Kiwi filly Gust of Wind (NZ) (Darci Brahma) blew away her rivals with a dominant victory in the Group 1 A$1,000,000 Seven News Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday, her victory on the final day of The Championships was the fourth Group 1 win by a New Zealand-bred or sold horse across the two days, with kiwis laying claim to half of the Group 1 races at The Championships.
The winning began with Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) in the Australian Derby, followed by Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo) in the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap and Gust of Wind’s Australian Oaks victory, all three horses sold at New Zealand Bloodstock. Criterion (NZ) (Sebring) concluded New Zealand’s achievements, winning the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
These results mirrored last year’s success with Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly) winning Group 1 Doncaster Handicap, Criterion winning the Group 1 Australian Derby, Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral) winning the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar) winning the Group 1 Australian Oaks at the 2014 edition of The Championships.
The lightly raced Gust of Wind had only four raceday appearances entering Saturday’s race, winning two races for trainer John Sargent.
She finished fourth on debut for trainer David Hayes before returning this season in Sargent’s Randwick stable where she won at Scone in spectacular fashion. At her last start, she finished fourth to race rival Candelara (Real Saga), running on from the back of the field.
Sargent has reaped the rewards from New Zealand-bred fillies, training Gust Of Wind to be his fourth Group 1 Oaks winner in Australasia. Sargent trained Quintessential (NZ) (Fast’n’Famous) to win the Group 1 Queensland Oaks in 2012, followed by Kirramosa (NZ) (Alamosa) in the 2013 Group 1 Victoria Oaks and last year saw Miss Mossman (NZ) (Mossman) take the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks. All of these fillies were purchased at Karaka.
“This victory was very good for New Zealand’s breeding industry,” commented Sargent. “I’ll definitely be buying my staying fillies out of New Zealand because we know they can stay and are bred to do just that.”
Commencing from barrier 5 for jockey Tye Angland, Gust of Wind went to the tail of the field in the initial stages as Candelara raced to the lead. Driving forward, Gust of Wind followed the rail to find a spot tracking the race-favourite Winx (Street Cry). With 1400 metres to run, Winx came off the fence allowing Gust Of Wind to track up and inch her way closer to the front-runners.
Getting an inside run on the turn for home, Gust Of Wind swept to the lead and raced away from her rivals for a dominant two-and-a-half-length victory. Winx ranged up inside the last 200m to finish in second place and Candelara came home in third place.
“It was a fantastic effort,” added Sargent. “She is probably the first filly I’ve trained that definitely has the Oaks distance, or further, in her and you’ll see her get better as she gets to the two mile distance.
“She has gone out for a spell now but we will aim her for Flemington in the spring as she is qualified now for the Melbourne Cup, but we will have to wait and see how she develops at four.”
Gust of Wind’s Group 1 victory has increased her prizemoney to A$716,900 for her owner Oliver Wong.
The three-year-old filly was purchased by Apollo Ng at the 2013 Karaka Premier Sale for $90,000 from Wentwood Grange.
Wentwood Grange, operated by the Hawkins family, has had a fruitful week with fellow 2013 Karaka Premier Sale graduate Kermadec victorious in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile while stayerTremec (NZ) (Zabeel), also bred and sold by Wentwood Grange, won the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap.
Gust Of Wind is the fifth Group 1 winner for her sire Darci Brahma, also the sire of dual Singapore horse of the Year Super Easy (NZ).
Bred by W K Chow, the daughter of Darci Brahma is out of imported mare Starrystarrynight (Sadler’s Wells), runner-up in the Listed Curragh Finale Stakes. Gust of Wind’s dam is a full-sister to stakes winner Starbourne (Sadler’s Wells), winner of the Listed Naas Garnet Stakes and placegetter in the Group 1 Irish One Thousand Guineas.
Starrystarrynight was purchased by Brent Gillovic at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2010 National Broodmare Sale for $180,000. The catalogue for this year’s NZB National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale was released last week and can be viewed here.
– NZ Bloodstock Release
