Haunui Farm’s young stallion Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) has landed another stakes winner in the Northern Hemisphere with two-year-old colt Soul City (Ire) (Elusive City) taking out the Listed Prix Francois Boutin (1400m) at Deauville this past weekend.

Fourth on debut and a winner at his second start, Soul City finished fourth in his last start at Goodwood in the Group Two Vintage Stakes (1400m), missing third by just a nose and finishing less than two lengths from the winner. Winning by two lengths this weekend, trainer Richard Hannon will undoubtedly have further black type targets on the agenda.

Elusive City has 13 individual winners worldwide with a total of six stakes performing two-year-olds including stakes placed filly Metropolitan (NZ) (Elusive City) from his first Southern Hemisphere crop.

“With five stakes performers including two stakes winners from his first Northern Hemisphere crop, Elusive City is a very exciting young sire,” said Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm. “The quality of his winners and stakes performers are first class and with his first crop here now three, I think we are in for some pretty exciting times ahead,” he said.

Horses to watch out for from his first Southern Hemisphere crop include the David Hayes trained pair of Aqaleem and Storm The Castle, David Payne’s Elusive Gift, Leon Corstens’ Monalusive and, Marne from the Lloyd Williams team. On this side of the Tasman, stakes placed filly Metropolitan made and encouraging return to the track last week whilst the impressive Elusive Fortune is on track to debut at Taupo in September for the Mark Walker stable.

Elusive City stands at Haunui Farm in 2008 for a fee of $8,000 + GST.
 

Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) scored yet another impressive winner from his first Northern Hemisphere crop this weekend with two-year-old filly Nashmia (Ire) (Elusive City) adding her name to the ever increasing list of winners by her young sire.

Sitting handy to the lead for the 1500m journey, Nashmia finished her race off strongly down the centre of the track winning by an easy two-length margin for trainer Clive Brittain and her owner Saeed Manana in just her third start.

Nashmia takes her sire’s tally of individual winners in the Northern Hemisphere to nine with four stakes performers from his first Northern Hemisphere crop which includes the stakes-winning and unbeaten filly, Elusive Wave (Ire). In the Southern Hemisphere, Elusive City has the stakes performing filly Metropolitan (NZ).

“Elusive City is really starting to make a mark in the Northern Hemisphere,” said Mark, “and he’s doing it at the right time,” he said. “He’s got four stakes horses from his first crop up there and was unlucky not to get another one at Goodwood last week when Soul City was beaten a nose for third in a Group Two race,” he said.

With the new season now upon us, Elusive City’s first Southern Hemisphere crop have just turned three and undoubtedly we will see a number of them on racetracks in New Zealand over the months ahead.

“It’s always nice to get to August when you start seeing the new season horses emerge,” said Mark. “It’s an exciting time and with the results Elusive City is getting in the North, we’re confident they will start to come down here,” he said. “We only have to look to Van Nistelrooy for a prime example of that,” says Mark.

Elusive City is currently in quarantine at Karaka where he has another ten days before arriving at Haunui Farm. He, along with new sire Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic) and resident stallion Don Eduardo (NZ) (Zabeel) will be paraded at Haunui’s Stallion Parade on Sunday 24th August at 10.30am. For further information, please contact Shannon – 09 530 8736 or email shannont@haunuifarm.co.nz
 

Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic) and Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) touched down in New Zealand late yesterday afternoon and have settled into the quarantine facility at Karaka to undertake their madatory fourteen days of quarantine.

"It's certainly nice to finally have Iffraaj in New Zealand after what happened with EI last year," said Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm.  "By all accounts, both horses have travelled well and we look forward to them arriving at the farm in mid-August," he said.

Iffraaj is set to serve a full book of 120 mares in his first season at stud in New Zealand.  "He has been incredibly popular and is virtually full which is great with still another month to go until the start of the season," said Mark. 

Elusive City has been going through a purple patch of form with his first Northern Hemisphere crop in recent weeks, notching up his fourth stakes performer in the North this past weekend to take his tally of two-year-old stakes performers to five.  With a total of eight individual winners from his first Northern Hemisphere crop to date, in this neck of the woods, it would pay to keep an eye out for Elusive Gift, Monalusive, Cashmere Mafia and Marne.

