Kiwi Interest in Epsom Derby

Media Release - Tuesday May 28

The world's most famous classic will carry some Kiwi interest this year, with a half-brother to a former champion New Zealand sprinter among the leading contenders.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Anthony Van Dyck is on the third line of betting for this weekend's Gr.1 Investec Derby (2400m) at Epsom, having won the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial (2300m) by two and a quarter lengths in his most recent appearance. The only runners ahead of him in the market are his stablemates, Sir Dragonet and Broome.

Champion sprinter Bounding Anthony Van Dyck is by Galileo out of the Exceed and Excel mare Believe'N'Succeed, making him a half-brother to Bounding.

Carrying the white and orange colours of Tirau owner Gary Harding, Bounding won eight races including the Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1200m) – the first three-year-old filly to win the Ellerslie sprint feature in more than three decades.

The daughter of Lonhro won five other stakes races including the Gr.3 Heath Stakes (1100m) in Melbourne, and was voted New Zealand's champion sprinter in 2013-14. She was trained by Ken and Bev Kelso in the New Zealand stage of her career, then by Peter and Paul Snowden in Australia.

Harding paid A$425,000 for Bounding as a yearling and she returned him more than $650,000 in prize-money, then sold her for A$1.9 million to major American breeders Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.

Gary HardingBounding's dam, meanwhile, was bought by Coolmore's Tom Magnier for A$1.1 million, and Anthony Van Dyck was her first northern hemisphere foal.

Harding has been following the family's fortunes with interest.

"It's pretty amazing that Bounding's half-brother is one of the favourites for the Derby this year," he said.

"The family is really going from strength to strength, and it had major international appeal even before Anthony Van Dyck came along. It's a family on the move.

"I remember Bounding being a lovely type of yearling when I saw her at the Easter Sale in Sydney, and by all accounts the half-brother is the same.

"Bounding was a truly fantastic horse for us. Horses like her are so hard to get. We had many, many pleasurable moments with her. They're special memories.

"Even though we don't own her any more, we're still very excited and really interested in her. We keep in touch with the Americans who bought her, and we're following her progress closely as well as the rest of the family.

"I've always dreamed about buying back one of her progeny, but that might be getting a little bit hard now."

Bounding's first foal was born last year, a colt by the US Horse of the Year Curlin. She was served by War Front last year.

Meanwhile, Harding has continued to purchase well-bred fillies at yearling sales on both sides of the Tasman, with plenty of success.

One of those purchases was Astor, who Harding secured out of Haunui Farm's 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft for $95,000. Trained by Cody Cole, Astor has won the Listed Mufhasa Stakes (1300m) and placed in the Gr.3 Mr Tiz Trophy (1200m).

"Since selling Bounding, we've been going to the sales and trying to find another one like her," Harding said. "We haven't done that so far, but we've still had some pretty good success."

Harding's home-breds have also performed with distinction. His Grosvenor mare Limerick has produced nine winners from 11 foals to race, headed by his Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) winner Capella and Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) placegetter Wisecrack. – NZ Racing Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
2YOs at Flemington - G3 Maribyrnong Plate Sale Mail
Juvenile racing will kick off Melbourne Cup day on Tuesday with an early start at 10.45am for the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) with nine colts and four fillies engaged.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.