Corporate Missile Cruises Home

Nice filly Corporate Missile (3 f Smart Missile - Corporate, by Mt. Livermore) got the show on the road with a genuine performance to win the PK Sound Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 7 September at Matamata.

The win came at just her second start this time in for the Te Akau Corporate Missile Syndicate (Mgr: DC Ellis), after resuming with a bold finishing sixth to Sweet Leader (O'Reilly) over 1000 metres on Dead4 at Taupo, and produced the second fastest last 600m (34.3).

Although compelling over the concluding stages when winning a preparatory trial in heavy conditions on 2 August at Te Teko, race day jockey Matt Cameron, track work rider Daniel Miller and co-trainer Jamie Richards all suggested it was only her ability that enabled her to cope with the Slow9 conditions and that she would certainly prefer better going.

“She scrambled a bit in the ground but was too good for them,” said Cameron.

Settling seventh of the eight runners, Corporate Missile tracked along three wide with cover before improving to fifth at the 600m and was resolute in rounding up the pair in front of her over the final 100m.

She ran the 1200 metres in 1:16.0, last 600m in 38.3, and as second favourite paid $3.60 & $1.40 on the tote.

“She missed the kick a little bit but we never planned on being urgent from the gate and Matt (Cameron) rode her super,” Richards said, who trains the filly with Stephen Autridge.

Reflecting on her fresh up run at Taupo, Richards said: “There is a big opinion around Sweet Leader, who won the 1000-metre Maiden, so I think the form will stack up out of that race and we might be a chance of sneaking into some black-type [races] from here because she does hold a [1000] Guineas nom."

Corporate Missile was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis for $150,000 (draft: Jamieson Park) at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale.

Ellis had been really impressed with the progeny of Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock) that he had inspected in the months leading up to the sales, saying: “He was a brilliant racehorse and his stock sold very well, as a leading freshman sire, during the recent sales on the Gold Coast”.

The stable trains four by Smart Missile and of the two to race, both are now winners - Corproate Missile and aslo Sassy 'N" Smart who was her sire's first global winner when winning on debut last season as a 2YO and also his first stakes' winner when claiming the Listed Welcome Stakes at her second start.  She too holds a Group 1 1000 Guineas nomination.

“Smart Missile won the Todman Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) at Rosehill and in his short career he beat Sepoy, Foxwedge, Helmet and Karuta Queen. He was a really good horse,” Ellis added.

Sneaking in on the fourth line of her pedigree, Monroe was the joint third top filly on the 1979 Irish 2YO Free Handicaps. Her sire was Sir Ivor, father to the legendary Sir Tristram.

Corporate Missile was strapped by Meg Cunneen.
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz