Further honours for versatile Almanzor

Resident sire Almanzor enjoyed a memorable weekend both on and off the track.

The internationally successful sire son of Wootton Bassett was a major player at Ellerslie where his daughters Pounce and Asturia played starring roles while his son First Five was honoured at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards.

The David Greene-trained First Five was named Champion Sprinter-miler courtesy of his Group 1 victories in the Telegraph and the BCD Group Sprint.

Homebred Pounce drew attention to her future prospects of higher honours when the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepared filly trounced her rivals in the G3 Sunline Vase in the hands of champion jockey Craig Grylls.

She was sold through our draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale with Wexford Stables signing the ticket at $110,000 for the first foal of Caminata.

“As time has gone by, we’ve learned what works best for Almanzor and he loves mares with Danehill and Zabeel in the pedigrees especially,” said Cambridge Stud’s Head of Sales and Nominations Scott Calder.

“Pounce is out of a Darci Brahma mare who combines both of those bloodlines so it’s nice when a plan comes together.”

Te Akau Racing’s Asturia impressively beat a competitive age group line-up over 1400 metres on debut for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson with Grylls also in the saddle.

“This crop of just turned three-year-olds is from the first year Almanzor stood at the increased fee of $50,000 off the back of the early results he had,” Calder said.

“We were always hoping it would be a crop that showed a lot of promise and Pounce now looks among the best spring three-year-olds and Asturia is also a filly that looks well up to gaining black type.”

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