Seven in Line for Carnival Bonus

Seven in Line for Carnival Bonus

Seven horses eligible for the 2009 Carnival Sale Bonus have gained a start in Saturday's New Zealand Bloodstock Carnival Sale Bonus 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie.

The third race on the Derby Day race card has attracted a full field of fourteen starters, half of which will be racing to be the first Carnival Sale horse home, an achievement that will be rewarded by a bonus cheque for $100,000, four times the stake to the race winner.

Richard and Chris Otto know all too well the feeling of winning without the bonus after their ineligible gelding Sanjura (Sandtrap) won the 2008 event, but the $100,000 bonus went to second placed Fully Fledged (Align).

To their credit, the father and son combination will line up Putinka (St Petersburg - Tres Vite, by Centro) in the 2009 Bonus Race, a horse they sourced from last year's Carnival Sale for $10,000 from Brighthill Farm for the purpose of targeting the bonus.

The gelding ran a decent second to smart Irish-connected filly Eileen Dubh (Storm Creek), sixth in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes, at his last start at Wairoa. He looks to have drawn best of the Carnival Bonus eligble two-year-olds, in stall 10, with top hoop Michael Walker retaining the ride.

The John Wheeler trained gelding Our Saint (My Halo - Ashberg, by Bigstone) comes into the race with the highest rating, and his form franks that. Fourth placed in the Group 3 Ford 2YO Classic (1200m) at his last start, Our Saint won at Trentham the start previous, and he looks to have two options in the race, settle back or play ' catch me if you can'. He has drawn barrier 20

Wheeler's other runner in the race is the grand-daughter of dual Group 1 winner Love Dance (Kaapstad), Tipperary Miss (Volksraad - Royal Cashel, by Royal Academy). She will look to add to her residual value after a fifth placing at her very first outing behind talented St Germaine (Keeper), second in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders Stakes last Saturday. She jumps from barrier 14.

The Ian and Anne Herbert owned Saint Peter (St Petersburg - Fifteen Eleven, by Kinjite) is another who has finished just in behind some class acts. The gelding ran fourth behind Shuttleworth (Volksraad) at his last start six weeks ago, and is expected to go well fresh on Saturday. He, like most of the Carnival Bonus eligible runners, has drawn horridly in 18, but the experience of big race day rider Noel Harris will hopefully assist to overcome any disadvantage.

The Toothfairy (Volksraad - Split the Night, by Senor Pete) is the most experienced eligible runner with five starts to her name for trainers Graeme and Mark Sanders. Jumping from barrier eight she will be looking to return to the form that saw her run fourth behind Corsage (Volksraad) at Ellerslie on December 28.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Last Mohican (Hawkeye - Centieme, by Centaine) and Poetic Music (Stravinsky - Flying Florence, by Centaine) have had no race day experience but both were impressive trial winners at Cambridge last Tuesday. Shane Simon has a lot of time for his grandson of Danehill, while Richard Collett believes Poetic music is a natural, 'jump and run', early type of filly.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Carnival Sale Bonus 2YO Race should prove to be a marvelous spectacle, with tactics sure to play a large role in a race where all eligible $100,000 Carnival Bonus runners bar The Toothfairy have drawn wide.

The race is set to jump at 1.30pm, with the New Zealand Derby timed to go at 5.22pm. To be on course for the first day of Auckland Cup Week, visit Ellerslie Racecourse.

For more information on the race click here

ENDS

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