WS stallions win four of six races on Karaka Millions

Waikato Stud’s powerhouse stallion roster was the dominant force on the big stage at Ellerslie today.

The premier nursery’s resident young guns Super Seth and Ardrossan provided feature race winners on Karaka Millions night and senior statesman Savabeel was, as usual, in the thick of the action with a double.

Ardrossan opened the six-race stakes card at Ellerslie when his daughter Ardalio took out the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy on Saturday, 25 January.

Bred and raced by a great friend and supporter of Waikato Stud in Lib Petagna of JML Bloodstock, the three-year-old filly was eased over the line by Michael McNab in the first race for Stephen Marsh.

Thirty-five minutes later it was Orchestral (Savabeel), returning to the scene of her 2024 Karaka Millions 3YO victory, who won well in the Listed Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic over 1200m.

Bred and raced by great friends and supporters of Waikato Stud in Colin and Helen Litt, the four-year-old mare is trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood of Kingsclere Stables, and we ridden by Craig Grylls.

Focus then shifted to the Karaka Millions two and three-year-old races where the WS-bred La Dorada (Super Seth ex Gold Fever) gave Te Akau Racing its eighth individual winner of the sought-after $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO under the guidance of Craig Williams.

She is out of the Savabeel mare Gold Fever, winner of the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner and placed in the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes. Her half-sister Gold Rocks also triumphed in the Breeders’ Stakes.

Runner-up in last season’s Karaka Millions 2YO Classic, Damask Rose went one better with authority in the three-year-old feature.

Bred and sold by Tony Rider of Milan Park – a great mate of Waikato Stud, returned to Ellerslie and won the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO for Te Akau Racing who took both feature races.

“It was a lovely ride by Blake (Shinn) as he rode her for a touch of luck and got the split at the right time,” co-trainer Mark Walker said.

“We will let the dust settle now, but she will probably have a run between races somewhere and then go straight into the slot race (NZB The Kiwi) here in March.”