Both Iffraaj and Elusive City will join Haunui's resident stallion Don Eduardo (NZ) (Zabeel) in 2008.  All three stallions will be paraded at our annual stallion parade to be held on Sunday, 24th August 2008 at 10.30am.  For more information about our stallions or, if you would like to attend the stallion parade, please feel free to contact Shannon Taylor on 09 530 8736 (office), 0212 855 513 (mobile) or shannont@haunuifarm.co.nz (email).

Haunui Farm stallion Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) continued his run of success in the Northern Hemisphere on Saturday with the second placing of The Legal Blonde (Ire) (Elusive City) in the Listed Winkfield Stakes over seven furlongs at Ascot.

The only filly in the field, The Legal Blonde proved the surprise package in the field improving markedly on her first start sixth, missing victory by just a neck.

The Legal Blonde became her sire’s fourth stakes performer in the Northern Hemisphere over recent weeks following the stakes win of unbeaten filly Elusive Wave (Ire) at Longchamp and the stakes placings of Able Master (Ire) and Connie Mac (Ire) at Epsom and Royal Ascot respectively.

With eight individual winners to his credit so far from his first Northern Hemisphere crop, Elusive City holds a strong position on the European Freshman Sires table heading into the business end of the season.

In the Southern Hemisphere, Elusive City has the stakes performing filly Metropolitan (NZ) to his credit already as well as the winners Discretion (NZ), Aqaleem (NZ) and Elusive Gift (NZ). In recent weeks he has been represented by two impressive performers in Australia in the form of Monalusive (NZ) who trainer Leon Corstens believes is a definite Oaks prospect and Elusive Gift (NZ) who has two seconds and a first from only three starts for the David Payne stable.

“Elusive City has had a number of trials winners in New Zealand of which a majority haven’t raced as yet so there is still a lot of untapped potential out there,” says Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm. “He’s starting to hit his straps in the Northern Hemisphere at the right time of year and we’re confident his rising three-year-old crop will produce the results in our part of the world over the next few months,” said Mark.

For more information, please feel free to contact Mark Chitty – 021 663 995 – or Shannon Taylor – 0212 855 513.

Red Humour (Ire) (Elusive City) became the eighth individual Northern Hemisphere winner for his freshman sire Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) when breaking through at only his second start at Lingfield on Wednesday.

Mascherete (Ire) (Elusive City) became his sire’s seventh individual winner when victorious on debut in Italy on Sunday.

With 93 foals on the ground from his first Northern Hemisphere crop, Elusive City has had 27 starters and among his seven winners are the stakes winning filly Elusive Wave (Ire) and the stakes performers Able Master (Ire) and Connie Mac (Ire).

“Elusive City’s figures are starting to stack up nicely up there,” said Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm. “He is climbing up the leading first season sire’s ladder and at last count, One Cool Cat and Exceed and Excel were near the top of the list with 11 individual winners,” he said.

Worth noting is the fact that Elusive City has three unbeaten horses in France – Elusive Wave, Man River (Fr) and Estoril City (Fr).

Elusive City will arrive in New Zealand next week at which time he will spend two weeks in quarantine before arriving at Haunui in mid-August. Elusive City, along with resident sire Don Eduardo (NZ) (Zabeel) and new sire Iffaaj (GB) (Zafonic), will all be paraded from 10.30am on Sunday, 24th August as Haunui’s annual stallion parade. Should you wish to attend, please contact Shannon Taylor P 09 530 8736 or E shannont@haunuifarm.co.nz
 

Haunui Farm’s young and exciting sire Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) continued his run of success in the Northern Hemisphere on Monday siring his first stakes winner.

 

Soul City (Ire) (Elusive City) put in a solid effort at the Group One Falmouth Stakes meeting at Newmarket yesterday to break his maiden at only his second start. According to the Thoroughbred Daily News, the colt raced on the pace right from the outset. He was put under a little pressure as the pack loomed at the quarter mile mark however, the colt stuck soundly to the task at hand holding out all challengers at the line.

Elusive Gift (NZ) (Elusive City) ran out an impressive winner at Hawkesbury on Saturday for trainer David Payne. A $130,000 yearling sale purchase at Karaka 2007, Elusive Gift ran second on debut in February and in her first start this preparation over 1000m, put paid to her rivals by two and a half lengths.

