Karaka 2025, the Excitement Extravagansa

That man David Ellis certainly has the ‘mojo’ to win the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO, as his 2yo colt To Bravery Born is the $3.20 race favourite with Australian wide wagering agencies.

As head of the mighty Te Akau Racing, the David Ellis partners have won eight of the last 9 running’s of the Karaka Millions 2YO with the unbeaten To Bravery Born to continue the domination.

In having won twice up to 1200m and with Blake Shinn in the irons in drawing Barrier 2 of 15 runners, he’s in the now famous orange and blue silks of Te Akau Racing, who will have four runners.

A $200,000 graduate of Karaka 2024 Book 1 from Curraghmore for David Ellis, he’s by Snitzel, from the winning All Too Hard mare Milunka, a half-sister to Kuro, Southern Lad, Distinctive Dari.

With To Bravery Born being raced by the Te Akau Secret Identity Racing partnership, trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson also have La Dorada at $4.40 with Craig Williams from Gate 5.

A winner over 1100m, she was $190,000 Karaka Book 1 buy for David Ellis, by Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth, from Group 2 Savabeel mare Gold Fever, the family of Major Beel, Golden Mile.

Also for David Ellis and Te Akau is the placed Dare To Proisir, who at $10 has Craig Gyllis starting from Gate 10, and a $230,000 Karaka buy is by champion sire Proisir, the family of Second Coming.

Rounding out the four starters for Te Akau is the Zoustar filly Belle Du Monde, who at $16 has Wiremu Pinn starting from Gate 8, and being a $400,000 Karaka buy is the family of Redoute’s Choice.

To be run at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday the six race card carries stakes of over $5 million, with the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO of 1200m and $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO over 1600m.

And to enhance the $5m TAB Karaka Millions Day its new news ‘big for punters’ that the World Pool will operate on both the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO and Millions 3YO, plus the Railway Stakes.

And with Auckland set for ‘a week-long thoroughbred extravagansa’ it’s said ‘they are tough – they are brave, and they get results as the Kiwi thoroughbreds have innate depth of quality to them.’

‘They are from the land, from the people and from the bloodlines that are unique to New Zealand, and as they are built differently then tap into the well of Kiwi talent at Karaka 2025.’

Set for ‘five action-packed days selling’ Book 1 commences on Sunday 26 January, Australia Day, at 12noon and continues to Tuesday 18, with Book 2 directly after on Wednesday and Thursday.

And as Karaka 2025 continues the tradition of selling the best of Australasia’s best for the international racing world, its this year’s 661 lot Book 1 catalogue that’s the best of Australasia’s best.

Always the domain of champions Snitzel, Proisir, Savabeel, Zourstar, Dundee, it’s the First Season Sire that are exciting, no more than Home Affairs with a $3.2m sale record at the Gold Coast.

In represented by 14 quality lots, the Coolmore based dual Gr1 3YO is looking to match his $383,000 Magic Millions average, with Leading 2YO Aussie Sire Ole Kirk has his Narumi colt on Day 1.

Although not represented at the Gold Coast Magic Millions, the first yearlings of Windsor Park’s European Joint Champion 3YO Armory are selling at Karaka, with 9 lots selling across Book 1.

Being by the great-sire-of-sires in Galileo, Armory is a striking Bay standing 15.3hh, being from the Danehill Dancer stakes placed winner After, with that cross having 24% stakes winner’s success.