New SW Almanzor - Fix Half-Sister Wins G3 Desert Gold Stakes

Media Release - Saturday January 20

Roger James and Robert Wellwood turned their Wellington Cup Carnival fortunes around with an impressive victory by Sudbina in the Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Sudbina and Kozzi Asano return to scale after winning the Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

Sudbina’s Desert Gold heroics came seven days after a frustrating afternoon of near-misses for the Cambridge trainers on the opening day of the carnival last weekend. They saddled Zabmanzor for a second placing in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m), a long head behind Quintessa, while stablemate Apostrophe was beaten by a head by Churchillian in the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m).

“After having to settle for a couple of close seconds in Group One and Group Three races last week, it’s really nice to get a good win today,” Wellwood said.

James and Wellwood headed south on Saturday with high hopes for Sudbina. The talented daughter of Almanzor had finished a commendable sixth in a star-studded Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and fourth in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), then warmed up for the Desert Gold with a stylish come-from-behind victory at Hastings on January 6.

Being stuck with gate 12 in Wednesday morning’s barrier draw may have slightly dented the confidence of Sudbina’s connections, but in the end it proved to be no obstacle in the $120,000 three-year-old fillies’ feature.

Rider Kozzi Asano eased Sudbina back to last behind a strong early speed set by Bella Corno. Asano was happy to bide his time at the tail of the field until around the 600m mark, when he pushed the button and swooped forward out wide.

All eyes were drawn to the outside of the track at the top of the Trentham straight, where Sudbina and the favourite Grail Seeker accelerated side by side and burst to the front together.

They left the rest of the field behind and bounded clear, with Sudbina edging ahead of Grail Seeker to score by three-quarters of a length. The Entertainer finished third, almost four lengths behind the first pair.

“She had an electric turn of foot,” Asano said. “I thought I might have gone too early.

Advertisement

“I just tried to keep her in her rhythm for most of the race today, and then off she went. Once she got a clear run, she was away.

“The way she accelerated at the end of the race today, I’d say that more distance would be no problem for her.”

The 12th stakes-winner for Almanzor (FR), Sudbina has now had seven starts for three wins and a placing, earning $114,765 in stakes for owner-breeders Frantic Bloodstock and Haunui Bloodstock.

“We were disappointed when the draws came out for this race earlier in the week, but the way the track has worked out and the way this race ended up being run, it probably worked in our favour a little bit,” Wellwood said. “What she did there was very nice.

“We’ve been scratching our heads a little bit in terms of what distance might suit her best. We were just hoping she’d get the mile in this race, but off today’s performance, perhaps she might go even further. We’ll talk to her connections and work out a plan from here.”

Sudbina is a half-sister to Fix, who was New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year in the 2012-13 season and won eight races including the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m) and Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m). She also placed in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

Saturday’s Desert Gold Stakes was the seventh leg of this season’s edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series. Sudbina has now joined the table with her first 6 points of the series, moving into equal sixth place alongside Quintessa. Molly Bloom heads the table with 20 points, with Impendabelle second on 15 and Still Bangon third with 10.

The remaining four legs of the series are all run over longer distances, starting with the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 10. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Stakes Gr3 1600m

Trentham Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:36.75
1
Sudbina
- 3f Almanzor (FR) x Destined (GB) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: R James & R Wellwood Rdr: K Asano 56.5
2
0.8
Grail Seeker
- 3f Iffraaj (GB) x Starwish (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: L O'Sullivan & A Scott Rdr: Joe Doyle 56.5
3
4.6
The Entertainer
- 3f Staphanos (JPN) x Wahaha (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: W J Thurlow Rdr: L J Allpress 56.5
4
4.7
Vera Rose
- 3f Fiorente (IRE) x Powerful Story (NZ) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: C J Grylls 56.5
5
5.2
Lady Sass
- 3f Staphanos (JPN) x Lady In Charge (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: Kelvin Tyler Rdr: L T Hemi 56.5
6
5.3
Chantilly Lace
- 3f U S Navy Flag (USA) x On The Move (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C A Bambry Rdr: L Sutherland 56.5
7
7.1
Positivity
- 3f Almanzor (FR) x Pussy O'reilly (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: U A Holmquist 56.5
8
7.2
Dragon Blossom
- 3f Time Test (GB) x Brannickers (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: M Moroney & P Gerard Rdr: V A Colgan 56.5
9
7.3
Say I Do
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Wedding (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: J G Bary Rdr: Ms K Williams 56.5
10
8.3
Bella Corno
- 3f Charm Spirit (IRE) x Whitesails (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C A Bambry Rdr: C Dell 56.5
11
8.5
Sense Of Timing
- 3f Time Test (GB) x Pin Up Lae (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: M Cameron 56.5
11
8.5
Fashion Icon
- 3f U S Navy Flag (USA) x Miss Gucci (NZ) (Makfi (GB))
Tnr: Peter Didham Rdr: D W Stackhouse 56.5
13
8.8
Funfetti
- 3f Embellish (NZ) x Alternative Fact (NZ) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: C R Isdale Rdr: K R Hercock 56.5
14
14.1
Mars
- 3f Zoustar (AUS) x Red Is The Rose (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Ben & Ryan Foote Rdr: S C Spratt 56.5
More Reading...
Tara Talks Racing - Insights from a Legend - Darren Beadman
Beiwacht upstaged his more fancied rivals to win the $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose last Saturday in course record breaking style to become the hottest colt in Australia giving us the opportunity to chat to a legend that has been very much involved in his story so far.
Quality Almanzor Mare Resuming on Wednesday
Group Three winner Sudbina will make her raceday return at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday, kicking off her new campaign in the Majestic Horse Floats 1300.
Magic Carpet Writes New Chapter for Family
Jenna McLeod got a massive thrill when watching the latest generation of her family’s breed score at stakes level at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Golden Rose Brings Second Season Shake Up
We are two months into a new racing season and the second season sires table was given a good shake up over the weekend with the $1million Group I Golden Rose and $300,000 Group II Stutt Stakes both producing a quinella for sires in this cohort.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 29
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Stayer Chasing Melbourne Cup Golden Ticket
Wolfgang, who races as Mister Wolfgang in Australia, will get his first opportunity to earn a golden ticket into the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) when he heads to Flemington on Saturday.
Jenni The Pride of Trelawney
Comeback mare Pride Of Jenni has given Trelawney Stud a number of reasons to look forward to the spring after a dashing victory in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on Friday night.
Petrol in the Tank – Why Buying Mares from Godolphin is a Good Idea
From the point of view of the bloodstock world, Beiwacht was the most significant winner from last weekend with his Group I Golden Rose victory propelling his sire Bivouac to the top of the second season sires list, but it wasn’t just Godolphin cheering him home with a number of other Aussie breeders now invested in his family.
Evaporate Caps Off Great Week for Per Incanto
Evaporate crowned a stellar period for his sire across the Tasman when he produced a gallant performance to land the thick end of the stake in Saturday’s Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m).