Star Kiwi Mare Retired and Headed to Stud in Australia

Media Release - Thursday October 5
A recurring fetlock injury has robbed Capella of a start at Hastings and led to her early retirement.

The Gary Harding-bred and raced Rip Van Winkle five-year-old will fly to Australia next Tuesday with a tentative booking to Arrowfield Stud stallion Snitzel.

Capella - Trish DunnellMatamata trainer Danica Guy withdrew Capella from Saturday's Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings earlier this week after her fetlock injury flared up again.

"Things have just gone wrong with her. She sprained her fetlock in the Rich Hill Mile and she must have torn the ligament over the fetlock worse than we thought she had," Guy said.

"She'd been coming along great but it's just flared up. She's got no problem with her bone structure and she's X-rayed clean but it's just a shame this has happened again.

"Gary has had a good offer for her and he'll have to weigh that up but either way, she's heading off to Arrowfield on Tuesday."

Out of Harding's Group Three-winning Grosvenor mare Limerick, Capella won three of her 14 starts, claiming the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie as a three-year-old before finishing third in the Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa and fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie.

She went on to finish fifth in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and seventh in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) in Sydney.

"Her Eight Carat win was massive but her run in the Derby was super too. She only went down half a length," Guy said.

"I've had nothing that can gallop like her. She can run fast sectionals and maintain that. She's a bit freakish like that."

Without Capella, Galaxy Miss will be left to fly the flag for the stable this weekend, though Guy had yet to decide whether to tackle the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday or the New Zealand Red Cross 1400 at Te Rapa on Friday.

"My thinking is if we get a bit of rain, we may as well go down and run in the black-type race. If we had a shower or two of rain and the track was a dead four or five, it's probably a better race for her," Guy said.

"She's going okay. She's eating well and looks great. From barrier one, with Danielle [Johnson, jockey] on and carrying 53 kilos, she'd have to be a chance with the cut out of the track."

TAB bookmakers have Galaxy Miss at $16 for the Spring Sprint in a market headed by Francaletta at $4. - NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Second Stakes-Winner for Japonica
Three and a half hours before Moonlight Magic took her place in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm, her half-brother Belardi kicked off a huge day for the family with victory in the Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui.
Cigar Flick Back to Winning Form
It’s been a while between drinks for talented Churchill (IRE) filly Cigar Flick, who overcame treacherous conditions at Rosehill on Saturday to return to winning form.
Chinny Boom Leads home at Spirit Of Boom Quinella in Helen Coughlan Stakes
The locals went home happy when Chinny Boom led home a Spirit Of Boom quinella in the Magic Millions Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes at Eagle Farm.
Breathtaking Performance from Warmonger in Queensland Derby
With a win in the Listed VRC TAB Trophy last spring and last start runner-up in the Group 1 South Australian Derby, Warmonger presented as a promising young stayer, but nothing could prepare for his virtuoso performance in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Ladbrokes Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
Broadsiding Devastating in Sires' Produce
Godolphin's 2-year-old Too Darn Hot (GB) colt Broadsiding showed why he is rated among the most exciting young horses in the nation with a spectacular win in the Aquis Stallions Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 1
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Shamus Award's Roll On High Earns a Ticket to the Stradbroke Hcp
Back to the form that saw her defeat Joliestar and Kimochi in the Listed Desirable Stakes at Flemington last spring, Roll On High earned a golden ticket to the Stradbroke Hcp when she powered to the line to capture Saturday’s Group III Mullins Lawyers Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
Kiwi Bred I Wish I Win Victorious in G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup
After placing in all of his first four starts of the season, Waikato Stud’s sensational sprinter I Wish I Win returned to the top of the podium in Saturday’s Group I EVA Air Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm.
Kiwi Bred Hezashocka Wins G3 Premier's Cup
Hezashocka has proven himself in far stronger company than Saturday’s Grou[ III  Living Turf Premier’s Cup (2400m), and that big-race quality shone through with a comfortable victory at Eagle Farm.
Belardo Boy Brings up Stakes Double for Belardo
Proven miler and winter track specialist Belardo Boy bounced back to winning form when he produced a powerful home straight surge to capture the feature event at Wanganui on Saturday, the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m).