In a blockbuster edition of the Gr.2 Shaw’s Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas (1400m), outsider Midnight Edition and favoured runner Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) went to the line as one, with the latter securing the Boxing Day feature in a protest.
Yaldi had been an impressive juvenile, winning on debut before placing at stakes level in Australia. The imposing galloper had done little racing in his three-year-old season, making his first appearance since August when finishing a narrow second to Risque Ruler at Te Rapa earlier this month.
Promising Te Akau filly Damask Rose started a short-priced favourite for the Guineas, closing at a $1.90 ahead of Checkmate ($3.70) and Yaldi at $6.50. The filly was conservatively ridden from her wide gate while Yaldi bounced swiftly from the inside, settling in the box-seat third under Michael McNab, while Midnight Edition crossed to take the lead.
Midnight Edition’s jockey Matt Cartwright steadied the tempo and the gelding showed a decent kick at the top of the straight, hanging on to the lead until the final bounds, where Yaldi, with blinkers applied for the first time, powered up and they found the line in unison.
The judge was unable to separate the pair and the race was announced a dead-heat, but Yaldi’s trainer Andrew Forsman soon launched a protest, which later revealed interference with Midnight Edition shifting out slightly in the closing stages. Stewards deemed that enough to reward Yaldi with the outright victory, denying the Bruce Wallbank-trained galloper a $77 boilover.
Forsman admitted the race hadn’t been an easy watch through the mid-stages, but that made the win all the more pleasing for the Cambridge horseman.
“I was a bit worried mid-race as it wasn’t unfolding as we’d hoped, they were only going steadily and he was quite keen with the blinkers on for the first time, he said.
“I was really happy to see him knuckle down off the slow speed like he did.
“The blinkers are something we’ve toyed with for a little while, he’s trialled with them on before and looks around a lot. He’s still very raw and immature and he’s still learning, so I just thought he needed to focus a bit more after the other day at Te Rapa where he probably threw the race away.”
Bred by Brown Thoroughbreds, Yaldi raced in the colours of co-owner Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock, who purchased him out of Little Avondale Stud’s draft for just $50,000 at Karaka 2023 with the assistance of bloodstock agent Bruce Perry.
The son of Ardrossan is eligible for both the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), the latter a race Forsman holds an all-important slot for.
“The main target for this preparation has been the Karaka mile, and obviously the Kiwi and races like that are on his radar,” he said. “How we get to Karaka I’m not so sure, we’ll just see how he comes through it and talk to Lib, Bruce and the team.
“The Levin Classic (Gr.2, 1400m) is an option and a trip away may be a good thing for a horse like him, he’s learning and that experience can make a horse like him. We’ll see what comes of the next week or so and figure it out.
“The 1500 of the Kiwi at Ellerslie is tailor-made for him, he doesn’t need to do too much more and you’d think with a bigger field with hopefully a more genuine tempo, it should suit him as well.”
