As the saying goes “it’s a long time between drinks”. The term “it’s a long time between Group race victories” now can be used after the running of Sunday’s $16,000 New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes at the Manukau Stadium. For the Te Awamutu based husband and wife training combination of Wayne and Tracy Steele it was a thoroughly deserved victory when they mentored Kapai Bart to victory in the Group 2 event over 527m.
Pictured: Corey, Melissa and Tracy Steele, along with stud master Peter Henley with the New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Kapai Bart.
The Steele’s has tasted previous success in this race which is restricted to the progeny of New Zealand registered/standing sires. It was back in 2004 when they produced Keen Jackaroo to win that edition of the NZ Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Previously they trained Hot Agent to victory in the 2003 Auckland Cup, while they also applied the finishing touches to the 2003 New Zealand St Leger winner Trendy Rhode. Hence Sunday’s New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes win ended a 14 year hiatus from Group race success for the popular couple.
As usual Kapai Bart made a moderate start when he exited from the six trap. Winning the break was the Hayley Mullane trained fresh up runner Noah Who (Piggy Back – Who Bobby) and he led the field into the first turn. Rowdy Ruby (Blitzing Mayhem – Vicki’s Quest) chased him into that turn for Suzie Kite, while Kapai Bart pushed his way forward to get handy to the early pace.
The Brian Marsh prepared warm race favourite ($1.10) Tyson’s Quest was severally impeded going into the first turn which saw this litter brother to Rowdy Ruby having an unplanned altercation with the rail, which effectively extinguished his stakes claim in this event. Most of the other runners were also impeded at this point.
Racing down the back straight it was Noah Who controlling the pace over an improving Kapai Bart while tucked in behind was Rowdy Ruby and Know Equal (Know Class – Know Which) who was looking for a minor share of the stake for his trainer Gary Cleeve.
Noah Who still held an advantage during the run home, however he couldn’t fend off the strong late challenge that Kapai Bart lodged. That solid challenge carried this son of King Mick and Kiki Rhode to his biggest career win with his 527m victory being delivered in 30.99s. Noah Who was gallant in finishing second, going under by a half length margin. There was 3.75 lengths back to the bold third place getter Rowdy Ruby who railed underneath Know Equal to claim that placing with a length separating the pair.
For the Steele’s and their long time kennel client Rupert Fairbrother, who was overseas on Sunday, it was deserved success, especially considering the battle they had in returning Kapai Bart to race fitness following a bout of kennel cough as Wayne Steele had alluded to in his pre-race comments. “When Bart was chasing Noah Who down the back straight I thought to myself that finishing second to Hayley’s dog would be an okay result,” said Tracy Steele after wards and she added.
“When I realized Bart had won the race, I thought oh my gosh – it was quite an emotional moment for me. I’m really pleased for Rupert who also raced Kiki Rhode with us. He has been extremely loyal to our kennels for many years, so this is a fantastic result for all of us.”
New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Kapai Bart; Hayley Mullane returned to the podium with her runner up Noah Who, while Brian Marsh is with the third placed Rowdy Ruby
Injury curtailed the racing career of King Mick who was conditioned by the Cambridge based Peter Henley. Henley then stood the Australian bred son of Bombastic Shiraz and Winsome Bluebird at stud, where from limited opportunities he sired four litters with Kapai Bart being a member of his fourth litter who was whelped from the Steele trained Kiki Rhode who won 18 races ($46,262) for the Steele’s and Fairbrother.
For Kapai Bart it was his sixth career win. He has placed on nine occasions which adds up to $21,096 from his 30 race day outings. It was sibling double at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday as his litter sister and kennelmate Deception Diva also won when she took out her C1/2 527m event in 30.81s. There are three members in the October 2015 whelped litter with the remaining sibling Poison Arrow yet to race owing to injury issues.
Auckland GRC President John Roberts presenting the New Zealand Sires’ Produce Stakes trophy to Tracy Steele; Deception Diva, who is a litter sister to the NZ Sires winner Kapai Bart following her Manukau Sunday win; Cristiane Cyborg clocked a 527m Amazing Chase time of 30.62s and she takes the early lead for the Manukau track qualifying contenders for her trainer Hayley Mullane
Wayne and Tracy Steele has been active industry participants for around 25 years. Their children Alysha, Corey and Melissa are all actively involved in greyhound racing. Don’t expect it to take another 14 years before the Steele family is sighted back at the post race podium with another Group race winner!
