Burn to Shine Highlights The Oaks Stud’s quality Karaka draft

Media Release - Wednesday January 17

Group Three winner Burn To Shine made a pleasing return to the trials at Tauranga on Tuesday when taking out his 950m heat under a hold, beating Group Two performer Wessex by a nose.

Burn To Shine winning the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m).   Photo: Race Images South

Racing in the familiar silks of The Oaks Stud principal Dick Karreman, Burn To Shine impressed in the spring when placing in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) and Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), before winning the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m), with his only disappointing performance coming in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) when ninth.

“He had a great spring and the only race he didn’t run well in was the Guineas, but he did jar up a bit after the War Decree,” The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams said.

“He wasn’t quite himself that day, not coming out of the gates and over racing, it was possibly one step too far, but I have always believed what he did in the spring was a bonus because he is a slow-maturing So You Think and I think his best races are ahead of him.”

Williams was pleased with the trial performance of the Stephen Marsh-trained three-year-old, and he said he could be in for a lucrative autumn campaign.

“He is pretty big in condition, but we are thrilled with him and Nabba’s (Michael McNab, jockey) report was fantastic. You couldn’t have wished for a better trial,” he said.

“We had a chat about possibilities with Stephen at Trentham last Saturday. We will probably look at a 1400m race to kick him off in and that could be at Taranaki or Te Rapa. If he races like he trialled, we might have some big targets for him, but nothing in concrete yet.”

Lot 415 is the half-brother to Burn to Shine.

Williams is currently busy with yearling parades ahead of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka later this month, where The Oaks Stud will offer lot 415, a Hello Youmazin half-brother to Burn To Shine.

“He is not a dissimilar horse (to Burn To Shine), he is a pretty big horse,” Williams said. “He has a great attitude, is laidback and is much calmer than Burn To Shine, who was always a bit electric and is still growing up. This horse is a gentle giant and it will be interesting to see how he sells.”

Williams is a big fan of his sire Hello Youmzain and has been impressed by the quality of his early stock.

“When Cambridge Stud imported him (Hello Youmzain) we bought two shares in him because we were a huge fan of the horse,” he said.

“I thought we would have three colts there (NZB sale), but little things went wrong with two of them late in the prep, so I pulled them out and we are left with one.

“I love them to bits, they have a great attitude, they are good movers, good bone, and are sound looking horses. Hopefully that transmits to a successful stallion career for Cambridge Stud.”

Advertisement

The colt will be part of a seven-strong offering by The Oaks Stud in the Book 1 session at Karaka, and Williams is also excited to offer four colts (lots 19, 57, 186, 618) by resident stallion U S Navy Flag.

“U S Navy Flag is a stallion we bought outright so we are obviously keen to put a couple of those in front of the buyers,” he said.

“The timing is right with the results he has had lately and he has got a couple of live chances in the Karaka Millions in Pendragon and So Naive.

“We are very happy with the way he is profiling over the last couple of months, and if he has a good autumn it will set him up nicely for a great breeding season next September.”

Williams has been buoyed by the optimism amongst potential buyers at the yearling parades and is hopeful of a strong sale.

“There is certainly a lot more enthusiasm in New Zealand with the Entain Group prizemoney. You can feel it, you can see it, it’s real,” he said.

“I have been told by the New Zealand Bloodstock representatives that every hotel they had booked is taken up, and they have no more space. Bums on seats make sales, and we saw that in the ready to run sale, so let’s hope despite the economies in Australia and New Zealand that we will have a good sale.”

Meanwhile, Williams was also pleased with the trial performance of The Oaks Stud-raced Cheval D’Or on Tuesday.

The Almanzor four-year-old was having her first public hit-out since her three-year-old term, where she won the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) and placed in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) before crossing the Tasman where she finished seventh in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).

“She has had a long break and is big in condition. I was thrilled with her, she just cruised up and did as much as they wanted out wide. She had a big blow, she is not as forward as Burn To Shine,” Williams said.

“We are just looking to give her a three or four race programme in the autumn and then we will get serious in the spring. If all goes well, we would love to go to Melbourne in the spring and aim at some of those provincial Cups and see where she ends up. I am convinced she is an out-and-out stayer so we will see what happens.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Promising Winner for Yes Yes Yes
Relocated to Gooree Stud this spring, Everest hero Yes Yes Yes has kept doing what he does best in racking up winners with the Ciaron Maher trained four year-old Flamboyant Lad opening his account at Geelong on Friday.
Wootton Bassett Colt Sells for 2.3million at Arqana
The second session of the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale on Sunday produced a sale ring battle between MV Magnier and Amo Racing over a colt by Woottton Bassett from High Celebrity with Coolmore winning out with a final bid of  €2.3million.
€3million Blueblood Filly Tops Record Breaking Arqana
The Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale concluded on Monday with the half-sister to last year’s sale-topper shattering all previous records when fetching €3million to the bid of Amo Racing.
Future Bright for Danica Guy
Group Three winner Lupo Solitario has returned to New Zealand, and the care of his former trainer Danica Guy, following a six-month racing stint in Hong Kong, while the stable are also excited about a first starter this weekend by Justify (USA).
Bountiful and Many Men to be Offered at Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale
The high-class pair BOUNTIFUL (Zoustar) and MANY MEN (Study of Man) have been catalogued for the Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale to be held in collaboration with Inglis Digital Australia on Wednesday 6th August to Thursday 7th August. Full details of the sale which will take place on the Tattersalls Online website are now available to view at www.tattersallsonline.com.
Second Stakes-winner for Palace Pier
Kingman’s champion son Palace Pier (GB) only shuttled for one season to Darley Australia with his first 2YO’s to race here this season and in Europe he’s doing a pretty good job with his second stakes-winner emerging overnight at York.
Manifique Drawcard for Gavelhouse Sale
Both the pedigree and the racetrack performances of Manifique (NZ) (Savabeel) make her a major drawcard in the latest fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com.
Exclusive opportunity to purchase nomination in Too Darn Hot
Exciting racing and breeding prospects – plus a nomination in Champion First and Second Season Sire Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) – headline a diverse catalogue of 302 lots for the Inglis Digital August (Late) Online Sale.
Breeders Paradise - Inglis Digital August (early) Online
An abundance of high-quality broodmares – many in foal to some of the hottest young stallions in the Southern Hemisphere – and broodmare prospects headline a “breeders’ paradise’’ in the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Sale.
One to Watch – Geelong
Rosemont Stud’s Hanseatic had a promising debut winner at Sandown on Wednesday in Humble Trader and he kept up the good work at Geelong on Friday when his stakes-placed filly Rohesia cast off maiden status in style.