Group One Mare Consensus to Race On

Media Release - Thursday November 1

Group One winning mare Consensus will have the first run of her seven-year-old season in the Chesters Plumbing & Bathroom (1300m) at Tauranga on Saturday.

ConsensusThe Stephen McKee-trained mare last raced in May when she ended a three start Australian campaign with an eighth placing in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on the Gold Coast, having also finished fourth in the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and sixth in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in Sydney.

"She came straight home and spelled at Kylie Bax's place in Cambridge for about six weeks," McKee said.

Consensus was one of 26 horses to have a trial at Te Aroha last Thursday before the meeting was abandoned due to an issue with the track.

"She's carrying quite a bit of weight as an older mare so we just gave her a quiet trial but she actually went quite well. Her trial was a couple of seconds faster than the next heat and she had a good blow afterwards so she's really going to improve with this week's race," McKee said.

The Tauranga track was rated a Slow7 on Thursday with rain forecast for the rest of the week which is not ideal for the daughter of Postponed whose best performances have been on better tracks.

"I'm not expecting a lot from her on Saturday, she's got 60kgs and it's going to be a wet track so she's going to improve a hell of a lot with the run," McKee said.

"She'll be naturally competitive as she always is, especially when she's fresh but if she can run in the first four or five I'll be pretty happy with her going forward.

Advertisement

"She will then run again at Tauranga in a couple of weeks and then we'll look at the Captain Cook which she finished second to Kawi in last year and then probably on to the Zabeel Classic again."

The winner of the 2016 Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) and fourth in last year's edition, Consensus is likely to race through until the Autumn before going to stud.

McKee also prepares Neeson in the Mills Reef Winery (1300m) on Saturday's Great Kiwi Raceday at Tauranga.

"He's been working well, he's drawn 18 but he will probably come in a bit with the ballots and he's a nice horse who I think will go through the grades," McKee said.

Meanwhile, the Victorian campaign of their stablemate Hasabro has come to an end. The three-year-old colt was galloped on in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) last Wednesday.

"He pulled up sore so he will have a little break and we will look to the New Zealand Derby," McKee said. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Te Akau Stars Headed to Cranbourne
Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn has welcomed some exciting reinforcements ahead of spring racing, headlined by $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) heroine Damask Rose.
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Resolute Racing Win G1 Prix Jean Prat – Wootton Bassett Sire Power
A crackerjack meeting at Deauville in France overnight highlighted the power of Wootton Bassett (GB), who sired yet another new two year-old stakes-winner and he also featured as the grand-sire of Woodshauna, who captured the Group I Prix Jean Prat (1400m) for US based Resolute Racing.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 6
Here is the full list of 68 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Public Attention Sold to Hong Kong
New Zealand-bred three-year-old Public Attention will continue his racing career in Hong Kong following his recent sale.
Debut Winner for St Mark’s Basilica
Set to shuttle to Coolmore Australia this spring, St Mark’s Basilica (FR) had an impressive debut winner overnight in the UK with Cape Ashizuri opening his account in style.
Dubawi Colt from $US8million Mare Wins G1 Coral Eclipse for Coolmore
Blueblood Dubawi colt Delacroix was a beaten favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby when unplaced behind his stablemate Lambourn, but he found his time to shine overnight when scoring a miraculous last to first win in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown.
Stakes Success for Spritely 7YO Warhorse
Pearce Racing's seven year old warhorse Ginger Baker collected his first ever stakes win in the Listed 2200m South West Cup yesterday.
New Sprint Star for WA?
Oakland Park's veteran WA sire Sessions is rarely without a good horse to represent him, and the son of Lonhro now has his sixth stakes winner after exciting 3YO galloper Repossession spanked the older horses to win the Listed Beaufine Stakes at Pinjarra Park.