Two Trial Winners to Tackle Carnival Bonus

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Two Trial Winners to Tackle Carnival Bonus

The competition for the $100,000 Carnival Bonus received some 'fresh blood' on Tuesday, with two eligible Cambridge trial winners heading towards the race on 28 February.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Carnival Sale Bonus 2YO (1200m) race at Ellerslie on Derby Day is open to all two-year-olds, with an additional $100,000 on offer to the first eligible graduate of the 2008 Carnival Sale home.

Trainer Richard Collett has confirmed that his unbeaten trial winner, Poetic Music (Stravinsky - Flying Florence, by Centaine), will have her first start in the event.

A winner of two trials, the filly bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan won her latest in the fastest recorded time for any 2YO 800m Catchweight at Cambridge on Tuesday. Her time of 46.29 seconds suggested the filly had natural zip and her trainer Richard Collett confirmed this.

"She is a natural two-year-old by Stravinsky, a real jump and run type of filly that should be suited to two-year-old racing."

Richard and Judy Collett selected the filly out of the Cambridge Stud's Carnival Sale draft, outlaying $11,000 to secure the bay filly on behalf of her owner Keith Cronin. A natural for the Carnival bonus, her dam by Centaine won as a two-year-old, while her sire has left outstanding two-year-old fillies in the shape of ¬¬Royal Asscher, Italia, Pulcinella, Hips Don't Lie, Julinsky Princess and The Lady.

On the same day at Cambridge, trainer Shane Simon produced an unnamed son of Hawkeye-Centime (by Centaine) to win a 650m 2YO Catchweight by one and a half lengths in a time of 38.65 seconds. The colt eligible for the $100,000 bonus was purchased from Haunui Farm for $6,000 by Margaret Harkema of Hastings.

Shane Simon, along with owner Margaret Harkema, will make a decision over the coming days as to whether to target the Bonus with their exciting son of Hawkeye.

Central Districts trainer John Wheeler still holds the ace card for the Carnival Bonus with his smart juvenile Our Saint (My Halo - Ashberg, by Bigstone), fourth place-getter to Seven Schillings (O'Reilly) in the Group 3 Ford 2YO Classic at Taranaki over the weekend.

A rocket out of the gates, Our Saint enjoys sitting handy and finding in the straight which point to him as the one which competitors will need to get by for the $100,000 prize.

John Wheeler will nominate a further two bonus eligible competitors, including raceday place-getter Elle's Aura (My Halo - Elle Taine, by Centaine) and Tipperary Miss (Volksraad - Royal Cashel, by Royal Academy), who ran home nicely for fifth at her first and only start at Egmont on January 29.

The leading trainer's strength in both numbers and quality in the New Zealand Bloodstock Carnival Bonus 2YO (1200m) is well deserved as he has been a strong supporter of the Carnival Sale. In 2008 the Wheeler purchased seven horses for a total of $182,000, the most expensive of these being Our Saint for $55,000 from Berkley Stud.

The final leading prospect for the Bonus hails from Richard and Chris Otto's Te Awamutu stable. A $10,000 purchase by Paul Willetts, Putinka (St Petersburg - Tres Vite, by Centro) has been solid in both his race-day starts to date, finishing midfield in a 'hot' two-year-old race at Ellerslie before running second at his last start at Wairoa on 6 February.

For a full list of two-year-olds eligible for the 2009 $100,000 Carnival Bonus click here.

ENDS

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