New Zealand’s G1 Ackland Cup
Race : Ackland Cup – Grade I – $750,000
Track : New Zealand
Restrictions : All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance : Two miles on the Turf
Last year was the inaugural running of the G1-Ackland Cup. It is a grueling 2 miles on the turf for horses 3 years old and up, although no 3 year olds have dared try yet. K’S ZARAK won the 2 mile marathon for the Pompeya Throughbred Racing Corporation last year. He put pressure on the leader early and after a mile was able to overtake him and no one could catch him. The second place finisher, NOT SO CHEAP, also in the field today, was 4 lengths back. K’S ZARAK’s time was 3:28 and I wouldn’t be surprised if that record holds up here today. We only have 9 entered in the race and a weaker field than year. Let’s take a look:
PP 1 OISANS (JPN) (ALKASSED x CAT THIEF x GALILEO (IRE)) bred and trained by zatopeck (Rafa Stables, 15%) Odds: 5 to 1
First we have Oisans, a 5 year old son of Alkaased. He is the second ranked offspring for Alkaseed’s 2007 crop with 11 wins in 29 starts and is closing in on the million dollar mark in earnings. He has only tried this 2 mile distance twice: once he came close in allowance company and he struggled at the G1-Millwood, finishing 10th. Those two tries were well over a year ago. He is a two time G1 winner at 12 furlongs last spring at the G1-The Coronation Pilsner and G1-The Saint Cloud Grand Prix. Since then he has struggled against stakes and graded company and didn’t hit the board until his two straight allowance wins at 12 and 14 furlongs in his last two races. Drawing the rail is going to be a boost needed for this early speedster because there is a lot of other early speed in the race and he’ll need a great start to be in the mix here.
PP 2 NOT SO CHEAP (KY) (FORESTRY x PULPIT x GONE WEST) bred and trained by elcheapo (Desertfox Stables, 16%) Odds: 7 to 2
Out of post position two is our favorite, Not So Cheap, from the Desertfox Stables. He is making his second attempt to win the Ackland Cup. He finished second to K’s Zarak last year finishing 4 lengths back. Since then he has won 5 times including a G3, G2 and the G1-King Kong Vase three back. He hasn’t won at 16 furlongs since his G3 win last May, but came close in a stakes two races ago. He is a late runner and in a field with a lot of early speed he may just be able to race past them in the stretch. He has the highest last out speed with the 109 he put up in a 10.5 furlong allowance race where he finished second.
PP 3 THE REEF RETURNS (KY) (EMPIRE MAKER x MILL REEF x NIJINSKY II) bred by lenny29 and trained by lglong2yo (Lgbost Stables, 11%) Odds: 9 to 2
After 4 attempts to break his maiden The Empire sent The Reef Returns to the claiming ranks where he broke his maiden his first try. His second claiming race he also won and was claimed by Lgbost Stables for $150,000. After the change in connections he was consistently hitting the board in dirt routes, but the magic really started happening when trainer Lgbost tried a turf marathon. He won that one easily and then went on to win 3 other allowance races and one stakes race, all at 16 furlongs. His first graded try was only 12 furlongs and he won easily. Since then he has been racing in graded company at 11-13 furlongs, but not having the same success. I think the switch back to two miles will be beneficial here and help him hit the board again for the first time since last September. The Reef Returns will have one of the top jockeys here with F Inzamam who won last year’s Ackland Cup.
PP 4 NOT SO KOOL AID (KY) (VINDICATION x BLUSHING GROOM (FR) x SILVER BUCK) bred by peeps7 and trained by iluka (Tulloch Stables, 11%) Odds: 7 to 1
The first of two entries from Tulloch Stables is Not So Kool Aid, a master at 2 miles! He started at Conquest Farms, but after struggling to win again after breaking his maiden he was dropped to a $5,000 claimer and Tulloch grabbed him up. His new trainer immediately gave him more ground to run on and the wins started pouring in. He is a 4 time graded winner including the G1-The Spring Cup. He has won 10 times and earned well over 3 million for Tulloch Stables. The downside is he has really been struggling lately and in his last two tries finished well behind the leaders. He was beat by Shine On Through and Crusading Enforcer at the G1-Millwood, but finished ahead of Tilt A Whirl last out. Today he is making his second attempt at the Ackland Cup, he finished 5th here last year. If he can regain his form he could top that 5th place finish here.
