Group One breeder excited by forthcoming Karaka offering

Media Release - Sunday February 13

As preparations ramp up for the 2022 edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka in March, Curraghmore principal Gordon Cunningham was once again celebrating the success of a past graduate of his Te Awamutu-based operation.

The popular Irishman bred outstanding Ocean Park mare Tofane who added a fourth Group One victory to her impressive career record when she took out the Gr.1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon.

Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham Photo Credit: Trish Dunell

Although initially entered in the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, Cunningham elected to retain Tofane and send her to trainer Michael Moroney’s Matamata barn under the care of co-trainer Pam Gerard.

Tofane won an 820m trial at Te Teko before Ballymore Stable clients purchased her from Cunningham and she was transferred to Moroney’s Melbourne stable where she has gone on to win eight races from 27 starts and over A$3.39 million in prizemoney.

Cunningham is justifiably proud of the mare, who he admitted didn’t really stand out as a young horse until she began to mature. 

“She was a pretty typical  Ocean Park early on, but with maturity she developed with more obvious quality and the look of a good horse ,” he said.

“She has gone on to show she is an absolutely elite galloper, who always gives her best.

“I actually feel she is probably still a touch underrated as the field she beat yesterday was full of quality and she did it in confident fashion.

“She led all the way and was a sitting duck for the stalkers and nothing could touch her.

Advertisement

“I think she deserves all the accolades she gets.”

Tofane has been a star performer for Curraghmore - image Grant Courtney.

With the National Yearling Sales less than a month away, Cunningham and his Curraghmore team are hard at work putting the finishing touches on a draft that will see them present 23 individuals in the Book 1 sale and a further four in Book 2.

Having developed and sold numerous elite horses on his Te Awamutu farm, Cunningham is confident the depth of his current draft will continue the legacy the farm has created since it was established back in 1994.

“We have been hard at work for the past five weeks and have enjoyed probably the best November and December period that I can recall.

“I’m delighted with how our preparations have gone so far as we certainly have confidence in our draft right through each colt and each filly,” he said.

“Hopefully the rewards will be there for us, and all the vendors, and that bidding will be deservedly strong across the two catalogues.

Cunningham is loathe to single out individuals in his draft but does have a special mention for Lot 410, a filly by Fastnet Rock out of Galileo mare, Memories Of You which makes her a full sister to Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) winner, Unforgotten and stakes placed filly Special Memories, who are both Curraghmore graduates.

“I guess our draft is headed by our full sister to Unforgotten Lot 410, who is a big prospect to run and is so well related. It is a privilege to be able to offer her for sale,” Cunningham said.

“We sold  both of her sisters in Unforgotten and Special Memories and I think this filly has a lot of similarities to Unforgotten although she may even be a tad more mature at this stage.

“She is typical of those good Fastnet Rock fillies and is bred on the Fastnet Rock, Galileo cross that has provided ten individual Group One winners worldwide.

“We also have an Impending colt (Lot 433) who is a half to Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner On The Bubbles and he looks a lot like his half-brother, while we are offering three US Navy Flag Colts (Lots 125, 138, 157) who I also like.

“We have bred a lot of mares to US Navy Flag over the last three years as he was a terrific racehorse and I have high hopes he can make his mark as a sire.”

Cunningham also believes Lot 615, a Pierro filly out of Strada Cavallo will be a popular choice for the buying bench but he cautions buyers not to overlook some of the lesser profile horses in both his and other vendors drafts.

“I think the best thing about our draft is that it is very even across the board,” he said.

“We certainly have some standouts on paper, but the beauty of Karaka is that any yearling offered here could go on to be your next stakes winner.

“A case in point for us is Tarzino filly Gypsy Goddess, who is unbeaten in four starts, but was passed in during the Book 2 sale in 2020.

“For whatever reason, we were unable to sell her but look at her now as she won a Group Three race at her last start and will be one of the most favoured fillies for races like the Australian Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) during the Sydney autumn carnival.

“Obviously there are some horses that are pretty obvious in their potential, but others like her can sneak under the radar so I really hope that buyers participate at Karaka in force and enjoy the rewards that are there annually for everyone.” 

New Zealand bred horses are enjoying another fine season in Australia and following Tofane’s victory have now won 9 of the 32 Group One races (28%) conducted so far this term.

The New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series commences at Karaka on March 7 with the three-day Book 1 Sale followed by a further three days of selling with Book 2 taking place from March 10-12. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
New French Stakes-Winner for Churchill
Currently finishing his seventh season of shuttling to Coolmore Australia, Churchill has had a productive year and sired his 16th stakes-winner of 2024 when progressive three year-old filly Some Skye landed the Listed Grand Prix de Fontainebleau (1900m) at Chantilly.
Sun City Filly to Target Karaka Million
The Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) has been the goal for Sierra Leone from the moment she was purchased at the Yearling Sales, and she took an important step towards the $1 million feature with a game second in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m).
$2000 Mare Wins Winton Cup
Exciting southern mare The Grey Goose continued her faultless preparation with an impressive performance to win Sunday’s Hyde Landscaping and Wash Rite Winton Cup (1400m) at Ascot Park.
Catalogue Online for the Southern Hemisphere Session of the Tattersalls Online December Sale
The catalogue of initial entries for the Southern Hemisphere Session, an innovative collaboration between Tattersalls Online and Inglis Digital, has now been published on the Tattersalls Online website.
Expensive Xtravagant Wins $1million Meteorite
The highest priced yearling by Xtravagant sold in 2022, progressive sprinter Nadal (Xtravagant) produced an explosive turn of foot to come from near last to win the inaugural running of today’s $1m The Ladbrokes Meteorite at Cranbourne.
Pinhook Winners 2024 NZB Ready to Run – Churchill Colt the Star
A record breaking NZB Ready to Run Sale this week at Karaka delivered plenty of pinhook success with 18 two year-olds selling for $300,000 or more above their yearling purchase price, so let’s take a look at some of the best of them.
Top Sellers at Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale
The Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale had plenty of drama when the dam of Goliath, who runs in the Japan Cup on Sunday, was passed in at €5miliion, but there were other high profile sales including Fastnet Rock's Epsom Oaks winner Qualify.
Magic Millions 2025 Magazine Online
The 2025 Magic Millions magazine is now online with a great mix of gallery images, editorial and vendor profilies.
Halo Racing Reduction features in November (Late) catalogue
Shares in reigning G1 Caulfield Cup champion Duke de Sessa, G1 Toorak Hcp winner Attrition and tomorrow’s G1 Railway Stakes favourite Light Infantry Man headline an exciting Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.