Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic - From Pukekohe to Australia: Campionessa’s journey to racing stardom

Campionessa. Photo / Supplied

Local glory versus Australian commercial credibility could become the question of Campionessa’s season after she ticked a huge box at Pukekohe yesterday.

The Matamata mare won her first group 1 with a determined victory in the $450,000 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic, holding out No Compromise, who at the 200m mark looked set to give champion ex-pat trainer Chris Waller his first NZ major success since moving to Sydney.

The win was Campionessa’s third black-type success in 31 days ranging from 1400m to 2050m which not only speaks to her versatility but her plethora of options on either side of the Tasman in the New Year.

With her group 1 ticked off and future broodmare career more than sealed, the only way to enormously bolster that would be a major-race victory in Australia, which adds so much appeal to Australian breeders if and when Campionessa eventually goes to public auction, as almost all Te Akau-managed mares do.

So chasing Aussie black type could be the long-term money play, especially as she can be proficient at 1600m to 2400m there and could always target mares races.

But while there is a huge pot of gold at the end of that rainbow, the rapidly changing face of New Zealand racing means Campionessa can race for very serious money at home in her next three starts plus a mammoth bonus.

Logical just-down-the-road targets are the $600,000 Herbie Dyke at Te Rapa on February 10 and the $450,000 Bonecrusher NZ Stakes at Ellerslie on March 9.

But if Campionessa pops down to Trentham for the Thonrdon Mile on January 20 she can not only win another group 1 but just by starting in that race she would become eligible for the new NZTR/TAB Summer Bonus.

That sees $500,000 awarded to the connections of the highest points scorer who starts in either the Thorndon or Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic at Ellerslie on Jan 27 and then races in the Herbie Dyke and the Bonecrusher NZ Stakes.

Quick math: Campionessa could win over $1.2million in less than two months before she even needs to jump on a plane, albeit that would mean beating the likes of Legarto and Sharp N Smart who are also targeting some of those races.

“We were talking about that before today, freshening her up for the Thorndon so she is eligible for the new bonus,” says co-trainer Sam Bergerson.

“But she has a lot of options and of course Australia is another one.”

Campionessa’s victory esterday capped a huge day for her trainers, Te Akau and jockey Opie Bosson, who combined for five winners at Pukekohe and added the black-type Hazlett Stakes at Wingatui with Kai for good measure.

Campionessa’s chances were aided by the Pukekohe weather, which while tipped to rain, was hot and fine and saw the track upgraded from a Slow 7 for the first race to a Slow 5 by the time the Zabeel was run.

That also meant the inside didn’t cut up as badly as expected and Bosson was able to keep Campionessa handy without having to track wide although he did have to win a decent bumping duel at the top of the straight before she showed courage to fend off No Compromise.

Of their other four winners the most interesting in coming weeks will be juvenile Cool N Fast, who was brilliant coming from last to win on debut.

That saw him rocket to second favouritism for the TAB Karaka Million and one group cheering him on with be on-line punters group The Boys Get Paid, who have had $50,000 on him at $21 for a $1million return for their annual Karaka Million Day punting syndicate.

They will now have to wait until January 27 to see if Cool N Fast can emulate his half-brother Cool Aza Beel, who win the Karaka Million in 2020.