'Close' Call in Tarzino Trophy

The NZ$200,000 G1 Tarzino Trophy, the first New Zealand Group 1 of the season, was loaded with eight top-flight winners, but none of the octet prevailed, as it was Close Up (NZ)'s day at Hastings. The gelding snatched the spoils by a head over Group 1 heroine Aide Memoire (NZ), with Underthemoonlight (NZ) 3/4 of a length back in third.

Sent off a 17-1 chance, the Shelley Hale charge secured a rails run in the center of the field in the 1400-metre feature. Making inroads toward the front on the far turn, Close Up sidled out to the three path in upper stretch and took dead aim on Aide Memoire, who had seized the advantage with 200 metres remaining. Under an animated ride by Grant Cooksley, Close Up outfooted the 2016 G1 Captain Cook S. victress, as Underthemoonlight came charge from the rear to complete the trifecta. Favourite Kawi (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}), eyeing his third consecutive Tarzino Trophy and a slow starter once again, held on for fourth, a half-length back, while 2017 G1 New Zealand Derby hero Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) was fifth 1 1/4 lengths behind.

“This is just incredibly special,” Hale, who owns part of Close Up and also co-bred the 8-year-old told www.nzracing.co.nz. “This little horse can't run in summer, his joints can't hack it, so we picked a path through winter into this, it's just magic. He's only had one other go at a mile and that was on a bog track at New Plymouth, so we'll be coming back here [for the 1600m G1 Windsor Park Plate on Sept. 23].”

The winner of a pair of handicaps at New Plymouth and Ellerslie in May, Close Up was off the board in two more runs last season before running third over 1200 metres at Te Rapa on Aug. 5 in the wake of MGSW and today's sixth-place finisher Volpe Veloce (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus}). An encouraging second last out in the G2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate to Underthemoonlight, the Tarzino Trophy was Close Up's first stakes victory.

Pedigree Notes…
Close Up is the fifth Group 1 winner for Japanese MSW Shinko King (Ire), and the 18th stakes winner overall. Hale has enjoyed previous success with offspring of the four-time winner Regelle (NZ) (Exploding Prospect), but Close Up's Saturday achievements take the cake. Seven of Regelle's eight foals to make the races have saluted the judge. Full-brothers to the winner include: Hong Kong Group 2 victor & MG1SP Thumbs Up (NZ), who was previously the best of the lot, Kiwi Group 2 winner Seventh Up (NZ), and New Zealand MGSP Sum Up (NZ). She has a juvenile filly by Tavistock (NZ) and a yearling colt by Burgundy (NZ).
“All the breed has been wonderful,” Hale said. “Unfortunately, the mare died three months ago.” Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Saturday, Hastings, New Zealand
TARZINO TROPHY-G1, NZ$200,000, Hawkes Bay, 9-2, Open WFA, 1400mT, 1:27.89, Slow.
1–CLOSE UP, 59.0, g, 8, by Shinko King (Ire)
1st Dam: Regelle, by Exploding Prospect
2nd Dam: Pipe Dreams, by Mr Illusion
3rd Dam: Muy Alto, by Grosvenor (NZ)
O-Miss S A Hale, Noel & Alison Johnstone Family Trust & R M
Stent; B-Miss S A Hale, N W Johnstone & R M Stent, Waikato,
NZ; T-Ms S Hale; J-G L Cooksley; NZ$125,000. Lifetime Record:
29-10-4-2, NZ$307,050. *Full to Thumbs Up (NZ), GSW &
MG1SP-HK, GSP-NZ, $4,014,877; Sum Up (NZ), MGSP-NZ,
NZ$147,762; and Seventh Up (NZ), GSW-NZ, $245,260. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Aide Memoire, 57.0, m, 6, Remind–Explain, by Success
Express. O-M J Askew, M I Deans, D Garraway, C J Gerbs, A
Groves & D E Tuffery; B-A Groves, I C Gunn & Hedwood
Thoroughbreds Ltd, Canterbury, NZ; T-F J Auret; J-M R Du
Plessis; NZ$40,000.
3–Underthemoonlight, 57.0, m, 6, El Hermano–Midnight Dip,
by O'Reilly. O-H & K McQuade & C Solomon; B-H G W & Mrs K
L McQuade, Waikato, NZ; T-Ms K McQuade; J-C E Lammas;
NZ$20,000.
Margins: 0.2 len, 1.0 len, 1.5 len. Odds: 11.70, 13.00, 5.60.
Also Ran: Kawi, Gingernuts, Volpe Veloce (AUS) , Sofia Rosa, Thee Auld Floozie, Coldplay, Ringo, Packing Pins, El Pescado, La Luna Rossa, Authentic Paddy, Rangipo (AUS) , Perfect Fit.
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.