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On The Bubbles wins Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Jamie Richards and Te Akau Racing’s dominance of the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) continued on Saturday, as On The Bubbles (2 g ex More Bubbles by Sebring) handed the team a fourth consecutive win in the Group 1, while the gelding’s victory also provided his Darley Stud-based sire Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) with his first Group 1 winner. 

The two-year-old gelding jumped smartly and was sent straight to the front by jockey Johnathan Parkes taking the field along at a good pace. Approaching the home turn On The Bubbles extended his lead and was taken to centre of the course. He maintained his advantage in the straight to post an impressive three length win over stablemate I Wish I Win (Savabeel). Bonny Lass (Super Easy) was a further four lengths further away in third. 

This victory follows up the wins of Melody Belle (Commands), Avantage (Fastnet Rock) and last year’s victor Yourdeel (Savabeel) for David Ellis’ Te Akau operation in the Group 1. 

On The Bubbles has won four of his six starts, including the Karaka 2YO Million (RL, 1200m) and his defeats have been second placings behind stablemate Sword Of State (Snitzel) in the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m) at Matamata. His prize-money earnings now stand at NZ$743,550. 

Richards said he was confident heading into the Group 1 and the horse would now head for a spell and be aimed at the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) next season. 

“On the Bubbles just loves being a racehorse,” Richards said. “I’m proud of him. He’s been to almost every dance this season, and he just keeps improving.

“I knew from his work on Tuesday morning that we were in for a good show this weekend, and he’s lived up to it on raceday.

“He’ll go out for a good break now, and we’ll bring him back and set him for the 2000 Guineas in November.”

Purchased by Ben Kwok and Bevan Smith for $60,000 at the 2019 Inglis Great Southern Weanling and Bloodstock Sale from the Burnewang North Pastoral draft, On The Bubbles was then bought for Te Akau supremo David Ellis for NZ$90,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling the following year. 

Smith told Racing & Sports Bloodstock he thought On The Bubbles looked like an early two-year-old as weanling and was over the moon he was able to show his high-class potential in Saturday’s Group 1.

“Even as a weanling he looked like a precocious two-year-old type,” he said. “Obviously being by Brazen Beau he had that natural muscle. He wasn’t overly big, but he had a strong hindquarter and lovely shoulder. 

“He was a horse we sent back to New Zealand thinking he would make a Karaka Million type and turned out he did. 

“When David Ellis buys your horse and labels it as a Karaka Million horse from early on, you know you are on the right track. He has a phenomenal record with two-year-olds and he knows what to look for in a young horse and to have that vote of confidence that someone like David Ellis is buying your horse, gives you a real boost and makes you think you might be on the right track.”

Cathy Hains purchased On the Bubbles’ dam More Bubbles with the late Steve Brem for $100,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling & Bloodstock Sale in 2018 carrying On The Bubbles in utero and she said they opted to send On The Bubbles to the Great Southern sale due to his x-rays not being perfect. 

“We’re very excited, absolutely delighted,’’ Hains said.

“He had a lovely frame as a young horse and we always thought he’d develop into a nice horse.

“We took him to Great Southern and he didn’t have perfect X-Rays so while he was extremely popular in the lead-up, most were turned off him from the X-Rays but you know what? He’s now a Group 1 winner.

“Buyers are always learning the challenges that X-Rays present but I think the good judges are more forgiving and Bevan Smith is an outstanding judge so credit to him.

“I’ll definitely be on the bubbles tonight, we all will be!’’

On The Bubbles is out of the placed Sebring (More Than Ready) mare More Bubbles, who originally purchased by Cameron Cooke Bloodstock for $100,000 at the 2015 Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale. 

More Bubbles is a half-sister to 2015 Myer Classic (registered as Empire Rose Stakes) (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Politeness (Street Sense) being out of Berengaria (Commands). 

Further afield, the gelding’s third dam Mythos (Imperial Prince) produced dual Group 2 scorer Thackery (At Talaq) and Listed scorer Fairytales (Night Shift) - the dam of Group 2 scorer Parables (Lonhro).

This year More Bubbles produced a colt by fellow Darley stallion Impending (Lonhro), but missed to Darley shuttler Frosted (Tapit) in October. 

On The Bubbles is one of 11 stakes winners for Brazen Beau and they include Group 3 winner North Pacific, who it was announced earlier this week would join the Newgate Farm roster this spring.