Trobriand notches winning hat-trick

Two-year-old son of Kermadec remains unbeaten after an easy G2 victory at Te Rapa

Exciting two-year-old colt Trobriand maintained his perfect record and gave Kermadec his 12th Stakes win when he won the G2 Eclipse Stakes over 1,200m at Te Rapa on New Year’s Day.

A winner on debut for Matamata trainer Mark Walker at New Plymouth on 28 October before scoring at Te Rapa on 10 December, Trobriand raced outside the speedy Ulanova before jockey Opie Bosson tackled the leader in the home straight.

Out of the former Godolphin-trained mare Arboreal, Trobriand dashed to the front before easily holding off his fast-finishing stablemate Talisker with To Catch A Thief finishing in third place.

Trobriand was offered by Windsor Park Stud at last year’s Karaka Yearling Sale and purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for NZ$260,000.

A dual G1 winner over 1,600m, Kermadec has sired 66 winners - including G1 winners Montefilia (four), Willowy and Tuvalu.

Bendigo Guineas king Gundec and Singapore Derby star Lim’s Kosciuszko are his other Black-Type winners.

Kermadec has two colts and one filly in the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale catalogue this month, and two fillies entered for the 2023 Karaka Yearling Sale in New Zealand from 29 January.