New Zealand has been a great source of thoroughbred talent for leading Australian syndicator OTI Racing, and on Champions Day at Ellerslie this Saturday they are aiming to secure New Zealand’s richest prize.
Their silks will be carried in the inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) by New Zealand-bred filly Perfumist, who OTI purchased in collaboration with trainer Bjorn Baker, Phill Cataldo Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock, out of Westbury Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft for $190,000.
She has gone on to win five and place in three of her 10 starts to date for Baker, and accruing nearly A$270,000 in prizemoney. Her talent attracted the attention of several NZB Kiwi slot holders, with RACE Inc. ultimately securing her services.
“We ended up doing a little tender when we decided we would come across, and that worked out well and we are delighted with the way it has ended up with the boys down south (Palmerston North),” OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson said.
“We buy a lot of horses from over there and to have a horse in what will be the premium race of the year is very exciting.”
The daughter of El Roca is based with Cambridge trainer Lauren Brennan while in New Zealand, and Henderson said she has arrived in fine fettle, and he is looking forward to Saturday’s contest, particularly after drawing the two marble at the NZB Kiwi’s barrier draw on Tuesday evening.
“We are really happy with the way she has settled into Cambridge,” he said.
“It is always a different kettle of fish when you are playing away from home. She is a quality filly against the best in New Zealand, so she will need to be on her mark, but I think she deserves a shot at it.
“From what she has done so far, especially given we have been favoured by a nice barrier draw, she will be thereabouts, and we certainly expect her to be.”
Perfumist will be ridden on Saturday by Sydney-based Welsh jockey Ashley Morgan, who has won two races aboard the filly, and finished runner-up in his only other raceday ride aboard her.
“He has been riding a lot for Bjorn and has been riding very well in town, and he knows this filly,” Henderson said. “She can be a little quirky, so it was one of the reasons why we asked him to go across and ride her.”
A race later, OTI will be hoping to secure their second $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) scalp courtesy of the Tony Pike-trained Golden Century.
The syndicator’s colours were carried to victory in the Ellerslie Classic in 2018 by Vin De Dance, and Henderson said they would love to add another Kiwi Derby crown to their trophy cabinet.
“We love Derbys, we have won every Derby in Australia, and to win another Kiwi Derby would be great,” he said.
“It is a great race and a source for many good horses that we have had come over and we are really keen on being right up there again on Saturday.
“He has been a little unruly, but his work going into the race has been exceptional. The draw (barrier eight) isn’t too bad, we would have liked to have been closer. He is a gelding that just needs to get a nice, smooth run in transit.”
OTI were set to have a two-pronged attack in this year’s Derby, however, their other hopeful in Skippers Canyon failed to flatter when beating just one runner home in last month’s Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), and the decision was made to pull stumps on his current campaign, with a view to Australian targets later on this season.
“We were disappointed in the run by Skippers Canyon in the Avondale Guineas, and it was hard to justify continuing on with the prep,” Henderson said.
“We have sent him over here (Australia) and he will go to Phillip Stokes, who has done a very good job with a lot of our horses. We will bring him along gradually and we probably won’t worry about the Queensland Derby (Gr.1, 2400m), there is a Mahogany series here later in the three-year-old year that we will aim towards.”
Twisted Love, who was purchased by OTI out of Bill Thurlow’s Waverley stable following her debut win in January, has also made her way across the Tasman.
“She is going to Ciaron Maher and we will probably aim her towards the Brisbane Carnival,” Henderson said.
Meanwhile, Henderson is looking forward to fellow New Zealand purchase Warmonger lining-up in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
The Queensland Derby hero is set to tackle feature Sydney targets over autumn for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, and Henderson is looking forward to getting him over more ground.
“A bit of rain is going to help him a lot, he is a horse that does need the benefit of wet ground, but he is in great form,” he said. “His plan is the Sydney Cup (Gr.1, 3200m).”
Click here for the form on the $3.5millon NZB Kiwi.
By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
