Exciting NZ two-year-old joins Waller stable

Stakes-winning juvenile De Armas has been sold to OTI Racing and will soon join the Sydney stable of Chris Waller.

The daughter of Ardrossan won two of her three starts for trainer Johno Benner, with her most recent effort a luckless fourth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) after covering ground throughout yet still charging home strongly.

A dominant five-length debut winner, De Armas franked that performance at her second outing when taking out the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) before heading into the Karaka Millions feature.

“OTI have been interested in her the whole way through, but post Karaka Millions, we decided to sell her early, simple as that,” Benner said.

“She goes to Chris Waller and she will head to Australia on Sunday.

“They’ve got to train-on as three-year-olds, but she’s definitely very good and a lovely filly to have around, but money talks at the end of the day.

“She’s got a great brain and hopefully she acquits herself really well in Australia.”

Benner secured De Armas for just $16,000 from the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock National Online Yearling Sale when she was offered by Elsdon Park.

Bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo was pleased to secure the filly on behalf of OTI Racing, citing her consistent brilliance and athletic upside.

“When you look at her performances, every time she has been out she has shown real brilliance,” Cataldo said.

“She had three trials, one before she raced and the other two between runs and blitzed them on all three occasions.

“She spaced them on debut, then two months later won easily at Listed level going right handed for the first time.

“The rub of the green went against her in the Karaka Millions, covering ground but she was still good enough to run the fastest closing 400m and 200m sectionals, which was a top performance under the circumstances.

“To me she is the best two-year-old filly going forward. Her athleticism and scope excites me, as does the physical improvement she has to come.

“She’s a class act with a great stride and bombproof temperament.

“I see her as an ideal filly for the Princess Series in Sydney in the Spring. No doubt she will run 1600m and possibly further.

“She has been magnificently prepared by Johno Benner and now goes to Chris Waller, so from one top trainer to another. I’m sure she will represent OTI and the NZ suffix with distinction.”