2010 was a record year in many ways for Cloughmore Pedigrees but the win that was most rewarding was Showcause’s triumph in the Group 3 New Zealand Cup. It was a great thrill therefore to see the Giant’s Causeway gelding score a brave victory in today’s City of Auckland Cup, especially as he showed a turn of foot not previously evident in his racing style.
Showcause is a special horse as he’s a great grandson of the immortal Show Gate, my racing idol back in the 1970’s. I’ve always admired toughness and versatility in thoroughbreds and Show Gate’s treble of the Stewards Handicap (1200), Canterbury Gold Cup (2000) and Churchill Stakes (1600) at the NZ Cup meeting of 1973 is imprinted in my memory. Showcause may not be a champion – although I do suspect that there’s further improvement in him – but he does possess Show Gate’s indomitable will to win.
It’s a long way from Ellerslie to Waikouaiti but today also marked the debut of another Cloughmore recommended mating – the Choisir filly Sourire. It might have been just a lowly 1250 maiden and the filly might only have finished fourth but I have seldom seen a first starter make up so much ground in the final stages of a race. Check out the last 600 on www.nzracing.co.nz and you’ll see what I mean.
January 1 also marks the day when my Buyers’ Guides for the forthcoming Karaka yearling sales have been finalised. This year, in addition to the usual analyses of each of the three sales, I have written a special guide for the progeny of Iffraaj: he’s made an outstanding beginning to his stud career in the Northern hemisphere so I’ve analysed the pedigrees of his most successful progeny to date and rated his progeny in the sales catalogues accordingly.
This year there are 12 lots which are the result of Cloughmore mating recommendations, 4 in each sale.
Premier Sale: O’Reilly – Star Affair colt, Street Sense – Surprize Surprize colt, Pentire – Tinsel colt, Choisir – Diva In Red colt.
Select Sale: Oratorio – Lady Cherokee filly, Any Suggestion – Mi Signora filly, Pins – Porotene Express colt, Keeper – Prangelica colt.
Festival Sale: Shinko King – Tio Zinnia colt, Any Suggestion – Centalla colt, Falkirk – Golden Lights filly, Spartacus – Ngahiiti colt.
Finally, to all readers – my best wishes for a successful and rewarding 2011.
