NZB Basks in Efficient's Cup Glory

Efficient (Zabeel x Refused The Dance by Defensive Play) outclassed all others to take out the 2007 running of the Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington yesterday, continuing the dream run of NZB graduates at the Spring Carnival.

With his chances overlooked by many, having not placed in his six starts since his 2006 VRC AAMI Derby (2400m) win, Efficient unleashed a familiar burst of speed to down European raider Purple Moon (Galileo x Vanishing Prarie by Alysheba) by half-a-length. Third place-getter was the Irish-trained Mahler (Galileo x Rainbow Goddess by Rainbow Quest).

Making history, he joins the legendary New Zealand-bred Phar Lap as the only other VRC Derby-winner to train on and win the Cup as a four-year-old. He also becomes the first Melbourne Cup winner for Kiwi-trainer Graeme Rogerson and Kiwi-owners Mike and Tony Sellers, Graeme Hunt and Scott Williams. He is the third Cup winner for Melbourne-based major shareholder (75%), Lloyd Williams.

Rogerson purchased him at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale for NZ$220,000 from the draft of Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud.

Ridden by Michael Rodd, Efficient became just the sixth grey to win the race and joins Might And Power and Jezabeel as Zabeel's winners of the Flemington feature. Twenty-five year old Rodd had his first ride in the prestigious race last year when he managed 8th on another Williams-owned runner, Activation (Zabeel x Coogee Walk by Success Express).

Bred by Scott Williams and Graeme Hunt, Efficient is from the Listed-placed mare Refused The Dance. She is by the emerging broodmare sire, Defensive Play, also broodmare sire of the likes of Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes winner Sirmione (Encosta de Lago) and Group 2 Wakeful Stakes winner Zarita (Pentire) who is due to line up in the Group 1 VRC Crown Oaks tomorrow as stakes-winning progeny. He is also the dam-sire of the runner-up to Efficient in the VRC Derby last year, Gorky Park (Montjeu), and the ill-fated NZ Bloodstock 1000 Guineas winner, and New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, Tattletail (Faltaat).

On the support card, New Zealand horses continued to represent with gusto, winning three other races. Seven of the ten winners on the day were out of mares carrying the NZ suffix.

Hips Don't Lie (Stravinsky x Procure by Centaine) kicked off the day by taking out the first on the card, the Listed Herald Sun Sprint (1000m) to keep her unbeaten record intact. Trained by David Hayes, she was a 2007 Karaka Premier Sale purchase by James Bester for NZ$200,000 from Trelawney Stud.

Following on from Hips Don't Lie, the Mike Moroney-trained Illinois Girl (Traditionally x Chicago Hope by Deputy Governor) recorded her fourth win from nine starts with a victory under Kierran McEvoy in the Ritzenhoff Handicap (1700m). Paul Moroney secured her at the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale from Seaton Park for NZ$30,000.

Adding to Stravinsky's earlier success, Blake Shinn guided Volcada (Stravinsky x Rhythm Kingdom by Vice Regal) to take home The Schweppes Tonic 1000 for trainer Rodney Douglas. The three-year-old Listed SAJC Dequetteville Stakes winner was having her fifth start for her third win.

Boding well for New Zealand Bloodstock's upcoming sales, Efficient's victory comes hot on the heels of another NZ-bred Derby winner in Kibbutz (Golan x Misskap by Kaapstad) as well as fellow New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Master O'Reilly's (O'Reilly x Without Remorse by Bakharoff) Group 1 Caulfield Cup win and El Segundo (Pins x Palos Verdes by Oak Ridge) settling his score in the Group 1 Tattersalls WS Cox Plate.

New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale will be held on 20 & 21 November at Karaka while the 2008 National Yearling Sales Series will run from 28 January to 4 February. To request catalogues or to order a copy of the Breeze Up clips, email haylie.martin@nzb.co.nz