A Group I winning son of High Chaparral, Redwood (IRE) was the toast of Ellerslie on Saturday with two winners who look headed for
greater heights.
Night's Watch and Romancer are both from the Westbury Stud sire's first crop
and the three-year-olds have Group One assignments in their sights.
Both were in the 2015 yearling sale draft until things turned slightly
pear-shaped according to Westbury Stud's general manager Russell Warwick.
"Redwood had three stand out colts and they were two of them," he recalled.
"Then the Glory Run - which became Night's Watch - scoped with an infection in
his throat."
With time running out the decision was made to withdraw the colt and take him
through to the next stage themselves. He was gelded, broken-in and, as Night's
Watch, found his way into the Byerley Park stables of Peter and Dawn Williams
and Paul Richards.
"He had three trials and every trial he showed ability," Warwick said after the
gelding's debut win. "He's still got a bit to learn but Mark [du Plessis] said
he is getting better all the time."
Night's Watch carries the familiar colours of OTI Management after agent Phil
Cataldo negotiated a half-share in the horse after he won his final trial.
"We are happy OTI got involved and he will stay with Peter Williams until after
the Derby," Warwick said. "The New Zealand Derby is worth $1 million this
season and Redwood could potentially have two or three runners."
The first foal of the Exceed and Excel mare Glory Run, Night's Watch carries a
nomination to the Derby and after his debut win over 1200m is at $26 in the
fixed odds market.
At shorter odds is Redwood's other Ellerslie winner, Romancer, who backed up
his maiden win with success in the Listed Schneider Electric Mufhasa Stakes
over 1300m. The Donna Logan-Chris Gibbs trained gelding is at $10 for the
Derby.
Romancer is the first foal from the unraced Romantically, a half-sister to the
dual Group One winner Sirmione, with Logan paying $110,000 for him at the 2015
Select sale.
"He was, in my view, the pick of the colts. He was athletic and was always
going to sell well," Warwick said. "I was talking to Donna in the marquee after
the sale and asked what she was going to do with him and she said she would
probably syndicate him."
Romancer races for a cast of plenty and, like Night's Watch, in the colours of
OTI, who purchased a half-share. Making up the ownership group is Craig
Dawson's Stirling Bloodstock, Donna Logan, mother and daughter Deb and Kate
Milliken, Jim and Ann Gibbs and Russell Warwick's wife Lesley.
"I told Donna at the sales that if I sold a filly I had in on the last day then
I would take a share as a birthday present for Lesley," Warwick said. The filly
made $60,000 and, as Warwick rather wryly pointed out, has gone on to earn a
Group One placing in the gavelhouse.com NZ 1000 Guineas racing as Bella Gioia.
The third standout colt from that 2015 Westbury draft was a half-brother to
Sound Journey from the unraced O'Reilly mare Written by Sound. "He was knocked
down to Liam Birchley for $200,000 and after winning his maiden race at the
Sunshine Coast headed to the Group one Golden Rose where he finished three and
half lengths behind Yankee Rose," Warwick said.
Birchley is no stranger to targeting races at Ellerslie, having claimed the
Karaka Million two-year-old event with Sister Havana and Hardline. Chamalu is
eligible for the Karaka Million three-year-old race and is also nominated for
the Vodafone New Zealand Derby.
Warwick is hoping Redwood's current run of success continues leading into the
yearling sales. "If he can get a Group One or Two winner then obviously it will
be a help at the sales," he said.
"It's exciting, he's owned by New Zealanders, he lives in New Zealand, he is
the only Group One winning son of High Chaparral standing in New Zealand. He
can leave a type and they can run." - NZ Racing Desk