Group One Mare Consensus to Race On

Media Release - Thursday November 1

Group One winning mare Consensus will have the first run of her seven-year-old season in the Chesters Plumbing & Bathroom (1300m) at Tauranga on Saturday.

 

ConsensusThe Stephen McKee-trained mare last raced in May when she ended a three start Australian campaign with an eighth placing in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on the Gold Coast, having also finished fourth in the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and sixth in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in Sydney.

 

"She came straight home and spelled at Kylie Bax's place in Cambridge for about six weeks," McKee said.

 

Consensus was one of 26 horses to have a trial at Te Aroha last Thursday before the meeting was abandoned due to an issue with the track.

 

"She's carrying quite a bit of weight as an older mare so we just gave her a quiet trial but she actually went quite well. Her trial was a couple of seconds faster than the next heat and she had a good blow afterwards so she's really going to improve with this week's race," McKee said.

 

The Tauranga track was rated a Slow7 on Thursday with rain forecast for the rest of the week which is not ideal for the daughter of Postponed whose best performances have been on better tracks.

 

"I'm not expecting a lot from her on Saturday, she's got 60kgs and it's going to be a wet track so she's going to improve a hell of a lot with the run," McKee said.

 

"She'll be naturally competitive as she always is, especially when she's fresh but if she can run in the first four or five I'll be pretty happy with her going forward.

 

"She will then run again at Tauranga in a couple of weeks and then we'll look at the Captain Cook which she finished second to Kawi in last year and then probably on to the Zabeel Classic again."

 

The winner of the 2016 Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) and fourth in last year's edition, Consensus is likely to race through until the Autumn before going to stud.

 

McKee also prepares Neeson in the Mills Reef Winery (1300m) on Saturday's Great Kiwi Raceday at Tauranga.

 

"He's been working well, he's drawn 18 but he will probably come in a bit with the ballots and he's a nice horse who I think will go through the grades," McKee said.

 

Meanwhile, the Victorian campaign of their stablemate Hasabro has come to an end. The three-year-old colt was galloped on in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) last Wednesday.

 

"He pulled up sore so he will have a little break and we will look to the New Zealand Derby," McKee said. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Magic Millions 2025 Magazine Online
The 2025 Magic Millions magazine is now online with a great mix of gallery images, editorial and vendor profilies.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday November 20
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Best On Breeding
The cerise, white crossed sashes and black cap of Bob Peters, Peter's Investments, may not be the once dominant force they have been for decades in Western Australian racing, but they are far from finished.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
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.
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.