Things may be quiet on the domestic racing front but three of Curraghmore's New Zealand Bloodstock graduates clocked up wins over the weekend.
First off the mark was Kinane (Reliable Man x Tres Rapide) who cleared maiden ranks when successful at Wyong.
The Chris Waller-trained three-year-old was having just his third start and was backing up off a runner-up finish a fortnight earlier.
Bred by Nearco Stud, Kinane was sold as a weanling through Curraghmore’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale draft. He was pinhooked by Highden Park who went on to sell him as a yearling. He then returned to the auction ring as a Ready To Run 2YO when purchased by Phill Cataldo.
On Sunday Ruettiger (Duporth x Be Inspired) scored his second consecutive win when taking out the open handicap over 1200m at Hobart.
Bred by Adrian Clark, Ruettiger was the first Australian stakes winner for Duporth and he is the second foal out of the Zabeel mare Be Inspired, a sibling to Group Three winners Rainbow Styling and Zingaling.
Ruettiger was sold to Lyndhurst Farm out of Curraghmore's 2012 NZB May Sale draft for $105,000. He was later resold as a two-year-old fetching $150,000 at the NZB Ready To Run Sale of 2YOs.
The win took the eight-year-old’s career tally to eight wins and 13 placings with stakes earnings of nearly A$400,000
“Both Kinane and Ruettiger were sound, good moving colts as weanlings,” Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham said. “Kinane looks like he is an up and comer and will get every opportunity to progress in the care of Chris Waller.
“Ruettiger, he is amazing, he is from the first crop of Duporth and out of a Zabeel mare. He has changed trainers a few times and has been a good horse for all of them.
“It is terrific he has demonstrated how good and sound he is.”
Consistent galloper Fantasy (Sizzling x Bon Fire) rounded out the trio of winners with victory in Hong Kong on Sunday evening.
The four-year-old was backing up from a runner-up finish earlier in the month and now has two wins and three seconds from six starts.
Bred in partnership by the Galaxy Breeding Syndicate and Wilkes Thoroughbreds, Fantasy was purchased by Danny Shum and Henry Plumptre for $240,000 when consigned by Curraghmore on behalf of Hallmark Stud at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run draft.
“We are proud to have sold a good horse on behalf of Hallmark Stud,” Cunningham said. “It is a terrific result for everyone.”
Curraghmore’s 2017 Ready To Run draft also produced Group One performer Age of Chivalry (He’s Remarkable x Onyx), also bought by Henry Plumptre, and four-time Australian winner Asgard Massif (Fastnet Rock x Jolie’s Shinju).
Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock x Memories of You) didn’t appear to enjoy the ground at all and was below her best in the Gr.2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m).
