A pair of fillies moved into prominent positions on the order of entry for the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with impressive winning performances over the weekend.
First up was Te Akau Racing’s La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth), who made a winning debut in Saturday’s $40,000 Hallmark Stud 2YO (1100m) at Te Rapa and moved into equal fourth place on the order of entry with $23,000 in stakes.
A winner and second placegetter in her two trials appearances, La Dorada was sent out as a warm favourite at Te Rapa and lived right up to those high expectations.
Despite being caught wide for most of the race, La Dorada cruised closer coming down the side of the track and then changed gears in the straight. She hit the lead at the 200-metre mark and took charge, pulling ahead of Toretto (NZ) (Ardrossan) to win by a length and a half.
La Dorada was offered by breeders Waikato Stud during Book 1 of Karaka 2024, where Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis bought her for $190,000.
“She certainly didn’t have much go right for her in the running, but it ended up being a lovely win and she showed her class,” co-trainer Mark Walker said. “I thought she did very well to keep going through the gap when squeezed up between runners in the straight. That’s a really good sign for a two-year-old, especially having her first start.
“She actually motored to the line in really good style, and she’s another lovely filly that Dave (Ellis) bought as a yearling off Waikato Stud. We believe Super Seth is a sire on the up and up and we hold his progeny in high regard.
“For La Dorada, it’s all systems go towards black-type races and, of course, contesting the Karaka Millions 2YO in January. We’ll give her a week off and we’ll then set about plans for upcoming races.”
La Dorada shares fourth spot on the order of entry with Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who has also earned $23,000 from a single raceday appearance. The joint leaders on the order of entry are Storm Front (NZ) (Snitzel) and Roc ‘N’ Ready (NZ) (El Roca) with $25,875 each, while Landlock (NZ) (Merchant Navy) sits in third with $25,000.
The weekend’s other winner was Abbakiss (Microphone), who moved into eighth on the order of entry with $13,960 after a victory in Sunday’s $18,500 Johnson Brothers 2YO (1000m) at Tauherenikau.
A third placegetter in her only previous start, the Bryce Newman-trained filly took a big step forward second-up and beat the favoured Corsolio (Bivouac) by a long neck. The third placegetter finished five lengths behind the first pair.
“She went really well, Kavish (Chowdhoory, jockey) rode her super and has ridden her in most of her work,” Newman said. “She only had the one trial, so she was still quite green at Otaki, but Kavish said she was brilliant at Tauherenikau. She behaved and did everything right.
“She’s a beautiful type of filly, she’s got a bit of scope and length to her, which is encouraging. I don’t think she’s an out-and-out two-year-old, so that’s quite exciting going forward.
“Michelle and I picked her out at the sales, we just liked her and she’s a really gorgeous-looking filly. It’s nice when you make a decision and a plan works out.
“She looks like a real athlete, which will influence our decisions going forward. We think she’s going to be a lovely three-year-old, she’s got so much leg underneath her, so we’re not going to make any plans at this stage.
“We’ll sit on the fence for the next couple of weeks, we may possibly make a plan on going north (for the Karaka Millions), but that’s not the be all and end all. We’ll put her first, we want some longevity out of her as well. We’ve only got a couple of two-year-olds, so we are just really happy to have one up and going early.”
Another notable mover this week was promising South Island filly Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau), who lifted her earnings to $15,625 with a second placing at Riccarton on Wednesday.
There are likely to be big moves on the order of entry later this month with the running of the season’s first black-type juvenile race, the $110,000 Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Pukekohe on November 23.
The TAB Karaka Millions 2YO is part of a stellar six-race twilight meeting at Ellerslie on January 25, which sets the scene for a spectacular week of Karaka 2025 selling action.
