But her form since has been impeccable. She cleared maiden ranks with a three-length win over 1600m at Riccarton on January 18 and backed that up nine days later with a three-quarter length win in a Rating 65 race over 1800m.
She then made another successful step up in distance last Saturday, when ridden by Leah Hemi.
She bounced the mare out well from an inside barrier to take up a handy position and then settled her perfectly in sixth place as tearaway pacemaker Amazon Goddess set up a good speed in front.
Hemi improved her mount to fourth coming to the home turn and then drove her between horses at the 300m mark and she surged clear for a strong win.
The daughter of Savabeel is the third foal to race out of the High Chaparral mare Chapinta, who was the winner of six races for Grieve and Thomas more than a decade ago.
Chapinteel is a full-sister to Gold Mag, who won three races in Australia before suffering a heart attack when undergoing trackwork one morning.
“They got him back racing again but he was never the same and so we finally retired him,” Grieve said this week.
Island Hop was the second foal out of Chapinta and has also been the winner of three races, the most recent over 1300m at Tauherenikau on January 2. The Swiss Ace gelding is nowadays prepared by Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers, who has him entered for the Rating 75 race over 1400m at Hastings this Sunday.
Chapinteel is the third foal out of Chapinta and Grieve said they had their share of problems with the mare in early preparations but she has really come on in the past couple of months.
“Terri Rae has done a great job with the horse and I think everything she does this year she will be even better next season,” Grieve said.
Peter Grieve and his son Doug are now breeding from Chapinta, who is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Sangster, whose six wins included a VRC Derby (2500m) and an Auckland Cup (3200m).
They now have an unraced three-year-old by Ocean Park out of the mare in work with New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock and have a yearling gelding by Proisir and a filly foal by the same stallion coming on.
Chapinta has now been mated with Satono Aladdin.
Anaroa looks like a promising stayer
Hawke’s Bay’s Graeme Wedd has bred and raced thoroughbreds, off and on, for more than 50 years and has now been rewarded with what could be an extra good one in Anaroa.
The three-year-old Time Test gelding was one of the most impressive winners at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day, bolting in by four lengths in a maiden race over 2040m.
It was only the horse’s fourth career start and his first race beyond 1600m. It followed a debut fourth over 1400m on an unsuitable heavy track at Hastings back in November last year and a fast-finishing third over 1600m on the same track a month later.
Anaroa is prepared at Hastings by the training partnership of Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos and is held in such high regard that they have nominated him for the Group 1 $1 million New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on March 2.
“Guy was pretty confident the horse would win last week but I’m just playing it low-key at this stage,” Wedd said this week.
“He is going to race next in a Rating 65 race over 2040 metres at Wanganui on Thursday of next week and we will see what happens after that.
“All I know is that Guy and Leah have done a very good job with him and he is a happy horse in the stable.”
Wedd bred Anaroa out of the Thorn Park mare Sentosa Park, a horse that showed good potential with a win and two minor placings from three barrier trials but suffered a bowed tendon in the second of her only two starts and was immediately retired.
Wedd stood the stallion Prince Conti on his Raukawa Rd farm property for a time and decided to mate Sentosa Park with the sire.
The first foal was Count Conti, a gelding who was a trial winner but then placed only once from eight career starts.
The second foal was a filly called Countess Conti and Wedd said she had the makings of a serious racehorse but, after winning a maiden race over 1685m at Hastings, she unfortunately also suffered a bowed tendon when finishing second over 1600m at Woodville at her next start which ended her racing career.
Anaroa is the third live foal produced by Sentosa Park and Wedd knows the horse still has a fair bit to learn but is confident he will get better as he gets older.
The gelding won with real authority at Tauherenikau last week but still did a fair bit wrong in the running and wanted to lay in over the final stages.
Wedd has been involved with thoroughbreds since the 1970s and was studmaster at Hawke’s Bay’s Whanakino Station at a time when the 1977 Melbourne Cup winner Gold And Black was born on the property.
He used to have horses prepared for him by legendary trainer Brian Smith (of Balmerino fame) but then took a break from racing for a time.
“When I stood Prince Conti it got me interested in racing them again and now I’m enjoying it,” Wedd said.
He said the best horse he has raced was Positive Attitude, a son of Fiesta Star who won a race by seven lengths at Te Awamutū one day.
“He was sold for $35,000 to Macau which was pretty good money those days and paid for the children’s education,” Wedd added.
Wairoa races at Hastings
The Wairoa Racing Club will stage its annual race meeting on the Hastings racetrack tomorrow.
The club had to abandon its meeting last year due to the devastation in the Hawke’s Bay area caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Tomorrow will see the running of the time-honoured $40,000 Affco NZ Limited Wairoa Cup, a Rating 83 race over 2100m.
There are seven races on the programme, the first timed for 1.02pm and the last at 4.34pm, with free admission.
Crocetti going out for a spell
A line has been ruled through an Australian autumn campaign for Crocetti, with the son of Zacinto heading to the spelling paddock after a standout three-year-old term.
Trainers Danny Walker and Arron Tata were contemplating heading to Melbourne next month with the Group One winner but have elected to call time on his season following his runner-up effort behind Bonny Lass in last Saturday’s Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa.
“We did look at the Australian Guineas (1600m) and then I thought maybe the Newmarket (1200m) with 53kg on his back was quite appealing as well, but we have decided to send him to the paddock for a spell,” Walker said.
“He is 100 per cent and has pulled up really well, but I just felt he peaked on Saturday, and he has had seven runs as a three-year-old.
“He can have a good spell now and prepare for a four-year-old campaign.”
Bred and raced by Daniel Nakhle, Crocetti won his sole start as a juvenile before returning as a three-year-old where he was undefeated in his six starts against his own age group, including the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Group 2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m), Group 3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) and Group 3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).
He was then tested at weight-for-age for the first time last Saturday where he produced a gutsy performance to finish second behind Bonny Lass.
“He has done us proud, and he tried his guts out the other day,” Walker said.
Looking back fondly on a satisfying season with Crocetti, Walker said he will start planning his spring campaign in the coming months, with the likelihood of heading straight across the Tasman with his charge.
“It is all up in the air, but it comes down to weather and track conditions here, especially in the spring,” he said.