The news in the Northern Hemisphere was just as good with another debut winner for Elusive City with Estoril City (Ire) taking out the Prix de Biganos in France taking his Northern Hemisphere tally of winners to five.

“Elusive City has had a solid past two weeks with two stakes performers in the Northern Hemisphere and now another winner in Australia,” said Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm. “We’re sure the results will continue to come for Elusive City and with more trials performers in recent weeks, he is starting to gain some momentum,” he said.

Elusive City stands at Haunui Farm in 2008 for a fee of $8,000 + GST.
 

Connie Mac (Ire) (Elusive City) became the second Northern Hemisphere stakes performer for her sire when she finished a hard fought third in the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

Quickly out of the gates from barrier one, the filly sat on the speed for the duration of the race with a majority of the field selecting to stay on the stand side of the track. In just her second start after an impressive second at The Curragh two weeks ago, Connie Mac was beaten a neck and a head and looks to be a filly with a big future, especially as she appears to be a tough, strong filly.

Her Group placing comes hot on the heels of Elusive City colt Able Master (Ire) becoming the first stakes performer for his sire in the Northern Hemisphere with a third in the Listed Epsom Woodcote Stakes over six furlongs at Epsom last week.

“It is great to see Elusive City’s Northern Hemisphere two-year-olds starting to hit their straps,” said Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm. “To have stakes performers at Epsom and now Royal Ascot is testament to the quality of horse that he is leaving and the results are reminiscent of this time last year when Van Nistelrooy’s first Northern Hemisphere crop started to excel and the results in the Southern Hemisphere were quick to follow,” he said. “Here’s hoping Elusive City is set to do the same,” says Mark.

This past week has been a successful one for the young sire with Able Master’s result as well as the impressive win of Discretion (NZ) (Elusive City) at Ellerslie and a stand out trials winner in the form of City Newton (NZ) (Elusive City).

Elusive City stands at Haunui Farm this season for a service fee of $8,000 + GST. For more information, please feel free to contact Shannon Taylor – 0212 855 513.




 

Haunui Farm stallion Elusive City (USA) (Elusive Quality) got some more points on the board today with the impressive win of two-year-old Discretion (NZ) (Elusive City) at Ellerslie earlier in the day.

Lining up over 1200m and jumping from barrier two, Discretion bounced out of the gates quickly for young jockey Daniel Stackhouse and went straight to the lead quickly putting five lengths on the field. Setting a solid clip until around the 600m mark, the colt came back nicely before kicking away again in the straight to win by one and a quarter lengths in a time of 1.13.77.

Trained at Cambridge by Arron Tata, and bred and raced by Jen Campin, Discretion raced twice as an early two-year-old and has had three starts back in this preparation finishing second at Ruakaka in his last start over 1000m at Ruakaka and then breaking through to break his maiden status at Ellerslie today.

Elusive City has had a successful past seven days with Able Master (Ire) (Elusive City) notching up his first blacktype performance in the Northern Hemisphere and impressive filly Connie Mac (Ire) (Elusive City) running second at The Curragh on debut.

Elusive City stands at Haunui in 2008 for a service fee of $8,000 + GST. For more information, please feel free to contact Shannon Taylor – 0212 855 513 or Mark Chitty – 021 663 995.
 

It was a successful day on the track for Don Eduardo (NZ) (Zabeel) at Awapuni yesterday with his two fillies Cadonna (NZ) and All In Black (NZ) finishing first and second in the fillies and mares event over 1600m.

Cadonna, trained by her part owner and breeder, Mark Oulaghan, was lining up for just her third race day appearance after a debut third on the 25th of April. Ridden by experienced jockey Hayden Tinsley, she was bounced out of the gate quickly to vie for the lead in the early stages before being eased to get some cover just outside the lead.

Swinging into the turn, Tinsley moved Cadonna into some space and from there the race was never in doubt, the only challenge coming from the other Don Eduardo filly in the field in the form of the John Wheeler-trained All In Grace who wound up late, finishing strongly to finish second.

