (High Chaparral) is a grandson of Sadler’s Wells from a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare. Via Aeliana’s dam, Temolie, her maternal granddam is bred on the same pattern as she is a granddaughter of Sadler’s Wells from a Zabeel mare.
And that’s not all…..
The other three Randwick Group 1 winners on Saturday each have close connections to New Zealand.
ATC Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Vinrock (I Am Invincible) is a grandson of New Zealand-bred Sorrento (Just A Dancer). She began her career in New Zealand and was successful in three South Island Listed races before heading across the Tasman to secure wins in Rosehill’s Queen of the Turf Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) and Moonee Valley’s Stocks Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m). Apart from Vinrock, the most recent Group 1 winner from this family is Greene Street (Zabeel), winner of the Avondale Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2200m) and the International Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Te Rapa. Greene Street’s and Vinrock’s great granddams are sisters.
TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Briasa (Smart Missile) is a grandson of New Zealand-bred winner Elysium (Concert Dancer) whose daughter Mary’s Grace (Twining) is the Listed–winning dam of Briasa. Despite being a stakes winner, Mary’s Grace was sold for only $600 at an Inglis online sale as recently in 2021. Elysium’s granddam Royal News (Sovereign Path) is a sister to champion sire Sovereign Edition (Sovereign Path).
Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) is a granddaughter of New Zealand-bred Samsara Lady (Nassipour), a Sydney winner who was sold at the Wrightson Bloodstock 1990 Karaka Yearling Sale. Samsara Lady’s daughter, Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force), is Stefi Magnetica’s dam.
