Waikato Stud will have strength in numbers to add to its success rate in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and boost its seasonal tally at the top level.
The premier farm has bred and sold two past winners of the Eagle Farm Classic in Brambles (2012) and Lachlan River (2005), while Kukeracha (2021) was a graduate of the Matamata nursery.
Saturday’s edition of the Ladbrokes-sponsored event will feature a quartet of homebred and sold contenders in King Of Thunder, Party Crasher and the Cliff Brown-trained stablemates Scintillante and Rogan.
King of Thunder heads towards the Queensland Derby - image Bradley Photography
“I don’t know whether we’ve achieved that before, but it’s the old story that as long as one of them wins then we’ll be very happy,” Mark Chittick said.
“We’ve been following them all and we’re looking forward to it. We are very proud to have that representation in a Group One.”
Trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, King Of Thunder is a son of Tivaci and the Zabeel mare Sheezababe and was a $50,000 buy for the former at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale.
He was offered on behalf of Waikato Stud by Ohukia Lodge and is a two-time winner and a last-start third in the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m).
Ocean Park’s son Party Crasher was originally claimed out of Waikato Stud’s yearling draft at Karaka by Kurtis Pertab and Cody Cole for $40,000 and subsequently purchased by clients of trainer Michael Hickmott.
Out of the Rock ‘N’ Pop mare Party Popper, he has won his last two starts over ground at Morphettville against older opposition.
Savabeel three-year-old Scintillante, a son of the O’Reilly mare Glistening, was bought for A$120,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Brown.
He has won once from eight appearances and was most recently fourth in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m).
By Super Seth from the O’Reilly mare Tiara, Rogan was secured by Brown at Karaka for $50,000 and has won two of his last three appearances, including a lead-in victory over 2000m at Caulfield.
“I wouldn’t write off King Of Thunder, they’ve been wanting a wider draw to let him settle back,” Chittick said.
“The Ocean Park (Party Crusher) is obviously a very, very tough horse and the two for Cliff Brown are both also in good form.
“It’s great we’ve got four that we bred in the Derby and another two by our stallions.”
King Of Thunder’s stablemate Maison Louis is by Super Seth while the Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained Beau Dazzler is a son of Ardrossan.
“We’ve already bred three Group One winners this season and to get another one would be a hell of an achievement,” Chittick said.
He was referring to the successes of Savaglee in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), La Dorada in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Atishu in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
