Impending Filly Leads Karaka Million Order of Entry

Media Release - Tuesday December 13

An impressive Group Two victory at Trentham earlier this month has thrust the undefeated filly Impendabelle (Impending) to the top of the order of entry for the $1m DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m). 

Bought by Brewers Bloodstock for $80,000 from Hallmark Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2022, Impendabelle has now had two starts for two wins and $88,900 in stakes.

Impendabelle

The Tony Pike-trained filly won by four and a half lengths on debut at Trentham in late October, and she returned to the same venue on December 3 and delivered a repeat result. Briefly held up in traffic at the top of the home straight, she found a way through and produced a slick turn of foot to score by three-quarters of a length.

“The best thing about it was that she burst through the tight run, and when she balanced, she really sprinted and put them away,” jockey Michael McNab said. “It may even have been too easy – she was all over the show. But only handy horses can do that. She was super.”

With that valuable Group Two win now secured and her position in the Karaka Million field guaranteed, Pike is turning his attention to giving the filly the best possible build-up to New Zealand’s richest juvenile race, which will this season be run at Pukekohe on January 21.

“She’s a filly we have always really liked,” Pike said. “She has really improved through a couple of preps with us. She wasn’t the biggest filly when she first came in, but she has really strengthened and developed a lot over the last six months.

“After getting through the Wakefield, we’ll map out her programme towards the Karaka Million.”

With her earnings now at $88,900, Impendabelle has a clear lead on the order of entry over another stakes-winning filly from Cambridge, Ethereal Star (Snitzel), who sits in second place with $57,300.

Advertisement

The next section of the standings is completely dominated by Te Akau Racing, who are searching for their seventh successive Karaka Million 2YO triumph.

Te Akau and trainer Mark Walker are responsible for five of the top eight horses on the order of entry. Trobriand (Kermadec) moved up to third with a win at Te Rapa on Saturday, which boosted his earnings to $36,590 in a two-start, two-win career.

“He’s very professional and he had to dig deep today, which is good to see in a two-year-old colt,” said Walker, who suggested that Trobriand is likely to have one more run between now and the Karaka Million.

Trobriand is being closely followed by a number of his stablemates, with Believe In Magic (NZ) (Not A Single Doubt) fourth with $34,040, Rhetorical (NZ) (Snitzel) fifth with $33,150, Balance Of Power (NZ) (Almanzor) seventh with $19,350 and Viva Vienna (NZ) (All Too Hard) eighth with $18,600.

Rounding out the top 10 are the Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained Dapper (NZ) (Shooting To Win), who sits in sixth place with $26,290, and a pair of Cambridge fillies in ninth and tenth – the Stephen Marsh-trained Ulanova (NZ) (Santos), with $17,250, and Clinton Isdale’s Orgullo (Pride Of Dubai), with $11,500.

The upcoming action this weekend includes another two-year-old race at Trentham on Saturday, with a potentially crucial $30,000 in prizemoney up for grabs in an 1100-metre race.


Wild Night Solidifies Karaka Million Claim

While the unbeaten Group One winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) retains a firm hold on favouritism for the $1m Karaka Million 3YO (1600m) at Pukekohe on January 21, Te Akau Racing’s Wild Night (NZ) (Vanbrugh) is increasingly emerging as a genuine threat.

The gelding first made his mark through the early part of the spring, winning three of his first four starts including the Group Two Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa over Labour Weekend.

On Saturday he returned from a brief freshen-up with an outstanding win at the same venue, finishing powerfully from third-last to score with a bit in hand.

“He was a little bit behind the eight ball and missed a gallop last Saturday, so it was a good effort by the horse,” trainer Mark Walker said. “Opie (Bosson) summed it up well. He let the speed go and looked as though he could have been in a bit of tight trouble for a while, but he got him out.

“He’s got a lot of improvement in him, this horse, and I think he’ll lap up 1600 metres in the Karaka Million.”

Now a clear second favourite for the Karaka Million 3YO Classic, Wild Night was bought by David Ellis for $50,000 from Windsor Park Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2021. His five-start career has produced four wins and $128,890 in prizemoney.

Advertisment
More Reading...
First Winner for Home Affairs
Exciting young sire Home Affairs opened his account with his first winner in New Zealand on Saturday with a dominant debut victory for race favourite Harvey Wallbanger at Ellerslie.
Von Hauke Wins G2 Crystal Mile - Half-Brother NZB Ready to Run
The Cliff Brown-trained Von Hauke swamped his rivals late under a patient rider from Ethan Brown to land the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.
VRC Derby Favourite Strengthens His Chances With G2 Vase Win
When breaking his maiden by five lengths at just his second start last season, Ghaiyyath's colt Observer looked to have above average ability, but it was his third last start in the Group 1 MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) that had everybody talking about the exciting prospect.
Magic Millions First Digital Sale - Opportunities Aplenty
Bidding is now open for the first Magic Millions Digital Sale with opportunities across all levels of the market for prospective buyers.
Te Akau Win G3 War Decree Stakes with Snitzel Filly
Te Akau Racing made a blistering start to the afternoon across both New Zealand meetings on Saturday, racking up six wins in a three-hour period including with a pair of potential candidates for next month’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
Stefi Magnetica Smashes Through $7m Mark
Already a dual Group1 winner, Bjorn Baker’s 5yo All Too Hard mare Stefi Magnetica added the $2m Group 2 ATC The Invitational (1400m) to her impressive record, with her earnings smashing through the $7m mark for her ownership group headed by the Cunningham family.
Blueblood Lonhro Colt Wins G1 Spring Champion
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate dreamers’ and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who capped his meteoric rise to fame with a thrilling victory in the $2million Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Invincible Colt Wins $1million G2 Callander Presnell for Godolphin
Progressive I Am Invincible colt Ohope won the $1million ATC Tapp Craig (1400m) at his previous start, however was not rewarded officially with Black Type for that result, but he did achieve stakes-winner status at Randwick on Saturday when scoring a determined win over quality colt Rivellino in the $1million ATC Callander Presnell (1600m).
Consistency Key On Day One of 2025 Breeze Ups
After the rescheduling of dates for NZB’s anticipated 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups, Day One kicked off on Monday at Te Rapa Racecourse with consistent times, weather and track conditions.
G2 McEwen Stakes To Jigsaw - Fifth Black Type Victory
A previous Group 2 winner at Moonee Valley a few years back, Jigsaw’s connections would’ve headed into Saturday’s Group 2 MVRC McEwen Stakes (1200m) with a level of confidence despite tackling last start Group 1 MVRC Manikato Stakes winner Charm Stone.