Shocking Stakes-Winner Sold to Hong Kong

Media Release - Monday January 15
Proceeds from the sale of the stakes-winning three-year-old Formidable to overseas interests are earmarked for Karaka.

Formidable - Race ImagesThe son of Shocking's last-start victory in the Listed 3YO Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie stamped him as a
strong staying prospect and a performance that attracted interest from afar.

"He's been bought by Stuart Hale Bloodstock and he's in quarantine and will be heading to Hong Kong on Wednesday," former trainer and part-owner Shaune Ritchie said.

"It's a bit of a shame, but it's the same old dance and the money was too good to turn down.

"The money will almost certainly be going back into the sales at Karaka this year though so it's got a trickle-down effect for New Zealand."

Meanwhile, quality mare Devise has earned another crack at a Group One prize following her close second in Saturday's Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m) at Trentham.

"She's going to get her turn, I think she's right up there with the best weight-for-age horses so we're going to have a crack at the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa," Ritchie said.

The winner of three of her 13 starts, Devise is a multiple black-type placegetter and last season she finished runner-up to the subsequent New Zealand Horse of the Year Bonneval in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Off the back of Devise's narrow defeat at Wellington, the stable celebrated success with the emerging stayer Excalibur over 2100m at Ellerslie on Sunday.

"He's a horse who's looking for further and he could be a bit tricky to place so the St Leger at Trentham may be a good race for him," Ritchie said.

"He could be a nice cups horse for next season."

Excalibur has won four of his 16 starts and wasn't disgraced when he finished eighth behind Gingernuts in last season's Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). – NZ Racing Desk.

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