breednet.com.au

Karaka Million a Stunning Twilight Finale

Media Release - Thursday January 25

In a twilight race meeting unlike anything seen before on a New Zealand racetrack, the headline act will be saved for last.

Ellerslie will host the 11th edition of the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting on Saturday, on the eve of the new-lookNew Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series.

Melody Belle won the Karaka Million last yearThe six-race programme is now made up entirely of black-type events, headed by two Karaka Million races worth $1m each. The race that started it all, the Karaka Million for two-year-olds, will be the last of the six races with a scheduled start time of 7.51pm.

The first 10 years of the Karaka Million have seen the 1200-metre juvenile feature develop into a showpiece event on the New Zealand racing calendar, and it has been won by subsequent Group 1 winnersThe Heckler(Lucky Owners),Ruud Awakening(Bernardini),Vespa(NZ) (Elusive City) and last year's winnerMelody Belle(NZ) (Commands).

Melody Belle's trainers (Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards) and purchaser (Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis) will be represented by an unprecedented five runners in this year's 14-horse field, with jockey Opie Bosson aboard the unbeaten fillyAvantage(Fastnet Rock).

Advertisement

After two spring victories at Riccarton by a combined margin of eight lengths, Avantage resumed with a stylish victory over the Karaka Million course and distance on January 14.

Hugh Bowman, best known for his partnership with the wonder mare Winx, will ride Avantage's Welcome Stakes-winning stablemateAl Hasa(Exceed and Excel), while the other runners carrying the Te Akau tangerine areSword Of Osman(NZ) (Savabeel),Pinot Grey(NZ) (Burgundy) andThe Real Beel(NZ) (Savabeel).

Runners in this year's Karaka Million were bought at the 2017 National Yearling Sales Series for prices ranging from $625,000 for Al Hasa all the way down to just $3,500 forImelda Mary(NZ) (Ferlax).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..