For those looking for a succinct summary of the result in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO at Ellerslie, the answer was very simple — Well Written first, daylight second.
The unbeaten daughter of Written Tycoon was not just a red-hot favourite for the 1600m race, she was the horse that so many of the massive on-course crowd had specifically come to see.
She did not disappoint as she let rip with 200m to run and simply powered away from a quality field to win by an ever increasing six-length margin.
Trainer Stephen Marsh has made no secret of the fact the filly could be the best horse he has ever trained and Well Written is living up to that mantle with five victories in a row, including four at stakes level.
The assessment of rider Matt Cartwright of the effort summed the victory up perfectly.
"The best horse I have ever ridden. This horse is an absolute weapon," he said.
"It’s so exciting as we got the right run, we got through and, wow, I nearly fell off the back of her."
Marsh was suitably relaxed despite the pressure of preparing a filly as good as WellWritten.
"Everything went well although we probably got back a length further than I wanted," he said.
"You will now see her in the Kiwi next."
Marsh was referring to the $4m NZB Kiwi (1500m) to be run at Ellerslie on March 7.
Her five race victories have rewarded her connections to the tune of $1.4m in prizemoney.
Queensland trainer Liam Birchley continued his great association with the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO when recording his third win in the juvenile feature.
He won it in 2010 with Sister Havana before doubling his tally in 2015 with Hardline, while he also finished runner-up in the race in 2009 with Sarge In Charge.
He returned to New Zealand with two contenders this time, Dream Roca and Vanzadee, and it was the former who gave Birchley his third Karaka Millions crown following a gun ride by Australian hoop Ben Thompson.
"From barrier 1 you are going to get the best run no matter what if you have got the right jockey. He [Thompson] is an emerging superstar," Birchley said.
Expat Kiwi jockey Logan Bates returned home to record his biggest moment in racing when scoring his first elite-level success aboard Jigsaw in the group 1 Railway (1200m).
The 24-year-old hoop has been making a name for himself in Victoria under the tutelage of his employer Cindy Alderson, who trains Jigsaw, and he was rapt to bring up the milestone in her silks.
"It means everything," Bates, who had won on Jigsaw in his previous three starts, said.
"What a beautiful horse.
"You wouldn’t think he was a 7-year-old gelding to come back like this and get better and better. Every day I ride him going this way [right-handed] and all the work that we have done with him, I just grew in confidence."
The pair sat outside pacemaker Alabama Lass for most of the journey and when Bates asked his charge the question down the home straight he immediately responded, kicking clear to score by three-quarters of a length over fellow Australian raider Arkansaw Kid. — NZ Racing Desk
