29 Sep 2016
Sky's the limit for Cape Blanco's first NZ winner
Cambridge Stud stallion Cape Blanco got off the mark with his New Zealand progeny when the Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs-trained Mongolian Sky deadheated for first at Ruakaka on Wednesday.
Mongolian Sky continued his encouraging start, which saw him register a trial win then a fourth placing on debut before breaking his maiden at just his second start.
Logan, who has three Cape Blanco youngsters in the stable, was impressed with Mongolian Sky's effort and revealed she had Derby aspirations for the three-year-old, who is out of four-win Montjeu mare Carib.
"It was a tough effort and he's only going to get better as he continues to strengthen up," Logan said.
"He's an out-and-out stayer. We threw the blinkers on him yesterday to sharpen him up for the 1600m but he's only going to get better the further he goes. He's going the right way and he's in the ownership of a team that knows what it takes to win a Derby."
Bred by John, Mark and Rachael Carter, Mongolian Sky races for Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry principal Lang Lin, who raced New Zealand and Australian Derby winner Mongolian Khan.
Logan predicted good things for the stock of Galileo shuttle sire Cape Blanco based on what she had in her stable.
"They are nice easy horses to work with. They are sensible and they look like they will get over ground. I certainly wouldn't be turning down the offer to train another one," she said.
Cape Blanco now has 55 winners worldwide but Mongolian Sky was the first in Australasia, though he has only been represented by six runners in New Zealand as trainers here take the patient approach with his stock.
In the United States, Look Who's Talking became Cape Blanco's first stakes winner, scoring in the Listed Juvenile Filly Championship Stakes over 1400m at Maryland last December.
Cambridge Stud boss Sir Patrick Hogan was delighted to see Cape Blanco usher in his winner.
"I've got a lot of faith in this stallion. He's a beautifully-bred sire and he's got some quality young horses on the ground," Sir Patrick said.
"Trainers have been prepared to be patient with them and now it looks as though they are about to be rewarded. We might well see a new wave of Cape Blanco three-year-olds emerging as Classic contenders in the coming months."