Success on the trials track came earlier in the day with two-year-old fillyTequilla (NZ) (Don Eduardo) winning impressively for the Autridge-Hawtin training partnership. A daughter of Smooch (NZ) (Rory’s Jester), this filly has an outstanding pedigree and according to co-trainer Stephen Autridge will be a nice filly come the Spring. “We trialled her about five weeks ago and then gave her a bit of a break,” he said. “She trialled on good ground yesterday when she won but it’s hard to know what the tracks will be like in a couple of weeks time so it’s hard to make any plans,” he said. “She’ll be a nice filly come the spring.”

Another two-year-old filly from the Autridge-Hawtin stable to trial nicely was a filly out of Jo Valachi (NZ) (The Jogger) who finished second in her heat. “That was her first trial and she’ll be another nice filly for the Spring,” he said. “One thing I’ll say is that they definitely show a lot more speed that you would expect them to,” commented Stephen, and he’s not the first to make this statement with John Sargent also making the same comment when spoken to in the early stages of Il Divo’s career.

Don Eduardo stands at Haunui Farm in 2008 for a service fee of $10,000 + GST. For more information, please feel free to contact Shannon Taylor – 0212 855 513 or Mark Chitty – 021 663 995.

 

It was a successful day at Counties yesterday for resident Haunui stallion Don Eduardo with two of his fillies, Jessardo (NZ) and Zirconia Lover (NZ) winning in impressive fashion.

Jessardo, ridden by Tasha Collett for father Richard, got her sire off the mark early in the day with victory over 1200m in the third event on the card.

Jumping nicely and then settled toward the end of the field, both horse and rider had a wall of horses in front of them turning for home and it wasn’t until the last 100m when the filly got some racing room, that she powered home under a hands and heels ride to win comfortably by three-quarters of a length.

The last race of the day saw another Don Eduardo filly assert her authority over her counterparts, this time over 1600m. Zirconia Lover, trained by Mike and Paul Moroney, was settled handy to the pace in the 17 horse field by jockey Michael Coleman and challenged race favourite Monument (NZ) Monolith) on the turn. From then on, it was a ding-dong battle between the two with Zirconia Lover surging ahead in the shadows of the post.

Don Eduardo has been represented by three stakes performers in his first crop through the deeds of Dashing Donna (NZ), Il Divo (NZ) and Vickezzchardonnay (NZ). He has now had 16 individual winners from his first crop. Don Eduardo stands at Haunui Farm in 2008 for a service fee of $10,000 + GST.
 

Talented three-year-old filly Vickezzchardonnay (NZ) (Don Eduardo) became her sire’s third stakes performer with a hard fought second in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m).

LEFT: DON EDUARDO

Vickezzchardonnay jumped well and was settled in mid-field by jockey Hayden Tinsley making up some good ground down the back straight to sit in just behind the leader coming to the home turn. A race run in testing conditions, a number of runners made their runs wider out on the track however Tinsley and Vickezzchardonnay remained closer to the inside and looked the winners until Belmont Cat (NZ) (Felix The Cat) emerged from the pack, relishing the very wet conditions.

Trained by Murray Baker, Vickezzchardonnay has been a consistent filly this campaign coming close on a number of occasions. She ran an impressive third in the Ellerslie Oaks (2100m) as a lead up into the New Zealand Oaks where she finished a close fifth and in her three starts since, she has finished second.

Saturday also saw another winner for Don Eduardo across the Tasman with Gooree Park Stud’s homebred Tio Juan (NZ) (Don Eduardo) scoring impressively over a mile at Newcastle. Trained by Gai Waterhouse, Tio Juan has started on only four occasions with two seconds, a fifth and now a win to his credit. “Hopefully with this win under his belt, we can move him into the city for a few nice races,” said Andrew Baddock of Gooree Park Stud.

“There are plenty of people keeping an eye on the Don Eduardo’s,” said Mark Chitty of Haunui Farm. “He has left some very smart types and buyers have certainly been more than happy to pay good money for them,” said Mark. “He has sold six figure yearlings from three yearling crops so far and at a $10,000 service fee, that represents very good value,” says Mark. “There are not many stallions in that service fee bracket that can leave those types of yearlings,” he said.

Don Eduardo has six weanlings in the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling and Broodmare Sale. He stands at Haunui Farm in 2008 for a service fee of $10,000 + GST.