Karaka Million Reveals Another Group Winner

New Zealand Bloodstock's one million dollar Karaka Million has proven the
launch pad of many top performers already in just three years, and this
continued when the 2010 race produced its first Group winner on Saturday
with Icepin proving valiant in the Group 3 Waikato Stud Taranaki 2YO
Classic (1200m).

Icepin (Pins x Ice Maiden, by O'Reilly) ran second in the 2010 Karaka
Million behind Sister Havana (General Nediym) at his last start (31
January) after winning a fortnight earlier at Ellerslie.

The Mark Walker trained gelding was running left-handed for the second
time, the first time at Te Rapa saw him finish fourth behind Cellarmaster
and Jimmy Chioux, while jockey Lisa Allpress was aboard for the first time.

Opting to lead with the big striding chestnut, Icepin and Allpress lead a
strong ten-horse field which included the duelling duo, Cellarmaster and
Jimmy Choiux, as well as a number of promising, lightly-tried juveniles.

Icepin rounded for home at New Plymouth and, with more to give, stretched
out further to the concern of opposition jockeys asking their mounts to
close down the leader.

They tried hard with Charma (Volksraad) and Cellarmaster (Dubawi) getting
closest, but Icepin had the victory and his first black-type success by
half a length.

Bred and sold by Waikato Stud who also sponsored the event, Icepin is owned
by Herbie Dyke who purchased him from the 2009 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale
for $40,000.

With Icepin's success on the track equating to some $220,000 in earnings,
Dyke went back to the source at the 2010 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale and
paid $40,000 for Lot 23, a filly by Fast n Famous out of Look at Moiye
(O'Reilly) from Waikato Stud, who is also Karaka Million nominated.

Icepin's Group 3 win adds to a remarkable tally of results that has emerged
from the first two Karaka Million 2YO events. From just 28 individuals are
the winners of the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes twice (The Heckler
and Il Quello Veloce), the Group 1 Diamond Stakes (Kaaptan), the Group 1 NZ
1000 Guineas (Katie Lee), the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas (Katie Lee), the
Group 2 Royal Stakes (Katie Lee), the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic
(Katie Lee), Group 3 Stewards Handicap (San Bernadino), Singapore Juvenile
Championship (Mexican Rose), Listed Lion Red Plate twice (Raid and San
Bernadino), and the Singapore Kranji Stakes A (twice - Noble Manor).