Showboy (inside) wins the Gr.2 Golden Homes Wakefield Challenge Stakes.
Picture courtesy of Trish Dunell
One of the leading first season sire's of Europe in 2014, young Haunui Farm stallion Showcasing (GB) (Oasis Dream) has gone a long way to stamping his mark on the New Zealand stallion ranks landing his first winner last Friday, and his first stakes winner on Saturday.
Last Friday saw Showcasing's first winner in the Southern Hemisphere when the Liam Birchley-trained Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing) was an impressive winner on debut at Doomben. Sold for $43,000 by Haunui Farm as a weanling, he was purchased by Hallmark Stud and sold at Karaka's Select Sale for $130,000 to Birchley.
Birchley commented on his selection at Karaka earlier this year "I'd seen photos of him and he was definitely on our short list to inspect at the sale. When I did see him I thought he was the best colt in the sale – he was a stand out".
Following that impressive win, Birchley has Hardline heading from Eagle Farm toward the Listed Karaka Million on January 25th at Ellerslie, where as a trainer he has tasted success previously with Sister Havana winning the race in 2010.
Also adding to Showcasing's stellar weekend was Showboy, who stole the show with an impressive performance taking out the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham on Saturday.
A fellow Haunui graduate, he was purchased for $15,000 out of the Festival Sale draft. Showboy jumped second from the outside and did plenty of work early to try and get across the line. Caught three wide for the trip, the strong chestnut kept giving in the run to the line holding off a strong late challenge from Serena Miss (NZ) (Iffraaj), the filly providing a Haunui Farm-sired quinella.
Haunui's Mark Chitty commented, "Hardline's win on Friday was pretty exciting given the way that he won and, the fact that Showcasing's first winner in the Southern Hemisphere came in Australia was also pretty important. I was hoping for the dream result and it happened!
"The amazing thing is, is that both Hardline and Showboy were paddock mates as foals and, we used both of them to promote Showcasing's first Southern Hemisphere crop as foals and again as yearlings. Then, for one to be his first winner and the other to be his first stakes winner, Group Two at that, is quite remarkable."
From four Southern Hemisphere starters, Showcasing boasts a Group Two-winner, a winner in Australia, a stakes performer and, a placegetter. "Four from four have run in the money so that's not a bad start and he has three qualified for the Karaka Million so far," says Mark.
Showcasing's Northern Hemisphere success boasts 27 winners from his first crop with seven stakes performers including Group Two-winner Toocoolforschool and Group Three-winner and Group One-performer Cappella Sansevero.
"We've been waking up to some fantastic Northern Hemisphere results over the past few months so it's certainly nice to get the job done on our turf. It was great to receive so many texts and messages from people saying congratulations. It's a real boost for everyone that has supported Showcasing, the members of the syndicate and, all the breeders that have sent mares over the last four seasons.
- Haunui Farm/NZ Racing Desk
Last Friday saw Showcasing's first winner in the Southern Hemisphere when the Liam Birchley-trained Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing) was an impressive winner on debut at Doomben. Sold for $43,000 by Haunui Farm as a weanling, he was purchased by Hallmark Stud and sold at Karaka's Select Sale for $130,000 to Birchley.
Birchley commented on his selection at Karaka earlier this year "I'd seen photos of him and he was definitely on our short list to inspect at the sale. When I did see him I thought he was the best colt in the sale – he was a stand out".
Following that impressive win, Birchley has Hardline heading from Eagle Farm toward the Listed Karaka Million on January 25th at Ellerslie, where as a trainer he has tasted success previously with Sister Havana winning the race in 2010.
Also adding to Showcasing's stellar weekend was Showboy, who stole the show with an impressive performance taking out the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham on Saturday.
A fellow Haunui graduate, he was purchased for $15,000 out of the Festival Sale draft. Showboy jumped second from the outside and did plenty of work early to try and get across the line. Caught three wide for the trip, the strong chestnut kept giving in the run to the line holding off a strong late challenge from Serena Miss (NZ) (Iffraaj), the filly providing a Haunui Farm-sired quinella.
Haunui's Mark Chitty commented, "Hardline's win on Friday was pretty exciting given the way that he won and, the fact that Showcasing's first winner in the Southern Hemisphere came in Australia was also pretty important. I was hoping for the dream result and it happened!
"The amazing thing is, is that both Hardline and Showboy were paddock mates as foals and, we used both of them to promote Showcasing's first Southern Hemisphere crop as foals and again as yearlings. Then, for one to be his first winner and the other to be his first stakes winner, Group Two at that, is quite remarkable."
From four Southern Hemisphere starters, Showcasing boasts a Group Two-winner, a winner in Australia, a stakes performer and, a placegetter. "Four from four have run in the money so that's not a bad start and he has three qualified for the Karaka Million so far," says Mark.
Showcasing's Northern Hemisphere success boasts 27 winners from his first crop with seven stakes performers including Group Two-winner Toocoolforschool and Group Three-winner and Group One-performer Cappella Sansevero.
"We've been waking up to some fantastic Northern Hemisphere results over the past few months so it's certainly nice to get the job done on our turf. It was great to receive so many texts and messages from people saying congratulations. It's a real boost for everyone that has supported Showcasing, the members of the syndicate and, all the breeders that have sent mares over the last four seasons.
- Haunui Farm/NZ Racing Desk
