The Oaks Stud is hoping Ruakaka’s feature three-year-old event can again provide a springboard to elite level success.
The farm’s colours were carried to victory in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) five years ago and the Cambridge operation again had reason to celebrate a top result after Saturday’s contest.
The Oaks Stud’s young resident sire U S Navy Flag was to the fore with his progressive son So Naïve (NZ) an impressive winner of the event for trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley.
“The Breeders’ Stakes has been a good race for us with Catalyst (NZ) (Darci Brahma) winning it and he went on to greater things so we’re hoping this horse can keep improving and win a big race,” The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams said.
The injury-plagued Catalyst triumphed in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) off the back of success in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).
“Every stallion needs a big horse, but it’s a sticky time and, talking with other studmasters, it is very quiet apart from the obvious horses,” Williams said.
“The numbers being bred is the biggest problem so we need all the good results we can get, and I will have a good draft of U S Navy Flag’s going to the yearling sales.
“Thirteen out of the 14 sold earlier this year and they sold very well.”
He is the third Southern Hemisphere stakes winner for U S Navy Flag, who has been crowned both a champion first and second season sire.
His son Pendragon (NZ) claimed the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) and Chantilly Lace has won twice at Listed level in the Wanganui Guineas (1200m) and Castletown Stakes (1200m), while To Catch A Thief and Aprilia (NZ) have been Group One placegetters.
“I hope we can continue the momentum into the spring, you need a big six weeks to get the stallion full and So Naïve has produced exactly the start we wanted,” Williams said.
“Every stallion needs a Group One star to really get them rolling.”
A son of the late Bernardini mare Altai Rose (NZ), So Naïve was a two-time winner during his first preparation and ran fourth in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) for owner and long-time stable client Able International.
He was purchased out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale draft for $37,500.
“I know Grant (Cooksley) pretty well and when we looked at him last season, we knew he wasn’t a two-year-old, he was quite a tall, angular colt then,” Williams said.
“It’s no surprise he has furnished, I did see him at the trials and he has developed a lot.”
U S Navy Flag, who stands alongside The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) and Roc de Cambes (NZ) (Red Ransom), was a multiple Group One-winning son of War Front for master trainer Aidan O’Brien.
“We showed him to the Marcus Oldham group on Sunday and I’ve never seen him look better,” Williams said.
“I think the fact that he didn’t have to shuttle has helped, he’s really settled in and has just made him. He’s let down now and he’s just a beautiful horse.
“For a horse with his record, I would have thought we would have had more mares booked this year and hopefully there will be more activity after the weekend’s result.”
U S Navy Flag previously shuttled to Coolmore in Ireland before he was purchased outright by The Oaks and his Northern Hemisphere representatives include the multiple stakes winners Ocean Vision and Love Reigns.