PP 5 SHINE ON THROUGH (AUS) (BEL ESPRIT (AUS) x SWAIN (IRE) x COZZENE) bred and trained by crown (Tulloch Stables, 11%) Odds: 9 to 2
Out of post position 5 is Shine On Through, a 5 year old son of Bel Esprit. Shine On Through is the top offspring for Bel Esprit’s 2007 crop and the only graded winner he has ever produced. He started his career as a claimer for bung0 stables and was picked up for $2,000 by Tulloch Stables. Just like his stable mate next to him (Not So Kool Aid), he was given more ground and started to win after being claimed by Tulloch Stables. He strung together 2 G1 wins with a G1 place and G2 win before this past fall, but ended the year with a 4th at the G1-Millwood Cup where he lost to Crusading Enforcer also in the field today. After a 3 month lay-off he came back at the Equinics to repeat a 4th place finish.
PP 6 FLAMBARDS (AUS) (ELVSTROEM (AUS) x GENEROUS (IRE) x ELA-MANA-MOU (IRE)) bred and trained by chop (Bush League Stables J, 15%) Odds: 8 to 1
Next is a lightly raced 4 year old filly from the Bush League Stables J. This will be only her second time taking on the boys, the first coming in a maiden race about a year ago where she just missed. She broke her maiden next out and went on to grab a few wins at the allowance level before winning the G1-The Vicky Oaks at 13 furlongs in her first graded try. She hasn’t won since then, but I think she might find this increased distance to her liking. This will be her first try at 2 miles and she has been closing in her previous tries, so perhaps with the added distance she will be able to make up more ground in the stretch and hit the board here.
PP 7 GOLDENDOODLE (KY) (SWAIN (IRE) x KRIS S. x INDIAN RIDGE (IRE)) bred by polpot and trained by deelynette (Deelynette Stables, 11%) Odds: 21 to 1
Next is the first of two long shots in the field and another lightly raced 4 year old. This son of Swain is making only his 13th career start here and his first attempt at 2 miles. His 4 career wins all came in allowance company, although he did finish second in his first graded try, the G3-The Classic Trial. His two other graded tries were not as successful and he finished well back of the leaders. He is coming off his career high of 98 last out in an allowance win where he wired the field. There are some dangerous early speed horses in the field and with many wanting the lead, I fear he is going to have a tough time getting it here.
PP 8 LIERGANES (IRE) (FASLIYEV (IRE) x SADLER’S WELLS x RAHY) bred and trained by triska (Rafa Stables, 15%) Odds: 13 to 1
It is refreshing to see so many horses in the field with sires you don’t see every day. Lieganes is a 5 year old son of Fasliyev and he is the top offspring for the 2007 crop. He has yet to win at the stakes or graded level, although he has hit the board in the listed stakes. Today’s race will be his fourth graded try, but his first stakes or graded try at 16 furlongs. In his three tries at this distance he has a win and a place, but his times were much slower compared to others in the field today. I think he likes the distance, but this might be a tough field for him, especially considering that all his wins have come wire to wire and there are some much faster early speed horses here today. If he gets the lead out of the gates I think he will struggle to hold on to it.
PP 9 CRUSADING ENFORCER (IRE) (MONTJEU (IRE) x KINGMAMBO x DEPUTY MINISTER) bred and trained by foxon5 (Foxon Stables, 24%) Odds: 4 to 1
Last, but certainly not least, we have the top qualifier Crusading Enforcer. This 3rd ranked male in the long turf route division has a lot going for him today. He is a lightly raced 4 year old son of Montjeu with quite an impressive resume. After breaking his maiden on his second try he moved right on to stakes where he won two of his first three tries. He then went on the win a G3, the G1-Sydney Derby and then the G1-Derby de English. Recently his owner at Foxon Stables started stretching him out and in his two tries at 16 furlongs he has a win and a place, including a win at the G1-Millwood Cup against two others in the field today. Last year’s winner also won the Millwood Cup. Crusading Enforcer is an early speedster and there is definitely going to be competition for the lead, but with top jockey GD Mate in the irons I don’t think he will have trouble getting it.
It is not unusual to see a race with a lot of early speed, but what is unusual about this race is most of the early speed horses won their races wire to wire. I think Crusading Enforcer has the best chance of the early speedsters for a win here. The oddsmakers liked Not So Cheap for the win and I definitely think he will be dangerous with his late speed.
Morning Line: Not So Cheap, Crusading Enforcer, Oisans
Kloie’s picks: Crusading Enforcer, Not So Cheap, Flambards
Good luck and happy racing. J