4 Venues, 4 Wins - Nucleozor Explodes

Stamping himself as a horse with a future, debutante Nucleozor (2 g Almanzor – Nucleonic, by Burgundy) won the $40,000 2YO 820 metres on Saturday at Wingatui.

Taken back before cruising past to win a trial on 23 February at Riccarton, Nucleozor franked the effort on race day in a performance not dissimilar to stable-mate Cu Chulainn (Burgundy) who won the corresponding race last year before also winning his second start and finishing third in the Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1200m). 

Ridden by Ashvin Goindasamy, Nucleozor was posted wide with cover in midfield, from barrier eight, improved five wide turning for home and unleashed a huge finish to round up pacemaker Enterprise (U S Navy Flag) and debutante stable-mate Discretion Rules (Alabama Express), who did well from a handy spot for third. 

In the race sponsored by Dakota Boutique + Lifestyle, Nucleozor ran 820 metres in 46.9 on Good4 footing and drifted in betting to pay $3.40 & $1.50.

Nucleozor became the second two-year-old to win on debut this week for trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, following an impressive effort by Altari (Savabeel) on Wednesday at Matamata, who now has his sights on the $450,000 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on Saturday 6 April at Trentham.

The 12th individual two-year-old winner, it was the 116th win for the premiership leading training partners, which includes 24 stakes wins (17 NZ & 7 Aust.), coming at a lower strike rate (5.5) than last season when the stable set a record 203 domestic wins.

“It was a really good win because it’s hard to sit wide, especially over that short distance, and then find the line like he did,” Walker said.

“Hunter (Durrant) is doing a fine job with the horses in the South Island. Obviously he’s a gun track work rider and that’s a big help with these young horses. 

“This horse is definitely up to black type level and we’ll give him that chance in his next few starts.”

The Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) is held on Saturday 13 April, a race Te Akau has won eight times, and the Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on Saturday 4 May. 

Looking after the Te Akau stable at Riccarton, Hunter Durrant said: “He (Nucleozor) travelled down well and has a good constitution on him. He just wants to eat and work, he’s so professional.

“We gave him a quiet trial at Riccarton, behind runners, and he did it nicely in winning, and he’d worked great since then.

“He’s pretty laidback, they both are and it was great to see Discretion Rules hit the line well too. Lily (Sutherland) felt Discretion Rules would improve for it, but he’s very quiet as well and does everything right.

“They’ll have some stakes' race options coming up for them, and also Quintefeuille (Xtravagant), who won on 10 February at Riccarton.”

Nucleozor is a brother to stable-mate Qali Al Farrasha (3 f Almanzor – Nucleonic), who sprinted clear to win easing down by four lengths in the Maiden 3YO 1600 metres on 7 February at Matamata, and subsequently finished second in the $150,000 McKee Family Sunline Vase (Gr. 3, 2100m) on Derby Day at Ellerslie.

Each bred and owned by David Ellis CNZM and David and Matt Peacocke (Westonlea Bloodstock), the Te Akau trained dam, Nucleonic (Burgundy), impressed winning on debut over 1200 as a two-year-old, while grand-dam Mexican Rose (Volksraad) was Champion 2YO & 3YO in Singapore, having first impressed winning two of her three starts in New Zealand.

“Greg Tomlinson (Nearco Stud) and I bought Mexican Rose,” Ellis said. “We sold two O’Reilly colts out of her for good money and her weanling topped the sale in 2016.

“She was pretty smart, Nucleonic, and this is her third foal, so it’s great to get another promising horse like this early in her breeding career. 

“The Peacocke family has had a lot of success with Te Akau, racing Avantage among others, and have a long family involvement in racing.

“We won the same race last year with our homebred Cu Chulainn and great to do it again with Nucleozor.”

Nucleozor was strapped by Tayla Melvin. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz