Sunday Double - Captured by Love Captivating

Captured By Love (2 f Written Tycoon – Moldova, by Snitzel) made a perfect start to her racing career in the $18,500 Johnson Brothers 2YO 1000 metres on 12 November at Tauherenikau.

After finishing well for third in a trial on 31 October at Te Rapa, Captured By Love was $1.50 favourite to win and delivered in good fashion.

Positioned outside the leader by jockey Warren Kennedy, Captured By Love took over early in the home straight and stretched out nicely to win in 57.0 for 1000 metres on Good4 footing. 

It was a good ride by Kennedy, who leads the premiership and a day earlier won the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on race favourite Crocetti (Zacinto) in a stern finish over Te Akau runner Talisker (Embellish) with stable-mate Trobriand (Kermadec) in fourth.

“It was a really nice winning performance,” said co-trainer Mark Walker. “It’s often hard in those small fields, but it worked out well and the overnight trip away will do her the world of good. 

“She was a beautiful yearling, will only improve for the experience, we’ve got a good opinion of her and I think she’ll keep getting better as we step her up over more distance.”

Owned by Te Akau 2023 Magic Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Captured By Love was purchased by David Ellis CNZM in January at the 2023 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Milburn Creek.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “She is a lovely natured filly, good mover, physically strong, with a pedigree to match.

“With Snitzel and General Nediym the first and second dam sires, there is plenty of speed, and she looks very much a racehorse.”

By an outstanding sire, Written Tycoon (Iglesia) topped the Australian General Sires’ List in 2021 after rising from an initial service fee of $8,250 to now command $165,000.

Leading First Season Sire and Champion Two-Year-Old Sire, Written Tycoon has produced horses to win over 100 stakes races including 15 Group Ones, and already a sire of sires with Golden Slipper (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner Capitalist, Group One winners Written By and Ole Kirk, and Rich Enuff, Winning Rupert. 

Dam-sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), a two-time Champion Sire of Two-Year-Olds in Australia, equalled then surpassed Danehill with a record number of individual two-year-old winners in a season – a mark that now stands at 35. He has also headed the General Sires’ List twice and Australian Champion Sire in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

As a broodmare sire, Snitzel, a son of Champion Broodmare Sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), is increasingly making his presence felt and last season his daughters left 10 stakes winners.

The filly is the first foal of Moldova, who won twice at 1100 metres in Australia, while the dam-line has mated tremendously with eight time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), including multiple stakes winner Savvy Nature, stakes winner Addictive Nature, and 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Hasahalo.

“She’s in a two filly syndicate and the other filly, The Victress (Zousain), looked good winning a trial in August at Te Rapa, and building up to race,” Ellis added.

“We’ve got a lot of new owners in the syndicate, so I’m absolutely delighted that Captured By Love has commenced her career with a win and they’ve got off to such an brilliant start.

“The trip away will really bring her on and it’s pretty exciting.”

Captured By Love was strapped by Kohen Collett. 

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