Bargain Karaka Buy a Stakes Winner in Second Start

Media Release - Monday May 27

Owner-trainer Dean Wiles paid $2,200 in the 2023 NZB National Online Yearling Sale to buy Southern Warrior (NZ) (Belardo), who has become a black-type star in only the second race of his career.

Southern Warrior is a stakes-winner!

Saturday’s $100,000 Listed Staphanos at Novara Park Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe was Southern Warrior’s first win and came 17 days after he kicked off his career at Matamata. The two-year-old Seaton Park graduate has now earned $57,840 – more than 26 times his purchase price.

Southern Warrior produced an eye-catching performance in his debut appearance at Matamata on May 8, making up late ground from last to finish fifth. It prompted Wiles to throw the chestnut gelding in at the deep end and take a shot at black type in Saturday’s Champagne Stakes, and the gamble paid off in spades.

Southern Warrior again dropped out to the back of the field on Saturday before coming to the outside in the straight and warming through his gears for jockey Joe Doyle. Relishing the 1600-metre distance and untroubled by the testing Heavy10 track conditions, Southern Warrior drew up alongside Zorro’s Revenge (NZ) (Ferrando) and outfought him through the final 50 metres to win by a neck.

“I just thought the Belardo factor might kick in today on a heavy track,” Wiles said. “He had been working great. He’s only a little pony, but jeez he can run. I knew he’d get back to last, and I just thought he could skip through that wet ground.

“I didn’t even think about this race until that debut run at Matamata a couple of weeks ago. He got back last that day too and ran on really well.

“Everyone that’s ridden him has said that the further he goes, the better he’ll be. And then once the rain came this morning, I was quietly confident.”

Advertisement

The Champagne Stakes was the first time Doyle has ridden Southern Warrior, and the jockey was impressed with his mount’s performance.

“Fair play to Dean – he thought the ground would suit this horse and he’d get the trip,” he said. “This horse isn’t big, but he’s got a big heart and tries very hard.

“It was the plan to go to the back early. If anything, it probably helped him that the other horse (Zorro’s Revenge) got so far ahead of us in the straight, because my horse is still very green. Dean has quite a small team, and it’s not the easiest when you have only a handful of horses. But I think having something to aim at was probably a key factor in his performance today.”

Southern Warrior’s Champagne Stakes heroics added to an enormously successful few weeks for his dam, Cape South (NZ) (Cape Cross).

Cape South now as a perfect record of four winners from four foals to race, and Southern Warrior’s older half-sister Apostrophe (NZ) (Tavistock) – who herself was a $60,000 purchase from Karaka 2019 – won last month’s Group Two Travis Stakes (2000m) and Group Three Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2100m).

Vendor Seaton Park Ltd
Purchaser Warrior Stable (Waikato)
Breeding Belardo – Cape South
Sale Lot 17, 2023 National Online Yearling Sale, $2,200
Bred by K D & P J Landrigan
Advertisment
More Reading...
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
2025 G1 Cox Plate Field and Barrier Draw
A field of nine has been finalised for the 2025 Cox Plate with favourite Via Sistina drawing gate seven for Chris Waller and James McDonald, while one three-year-old has accepted to run in Nepotism.
Henry Longfellow Pedigree Gets an Update
Group I winning Dubawi stallion Henry Longfellow (IRE) is covering his first Australian book of mares at Rosemont Stud this spring and overnight in Ireland his two year-old sister-in-blood landed her first Group race win.
TBA Mourn Passing of So You Think
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse join the wider industry in mourning the passing of So You Think, one of the modern greats of the Australian turf and a truly elite sire.
NZB Ready to Run Breeze Ups Complete for 2025
The final day of NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups saw a further 202 two-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse.
Cambridge Stud Celebrate Ceolwulf Victory
Homebred Ceolwulf’s successful defence of his Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) title ensured Cambridge Stud celebrated a top day at Randwick.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
A lone 2YO went around in an 800m trial for two and three year-olds at Hawkesbury on Tuesday and the Snitzel colt won in good style carrying the Mulberry Racing colours.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 21
Here is the full list of 15 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Magic Millions - The Book
The famous US sports journo, Red Smith, once proclaimed that : “writing is easy … I just sit down at my typewriter and open a vein”.
Pier Headed to Melbourne
Following his pleasing third placing in last Saturday’s A$5 million Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m) at Randwick, trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley have decided to head south with Pier to test his talent in Melbourne.