Riccarton Treble - Mazzucato Motors Home

Continuing winning form for the stable, Mazzucato (3 f Tivaci – Yellen, by Pentire) won the $25,000 Maiden 1400 metres on Saturday at Riccarton.

After the sensational record-breaking victory by Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) overnight in the Moir Stakes (Gr. 1, 1000 metres) at Moonee Valley, to nab her sixth Group One victory, Mazzucato began a busy day for trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson on a bright note.

Last season, Mazzucato finished second to subsequent stakes' placed Lowe Flying (Tivaci) on debut, raced in good fields, and found the line for fourth when resuming in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 13 September at Riccarton (poly track).

Ridden by Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar (a2), Mazzucato came from beyond midfield and wide at the 800m to sustain a massive winning run in centre track. 

In the race named Cup Week Tickets on Sale Now, Mazzucato ran 1400 metres in 1:30.5 on Heavy10 footing and drifted in betting to pay $6.70 & $2.30 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“She’s still a work in progress, can get a little bit keen but it was a good winning effort today,” Walker said. 

“It was a nice ride of Parmar’s, and it’s good to know she can get through wet ground.”

Having shown to handle heavy ground in her first trial as a two-year-old, when beaten a nose by stable-mate and subsequent four time winner Viva Vienna (All Too Hard), who recently added the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m), Mazzucato broke through at her fifth start for owners in the Te Akau Honour Bright Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). 

Mazzucato holds a nomination for the $500,000 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Saturday 18 November at Riccarton.

“It’s onwards and upwards in her campaign towards the Guineas,” Walker said. “As mentioned, she’s still a bit green and new to the game but it was good staying type performance to win.”

Mazzucato was purchased as a yearling by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM for $120,000 at the Karaka 2022 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Carlaw Park, a direct descendant of Easter Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Honor Bound (Honor Grades).

Te Akau has already established a good association with progeny of Waikato Stud stallion Tivaci (High Chaparral), through the deeds of Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner One Kiss, and recently acquired Wolverine, who won both the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) and Wakefield Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m), and finished second to Te Akau stable-mates Dynastic (Almanzor) in the $1 million Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) and subsequent Champion Two-Year-Old Maven Belle (Burgundy) in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m).

Before being purchased by Te Akau, Wolverine continued her fine form as a three-year-old in Australia, finishing third in the Tea Rose Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m), second in the Canberra Guineas (Listed, 1400m), third in the Carbine Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m), second in the Daybreak Lover (Listed, 1400m), and third in the Princess Stakes (Listed, 1615m).

At the time of purchasing Mazzucato, Ellis said: “We were thrilled to be able to buy this beautiful-walking filly.

“We’ve been really impressed with the progeny of Waikato Stud stallion Tivaci, who has already sired a Flight Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner at Randwick.  

“She’s a really nice three-year-old type, out of a Pentire mare that won four races, including three in a row in proper city class races in Melbourne, and the second dam left Alibi (Darci Brahma), a top horse in Singapore.”

There is plenty of quality on the dam side, with third dam Honor Bound (Honor Grades) winning the Easter Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m), impressing from 1200m – 1600m, before leaving eight individual winners as broodmare.

She carries bloodline crosses of top sires: Sadler’s Wells, Northern Dancer, and Danzig.

Mazzucato was strapped by Kendyll Lee. 

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