Less than a year after taking over the iconic Cambridge Stud from Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, Brendan and Jo Lindsay have a royal chance of winning one of New Zealand’s richest races.

 

Their black and gold colours will be carried by two horses in the Karaka Million. In one corner they have the stylish Trentham debut winner Louis Luck, and in the other is the favourite Probabeel.

 

Bought for $380,000 at last year’s Book 1 sale by Te Akau principal David Ellis, Probabeel finished second on debut at Riccarton in November.

 

The Savabeel filly has been unbeaten in two starts since then, both at Ellerslie, including a dazzling late burst to win there earlier this month.

 

One of five runners in the race for Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards, Probabeel is the number-one pick for stable jockey Opie Bosson.

 

“It took a bit to wind up (last start at Ellerslie), but that last 100 metres was awesome,” Bosson said. “She just took a little while to wind up, so maybe a set of blinkers might be going on for the Karaka Million.

 

“There are some lovely horses I get to have the choice of for the Karaka Million, so it’s exciting times. I think this one is right up there, she has done nothing wrong so far.”

 

 

 

One of four stablemates of Probabeel in the Karaka Million field, Aotea Lad has had only two starts but has made a significant impact.

 

He made his debut in last month’s Gr. 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham, and he made it a perfect start to his career with an impressive win.

 

His only other start came in the Gr. 3 Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, where he was a strong-finishing second to Whiskey Neat.

 

Aotea Lad will have some star power on his side with champion expat New Zealand jockey James McDonald, these days based in Sydney, returning to his homeland to take the ride.

 

“We were very pleased to book James McDonald to ride this horse,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “His run in the Eclipse Stakes was very good, and he’s trained on the right way. His work this (Tuesday) morning was excellent. He’s looking good, and if he runs up to his form from his first couple of starts, I’m sure he’ll be right in it.”

 

 

 

The most spectacular two-year-old performance of the season so far came from Whiskey Neat, who won his debut at Otaki in late November by an eye-popping 10 and a quarter lengths.

 

His only other start was the Gr. 3 Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, where he again led all the way for a one-length defeat of Karaka Million rivals Aotea Lad and Exuberant.

 

“He’s got a high cruising speed and a big action on him, and when he won his first start he was just a class above them,” trainer Tony Pike said.

 

“Then, in the Eclipse, we just took luck out of the equation and went to the front.

 

“It will be our intention to lead if we get a good draw, but if something wants to take him on, then Leith can take a sit with him. Leith can work it out.

 

“In his gallop (at Ellerslie on Monday) he cornered well and did everything right.”

 

 

 

Three Australian-trained two-year-olds have ventured across the Tasman and won the Karaka Million, and two of those have been trained by Liam Birchley. He is back again this year, hoping lightning might strike for a third time.

 

This time his runner is the Super Easy colt Neptune’s Spear. After a brilliant debut win in November, he ran second at Doomben on January 9 in his only other appearance.

 

“We have had some luck in the race and we’re always on the lookout for horses we think will suit,” Birchley said. “Neptune’s Spear is one we identified early on and then we have just tried to provide an opportunity for him to earn his way into the field.

 

“He is naturally a very fast horse, as he showed when he won his first start. I’ve actually tried to run him in behind in a couple of jumpouts at home, which hasn’t really worked out as he has been too fast for the ones he’s gone up against. I would hope he can show that speed here.”

 

 

 

Cambridge gelding Madison County has emerged as New Zealand’s leading three-year-old, scoring a dominant victory in the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November and overcoming traffic trouble in the straight to repeat that result in this month’s Gr. 1 Levin Classic at Trentham.

 

Trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have nominated the China Horse Club star for the inaugural A$5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington in March, but his more immediate target is the $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic.

 

“He’s not very big, but he’s all heart,” Forsman said after the Levin Classic win. “He was a horse who hadn’t raced for a while and probably just felt the pinch at the end, but he was very brave.

 

“There’s no reason he wouldn’t go to the Karaka Million 3YO Classic, and he will improve a lot fitness-wise, so hopefully he will be competitive there.”