| What | Karaka Millions Day 2024 |
| Where | Ellerslie Racecourse – 100 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland 1051, New Zealand |
| When | Saturday, January 27, 2024 |
| First Race | 4:19pm NZDT (2:19pm AEDT) |
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New Zealand racing’s biggest day, the Karaka Millions meeting returns to Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday where a stacked six-race program awaits. The Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) headline proceedings, with black-type races accompanying the lucrative affairs. Perfect conditions should greet punters, with the track rated a Good 4 at the time of acceptances, with the rail in the true position. Karaka Millions Day is set to commence at 4:19pm local time.
Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections for Karaka Millions Day 2024
Race 1: Group 3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m)
Karaka Millions Day kicks off with the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy over 1200m where the last-start Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) victor Crocetti resumes from a brief spell. Unbeaten through six starts and already a Group 1 winner, the three-year-old gelding is without a doubt one of the more promising prospects in New Zealand, and is clearly the best horse in this race. Drawn barrier three, Warren Kennedy will take the son of Zacinto to the front, and despite there being a few natural leaders in the race, we expect Crocetit to dominate proceedings in the opener.
1
CROCETTI
5
MERCHANT QUEEN
4
STAR OF JUSTICE
- 7
EGYPTIAN QUEEN
Race 2: Group 3 Concorde Handicap (1200m)
Imwonderfultonight was beaten less than a length in fourth in the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) last time out, and as she steps back to Group 3 company, she looks hard to go past. She gains our best bet tag, with a couple of others being far too short to tip you into, but she has the runs on the board to suggest she will be winning. The I Am Invincible mare was beaten a lip in Listed company two runs back by Maria Farina, and her form prior to that reads really well heading into the Concorde Handicap. From barrier one, we expect Joe Doyle will have her in a stalking position throughout, from where she can produce a strong turn of foot and finish the best.
4
IMWONDERFULTONIGHT
- 2
ROMANCING THE MOON
- 1
MAVEN BELLE
8
DAZZLED
Best Bet
Race 2 – #4 Imwonderfultonight (1)
5yo Mare | T: Sam Mynott | J: Joe Doyle (57kg)
+400 with Picklebet
Race 3: Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m)
Maria Farina was a horror watch for those on the mare in the Group 1 Telegraph last time out, and can right those wrongs in the Group 2 Westbury Classic. The Darryn & Briar Weatherley-trained mare was well beaten in the Group 1 Railway (1200m) two runs back, but her win the start prior over Imwonderfultonight has her right in the calculations for this race. The Contributer mare needs a genuine tempo over the 1400m, which is what she should get considering the amount of known leaders in the event. She will be close to last on the home turn, but armed with a thunderous turn of foot, we expect Maria Farina will prove too hard to hold out.
5
MARIA FARINA
8
EXPRESS YOURSELF
14
LUBERON
1
LA CRIQUE
Best Value
Race 3 – #5 Maria Farina (6)
6yo Mare | T: Darryn & Briar Weatherley | J: Sam Weatherley (56kg)
+1200 with Neds
Race 4: Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m)
Having won in impressive fashion over the Ellerslie 1200m on January 14, we’re confident So Naive from the Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley barn can cause an upset in the Karaka Millions 2YO. The two-year-old colt simply did too much when returning in Group 2 company first-up when well beaten by some of his rivals he faces on Saturday, but the son of US Navy Flag showed that once he settles in his races, his finishing burst is up there with some of the best at his age level. With plenty of pressure expected in the race, we’re confident So Naive can absorb that pressure from a midfield position, and when asked to quicken, he has what it takes to cause a boilover in the juvenile feature.
2
SO NAIVE
- 4
COOL ‘N’ FAST
11
VELOCIOUS
- 7
WHEN STARS ALIGN
Karaka Millions 2YO
Race 4 – #2 So Naive (8)
2yo Colt | T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | J: Joe Doyle (57kg)
+1500 with Bet365
Race 5: Aotearoa Classic (1600m)
Legarto is a genuine superstar in New Zealand and she showed all of her class when smashing a similar field to what she faces on Saturday at the Ellersie 1400m on January 14. The two-time Group 1 winner managed to round up her rivals in dominant fashion when fresh, with an undefeated record when second-up, it is hard to see how her rivals turn the tables on her. Ryan Elliot will have her in clear air towards the rear of the field from barrier seven, and when he asks for her to quicken, Legarto should put this race away in a couple of strides, and in doing so, book her spot in the All Star Mile (1600m).
12
LEGARTO
1
SHARP ‘N’ SMART
- 5
HOLYMANZ
- 3
SACRED SATONO
Race 6: Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m)
The closer on Saturday is the $1.5million Karaka Millions 3YO, and we’re happy to side with Pendragon. The three-year-old gelding from the Mike Moroney & Pam Gerard barn proved too hard to run down in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on December 26. He is a natural leader, and despite being challenged in the home straight, he refused to give in to Quintessa’s challenge and prevailed in smart fashion. He maps to get a relatively uncontested lead under Mark Zahra, and from barrier four, the US Navy Flag will have this race run to his liking. With his main rivals giving him a massive start from the rear of the field, we’re confident Pendragon can pinch a winning break and prove too hard to run down.
1
PENDRAGON
12
ORCHESTRAL
10
MOLLY BLOOM
- 2
TOKYO TYCOON
Karaka Millions 3YO
Race 6 – #1 Pendragon (4)
3yo Gelding | T: Mike Moroney & Pam Gerard | J: Mark Zahra (57kg)
+650 with Dabble
Ellerslie quaddie tips – Karaka Millions Day 2024
Ellerslie quadrella selections
Saturday, January 27, 2024
- 1-5-8-14
- 1-2-4-7-11
- 1-12
- 1-2-10-12
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