Boys Get Paid have become synonymous with the Karaka Millions meeting, and the punting club will have a million reasons to cheer even louder at the feature raceday at Ellerslie on January 27.
Their first bet for the meeting was a $50,000 outlay at $21 odds for Cool ‘N’ Fast, which looks to be an astute investment, with the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained colt shortening into $3.50 following his debut win in the New Zealand Bloodstock – Karaka 2024 (1100m) at Pukekohe on Boxing Day.
The son of Savabeel was slow away and settled second to last for jockey Opie Bosson, who kept his customary cool head before navigating his charge wide when turning for home. The leading hoop timed his run to perfection, with Cool ‘N’ Fast getting up in the final stride to win by a nose over Full Force.
Walker believes he will improve a lot from his debut outing and expects him to give the Boys Get Paid community plenty to barrack for next month in the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m).
“He had to do it the tough way coming from behind. You really like a two-year-old that can find the line,” Walker said.
“In both of his trials he was quite a natural horse, but when we saddled him up (today) he was a bit above himself, so he will come on a lot for the experience.
“He chased them down really well. That will probably be his only run before the Karaka Million, so the Boys Get Paid will have something to look forward to.
“He is more of a three-year-old type that is doing it all naturally. He has got a good future.”
Bosson also believes the colt will take plenty of improvement from the run.
“He never got going early, he took a bit to get into his stride. He was a handful before the race and worked himself up a bit. It was a good effort,” he said.
Cool ‘N’ Fast, who was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis out of Hallmark Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $340,000, will be looking to replicate the deeds of his full-brother Cool Aza Beel, who took out the 2020 edition of the Karaka Million 2Y0.
Another yearling sale purchase by Ellis, Cool Aza Beel went on to win the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and was subsequently retired to stud at Newhaven Park in Australia.
Meanwhile, Te Akau Racing recorded an early double at Karaka on Tuesday when Petrucci put in a similar back-running performance when winning the Majestic Horse Floats 1200 in the hands of Bosson.
“We have ridden her handy in her last couple (of races) and she just relaxed lovely (today) and Opie threaded his way through and she was dominant in the end,” co-trainer Bergerson said.
“We were pretty confident that she would run a race and she relaxed beautifully today. She can get into a bit of an attitude, but she is a lovely mare going forward and all going well we can head to the Concorde.”
The Gr.3 Brighthill Yearlings Concorde Handicap (1200m) will be run at Ellerslie on January 27.