Campionessa Victorious in a Thrilling Peter Young Stakes - Sister for Inglis Easter

Mark Smith - Saturday February 24

Two Melbourne Cup winners with a combined $14,000,000 in the bank and a Group 1 millionairess from New Zealand fought out a dramatic finish to the Group II Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield, which was decided on the bob.

Campionessa in a thriller (image Grant Courtney)

Keeping the run going for Te Akau Stud, the 6-year-old Contributer mare Campionessa staved off the challenge of the 2019 Melbourne Cup hero Vow and Declare by a short-half-head with the 2022 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip (FR) three-quarters of a length back in third.

Advertisement

The winner of the Group 1 ARC Zabeel Classic at Pukekohe Park on Boxing Day, Campionessa landed in Melbourne off the back of a half-length second to triple Group 1 winner Legarto (Proisir) in the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa.

Michael Dee had Campionessa third on the fence as the field swept around the home turn. Finding clear air on straightening, the Mark Walker-trained mare fought hard to get the better of Unusual Culture before coming under attack from Vow and Declare and Gold Trip (FR).

With her sixth stakes success, Campionessa advances her record to eleven wins, six seconds, and three thirds from 30 starts with earnings of $1,160,977.

“She got a dream run and full credit to Micky (Dee); he’s been such a help to us here when we set up in Melbourne and even galloped Imperatriz a couple of times for Opie (Bosson), so no doubt Opie will sling him,” Mark Walker joked.

“Mick said that he might end up leading today, and I said if you do, just go slow, but he summed it up well, full credit to the mare; she only got here Wednesday night.”

“We’ll probably come back to a mile, the Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley, and there’s a group one in Sydney called the Queen Of The Turf Stakes, so that’s my gut feeling today.”

Campionessa a $60,000 Magic Millions National yearling

David Ellis regularly hits the headlines with a million-dollar-plus purchase, but he needed just $60,000 to secure Campionessa from the Westbury Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, after initially leaving the ring unsold.

Bred by Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison, Campionessa was originally passed in at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale after failing to meet her $70,000 reserve.

Davison will hope for a more profitable outcome when Mapperly Stud consigns a sister to Campionessa at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale (Lot 436).

Bruce Perry Bloodstock had the final say at $40,000 for Campionessa’s dam Bella Carolina at the 2009 NZB Select Yearling Sale.

The daughter of O’Reilly was a 3-time winner and has been an unqualified success at stud. In addition Campionessa, she has the Listed winners, Leedox and Tennessee and five of her six foals to race are winners.

At the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Rosemont Alliance / Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) / Lindsay Park Racing went to $320,000 for a Per incanto (USA) half-brother to Campionessa. He has been named Naitanui and sent to Ben, Will & JD Hayes.

Visit the profile page for Contributer

Contributer in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes Gr2 1800m

Caulfield Track: Good(4) Time: 1:50.45
1
Campionessa
- 6m Contributer (IRE) x Bella Carolina (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: M J Dee 57
2
0.1
Vow And Declare
- 8g Declaration Of War (USA) x Geblitzt (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: W Egan 59
3
0.9
Gold Trip
- 7h Outstrip (GB) x Sarvana (FR) (Dubai Destination (USA))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M Zahra 59
4
1.2
Unusual Culture
- 5m Unusual Suspect (USA) x Cultured Pearl (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Jamie Kah 57
5
3.2
El Soleado
- 4g Toronado (IRE) x Sunnyvale (GER) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: R E Laing Rdr: Craig Williams 59
6
4.9
Foxy Cleopatra
- 4m American Pharoah (USA) x Casuarina Forest (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: B Shinn 57
7
7.7
Loft
- 6g Adlerflug (GER) x Labrice (GB) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: L Currie 59
8
11.2
Selino
- 8g Champs Elysees (GB) x Air Kiss (GB) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: John Allen 59
More Reading...
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
Walker Upbeat Heading into Flemington
Trainer Mark Walker will have a two-pronged attack on the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, headed by last start Listed 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) winner Azazel, with lightly-tried McWoody also making the field.
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
High Hopes for Pencarrow Stud Homebred Farnan Filly
Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
600k Fantasy World Heads Third Day of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
FANTASY WORLD was one of three lots to realise 500,000 guineas or more on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale which saw significant increases to the median, average and turnover from the equivalent session in 2024.
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
Henry Dwyer Secures Top Lot on Day 4 Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
Promising Wootton Bassett two-year-old SKIATHOS topped the fourth day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at 150,000 guineas with robust trade resulting in a clearance rate of 90% for the session. Turnover for the sale exceeded 33,000,000 guineas for only the fourth time in its history with a fifth and final session still to come on Friday, followed immediately by the Tattersalls Aut