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 Vendor Celebrating Sales and Racetrack Success
Vendor Barry Donoghue enjoyed a lucrative two days at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale last week and he’s now celebrated a significant result in another role.
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Yulong Announce Sad Passing of G1 Winning Mare
Yulong released a video Tweet last week recapping their sensational spring carnival results and also revealing the passing of their dual Group I winning Frankel mare Hungry Heart.
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.
Winx Foals a Snitzel Colt
The owners of Winx have announced the champion mare has foaled a healthy colt by Snitzel early on Monday morning.
Sires With Winners - Sunday November 24
Here is the full list of 72 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cosmic Vega Breaks Through in Kilmore Cup
A rapidly deteriorating track at Kilmore proved the winning formula for the Irish import Cosmic Vega (IRE) and visiting English rider Saffie Osborne to open their Australian accounts in Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Bet365 Kilmore Cup (1600m).
One to Watch – Canberra
At the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast US investors Richard and Tammy Rigney of Rigney Racing purchased two yearling fillies by I Am Invincible for $2million and $1.2million and got a result with one of them in Canberra on Sunday.
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.
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Exciting Japanese G3 Winner
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart two year-old colt in Eri King, who made it three wins from three starts when taking out the Group III Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nissai Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.