G1 Goal for Dundeel Mare Aquacade

Media Release - Monday September 4

Karaka horseman Lance Noble has Group One targets in mind for three members of his stable while another will head toward a newly created $1 million summer event.

The Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) is looming as a potential target for Aquacade. Photo: Trish Dunell

Aquacade, Habana and Luberon will ideally tackle top-flight events this season and Polygon has the four-year-old event on the Karaka Million program in January as her long-term goal.

The Cambridge Stud-owned quartet are back in work with Noble, who will send the well-performed mare Aquacade to next week’s trials at Ruakaka to further her preparation.

“She’s definitely a good stayer, but we may keep her on the fresh side and head toward the Zabeel Classic (Gr.1, 2000m),” Noble said.

“What I’d like to do is go to the Counties Cup (Gr.3, 2100m) and a month later the Zabeel, there is no Group One staying race anymore, so we’ll keep her on the fresher side.”

The Dundeel mare enjoyed a lucrative four-year-old season with victories in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and the Dunstan Feeds Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m) and ended her campaign when fourth in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m).

“Long-term, I would like her to get to Sydney in the autumn because she does handle wet tracks and that might be the time to run her over a bit more ground,” Noble said.

“We’ll probably give her a light prep this time and have a crack at a Group One in New Zealand and then target Australia.”

Habana won four times last season and finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m) on a heavy track.

“He’s great and was a bit of a revelation. He has been a quirky horse and grew up a lot and went through the grades nicely,” Noble said.

Advertisement

“If it had been a dry track in the Easter I think he would have gone closer and I’m looking at the Captain Cook Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m) for him.”

Polygon showed her quality last term with success in the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m) off the back of victory in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m).

The daughter of Highly Recommended was subsequently unplaced in three Australian outings.

“She’s come very well and will trial at Ruakaka and we’ll be aiming her at the new race, the Karaka Million (1600m) for four-year-olds,” Noble said.

“That will be the main target and then there’s a lot of nice fillies and mares’ races for her in the autumn.”

Embellish filly Luberon was a debut winner at Ruakaka last season and then suffered a hind quarter injury after finishing third in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Pukekohe.

She finished runner-up in an open 850m heat at Te Awamutu and is likely to resume at Te Rapa later this month.

“It’s been a long recovery, but she trialled up nicely last week and her target will be the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m),” Noble said.

“I’ve got a nice team and it’s been a long, drawn-out winter and haven’t been in a rush, but now’s the time to start getting serious.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Breeding to Win - 2025 Manikato Stakes
Racing at The Valley on Grand Final Eve in Melbourne - the southern capital doing what it does best, bringing people together in celebration of sporting greatness!
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Ardrossan Filly Wins First Kiwi Juvenile Race of New Season
Otaki horseman Johno Benner has a good association with the Karaka Millions, and he could have another serious contender on his hands for January’s showpiece.
Dundeel Mare Charges to Favouritism for G2 Auckland Cup
Smart stayer Aquacade put her rivals to the sword at Tauranga on Sunday, cruising to a six-and-a-half length win in the J.A. Russell Ltd 2100 on a Heavy 10 surface.
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
Invincible Filly Snares $100,000 Inglis Bonus
The least expensive filly by champion sire I Am Invincible sold at Inglis Easter in 2024, Wear the Crown always looked to have been well bought at $260,000 by Seib/Racing / Champion Thoroughbreds and she set about repaying her purchase price at Goulburn on Thursday.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Dundeel Mare Wins G2 Avondale Cup
In-form staying mare Aquacade declared she is the horse to beat in the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) with an emphatic statement as she powered home to take out the Gr.2 ATR Avondale Cup (2400m) at Pukekohe.