Second choice at 2-1 in the NZ$200,000 G1 Sistema Diamond S. at Ellerslie on Saturday, Sword of Osman (NZ) (Savabeel (Aus) gave his sire his 16th Group 1 winner, leading home fellow Te Akau runner and previously undefeated filly Avantage (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) by 1 1/4 lengths. Spanish Whisper (Aus) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was only 3/4 of a length behind.
Aggressive from the stalls, the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trainee dashed past early leader Bocce (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus}) and established a length advantage up the inside rail with 900 metres yet to travel. Kept under tight restraint by Opie Bosson on the corner, the gelding was given his head in upper stretch and pulled farther away by the 200-metre mark, but Avantage on the fence and Spanish Whisper three paths off the inside, were both closing with gusto. Ultimately, Sword Of Osman prevailed, while Bocce was a head back in fourth. Favoured GSW Melt (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) broke a hair slowly, and was caught wide turning into the lane, before flattening out to sixth.
“The whole race he relaxed beautifully in front,” Bosson told www.nzracing.co.nz. “He changed legs a few times, but he just kept running. He's very, very good. He's amazing. He's like a 3-year-old right now. I can't wait for his 3-year-old career.”
A winner a first asking going 1100 metres at Awapuni on Dec. 23, the NZ$165,000 NZBNAT yearling was a flat eighth in the Listed Karaka Million locally on Jan. 27, but bounced back going this trip in Matamata's G3 Reid & Harrison Ltd Slipper on Feb. 24.
Pedigree Notes…
Waikato Stud's Savabeel (Aus) (Zabeel {NZ}) is head and shoulders above his competition in the various New Zealand sires' races this season, while also siring both the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas hero Embellish (NZ) and the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas victress Hasahalo (NZ) in the spring, with the former also carrying the fabled tangerine and blue silks of Te Akau. Bunyah (Ire), out of the SP Miss Mistletoes (Ire) (The Minstrel), is a half-sister to G3 Tattersalls S. winner and G1 Criterium International third Governor Brown (Kingmambo) and Hataab (Woodman), who was a MSW. Already responsible for New Zealand SP filly Fortaleza (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), she has a weanling filly by Ocean Park (NZ). Under the third dam December Blossom (Ire) (Condorcet {Fr}), herself a half-sister to French Horse of the Year and Arc winner Levmoss (GB) (Le Levanstell {GB} and MGSW Le Moss (Ire) (Le Levenstell {GB}), is G1 Queensland Oaks heroine Zagalia (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Ellerslie, New Zealand
SISTEMA DIAMOND S.-G1, NZ$198,000 (US$144,208/£104,127/€117,177), ARC, 3-10, 2yo, Open Set Weight, 1200mT, 1:09.79, gd.
1–SWORD OF OSMAN, 56.5, g, 2, by Savabeel (Aus)
1st Dam: Bunyah (Ire), by Distant View (USA)
2nd Dam: Miss Mistletoes (Ire), by The Minstrel (Can)
3rd Dam: December Blossom (Ire), by Condorcet (Fr)
*FIRST GROUP 1 WIN. (NZ$165,000 Ylg 2017 NZB National
Yearling Sale). O-Te Akau Great Sword Syndicate (Mgr: Kw
Fenton-Ellis Mnzm); B-Mrs J L Egan, Waikato, (NZ); T-S
Autridge & J Richards; J-O P Bosson; NZ$120,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-0, NZ$188,250. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Avantage (Aus), 54.5, f, 2, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Asavant, by
Zabeel. (NZ$210,000 Ylg 2017 NZB National Yearling Sale).
O-Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Kw Fenton-Ellis Mnzm);
B-Mr W Calder (NSW); T-S Autridge & J Richards; J-M
Cameron; NZ$39,000.
3–Spanish Whisper (Aus), 54.5, f, 2, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Cutting
Remark (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus). O-D E & E Y Nakhle &
D Brady; B-Mr D Nakhle (NSW); T-P & D Williams; J-M R Du
Plessis; NZ$19,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, HD. Odds: 2.40, 2.90, 6.30.
Also Ran: Bocce (Aus), The Real Beel, Melt, Tavisan, Not Usual Current (Aus).
Click for the Racing Post chart. NZ Racing Video.
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