Malmaison Magic Again

Malmaison (4 g Darci Brahma – Altai Rose, by Bernardini) made it back-to-back wins with a strong performance in the $17,000 Fibre Fresh Active Rating 65 1200 metres on 23 August at Awapuni.

Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson entered two runners on the programme and after Luxuriant (Iffraaj), who had won three of her last five starts, finished third in the Rating 75 1200 metres, it was left to Malmaison to carry the day.

Ridden by former Te Akau apprentice Wiremu Pinn, who won three races on the seven race programme, and combined last season to win the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on stable-mate Move To Strike (I Am Invincible's first Group 1 winning juvenile). 

Malmaison was in the picture throughout after beginning well from barrier five, levelled in front between runners turning for home, and proceeded to draw out for a one and a quarter length victory.

A worthy favourite last start when comfortably winning the Maiden 970 metres on 26 June at Cambridge (poly track), after finishing runner-up in four of his five starts, Malmaison had been given time (58 days) between races and had shown ability to handle the rise in grade as a top three chance.

Malmaison ran 1000 metres in 58.3 on the poly track and drifted in betting from $3.60 & $1.50 earlier in the day to return $5.50 & $2.00 on the NZ TAB fixed odds. 

An athletic individual, Malmaison has now won both his starts on poly tracks.

“He’s been a work in progress, as he used to try and do things at a hundred miles an hour,” Walker said.

“Thanks to our really good track riders, especially Rylee Sheehan, he has been able to relax better and now his brain is in the right place for racing.

“We gave him time between runs and now that he’s won at Awapuni, he will continue travelling south to our stables at Riccarton, where he can prepare for a spring campaign. 

“It’s always special when a son of Darci Brahma wins in the stable, with Dave (Ellis) having bought him as a yearling at Karaka, and we’ve always enjoyed watching his progeny race. 

“It was a good ride by Wiremu. He’s been riding a lot of track work for us and putting in the hard yards. It’s good to reward him with another win.”

Owned by the Te Akau In Full Bloom Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Malmaison breezed up in the top 20 times (10.25) when galloping in October at Te Rapa, and subsequently purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $150,000 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud. 

Multiple Champion Stallion Darci Brahma (Danehill) has sired over 1850 winners: 96 stakes' winners, including 16 Group One's - the likes of Super Easy, Catalyst, Gust Of Wind, Nashville, Kahma Lass, Recite, Risque, Irish Fling, and many other gifted and hardy thoroughbreds.

Darci Brahma himself won the 2000 Guineas among five Group One victories which included the T. J. Smith Stakes (1600m) in Brisbane, as a two-year-old, and the Telegraph Handicap (1200m). 

Dam-sire Bernardini (A. P. Indy) is doing a good job at stud and became the youngest stallion ever to reach the mark of 50 stakes' winners as a broodmare sire in May 2021.

Malmaison has an international pedigree on his dam-side, with third dam Tamnia (Green Desert) a stakes' winner and Group One placed in Europe, before leaving 11 foals of which 10 raced, and the family of dual Group Two winner and multiple stakes' winner Son Cesio (Zafeen). 

At the time of purchase Ellis said: “We bought Darci Brahma as a yearling colt at Karaka. Mark (Walker) did a sensational job training him to win five Group Ones. He was Champion 2YO, Champion 3YO and Champion Sprinter/Miler as a 4YO. He’s been a tremendous asset to the stallion ranks in New Zealand.

“We loved the horse (Malmaison) and thought he was particularly good value early in the sale.

“He’s an athletic three-year-old type, with a lovely demeanour, good bone, plenty of substance, and well balanced.”

Malmaison carries a Danzig (Green Desert) cross as the sire of Danehill in his sire line and through the dam line of Altai Rose. 

Altai Rose was bred by Bob Emery and sold to Dr. KC Tan as a yearling at Karaka. Emery also bred and raced dual Group One winner Champagne (Zabeel), winner of the Mackinnon Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) and Australia Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m). 

Showing the consistency to keep improving as he matures, Malmaison is the third winner out of Altai Rose, in addition to talented colt So Naive (U S Navy Flag) who recently recorded his third victory from five starts in the Northland Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 17 August at Ruakaka. 

Malmaison was strapped by Rasheed Alam.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz