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Hankee Alpha flying the flag for locals in NZB Kiwi
Jess de Lautour, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • February 22nd, 2025 1:15 pm
Photo: Race Images NZ
Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) will host the inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) in just over a fortnight, and the Club’s Chief Executive Paul Wilcox is excited to announce Hankee Alpha (NZ) will carry the hopes of the locals in the $3.5 million showpiece.
Hankee Alpha is a fourth NZB Kiwi runner for Wexford Stables’ Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, alongside Sought After (NZ) (Waikato Stud), Sethito (NZ) (Waikato Thoroughbred Racing) and Checkmate (NZ) (Wexford Stables).
A filly by Champion sire Proisir, Hankee Alpha impressed on debut with a 6-1/2 length romp at Te Aroha, a performance she backed up in style in Rating 65 grade in her following start, placing her firmly in the conversation for the NZB Kiwi.
After two months away from the races, Hankee Alpha returned to finish a game fifth in the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) on TAB Karaka Millions Night, an effort that sealed the deal for Wilcox and his team.
“She’s impressed in her racing and finished off really well on TAB Karaka Millions night,” Wilcox said.
“We’ve looked at her, we’ve had our ratings expert look at her, and we’ve seen that there is plenty of upside.
“From her very first start, she was one we identified to keep an eye on and that’s proven to be the case, we’ve liked what we’ve seen and we’re very excited about what she has to offer.”
While Hankee Alpha has shown plenty on the track, Bryan and Dee Black, who race her alongside Jenny Courtney, have a long-standing relationship with ATR, making negotiations straightforward between the two parties.
“We’ve got a great association with Bryan Black, he’s been a massive supporter of our Club, as was his father before him,” Wilcox said.
“We mainly worked with Bryan and Dee in making the negotiations, and coming to an agreement with them was very simple.
“He had in his mind what he wanted, as did we, and it was great to put it together in the end.”
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Hankee Alpha will take her place in Saturday’s Listed Trevor and Coralie Eagle Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) as a final lead-in run for the NZB Kiwi, and her co-trainer Lance O’Sullivan is expecting a good showing from the filly.
“We certainly thought she had the ability to earn a slot and she ran well in the Almanzor Trophy. She got around Ellerslie and I think her sectionals were very respectable,” O’Sullivan said.
“We were very pleased. This race will only continue to improve her and we expect her to put up a good performance.
“It was the Blacks’ decision to run and they’re very excited to have a horse in the race. For us, it’s a reflection of a year of hard work and it’s a huge thrill to have four runners in the race, it’s the big dance of the year.”
Back at ATR, Wilcox now turns his attention to delivering the spectacle of Champions Day, where the NZB Kiwi takes center stage on a star-studded card.
The day boasts four elite Group 1 races - the Sistema Stakes (1200m), HJKC World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m), and Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) - alongside a stellar lineup that includes the Group 2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m), Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (2100m), Group 3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m), the Windsor Park Stud Trophy (1500m), and the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Final (1400m).
“It’s going to be a very busy period and has been for quite some time, but it’s an important raceday and the team understand the importance of it, it’s certainly not lost on us,” Wilcox said.
“We’re out to have a great day and ensure all that come to Ellerslie do as well.
“We’re excited and have been very supportive of the NZB Kiwi from the get-go, we see it as a great concept for New Zealand racing and the wider industry. That’s proven to be the case based on the response from the racegoers and how they’ve taken to the day already.
“We’re really looking forward to it.”
