Firth stakes victory for son of former shuttler No Nay Never
The Jamie Richards-trained Need I Say More (3 g No Nay Never - Bo Bardi by Fastnet Rock) showed his class when he added a fifth stakes win to his record in the Mufhasa Stakes (Listed, 1300m) at Ellerslie on Sunday - one of three stakes victories for the trainer at Ellerslie on the day.
Fresh-up off the back of a win in the Almanzor Trophy (Gr 3, 1200m), the gelding had to run down Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard), who attempted to steal a march on her rivals rounding the home bend. But the son of No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) comfortably ate into the margin via a cool Opie Bosson ride to score by three-quarters of a length over Babylon Berlin, with his stablemate Cornflower Blue (Savabeel) finishing another half a length away in third.
A multiple Group winner, the gelding advanced his career record to six wins from eight starts, with career prize-money totalling NZ$229,780.
Richards said the gelding would now head to the Wellington Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) in two weeks' time.
"He's a quality horse who sneaks under the radar a little at home, as he doesn't put a lot of enthusiasm into his work," Richards said.
"He ran last at the trials at Pukekohe the other day, but that's just him and he turns up on raceday.
"It was a lovely ride by Opie as he didn't panic when Sam (Collett) put a bit of a break on him and the horse ground away nicely over the last little bit.
"He's a promising horse who has put together a good record so far."
The gelding was purchased at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale by Kilgravin Lodge for $65,000 from the Burnewang North draft and then failed to make his reserve of NZ$150,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Book 1 sale in 2019, but was snapped up by David Ellis outside the ring for NZ$130,000.
The son of No Nay Never is the first foal out of the winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Bo Bardi, who is herself out of Listed winner Our Golden Dream (Medaglia d'Oro).
Further back this is the family of Listed winners Icabad Crane (Jump Star) and Savvy Street (Street Sense).
Bo Bardi's filly by Dissident (Northern Meteor) was purchased by Robert Kingston Racing for $60,000 at last week's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and in 2020 Bo Bardi produced a filly by Impending (Lonhro), while she was covered by Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) in October.
No Nay Never shuttled to Coolmore Australia for two seasons and he has sired 12 winners in Australia and New Zealand, with Need I Say More the only stakes winner. The son of Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) is standing at Coolmore in Ireland for a fee of €125,000.
