By Heather Anderson
Sent off at 41-1, Consensus finally landed her first top-drawer victory in Monday's NZ$200,000 G1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie over 7-5 favorite Volkstok'n'barrell, getting up by a head in the dying strides. She survived a protest involving the runner-up and the fourth-place horse Saint Emilion (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and fortunately was able to keep her crown, bestowing a first Group 1 win on her rider Alysha Collett. In a handy sixth heading into the first turn as Girl of My Dreams (NZ) (Gold Centre {Aus}) loped along up front with Saint Emilion providing token pressure, the 5-year-old adhered to Volkstok'n'barrells's left flank as the field straightened for the backstretch run. Positions remained largely unchanged with a half-mile remaining and Collett angled Consensus farther out to find clear racing room as the runners began to spread out for the stretch drive. Grinding closer as Saint Emilion briefly took command inside the final 200 metres, Consensus ranged up on his outside, but Volkstok'n'barrell barged through on the grey's other flank and appeared home free. Consensus stuck her nose in front a few strides from the wire and the margin was ultimately a head, with Authentic Paddy taking third and Saint Emilion relegated to fourth.
“Today we were on the outside and coming over the top of them with the perfect run,” commented Collett to nzracing.co.nz. “I couldn't ask for any more. She's a tough mare and she deserves it. I'm pretty chuffed. I can't thank Leo [Molloy] and Stephen [McKee] enough, as they've supported me being on her the whole way.”
“We've had a quiet run this year, but we've had a good day today, so hopefully we are on the way back,” trainer Stephen McKee told nzracing.co.nz. “The fast tempo helped her and she always seems to run her best races here. She was certainly unlucky back in March in the [G1] New Zealand S., but I don't know whether it would have changed the result that day. It's always great for a mare to get a Group 1 through.”
Syndicate manager Leo Molloy added, “She's a consistent mare who's been placed 11 times at stakes level, so it's good to get the big one. It's good for the family as she's a family horse. Mum is two years dead, but this is the first horse she ever raced, so it's pretty important to us.”
A winner of the 2015 2000-metre G3 Sofitel Luxury Hotels S. over this course and distance, Consensus earned her lone Group 1 placing with a third-place effort in the G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand S. five starts on this March, after being sandwiched close to home by Monday's bridesmaid Volkstok'n'barrell and New Zealand S. runner-up Girl of My Dreams. The McKee runner signed off last season with a flat ninth in the G1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' S. against her own sex Apr. 9 and was duly shelved for 19 weeks. The now 5-year-old earned a pair of fifths in an open race at Ruakaka Sept. 10 going 1200 metres and a 1600-metre feature at Te Rapa Oct. 24, respectively, and appeared back on track, completing the trifecta in the local Nov. 1 G3 Omf S. An inexplicable last of 14 in the G3 Ssangyong Counties Cup over 2100 metres at Pukekohe Nov. 19, the bay bounced back last time with a second-place effort in an open race at Te Rapa Dec. 17.
Pedigree Notes…
Consensus is by 2000 G2 Peter Pan S. hero Postponed (Summer Squall) and is the third Group 1 winner for her sire, after 2006 G1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas heroine Dorabella (NZ) and Pasta Post (NZ), who landed the G1 Easter H. in 2008. Consensus is the second foal out of four-time winner Kate Cross (NZ). Effective from 1200-1600 metres, Kate Cross has an unnamed juvenile colt by Fully Fledged (NZ) and a yearling full-sister to the winner. The winner's fourth dam is Australian champion sophomore filly Surround (NZ) (Sovereign Edition {Ire}), who won seven Group 1 races including the W. S. Cox Plate, C. F. Orr S., AJC Oaks, Caulfield Guineas and Queensland Oaks during her racing days. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Monday, Ellerslie, New Zealand
ZABEEL CLASSIC S.-G1, NZ$200,000 (US$138,112/£112,421/€132,071), Ellerslie, 12-26, WFA, 2000mT, 2:01.25, gd.
1–&CONSENSUS (NZ), 126, m, 5, by Postponed
1st Dam: Kate Cross (NZ), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Restrain (NZ), by Centaine (Aus)
3rd Dam: Coralle (NZ), by Sir Tristram (Ire)
O-Mrs. T. Gibbens, S. Lamond, Mrs. D. P. & M. D. J. Molloy,
Touchdown Racing Ltd. & Est. late M. C. Molloy; B-M2 Racing
Limited (NZ); T-Stephen McKee; J-Alysha Collett; NZ$120,000.
Lifetime Record: 32-7-5-4, NZ$338,550. Werk Nick Rating:
A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Volkstok'n'barrell (NZ), 130, g, 5, Tavistock (NZ)–Volkster
(NZ), by Volksraad (GB). (NZ$50,000 Ylg '13 NWZFEB). O-G. J.
Cossey, Mrs. A. Gibbs, C. W. Gibbs, J. A. Gibbs MNZM, A. M.
Goodwin, Mrs. D. M. Logan & Rosemont Stud Pty. Ltd.; B-IDL
Breeding Ltd. (NZ); NZ$39,000.
3–Authentic Paddy (NZ), 130, g, 7, Howbaddouwantit–
Authentic Cross (NZ), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-Mrs. J. E. Berry, C., PJ & T. Gray & M. Tepaa; B-D. H. Robinson (NZ); NZ$19,000.
Margins: HD, 1HF, SHD. Odds: 41.00, 1.40, 14.40.
Also Ran: Saint Emilion (NZ), Promise To Reign (Aus), Girl of My Dreams (NZ), Hasselhoof (NZ), Abidewithme (NZ), Stylish Attack (NZ), Perfect Start (NZ), Bel Sorriso (NZ), Sound Proposition (NZ).
Click for the Racing Post result or the NZRacing Video.
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