Racing: Bargain buy Creil hits Cup jackpot

Chad Ormsby leads Creil over the line ahead of unlucky Kajema. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Creil proved once again why racehorse ownership will never go out of fashion - anyone can own the best horse.

Creil, the $500 horse, grabbed an exciting late decision over Kajema in yesterday's $150,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Avondale Cup.

And at the same time the mare gave trainer Geoff Georgetti the group one victory he felt was his more than a decade ago.

When Leigero won the Auckland Cup, Jack Georgetti's name went into the record book, but Geoff Georgetti yesterday said it was he rather than his father who was doing all the work on the horse at the time.

That wasn't the only reason Creil was a popular winner - she fought exceptionally hard when beaten a lip by hugely talented Kerry O'Reilly at Te Rapa last start.

If Geoff Georgetti has waited more than a decade for his luck, it has poured in even more suddenly than he hoped.

The family bought Creil for $500 as a weanling off stable client Graham Hunt, for whom they had trained the exceptionally talented Globetrotter.

Only weeks ago Fortaire, the dam of Creil, gave birth to a dead foal and when it was considered she would probably not have another foal she was gifted to the Georgetti family.

"I've got a share in Shinko King and Ray Knight has already served Fortaire."

Kajema looked certain to win the Avondale Cup at the 200m.

He led comfortably for David Walsh and at the 220m bravely fought off the challenge of well-fancied All's Well.

Creil appeared only in the closing 75m and completely swamped Kajema in the last three strides.

"How's that," said Kajema's trainer Roger James.

"He's now finished second in a Derby, in the Rotorua Cup and an Avondale Cup."

Haylee Baylee finished strongly, grabbing third off All's Well in the last two strides.

"She was four back on the rails and got held up a bit on the home bend, but I'm not making excuses for her," said rider Michael Coleman.

"She felt a bit jarry. I don't know if that was because of the problem at Te Rapa that saw her scratched on the day.

"I don't think she'll do much more this preparation."

Chris Johnson said he thought All's Well was going to give him an Avondale Cup for his comeback bid.

"I thought he would run past Kajema, but as it went on he couldn't quite get to him."

There were a number of jockeys who would have liked the race to be run again - anything that got flushed out wide on the home bend virtually lost its chance.

The worst affected was Filante Etoile, raced by Peter and Philip Vela, whose company New Zealand Bloodstock sponsored the race.

Filante Etoile got left three wide in mid-field throughout from her outside draw, rider Grant Cooksley being powerless to change the situation.

But it was the check on the home bend that really cost the mare dearly. She was shunted out beyond the middle of the track and did extremely well to power home into fifth.

"Before the home turn I was still confident she would be in it, but the check cost her dearly.

"If she draws four or five she wins."

Cooksley quickly looked ahead instead.

"The races at Ellerslie will suit her."