Gr1 New Zealand Derby Goes to CROWN PROSECTUTOR

04 Mar 19

In NZ, Cambridge based trainer Stephen Marsh picked up his maiden Group1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) title at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Marsh saddled up two runners in the contest with punters favouring Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) placegetter Vernanme as his main winning chance.

Punters had overlooked the credentials of stablemate Crown Prosecutor who had disappointed in his previous two runs since winning the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) back in November.

In a muddling run affair that saw several of the fancied contenders settle well off the pace, Crown Prosecutor and rider Craig Grylls took advantage of a perfect run in the trail throughout to spring the upset.

CROWN PROSECUTOR (inside) winning the 2019 Gr1 NZ Derby

Grylls guided the Medaglia D'Oro gelding into the clear at the 300m mark and dashed to the front to join In A Twinkling. This pair set down to a fierce battle over the closing stages that went in favour of Crown Prosecutor who won at a price of $105 on the NZ tote.

Jockey Grylls was struggling to take it all in as he made his way back to the Ellerslie birdcage.

"Emotions are pretty high," he said.

"He had won a stakes race before, but his form wasn't the best coming in.

"He's been a little off the boil, but Stephen and his team have done a great job and I couldn't believe it.

"The plan was to go forward but he was green down the straight the first time as he tried to duck out a couple of times.

"He was good when he got a bit of cover and they didn't go overly hard.

"Turning in, he travelled up underneath me, then he just kept grinding away and fought it out to the line."

Marsh, who emulated his father Bruce who took out the 2000 edition of the event with Hail, was trying hard to keep his emotions in check as he accepted congratulations after the race.

"It just feels outstanding," he said.

"I know he was one of the roughies of the race and we know how hard it is to even have a horse in the Derby.

"I don't usually get given colts to train and we have, so this is the race you want to win as it's the best race on the calendar.

"I'm just rapt, I'm blown away."

Despite the outside odds for his charge, Marsh did have an inkling he could prove competitive in an even line-up.

"We had him hard fit ready and I said to Craig to go forward as he can out-tough them," Marsh said.

"Nothing had gone right for us last start and he was a stakes winner.

"He (Grylls) rode him perfectly as they went hard and he sat in behind them, so it was a great win."

Runner-up In A Twinkling was brave with international rider Glen Boss thinking he may have had the race won half-way down the home straight.

Boss said "I was three-wide with cover for most of the race and I started to edge forward at the half-mile as he's that type of horse.”

"I felt like I had the winner beat the whole length of the straight, but he kept fighting back and pulling out a little more, so full credit to him."

Platinum Invador fought on for third with race favourite Surely Sacred also making up ground for fifth after being held up when the field quickened at the 800m.

Crown Prosecutor has now won two of his seven starts for $644,625 in stakes earnings.

CROWN PROSECUTOR is by Medaglia d’Oro out of RIPTIDE (by Exceed And Excel).

That’s the Danehill line cross which is working very well with Medaglia d’Oro.

There have been 9 Stakes Winners bred on this cross – It’s interesting that there are 8 Colts and 1 Filly so evidence supports it’s a male dominated cross to buy progeny upon.

Of the 9 Stakes Winners - 3 are Gr1 Winners: CROWN PROSECUTOR; ASTERN and VANCOUVER there are 3 Gr3 Winners: NOSTRADAMUS, TESSERA and the filly POHUTUKAWA and 3 Listed Winners: FEDERAL, SPECTROSCOPE and KING LOUIS.

CROWN PROSECUTOR Gr1 Winner

ASTERN Gr1 Winner

VANCOUVER Gr1 Winner

There are also 4 Stakes Placegetters on this cross (3 colts / 1 mare)

RAGAZZO D’ORO Gr2 placed, AMBOSELI Gr2 placed (mare), AL VALORE LR Placed and LEGION FIGHTER LR placed.

This is the SADLER’S WELLS sire line over DANEHILL line which has produced 215 Stakes Winners.

Dynamic Syndications were well aware of how well the cross was working when we went to inspect Lot 239 at the Inglis Classic.

Our new colt by BOOM First Crop Sire - VANCOUVER from DANGLISSA GIRL to race with AQUIS FARM

Bred on this same cross - He proved to be a super colt from the First Crop Golden Slipper Winning Sire VANCOUVER (Medaglia d’Oro x Skates – a Danehill mare).

From DANGLISSA GIRL; she was a city winning daughter of HINCHINBROOK (by Fastnet Rock by Danehill) out of DANGLISSA a Gr1 Winning daughter of Golden Slipper winner DANZERO – a son of Danehill).

We couldn’t say no and purchased him through the sale ring for $100,000 plus GST.

The introduction of Medaglia d’Oro on the sire line makes the colt we purchased genetically balanced and strongly increases the opportunity of his black-type success.

The colt is from a female family that GAI WATERHOUSE has made.

Tommy Berry & Gai Waterhouse with the 2015 Golden Slipper won by VANCOUVER

GAI trained VANCOUVER to be a Champion 2yo and Golden Slipper Winner and Unbeaten in 4 starts at 2 winning the Breeders’ Plate in the Spring then coming back in the Autumn to win the Canonbury, Todman and Golden Slipper.

DANGLISSA winning the Gr1 Flight Stakes at Rosehill

GAI also trained DANGLISSA to win the STC Flight Stakes Gr1., The STC Queen Of The Turf Gr2., and STC Tea Rose Stakes Gr2.

Gai also trained progeny from daughters of DANGLISSA to win Stakes Races:

SWEET REDEMPTION ex Redeeming Lass.

UNITE AND CONQUER ex Maglissa.

Whilst another daughter Medusa is the Dam of stakes winner EURYALE
and stakes placed ATHENA LASS.

EURYALE

Bred by AQUIS FARM when they heard Dynamic Syndications were the buyer their CEO Shane McGrath approached us and advised they were so impressed with this colt that they wanted to buy back in to race him with us.

AQUIS FARM CEO Shane McGrath

Details will be released soon on the colt who will be heading into Randwick for GAI and Adrian to train.

Adam Watt - Director Sales & Marketing at Dynamic Syndications

If you would like to find out more simply call Adam Watt at Dynamic Syndications on 02 9540 1511 or 0409 464 378 and have a chat.