Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Kiwi Skyhawk’s (Contributer) last-gasp thriller in the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday delivered a milestone result for his trainer Stephen Marsh.
Having also won the Listed Skycity Star Way Stakes (1200m) with unbeaten two-year-old Little Black Dress earlier on the Ellerslie card, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing statistics now credit Marsh with 97 wins at Group or Listed level in New Zealand.
He has also won three in Australia – the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) with Sofia Rosa, the Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (2200m) with Chocante and the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) with Antrim Coast – to give him an overall total of 100.
Marsh was en route to Hong Kong on Saturday to oversee El Vencedor’s shot at the Gr.1 QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin next weekend. The Cambridge trainer was represented at Ellerslie by Dylan Johnson.
“It’s been a really rewarding day for the stable at Ellerslie today, and 100 black-type wins is a fantastic milestone that the team can be very proud of,” Johnson said.
Saturday’s win also completed a unique achievement for Kiwi Skyhawk himself, who added the Championship Stakes to his last-start success in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic over the same distance at Trentham on March 29.
In the decade since the Championship Stakes was shifted from New Year’s Day into its current autumn slot, no other horse has won both races. Joy Alone went the closest in 2021, winning the Manawatu Classic before being beaten by a nose by Hezashocka in the Championship Stakes.
Kiwi Skyhawk’s Group Three double caps a super-consistent season for the Contributer gelding, who had previously finished third in the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1400m), fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), fifth in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), seventh in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and fifth in Willydoit’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
“He’s a lovely horse who’s been so consistent,” Johnson said. “We’ve run him in good company all the way through the season and he’s just kept doing a great job in every race. It’s nice to see him pick up a couple of good wins in the autumn, because he certainly deserves it.”
Kiwi Skyhawk had to work for Saturday’s Championship Stakes success. His jockey Matt Cartwright positioned him in midfield and just behind the highly regarded filly Zormella, who jumped as the $2.80 favourite.
Zormella showed push-button acceleration around the home turn and quickly ranged up alongside the leaders, the Marsh-trained pair of Bourbon Proof and Roctave. She left Kiwi Skyhawk half a dozen lengths behind in fifth and with limited time remaining make up that lost ground.
But Cartwright moved Kiwi Skyhawk through his gears and he began to build up his momentum. He hit top gear in the final 50m, diving through in between Roctave and Zormella to snatch victory by a nose.
Marsh and Johnson paid $240,000 to buy Kiwi Skyhawk from Cambridge Stud’s draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2023. He has now had 11 starts for three wins, three placings and $281,975 in stakes.
“We’ll have a team talk on Monday about what we do with him from here, but I’d be leaning towards saying he’s done enough for the season,” Johnson said. “He’s done a good job and is only going to get better with a bit more maturity.”
The Marsh team narrowly missed out on a clean sweep of Saturday’s black-type features at Ellerslie. Tardelli was edged out by a neck by Doctor Askar in the Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m), in which he was attempting to join Eastern Joy (1985), Status (1990) and Time Keeper (2010) as only the fourth three-year-old to win the race in the last 40 years.
“He ran a terrific race and I thought he looked the winner at the 200m,” Johnson said. “But all credit should go to Doctor Askar, who’s obviously a very good horse. Joanne Moss has done a super job with him.
“Michael McNab and I were both very pleased with Tardelli’s performance, and we just agreed that we were beaten by a better horse on the day.”
