3 Win Saturday - Out Of The Blue - Army Salute

Making the best possible start to his racing career, Out Of The Blue (2 g Tivaci – Cornflower Blue, by Savabeel) recorded a smart debut victory in the $25,000 Nobby Russell Memorial Maiden 2YO 800 metres on Saturday at Riccarton.

Purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM for $60,000 at the 2025 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Waikato Stud, Out Of The Blue was syndicated among family, friends, and new owners, by Te Akau marketing manager Julia-Rose Ellis, to form the Te Akau Tangerine Army Racing Partnership 1 (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“I’m thrilled for the owners, Julia-Rose, her husband Hamish Hayes, and Out Of The Blue won in the manner of a horse with a lot of potential,” Ellis said.

“They brought so many young people into the horse and to see him win his first start for them is absolutely terrific. It’s a great name for the syndicate, and I wish them all the very best. 

“We trained his dam Cornflower Blue for Waikato Stud, and she was a really good filly. She won the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), finished third in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m), Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1400m), and the Listed Mufhasa Stakes (1300m), and obviously the cross with their stallion Tivaci (High Chaparral) has worked really well.

“Out Of The Blue wasn’t an expensive horse, but we’d had first-hand experience with the dam and the family has left an incredible number of Group winners and winners.

“It was a good positive ride from Jasmine (Fawcett). She had to go quite hard early to hold her position in front, but then found plenty in the straight and he showed plenty of stretch. He looks very promising and I was really impressed. 

“Well done to everyone at Te Akau Stud that got him going in his education, and Mark (Walker) and Sam (Bergerson), and Hunter (Durrant), who runs our stable at Riccarton.”

Prior to racing, Out Of The Blue displayed a good action when closing in the straight for third when trialling on 26 August at Waipa, and was sent out hot favourite.

“It was a nice trial, he’s been educated well by the team up North, travelled down well, fitted into the system down here, and he does everything right,” said assistant trainer Hunter Durrant. 

“He’s a real runner, likes to do his job, and it was a good result for the Tangerine Army.”

Out Of The Blue had been quick on the uptake, made his debut following one trial, and was strongly supported in betting to pay $1.80 on the NZ TAB fixed odds. On footing upgraded to Good4, Out Of The Blue ran 800 metres in 46.1 and won by two lengths. 

“It was a terrific win today,” said Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson.

“He’s a horse that Dave (Ellis) bought cheaply out of the Book 1 Sale at Karaka, and Julia-Rose has introduced so many new owners, so they’ll be very excited. 

“Cornflower Blue, she was a really good filly, so we knew her well in the stable, and all of our buying team thought this horse was really worth a punt to buy him at the sales.

“With that prize money in the bank, he’ll be close to being Karaka Million qualified, so we’ve got the luxury of taking our time and planning our assault towards the big race.”

The $1 million TAB Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) is scheduled for Saturday 24 January at Ellerslie. Horses bought as yearlings at Karaka, and Karaka Million nominated, are eligible for the race, while those with the most prize money make up the field of 14.  

Out Of The Blue is by Group 1 All-Aged Stakes' (1400m) winner Tivaci, who commenced stud duties in 2017 at Waikato Stud, and he in turn is by world-class racehorse and hugely successful sire of sires High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells). 

Cornflower Blue is from the terrific family of 2015 New Zealand Broodmare of the Year and breeding phenomenon, Parfore (Gold Brose). Her progeny of 10 individual winners has won an unbelievable total of 84 races (35 at stakes' level), including Group 1 winners Super Easy (Darci Brahma), Terravista (Captain Rio), Tiger Tees (Dubawi), Group 2 winner Ball of Muscle (Dubawi), and stakes' winner Our Lukas (Generous). 

Out Of The Blue carries a cross of breed shaping sire Sir Tristram, on the dam line of Tivaci and sire line of Cornflower Blue. 

Out Of The Blue was strapped by Katherine Hadler. 

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz