Curraghmore again boasted some impressive race results over the weekend with graduates of the farm flying the flag on the international stage.
$400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Tulip (Pierro) ran a brave fifth in the Gr.1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday.
“She was a touch keen early,” jockey Jason Collett said.
“She came back and relaxed nice. It felt like we were going to run past Global Glamour however perhaps the 1300m is a touch too far for her at this level.”
Bred by Orpendale, Tulip was following on from her win in the Gr.3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes and this was a good effort in a race against the older horses. (view the video replay here)
On Sunday Almost Court (Alamosa) continued his good form this campaign snaring his first stakes win with a front-running performance to win the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m).
Bred in a partnership by Graeme Hunt (the co-breeder of Efficient) B M Hancock & C J G McFarlane and was sold by Curraghmore from their 2014 NZB Select draft for $36,000.
Almost Court has now had six wins from nine starts in Australia for trainers Barbara Joseph and Paul Jones.
“It was a terrific win, this is a horse that was developed in New Zealand and sent to a Canberra syndicate of people so it was a great thrill for them to get this win on one of their biggest days of the year,” Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham said. (full story here)
In Hong Kong on Sunday night Sun Touch (Rip Van Winkle) scored his second career win. A half-brother to the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Ceylon, Sun Touch was prepared in New Zealand by Graeme Richardson before qualifying for Hong Kong. (view the video replay here)
On Monday Curraghmore will be paying close attention to Fanatic (Shocking) who runs in the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m).
“We are very excited to watch Fanatic who was born and raised on the farm here and who is the favourite for the race,” Cunningham said.
“This is a time-honoured race and Lindsay Park have had this as a long-time target for the mare. Her owner/breeder Sean Kiernan has travelled over with his son Jack to watch the race.”
Fanatic will jump from barrier three in the A$400,000 race that will run at 6:50pm NZ time.
