Oaks hoping So Naive can fly G1 flag

Media Release - Monday August 19

The Oaks Stud is hoping Ruakaka’s feature three-year-old event can again provide a springboard to elite level success.

The farm’s colours were carried to victory in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) five years ago and the Cambridge operation again had reason to celebrate a top result after Saturday’s contest.

US Navy Flag

The Oaks Stud’s young resident sire U S Navy Flag was to the fore with his progressive son So Naïve an impressive winner of the event for trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley.

“The Breeders’ Stakes has been a good race for us with Catalyst winning it and he went on to greater things so we’re hoping this horse can keep improving and win a big race,” The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams said.

The injury-plagued Catalyst triumphed in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) off the back of success in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).

“Every stallion needs a big horse, but it’s a sticky time and, talking with other studmasters, it is very quiet apart from the obvious horses,” Williams said.

“The numbers being bred is the biggest problem so we need all the good results we can get, and I will have a good draft of U S Navy Flag’s going to the yearling sales.

“Thirteen out of the 14 sold earlier this year and they sold very well.”

He is the third Southern Hemisphere stakes winner for U S Navy Flag, who has been crowned both a champion first and second season sire.

His son Pendragon claimed the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) and Chantilly Lace has won twice at Listed level in the Wanganui Guineas (1200m) and Castletown Stakes (1200m), while To Catch A Thief and Aprilia have been Group One placegetters.

“I hope we can continue the momentum into the spring, you need a big six weeks to get the stallion full and So Naïve has produced exactly the start we wanted,” Williams said.

Advertisement

“Every stallion needs a Group One star to really get them rolling.”

A son of the late Bernardini mare Altai Rose, So Naïve was a two-time winner during his first preparation and ran fourth in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) for owner and long-time stable client Able International.

He was purchased out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale draft for $37,500.

“I know Grant (Cooksley) pretty well and when we looked at him last season, we knew he wasn’t a two-year-old, he was quite a tall, angular colt then,” Williams said.

“It’s no surprise he has furnished, I did see him at the trials and he has developed a lot.”

U S Navy Flag, who stands alongside The Chosen One and Roc de Cambes, was a multiple Group One-winning son of War Front for master trainer Aidan O’Brien.

“We showed him to the Marcus Oldham group on Sunday and I’ve never seen him look better,” Williams said.

“I think the fact that he didn’t have to shuttle has helped, he’s really settled in and has just made him. He’s let down now and he’s just a beautiful horse.

“For a horse with his record, I would have thought we would have had more mares booked this year and hopefully there will be more activity after the weekend’s result.”

U S Navy Flag previously shuttled to Coolmore in Ireland before he was purchased outright by The Oaks and his Northern Hemisphere representatives include the multiple stakes winners Ocean Vision and Love Reigns. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Magic Carpet wins G2 Hawkes Bay Guineas - New SW Satono Aladdin
Talented colt Magic Carpet chose the ideal moment to break his maiden status when he produced a dogged effort to claim victory in the Gr.2 Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400).
Proisir 6YO Waitak Captures Another G1
Saturday's Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa took Waitak past the million-dollar barrier and added another triumphant chapter to his unique Group One record.
Waterford Wins G2 Shannon Stakes
Talented import Waterford (IRE) has long promised to win a stakes race and he did the job in spectacular fashion at Rosehill on Saturday when scoring a dominant win in the $300,000 Group II ATC Shannon Stakes (1500m).
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Manaal Wins G2 Golden Pendant – Stakes Double Emirates Park
At the official Sydney 2YO trials two years ago in 2023 two fillies impressed in their heat with Gerringong winning and Manaal finishing a close third and the pair filled the quinella in the $400,000 Group II ATC Golden Pendant (1400m ) at Rosehill on Saturday.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
Sires With Winners - Saturday September 27
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Trapeze Artist Mare Earns Shot at G1 Metrop
The in form Ciaron Maher stable produced the quinella in the$250,000 Group III ATC Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday with race favourite Juja Kibo (GB) beaten by progressive mare Piggyback.
G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude Victory To Ferivia
Successful in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes two starts back, the Phillip Stokes trained Ferivia secured victory in the Group 2 MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude, becoming the second Group winner in the last 24 hours for the stable after the success of Snow Mercy overnight in the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes.