Per Incanto works his magic with prestigious sire double
Per Incanto's remarkable stud career reached another milestone on Saturday night when the Little Avondale Stud stallion claimed both the Dewar Award and the Centaine Award at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Awards.
The son of Street Cry secured the Dewar Award as the New Zealand-based sire with the highest Australasian progeny earnings, while also collecting the Centaine Award for the second time after topping the worldwide progeny earnings table.
Accepting the awards, Little Avondale principal Sam Williams paid tribute to the remarkable stallion, whose career almost came to an abrupt end after a hind leg injury suffered in a paddock accident in 2023 threatened both his life and future at stud.
"Per Incanto in Italian means 'it's magic', and this is a magical horse," Williams said.
"It's pretty special to be here tonight and take out this award.
"Thank you, Cambridge Stud. After the injury that was well documented, we were more worried about saving the horse's life than saving his breeding career.
"A big thank you to Waikato Vets and Cambridge Stud. Everyone came to the party to help, and that's what this big family is about."
Williams said the Dewar Award held particular significance given its rich history and his family's long association with it.
"The Dewar Award for Australasian earnings for a New Zealand-based sire is the biggie for us," he said.
"Dad (Buzz) won this four times, once with Agricola and three times with Oncidium, who was a freak of a sire.
"It's just so great to also get one with Per Incanto. Catriona, our family and I are thrilled to win the Dewar. Its history goes back 60 years.”
Williams said Per Incanto's achievements were even more remarkable when viewed against the strength and scale of Australia's leading stallions.
"One statistic says it all. Per Incanto is firmly entrenched in the top 10 stallions in Australia, sitting sixth, and had 94 runners, while the other top nine sires averaged 270 runners.
"Per Incanto has done it the hard way. He started at a service fee of $4,000 and he has upgraded his mares. He leaves good colts and fillies, so there is no sex bias, and he can leave horses of all ages.
"He is a sprinting son of Street Cry and his progeny have been able to compete on the toughest sprinting stage in the world in Australia.
"He hasn't done it as a fluke or with just a one-horse wonder. He has done it on a regular basis."
Williams also acknowledged the contribution of the Little Avondale team to the stallion's success.
"Your horses are only as good as your staff. If you don't have good staff you won't have good horses," he said.
"That is something we focus on at Little Avondale, having good people working with the horses. Then you get the rewards, not just on the racetrack, but also the recognition at events like the Breeders' Awards. It was just a wonderful evening."
While Per Incanto continues to produce elite performers on the track, Williams believes the stallion's greatest influence may still lie ahead.
"I think Per Incanto's legacy in the future will be as a broodmare sire," he said.
"Street Cry has had a massive influence over the last few years in Australia, and I believe his broodmares are going to be sensational."
That influence is already beginning to emerge, with world champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising among the outstanding performers out of a Per Incanto mare. - NZ Racing Desk
Bradman seeking to end career on a high
Rising 10-year-old gelding Bradman (NZ) (Pins) has been a stable stalwart for Roydon Bergerson, and the Awapuni trainer is hoping he can end his career on a high when he heads to Riccarton on Saturday to contest the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m).
Bred by the late Kevin Hickman, Bradman is by Pins and out of two-time New Zealand Broodmare of the Year Baggy Green, who is also the dam of four-time Group One winner Tofane, Group One winner No Compromise, and Group One performer Benaud.
While Bradman hasn’t reached the same lofty heights as his siblings, he has gone on to be a solid performer for Bergerson, who purchased him out of Valachi Downs’ 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $85,000.
Bradman has won 11 of his 68 starts to date, including the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m), while he has also placed in two editions of both the Winter Cup and Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m), and Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m).
Having placed in the last two runnings of the Winter Cup, Bergerson is hopeful Bradman can breakthrough for an elusive win in the Riccarton feature this weekend, and he is in the form to do so.
Bradman has won his last two starts, including a dominant 6-1/4 length victory over 1500m at Trentham earlier this month, and Bergerson said he has been thriving in his work.
“Hopefully it’s third time lucky,” Bergerson said. “He is going into it in really good form and I couldn’t be happier with him, he is training the best he has in his life.”
Bradman will carry top weight of 59kg and will be ridden by apprentice jockey Jim Chung from barrier four.
“It is always hard to win when you are top weight, but he carried that last start and gave them a bit of a whipping, so hopefully he can bring the same form on Saturday,” Bergerson said.
Bradman was set to be retired last year, but Bergerson was able to convince his owners to continue racing him for one more season, which proved fruitful, and the Palmerston North horseman is hoping his charge can end his career on a high this weekend.
“The team wanted to retire him last year and I said I thought he still had a couple of more wins left in him, so we brought him back,” Bergerson said. “He could be retired after Saturday, this could be his last run.”
Closer to home on Thursday, Bergerson will line-up three runners at Otaki, including Farravallo and Testing in the UZABUS Handicap (1100m).
Rising six-year-old gelding Farravallo returned to winning form when first-up over 1200m at Trentham earlier this month, and Bergerson has been pleased with his progression.
“He has come back super,” Bergerson said. “He had a bit of knee trouble last year and we rectified that, and he is bringing back his A-game, he is going really well, I can’t fault him. It will take a good horse to beat him tomorrow.”
Bergerson is more hopeful than confident with stablemate Testing, with the mare set to have her first start in open company.
“There have just been no races for her,” Bergerson said. “It’s 1100m and it is not an overly strong field. There are a couple in it that go really well, but she has won there before on a Heavy track. She has got no weight and a good little jockey (Floor Moerman) on, so fingers crossed. If anything can beat Farravallo I hope it is her.”
Bergerson will also line-up Turn It Up in the DG Farriers Handicap (1200m).
“She was a bit disappointing the other day because she trialled up really well before it and I thought we got her back to her best,” Bergerson said. “Gryllsy (Craig Grylls, jockey) just said she pulled her head off and she just had nothing left, so we will let her stride out tomorrow and she might like running that way.”
Meanwhile, Bergerson is looking forward to the new season, but it will be without his Group One performer Sweetest Thing, who was runner-up behind Seize The Day in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Lassified in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m).
The daughter of Hello Youmzain was subsequently purchased by Australian Bruce Wilson, under his Glentree Racing banner, and the filly has joined Te Akau Racing’s Matamata barn, which is led by Bergerson’s son, Sam, and training partner Mark Walker.
While down one of his stable stars, Bergerson remains upbeat ahead of the new term.
“I have got a young team,” he said. “We have got a couple of really nice rising three-year-olds, and I am looking forward to next season.”
Bergerson is also hopeful with a few of his older brigade.
“Too Sweet was disappointing last year, but she has come back well, and Wingman has got a bright future, he has just had immaturity problems, but he has come back really well.” - Joshua Smith
Riddell wins apprentice premiership
With well over 800 rides to her name this season, Amber Riddell has been the country’s most active jockey, and her hard work has been rewarded by taking out the National Apprentice Jockeys’ Premiership.
While there are still two days left to go in the season, Riddell’s 18-win lead is unsurmountable, and the Palmerston North rider is rapt to achieve her season goal in convincing fashion.
“I am really pleased with how the whole season has gone,” Riddell said. “My goal for the season was to win the premiership, so I am really glad to have achieved it.”
Riddell has tallied 78 wins and more than $2.2 million to date this season, placing her in third place in the overall jockeys’ premiership, and while each win has been meaningful, there are a couple of clear highlights.
“Winning the Gore Guineas (Listed, 1200m) on Better Shared was really special because it was my first Listed win,” Riddell said. “Winning the Southern Alps ($350,000, 1500m) with Toa Haka was also special as it is a big money race.”
Riddell hasn’t been shy of hopping on a plane to travel around the country in search of riding opportunities, and she has been particularly rewarded in the South Island.
“I have gained a lot of Airpoints flying around the country,” Riddell said. “I really enjoy the travel and I like keeping busy, and the South Island has been great to me.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of the South Island trainers. I have ridden at pretty much every South Island meeting this season.
“It has been a really long season of travelling but it has definitely been rewarding.”
Another major highlight for Riddell this season was heading to Brisbane for a week in April to compete in Australia’s National Apprentice Race Series (NARS) at Eagle Farm.
“That trip to Australia was amazing and it has definitely opened my eyes to riding over there again in the future,” Riddell said.
“It also gave me a lot of confidence in my riding. I came back and a few days later won the Southern Alps.”
Riddell has been pleased with the way she has matured as a rider this season and said she no longer suffers from nerves prior to riding.
“There is a lot of pressure, but I have definitely learned how to handle it and I don’t really get nervous now,” she said.
While the apprentice premiership is secure, Riddell’s competitive streak is far from over this season, with the 24-year-old hopeful of adding a few more wins to her tally, with the possibility of adding a second stakes win to her record at Otaki on Thursday.
Apprenticed to Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, Riddell will ride stable juvenile gelding Midnight Dart in the Listed Phils Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m).
Initially set to run on Saturday, Otaki’s meeting was postponed until Thursday due to weather conditions, with Midnight Dart being the big winner as he wasn’t set to start last weekend.
“He wasn’t originally in the field last Saturday, but I galloped him on Saturday morning and he galloped really well,” Riddell said. “Josh (Herd, part-owner) decided to put an entry in for tomorrow and I am really looking forward to riding him.”
A winner on debut over 800m at Trentham last October, Midnight Dart has competed on New Zealand racing’s biggest stage when unplaced in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on January.
In an open field, Midnight Dart is currently a $6 winning chance with TAB bookmakers, in a market headed by local contender Singletary at $4.40.
Riddell is also looking forward to riding Group Three performer Freddie Time in the UZABUS Handicap (1100m) for new trainer Howie Mathews.
“Speaking with Howie today at the jumpouts, he said he is feeling good and is ready to go tomorrow,” Riddell said. “He has won over 1200m before and it is a nice race for him to start off his preparation.”
A day later at Awapuni, Riddell is looking forward to chasing the $60,000 purse on offer in the Power Farming Manawatu Awapuni Synthetic Final (1400m) aboard Kereti.
“The field is pretty small (six runners), but it is a decent field,” Riddell said. “He is a good chance on the way he won two starts back, and he went really well at Hawera last start (runner-up).”
There won’t be any time over the weekend for Riddell to savour her premiership win as she will fly down to Christchurch to ride at Riccarton on Saturday, where she will partner Canheroc in the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m), before returning north to ride at Wanganui on Sunday.
Riddell is hoping to continue her winning momentum into the new season and reward the support of her backers.
“I couldn’t do it without everyone’s support,” she said. “All the trainers and owners, and everyone that has given me advice this year, I have taken it on board.” - Joshua Smith
NZ Racing Desk
Paul Vettise
NZ Racing Desk
