Stonybreck Synthetic Star Again

In the hands of stable rider Opie Bosson ONZM, Stonybreck (5 g Tavistock – Fair Isle, by Fastnet Rock) won the $18,500 Majestic Horse Floats Rating 75 1300 metres on 28 August at Cambridge.

Recording his sixth win from 17 starts, including five poly track victories from 10 attempts, Stonybreck had been freshened by trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson since being blocked when mounting a run in the Rating 75 1550 metres on the course in June.

A top racehorse from the outset, Stonybreck recorded a track record 54.9 for 970 metres when winning on debut at Cambridge, subsequently lowered that to 54.7, and the bargain purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM has now managed to win in August of the past three years. In doing so, he has won just over $90,000 for his connections.

He had been racing impeccably before winning the $60,000 Richard Bright Memorial Cup (Rating 75, 1550 metres) in August last year at Cambridge, and could now continue the trend with another confidence building effort under his belt.

Intent on utilising a handy draw (2), Bosson had Stonybreck perfectly situated fourth on the outer, and as he ranged to dispute the pace 400m out, he showed plenty of resolve to establish a winning break and hold off closing race favourite Keegan (Swiss Ace).  

“He was a bit keen in the middle stages and I could hear one coming outside me, but they were going slow so I let him slide up around them and it was probably the winning of the race,” Bosson said.

On course, Te Akau racing manager Reece Trumper said: 

“Ever since we started him on the poly track he beat the older horses as a three-year-old over 970 metres, breaking the track record. So he just loves this surface.

“Last season he wasn’t mustering speed out of the gates, but today he was right there which was really good to see. 

“Opie’s obviously the best and when we have him in these silks we’re so much happier. He gave him a gun run and when he was right there on the corner he was always going to be very hard to beat.”

Stonybreck clocked 1:17.2 for 1300 metres and paid $4.20 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote. 

Stonybreck was purchased for $20,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud, at the 2021 Karaka Book 1 Sale, and is owned by Te Akau Northern Scotland Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

From the same draft, Ellis subsequently bought his half-sister for $190,000 at Karaka 2022 Book 1 Sale, and named Star Of Justice (Justify) she won the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes over 1400m before being sold online through Gavelhouse.com for $227,500. 

There is no doubting the quality of the family, deep with black type stakes' winners. 

By Fastnet Rock (Danehill), Stonybreck's dam Fair Isle, a winner over 1600 metres in Australia, has now left four individual winners of 10 races, while grand-dam Miss Scarlatti (Stravinsky) won a listed race and also strung together second placed finishes in the Norman Robinson (Gr. 3, 2000m), Wakefield Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), and VRC Oaks (Gr. 1, 2500m) in the space of three starts as a three-year-old.

Her half-sister, Abidewithme (Redoute’s Choice), was trained by Te Akau to record nine wins, including the Travis Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), Tauranga Stakes (Gr. 2, 1600m), and was three times Group One placed. 

Third dam Crimson (Zabeel), an impressive winner and Third Top Filly on the NZ 3YO Free Handicaps, produced outstanding form winning the Waikato Guineas (Gr. 3, 1600m) and finishing second in the Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m), before victory in the Grosvenor Championship Stakes (Gr. 2, 2100m), when trained by Jim Gibbs before transferring to Bart Cummings during the latter stages of her career. 

Crimson left winners of fourteen races, while her dam, Bourbon Lassie (Mellay) also produced the stallion Omnicorp (Grosvenor).

“Stoneybreck certainly has a good record at Cambridge, and Opie summed it up perfectly with the way he rode him,” Walker said.

“Dave (Ellis) bought him cheaply at Karaka, and he’s going really well for a horse that has also undergone a wind operation.”

Stonybreck was strapped by Kendyll Lee.