Racing: Wallace enjoys break back in NZ

Unition heads the China Horse Club's New Zealand team. Photo / Trish Dunell

One of New Zealand's best judges of equine talent is back in the country.

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the rescheduling of major American yearling sales, the China Horse Club's chief operating officer Michael Wallace is taking a short break back in New Zealand.

Wallace is pleased to return to some sort of normality following his isolation period as he updates himself with the progress and development of members of the CHC's thoroughbred team being set for spring racing in New Zealand.

"I had to do the quarantine period when I came back which finished about 10 days ago," Wallace said. "I'm only temporarily back here before I return to the States.

"We're waiting for racing to get going here in New Zealand but we do think we have quite an exciting team of young horses that will be ready to go for spring. Most have gone back into work this week and we feel we have a pretty good bunch."

Wallace indicated the Club's New Zealand racing team will be around eight strong, with a mix of 2 and 3 year olds that includes impressive debut winner Unition.

The son of Group 1 winner Diademe took out a Listed 1100m juvenile sprint at Counties at his first raceday start and was then put aside after finishing third in the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1200m) in his subsequent run.

"We kept a few rising 2 year olds here that we bought at Karaka, so they will be on the local scene plus some of our rising 3 year olds including Unition. He came back into work this week and looks good. What he did early on was very surprising, as he was open in the knees, up behind and unbalanced, so he probably shouldn't have done anywhere near what he did as a 2 year old.

"We're pretty excited about him as he matures into his 3-year-old season, so we will poke away with him on a path to the 2000 Guineas [Group 1, 1600m] at Riccarton.

"Suffused is an unraced rising 3 year old who went well at the trials before suffering a setback and we think he has a lot of ability as well.

"Crushing is a Vancouver colt that we bought at the sales and he had a jumpout this week to top off his second preparation.

"He shows a lot of precocity and looks a natural 2 year old who does everything right, so he could be a candidate for some of those early races once he comes back from a little break."

- NZ Racing Desk