Saturday Treble - Nucleozor Explodes
Date: 24 Mar 2024
Impressive winning on debut, Nucleozor (2 g Almanzor – Nucleonic, by Burgundy) made it two from two with victory in the $40,000 Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series 2YO 1000 metres on Saturday at Riccarton.
After cruising past to win a trial on 23 February at Riccarton, Nucleozor unleashed a huge finish for victory on debut in the 2YO 820 metres on 2 March at Wingatui, and win two was achieved in similar style.
Drawn barrier seven in a field of nine, Nucleozor was situated handy but wide for Te Akau apprentice Niranjan Parmar, tucked in for cover behind stable-mate Discretion Rules (Alabama Express) nearing the straight and once presented he asserted superiority to win easily.
On Good4 footing, Nucleozor ran 1000 metres in 56.5 and justified his $1.50 favouritism winning by three and a quarter lengths, while Discretion Rules continued his form to finish second, having finished third to Nucleozor on debut.
“It was another really good win by Nucleozor today,” said Mark Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson.
“He’s a horse with a lot of scope and size about him and obviously has plenty of natural ability.
“We expect he’ll only get better with time and age, so whatever he’s doing now is just a bonus. He has the makings of a lovely three-year-old.”
The 13th individual two-year-old winner for the stable this season, it was the 129th win for the premiership leading training partners, including 25 stakes' wins (18 NZ & 7 Aust.), coming at a lower strike rate (5.4) than last season when Te Akau set a record 202 domestic wins.
Nucleozor may now target the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) on Saturday 13 April at Riccarton, a race Te Akau has won eight times, ahead of the Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on Saturday 4 May.
Nucleozor is a brother to stable-mate Qali Al Farrasha (3 f Almanzor – Nucleonic), who won easing down by four lengths in the Maiden 3YO 1600 metres on 7 February at Matamata, and who subsequently finished second in the $150,000 McKee Family Sunline Vase (Gr. 3, 2100m) on Derby Day at Ellerslie, and then third in the $500,000 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) on 16 March at Trentham.
Each bred and owned by David Ellis CNZM and David and Matthew Peacocke (Westonlea Bloodstock), his Te Akau trained dam Nucleonic (Burgundy) impressed winning on debut over 1200 as a two-year-old, while his grand-dam Mexican Rose (Volksraad) was Champion 2YO & 3YO in Singapore, having 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 a good return 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.
“Nucleozor is a really professional young horse with plenty of ability, and Hunter (Durrant) and our team of staff at Riccarton are doing a great job with him and all the horse there.”
Nucleozor was strapped by Naomi Warrander.
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz