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Makfi sires 35th stakes winner

3 minute read

Valachi Downs homebred Needle And Thread dominates Royal Stakes.

NEEDLE AND THREAD.
NEEDLE AND THREAD. Picture: Trish Dunell

Former Westbury Stud shuttler Makfi (Dubawi) was awarded his 35th stakes winner on Friday as his daughter, the Stephen Autridge and Kris Shailer-trained, Needle And Thread (3 f ex Fleece by Daylami) produced a dominant display to win the Royal Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) at Ellerslie. 

Last finishing fourth in the Eight Carat Classic (Gr 2, 1600m) only a week ago, the three-year-old filly clearly relished the step up in trip, pulling away to beat stablemate Lily's Lady (Contributer) by an emphatic four and a half lengths, while Il Affare (Dundeel) was another nose away in third. 

Bred and raced by Kevin Hickman's Valachi Downs, who also sponsored the Group 2, the filly and the runner-up - who is also bred and owned by Hickman - could now be aimed at the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). 

"We thought that she would back up well and the 2000 metres would suit her, but she was more impressive than we thought she might be," Shailer said.

"Craig (Grylls, jockey) rode her a treat, rated her nicely and she had them off the bridle a long way from home.

"It's great for Kevin and his wife Joanna as they put so much into racing.

"It's a big team effort, so I'm delighted for everyone.

"We'll see how they both pull up from this, give them a quiet week and then look to how we might be able to get them to the New Zealand Oaks."

The filly is out of dual winning Daylami (Doyoun) mare Fleece, making her a sister to Listed winner Savile Row, who was placed three times at elite level. 

Fleece herself is a daughter of Listed scorer Gold Dodger (Slew O' Gold) and she also produced Group 3 winner Chintz (Danehill Dancer) - the dam of dual Group 1 winner The Gurkha (Galileo), who stands at Coolmore's base in Ireland. 

Fleece is also a half-sister to the dam of multiple Group 3 winner Buckhurst (Australia) and Listed scorer Duplicity (Cadeaux Genereux). 

Further back the filly this is the family of Group 3 winner Brooklyn's Dance (Shirley Heights) - the dam of Group 1 winner Solemia (Poliglote), Group 2 scorer Prospect Wells (Sadler's Wells) and Prospect Park (Sadler's Wells), who won twice at Group 3 level, as well as Listed-winning pair Brooklyn's Gold (Seeking The Gold) and Never Green (Halling). 

After missing to Reliable Man (Dalakhani), Fleece produced a filly by Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) this season. 

Makfi's five Group 1 winners include three New Zealand elite scorers; Bonneval, Sofia Rosa and Marky Mark. The son of Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) - who shuttled to Westbury Stud for six seasons - stood at Tweenhills Stud in the northern hemisphere, before being sold by Qatar Racing in 2016 and he now resides at Japan Bloodstock Breeders' Association.
Racing and Sports

Ellerslie

Friday, 01st January 2021

4
14:29
(local)

Valachi Downs Royal Stakes (G2)

Age: 3yo Sex: F Type: OPEN
NZD $100,000
2000m TURF GOOD
4
14:29
(local)
NZD $100,000
2000m GOOD

Valachi Downs Royal Stakes (G2)

Age: 3yo Sex: F Type: OPEN

This G2 for 3yo fillies only was won easily by the Australian bred Needle And Thread that led from barrier rise in the 2000m event and scored by four and a half lengths in 2:03.09. It was her second win and first at Blacktype plus it came after finishing fourth here at G2 just under a week ago over the mile. The winners and where they came from were eighth (five-off the inside and four lengths from the leader), fourth (trailed inner and length and a half from the leader), third (four-off the inside and a length from the leader), led (one-off the inside and led by two lengths), second (two-off the inside and eighth lengths from the leader), third (four-off the inside and a length from the leader), led (neck in front and one-off), ninth (seven-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), third (four-off the inside and a length from the leader) and third (two-off the inside and length and a half from the leader). Needle And Thread was very superior to her rivals at this distance and she will run the Oaks trip so that looks an obvious target later in the season. Lily's Lady, a stablemate of the winner and having the same breeder and owner too ran a sound second after racing seventh the inner and then working off the run home. She ran on solidly for a maiden and having her first try at Blacktype too and looks another Oaks prospect as well. If Affare was third home and only just missed second place at the line She had prior to today run a cracker at Listed level over 1500m here at Ellerslie, so this natural backrunner was looking for the rise in trip to 2000m today. After racing second last she came up tenth and wide turning for home and was seventh at the 200m before coming with a big finish wide out. A deadheat for fourth occurred between Beaune and Canuhandleajandal with the former coming from last on settling and fighting on well the inner and the latter surged home widest from eighth on settling. Sixth home was Sweet Anna, which started third favourite and after racing fourth or fifth the inner she moved into second at the 200m before weakening a tad. She also lost her left front plate in the running and she was five lengths from the winner at the line. Fleetwood Maca clipped a heel and blundered at the 1400m but still settled down sixth and she fought on okay all things considered for seventh beaten just under six lengths. Eighth home was Beautifulnightmare that ran okay from third last the inside to be beaten just over six lengths. Ezdara was next home and she raced third mostly then went up second turning for home only to run out but was still third at the 200m. The maiden filly wilted but considering that she has never even run a place she ran well above herself. The rest got beaten over nine lengths and as far as over twenty-seven lengths with only one of them being backed in Illusion Of Paris that hung throughout. The winner Needle And Thread was very dominant but there were also several good efforts that came behind her though the overall depth of this filly field has to be questionable. It was not of a G2 depth and five of the field had not won a race too.



FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 4. NEEDLE AND THREAD (AUS) 3yo F
MAKFI (GB) - FLEECE (GB)
CRAIG GRYLLS
STEPHEN AUTRIDGE & KRIS SHAILER
$5.5
56.5kg
K J Hickman Onzm
2nd 10. LILY'S LADY (NZ) 3yo F
CONTRIBUTER (IRE) - BOHEMIAN LILY (NZ)
DANIELLE JOHNSON
STEPHEN AUTRIDGE & KRIS SHAILER
$13
56.5kg
K J Hickman Onzm
3rd 3. IL AFFARE (NZ) 3yo F
DUNDEEL (NZ) - PENNACCHIO (NZ)
LISA ALLPRESS
PETER & DAWN WILLIAMS
$6.5
56.5kg
Nearco Stud Ltd (Mgr: G R Tomlinson)
4th 5. BEAUNE (AUS) 3yo F
KERMADEC (NZ) - SAN CRISTOBEL (NZ)
TRUDY THORNTON
EMMA-LEE & DAVID BROWNE
$41
56.5kg

Sales Information

4th 6. CANUHANDLEAJANDAL (NZ) 3yo F
JIMMY CHOUX (NZ) - OUZO (NZ)
VINNIE COLGAN
GRAHAM RICHARDSON & ROGAN NORVALL
$16
56.5kg
6th 2. SWEET ANNA (NZ) 3yo F
TAVISTOCK (NZ) - SARA ANN (NZ)
MICHAEL MCNAB
MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN
$6.5
56.5kg

Sales Information

7th 1. FLEETWOOD MACA (NZ) 3yo F
ROCK 'N' POP (AUS) - MACAVELLI MISS (AUS)
A CALDER
MICHAEL MORONEY & PAM GERARD
$2.75
56.5kg
8th 11. BEAUTIFULNIGHTMARE (NZ) 3yo F
CONTRIBUTER (IRE) - LILLY BELLE (NZ)
LYNSEY SATHERLEY
D LOGAN & C GIBBS
$81
56.5kg
9th 13. EZDARA (NZ) 3yo F
SACRED FALLS (NZ) - EZRA (NZ)
JASMINE FAWCETT
GRAEME & DEBBIE ROGERSON
$151
56.5kg

Sales Information

10th 7. ARANCIA (NZ) 3yo F
SWEET ORANGE (USA) - LA MANZANILLA (NZ)
RYAN ELLIOT
GRAEME & DEBBIE ROGERSON
$31
56.5kg
11th 8. ZENDORA (NZ) 3yo F
MEDAGLIA D'ORO (USA) - ZENELLA (NZ)
LEITH INNES
L NOBLE
$41
56.5kg
12th 12. PLATINUM PETALS (NZ) 3yo F
DEEP FIELD (AUS) - SNOW PETAL (AUS)
JONATHAN RIDDELL
LISA LATTA
$51
56.5kg

Sales Information

13th 9. ILLUSION OF PARIS (NZ) 3yo F
PURE CHAMPION (IRE) - PHANTOM OF PARIS (NZ)
OPIE BOSSON
JAMIE RICHARDS
$13
56.5kg

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