New SW Super Seth - Poetic Champion Brilliant Return

Media Release - Saturday September 7

A brilliant return to racing in Saturday’s Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings sent a clear message that Poetic Champion will be a force to be reckoned with in three-year-old ranks this season.

Poetic Champion powering away with the Listed El Roca - Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday.  Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

The Super Seth gelding showed bright promise as a juvenile, winning by six lengths on debut last October before finishing third in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), second in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m), sixth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), second in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) and sixth in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).

Trial cancellations disrupted Poetic Champion’s spring build-up, eventually winning a 950m trial on the Cambridge synthetic track on August 30 – just eight days before Saturday’s black-type feature.

But despite his less-than-ideal preparation and despite coming up against a quality field of three-year-olds at Hastings, Poetic Champion kicked off his three-year-old season with the best performance of his career so far.

The chestnut jumped well from the inside gate for jockey Matt Cartwright and pulled ahead of Grove Street to take up a front-running position after the first 100m. That was where he stayed, dominating the race from the front and never giving the others a look in.

Cartwright pushed the button in the straight and Poetic Champion’s response was spectacular, powering clear to win by two and a quarter lengths from the strong-finishing Savaglee.

“That was lovely,” Cartwright said. “He jumped cleanly. There was a bit of pressure early, but I didn’t want to give the lead up. He half stargazed out in front, but then he was quite explosive after straightening up.

“I thought he might be a bit underdone coming into this race, but Tony Pike is a legend at getting horses right on the day and he’s done that today.”

Bred and raced by Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock, Poetic Champion has now had seven starts for two wins, three placings and $152,150 in stakes.

Advertisement

The TAB now rates him a $6 chance for the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings on September 28, and he is a $12 chance for the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 9.

“We just had a couple of little niggly issues with this horse towards the end of his two-year-old season,” said Pike, who has previously won the El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy with Bostonian in 2017 and Cyber Attack in 2018. “We’ve put those behind us now and he’s come back in great order.

“I was a little worried that we had a short run-up into this resuming run, only trialling at Cambridge eight days ago. But Matt rode him beautifully in front and got a soft lead. He’s just a really genuine racehorse and I’m rapt to see him back in winning form.

“He’s bred and owned by Jonathan Munz, who also owned Super Seth, so it’s great to get him a stakes win with one of Super Seth’s progeny.

“He’s a really sharp horse, so I’m not too sure how much of a trip he’ll be able to run. We’ll bring him back for the Hawke’s Bay Guineas next, and his performance there will probably help us decide whether or not we carry on down to Riccarton. He might be more of a sprinter, and the heart probably says 1600m might not be his distance, but they can sometimes get away with it against their own age group at three.

“He’s eligible for the NZB Kiwi (1500m) as well, so that’s another target that we can think about.”

Poetic Champion is the third SW for Super Seth.

Poetic Champion became the third individual stakes winner for exciting young Waikato Stud stallion Super Seth, who is also the sire of Sydney Group Three winner Linebacker as well as last season’s Listed winner Super Photon, who finished fourth in Saturday’s El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment

Race Result - El Roca - Sir Colin Meads Trophy LR 1200m

Hastings Track: Good(4) Time: 1:10.37
1
Poetic Champion
- 3g Super Seth (AUS) x Regally Blonde (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: Matthew Cartwright 57
2
2.3
Savaglee
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x Glee (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Ms P Gerard Rdr: S C Spratt 57
3
3.6
Full Force
- 3g Cosmic Force (AUS) x Jawhara (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Hollie Wynyard Rdr: R T Elliot 57
4
5.4
Super Photon
- 3c Super Seth (AUS) x Chandelier (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: Joe Doyle 57
5
5.5
Move To Strike
- 3c I Am Invincible (AUS) x No Evidence Needed (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: O P Bosson 57
6
5.6
Grove Street
- 3c Ferrando (NZ) x Dancing Song (NZ) (Senor Pete (USA))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: L T Hemi 57
7
7.9
Skippers Canyon
- 3g Belardo (IRE) x Goldsumware (NZ) (Refuse To Bend (IRE))
Tnr: J V Wallace Rdr: W B Kennedy 57
8
9.7
Ballon d'Or
- 3g U S Navy Flag (USA) x Ireland's Teardrop (IRE) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Peter & Shaun Mckay Rdr: M Hashizume 57
More Reading...
Super Seth 3YO Set for G3 Almanzor Trophy
Flying three-year-old Poetic Champion will spearhead Tony Pike’s trio of sprinters contesting the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) on Karaka Millions Night, staged this Saturday at Ellerslie.
Career Best Victory for Wentwood Grange Favourite Yearling
Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
Super Seth 2YO Seeing Stakes Success
Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) brings together four of the six winners of two-year-old races in the North Island so far this season, and Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is hoping to see his runaway debut winner Poetic Champion rise to the occasion in the star-studded Pukekohe clash.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Kiwi Cup Contender Headed to Australia
Melbourne Cup aspirant Trav secured his plane ticket across the Tasman with a pleasing performance over 2100m at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 22
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Super Seth Colt Steps Up in Trip for G2 Hawkes Bay Guineas
Poetic Champion’s performance on Saturday will determine the future direction of his three-year-old season.
G1 Target for Super Seth 3YO
A Group One target is in the offing for exciting three-year-old Poetic Champion following his victory in the TAB 1200 at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.
Home Affairs 2YOs Shine at Official Sydney Trials
I Am Invincible’s exciting young sire son Home Affairs was the talk of the town after the yearling sales this year when his progeny topped both Magic Millions and Inglis Easter and at Randwick on Monday morning he had two runners at the official 2YO trials and both of them came out winners.
One to Watch – Warrnambool
So You Think is the first sire to hit 40 winners for the season and he did it with a three year-old filly that won easily on debut at Warrnambool on Monday in the Kia Ora Stud colours.