Thorndon Mile (Group 1)

THE Chosen One, fifth in the Lexus Melbourne Cup in November, came back in distance to take out Saturday’s Group 1 Thorndon Mile first-up from his summer break.

Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, the Savabeel six-year-old horse was settled just off the pace by Matthew Cameron.

Showing no signs of dourness from previous campaigns that has seen him sent over 3,200 metres five times, The Chosen One put on a classy display to run out an easy two-length winner from the Shamexpress mare Coventina Bay and Mali Ston, by El Roca.

“Sometimes these stallions only do what they have to until you ask them,” said Cameron. “I gave him one behind the saddle and he really accelerated and showed that determination to win, which was just awesome.”

The win was an important first Group 1 for The Chosen One who was offered at Karaka as a yearling but failed to meet his reserve of NZ$150,000.

Good effort

“It was a very good effort,” concurred Murray Baker, who is recovering from a knee replacement operation. “He had a month in the paddock when he came home from Melbourne, but he had retained a fair bit of fitness.

“He also has an excellent fresh-up record, so we studied the conditions of this race and decided to have a crack at it. He’s won more than twice the prize money of any of his rivals and with the light weight we thought he could be pretty competitive.

“It was a lovely ride by Matt and it’s a thrill to win the race for everyone involved in him.”

He has now won seven races and in excess of NZ$2.34 million and looks set to contest the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes over 2,000 metres next Saturday, a race he was second in last year, before travelling back to Australia.

La Crique on Derby path

THE Simon and Katrina Alexander-trained filly La Crique moved herself into equal favouritism for the New Zealand Derby with an eye-catching display in the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham on Saturday.

From the first crop of Vadamos, La Crique had the services of Craig Grylls for the 1,600-metre set-weights contest for fillies.

“It worked out perfectly,” said Grylls. “She lobbed into the one-one from a perfect draw, and she relaxed beautifully the whole way. She just jogged up to them turning in, and I was trying to wait and wait before I let her go.

“She showed a really good turn of foot and was strong all the way to the line. She’s beaten a couple of very handy horses impressively today.”

La Crique blitzed her rivals to win by nearly five lengths over the aptly named Burgundy filly Sassy Merlot, with Love Letter, by the Irish-bred Wrote, third.

“That was a brilliant win today,” said Katrina Alexander. “I’ve always known she will go this distance and further, but she is unique in that she has also shown she has brilliant gate speed, which probably had people thinking she might not get over a distance.

“I believe she will just go on and get better as she gets older. Now we will need to go back and look at the timing of everything for her, with the Derby (March 5th) high on the list as well as the Oaks (March 19th).

“We’ll have a talk with her owners and we could also look at overseas, although the logistics of that at the moment make it very hard.”

Five in the frame for the Derby

A BOTTLENECK of five horses fill the top line of betting for the NZ$1 million New Zealand Derby, scheduled for the first Saturday of March at Ellerslie.

The Australian-bred Field Of Gold joined that group following his well taken win in Wednesday’s Group 2 Waikato Guineas over 2,000 metres at Te Rapa.

The Tony Pike-trained Starspangledbanner gelding led from the start as Michael McNab rode a brilliantly judged race to ease the pace just enough before setting for home inside the half mile.

Strong

Hitting the line strongly Field Of Gold defeated the race favourite and Derby co-favourite, The Perfect Pink, the Savabeel filly catching the eye with a sustained effort from near last on the bend to go down by a length. Third went to the Shamexpress gelding Shamus.

Scratched was Dark Destroyer who beat the winner in the Auckland Guineas on New Year’s Day and is also a Derby co-favourite alongside the Karaka Million 3YO runner-up Tutukaka, a stablemate of Field Of Gold.

Australia

Overpass is on track

WHILE the centre of interest was the Caulfield Guineas winner and Cox Plate runner-up Anamoe, returning in Saturday’s Group 2 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill, the Street Boss colt had to settle for third behind the Vancouver colt Overpass.

Trained by Bjorn Baker, the A$75,000 Inglis Easter yearling took the best win of his career.

“It was a great ride by Tim (Clark),” said Baker.

“I gave him a bit of an open canvas. He dominated and dictated. You only have to look at the Roman Consul and Coolmore to know he is a top, top-class horse.”

Overpass was fourth and sixth in those races respectively.

“We will just see what happens. He’s a fast horse, he has always shown speed. I will nominate him for the Newmarket (Handicap at Flemington) on Monday.

“We have some unfinished business there.

“We will give it a bit of thought. There is plenty to think about. There is The Everest, Golden Eagle, there are so many options.”