Tuxedo Ready for NZ Derby

Media Release - Tuesday March 4

Shaune Ritchie couldn’t have wished for a smoother run with Tuxedo into Saturday’s $1.25 million Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).

The Cambridge horseman, who trains with Colm Murray, has enjoyed a trouble-free run with the well-named son of Tivaci and Ball Gown ahead of Saturday’s Trackside-sponsored feature.

Tuxedo is primed to take on Saturday's $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie.   Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

“It’s getting harder to find the negatives around him, I suppose if you’re being picky then the traditional lead-up would have been the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m),” Ritchie said.

Tuxedo hasn’t raced since he romped to victory in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa in early February.

“We felt he was fit enough and didn’t need it, and I gave John Bary a call and he did the same thing with Jimmy Choux,” Ritchie said.

“It’s not like it’s not doable, I understand it’s against normal things, but we felt he didn’t need another run on a hard track at Ellerslie two weeks before the Derby when he’d already excelled in the Waikato Guineas.

“We’re very happy with how he’s come through everything, and he went up to Ellerslie yesterday (Monday) for a gallop and that has topped him off beautifully.”

Like all his rivals, Tuxedo will head into unchartered waters over 2400m, and Ritchie is as confident as he can be that his charge will master the Classic distance.

“An extra 400m is a big step and we’re not underestimating that and there are horses such as probably Bourbon Proof and Thedoctoroflove who look almost certain to run the mile and a-half,” he said.

“I think we’ve got the best turn of foot in the race and that’s a massive factor, if he does run the trip out then I doubt there’s going to be a horse with a quicker last sectional than our bloke, based on his Waikato Guineas performance.

“He is only in his first prep and that weighs on our mind as well, which is another reason we missed the Avondale Guineas and that was certainly by design. We’ve got him spot on for the weekend.”

Advertisement

Tuxedo has posted three wins and two runner-up finishes from his five appearances, all in the hands of Joe Doyle who will again take the reins on Saturday.

“He’s been remarkably consistent and ran into a very in-form Willydoit and he beat us fair and square and of course Damask Rose came from behind and beat him in the Karaka Millions (1600m),” Ritchie said.

“He was beaten by two very good ones when he has been defeated and his three wins have been spectacular, so he’s never gone to the races and let us down.”

Should Tuxedo perform up to expectations at Ellerslie, the focus may then turn to Australia.

“We were thinking that missing the Avondale Guineas would also set us up much better to be able to progress to Sydney for the ATC Derby (Gr.1, 2400m) and that be his last run this prep,” Ritchie said.

Tuxedo is raced by majority Auckland owner Grant Barnett, and friends, who purchased him out of breeder Waikato Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $70,000.

“He’s had a Group One winner with me before in Magic Cape (Gr.1, New Zealand 2000 Guineas) and he’s raced some very nice horses, but Tuxedo looks like he could be better than all of them,” Ritchie said.

“Grant deserves the accolades because he found him and then we looked at the horse and gave him the thumbs up.

“We also went to the Inglis Classic Sale and bought (for A$130,000) Tuxedo’s half-sister by Super Seth so we’ve got her in the paddock.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Bates gets creative at The Valley
Six-year-old gelding The Creator led throughout to claim the Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Betting Handicap (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday under a perfect Logan Bates ride.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Hard To Cross swoops to Valley win
Six-year-old gelding Hard To Cross was aided by the three-kilo claim of Rose Hammond as the Kiwi bred landed his first victory of the preparation when landing the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1523m).
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
Derby or Kiwi for Tivaci 3YO Tuxedo?
Probably for the first time in New Zealand turf history, a Kiwi trainer has made a $3.5 million race his backup plan. 
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Now Online
The strongest collection of sire power ever assembled for an Australian 2YO Sale will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.