G2 Winner for Squamosa

Media Release - Saturday December 21

Underrated southern mare Kiwi Ida scored her biggest career victory when she upset the favourites in Saturday’s Group II Kamada Park Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni.

Kiwi Ida - Race ImagesThe John and Karen Parsons-owned and trained five-year-old has been a standout in southern racing, winning twelve of her 39 career starts prior to Saturday with two at stakes level including the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton last year.

Saturday’s contest represented just the second time she had ventured to the North Island following an unplaced run at Trentham as a two-year-old, with punters mostly overlooking her claims for the Group Two feature despite her impressive career record.

Progressive miler Rock On Wood was sent out a warm favourite in the contest off the back of a four-race winning streak and looked to have the contest in safe keeping when he burst to the front early in the run home.

Rider Chris Johnson had been biding his time on Kiwi Ida towards the rear of the field in the early stages and tracked the favourite into the race approaching the home turn.

Johnson angled his mount off the back of Rock On Wood at the 200m and she responded with a sustained burst that carried her to the finish line in front by a head from Rock On Wood with Shadows Cast and Secret Allure close up behind the pair.

Johnson was his usual understated self as he described the way the race had panned out for him.

“I got back past midfield but got out at the right time,” he said.

Advertisement

“She came into it nicely and I ended up behind the right horse turning in.

“She found enough to hold him off.

“She’s honest and you just have to look at her record as she hasn’t missed many times.

“She was trained to the minute and although we had a bit of trouble getting up here, she seemed to cope with it.”

Along with her thirteen victories, Kiwi Ida has also been placed on 14 occasions, with six of those in black type company and has earned just under $393,000 in prizemoney.

A full brother to Kiwi Ida will be offered from the Highline Thoroughbreds draft during Book 1 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka next month. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Manawatu Stakes Gr2 1400m

Awapuni Track: Slow(8) Time: 1:25.70
1
Kiwi Ida
- 5m Squamosa (AUS) x Empress Ida (AUS) (Blevic (AUS))
Tnr: J & K Parsons Rdr: C W Johnson 57
2
0.1
Rock On Wood
- 5g Redwood (GB) x Rock On Rye (AUS) (Catcher In The Rye (IRE))
Tnr: Ms L Elliot Rdr: R T Elliot 59
3
0.9
Shadows Cast
- 7g Per Incanto (USA) x Ages Past (NZ) (Slavic (USA))
Tnr: M K Oulaghan Rdr: L J Allpress 59
4
1.0
Secret Allure
- 4m Zacinto (GB) x Secret Scent (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Ms L Latta Rdr: R J Myers 57
5
1.1
Magnum
- 7g Per Incanto (USA) x Sound Lover (NZ) (Sound Reason (CAN))
Tnr: Ms L Brennan Rdr: O P Bosson 59
6
2.6
La Bella Rosa
- 7m Tavistock (NZ) x Memphis (NZ) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: Ms T Egan Rdr: L T Hemi 57
7
3.4
Dark Princess
- 6m Cape Blanco (IRE) x Game Duchess (AUS) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: J R Lynds Rdr: J Parkes 57
8
4.4
Lady Kartel
- 6m Tavistock (NZ) x Flash Drive (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: Ms T Keegan Rdr: S T Collett 57
9
4.9
Ritani
- 5m Makfi (GB) x Elegant Emerald (AUS) (Unbridled's Song (USA))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: C J Grylls 57
10
5.4
Emily Margaret
- 4m Pins (AUS) x Seven Schillings (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: K & P Hughes Rdr: R J Hannam 57
11
9.7
Heni
- 9m Towkay (AUS) x Bahhzaar (NZ) (Bahhare (USA))
Tnr: M P Breslin Rdr: D L Turner 57
12
22.5
Chocante
- 7g Shocking (AUS) x Strictly Maternal (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: D S Johnson 59
More Reading...
Ardrossan Filly Wins First Kiwi Juvenile Race of New Season
Otaki horseman Johno Benner has a good association with the Karaka Millions, and he could have another serious contender on his hands for January’s showpiece.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
Breeding to Win - 2025 Manikato Stakes
Racing at The Valley on Grand Final Eve in Melbourne - the southern capital doing what it does best, bringing people together in celebration of sporting greatness!
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Invincible Filly Snares $100,000 Inglis Bonus
The least expensive filly by champion sire I Am Invincible sold at Inglis Easter in 2024, Wear the Crown always looked to have been well bought at $260,000 by Seib/Racing / Champion Thoroughbreds and she set about repaying her purchase price at Goulburn on Thursday.