Nazareth (NZ) Seizes Group One Opportunity in Trotting Derby
5 December 2022
Nazareth (NZ) (Love You) seized his first opportunity at the elite level when powering home to win the $100,000 Group One Pron8ure Probiotic New Zealand Trotting Derby (2600m) at Addington on Sunday.
The NZB Standardbred graduate charged down the outer in a national record-breaking time to win the classic event for trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn.
Nazareth was secured for $40,000 at the 2020 Christchurch National Yearling Sales out of Ripple Creek’s draft.
The trotter was syndicated among a big group of owners who shared in the thrill of his brilliant victory in the Dunn colours.
“They are a good bunch so we are thrilled to get a good result for them,” Robert Dunn said.
The Dunn stable had a powerful hand in the New Zealand Trotting Derby with their NZB Standardbred graduate Highgrove (NZ) (Love You) starting second favourite.
Highgrove ran a big race for third but he was claimed late when Nazareth charged down the outer for driver Tim Williams.
“He may have gone into the race our second stringer but he was a good one,” Dunn commented about Nazareth.
“He has gone from an average maiden three months ago to a Derby winner and that suggests, the way he is improving, he will be an Open Class horse.”
Nazareth looked to be in a hopeless spot at the 400 metre mark, drifting back behind a tiring runner as the leaders skipped clear.
But some great manoeuvring from driver Tim Williams got Nazareth into the clear and he charged home wide on the track to score. Williams saluted the crowd, clearly thrilled to score a Group One win in the Dunn colours.
Nazareth set a new New Zealand male three-year-old trotters record for 2600 metres when clocking a sensational 3-13.4 time.
Mystic Max (NZ) (Village Mystic) hit the lead early in the run home and fought tenaciously, only denied by the late-closing Nazareth. The runner-up was sourced by trainer Michael Purdon, who purchased him from Tardina Lodge through NZB Standardbred subsidiary gavelhousestandardbred.com, for the bargain price of $9,501.
Highgrove was close up in third, making up plenty of ground from last with a lap to go. Highgrove was purchased by Robert and Jenna Dunn’s Diamond Racing Stables for $34,000 when he was offered by Kevin and Margaret Townley’s Tavistock Breeding at the 2020 Christchurch National Yearling Sale.
| Vendor | Ripple Creek |
| Breeding | Love You x Maysoon |
| Sale | 2020 Christchurch Yearling Sale, $40,000 |
| Bred by | Mrs J A Butt |