GEELONG SYNTHETIC
ELEPHANT & CASTLE HOTEL (68) Race 6 - 2:55pm
2,200 m
ZATOPEK LANE

DOOMBEN
ASCEND SALES FRED BEST CLASSIC Race 6 - 1,350 m
OUR SMOKIN' ROCK
KIRKS DOOMBEN CUP Race 7 - 2,000 m
MAWINGO
DARLEY BRC SPRINT Race 8 - 1,350 m
SMOKIN' JOEY
MORNINGTON
JACK DOW MEMORIAL HRDL Race 2 - 3,320 m
ABOVE AVERAGE
MONEY NOW HCP (58) Race 6 - 1,508 m
PETRUSHKA

Freedman wins NZ's richest race

This story is reproduced from the ANZ Bloodstock News.

New Zealand's richest race, the $1million Karaka Millions (Listed, 1200m), was won in brave fashion by Ockham's Razor (Any Suggestion), the Australian- trained, New Zealand-bred colt sweeping home at Ellerslie on Sunday, writes Darryl Sherer and Jeff Dore.

Having been settled worse than midfield by Craig Williams, Ockham's Razor became the second Australian-trained winner of the race in the past five years when coming with a strong run in the straight to run down Silk Pins (Pins) inside the final 75m and score by half a length with Warhorse (General Nediym) a further half a length behind in third.

The win proved a triumph for trainer Anthony Freedman, Australian Bloodstock as well as John Thompson, whose Rich Hill Stud stand Any Suggestion, a Group winning son of Lion Hunter, and who have a sister to the Ockham's Razor catalogued as Lot 1034 to sell at the New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale on Friday.

"That is very good to win like that, he might be better than we thought," Freedman said afterwards. "Craig rode a patient race and he was strongest on the line. It's a great thrill to win the race and it's a good thing for New Zealand racing. He's shown nice ability at home, but I didn't know the standard of the horses here, but he's won a lot of money now."

Ockham's Razor was making his second start having finished second on debut behind Sweet Little Lies (Elusive Quality) at Caulfield on 7 January. "Today was the plan, he travelled over here well and he's done a big job to win so we're very happy."

Bahen Bloodstock purchased the grey for NZ$170,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale last year and Australian Bloodstock put together the syndicate that now races the winner of over half a million.

"To be honest, we bought him thinking he was a nice horse for this race and it has come off," explained Australian Bloodstock principal, Luke Murrell. "There are some people in this horse who have never been involved in a racehorse before so it is just terrific to win for them. Our philosophy is to buy nice horses and, hopefully, win nice races so this is a great day."

Australian Bloodstock syndicated the German Group winner Lucas Cranach (Mamool) to race in Australia with the Anthony Freedman-trainee finishing third in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) and the agency has recently added another German Group winner in Mawingo (Tertullian), who is already qualified for the 2012 Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and Melbourne Cup. Asked if he would be buying at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales that commence on Monday, Murrell quipped, "We will now".

"Anthony had the horse in great condition and he gave me a great ride," said Williams. "He really dug in for me in the straight and he was strong at the line so it was a great performance from horse and trainer.

"We were a bit further back but they didn't go that fast and we had cover on and off, I was happy to let him slide to put himself into the race. You could see he got a little bit lost on two or three occasions but it was a very dominant win today."

For John Thompson, who also bred the winner in partnership with Katsumi Yoshida, the win was indeed special. In a voice barely above a whisper he said, "I can't speak, I was cheering so much but that is just fabulous. It should give Any Suggestion the General 2YO Sires Premiership and the First-season premiership so that is just fabulous."

Ockham's Razor (2 c, Any Suggestion - Shadow Ray, by Groom Dancer) is now the winner of one race from two starts with earnings totalling $563,100.

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