Asterix (foaled 10 November 2018) is a

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

, best known for an upset victory in the 147th running of the

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held in March each year. History The New Zealand Derby i ...

Background

Asterix is a bay gelding by the former

Cambridge Stud Cambridge Stud is a Thoroughbred stud farm established in 1976 at Cambridge, New Zealand by Sir Patrick Hogan. Stud sires It has had a number of top quality stallions including: * Sir Tristram: sire of 45 Group 1 winners and inducted into the N ...

stallion Tavistock, who became widely known as a remarkable sire of classic winners. He had previously been represented by two

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse ...

winners (Tarzino and Johnny Get Angry), along with winners of the

Australian Derby The Australian Derby is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights held at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April, during the Autumn ATC Championships Carnival. The race is considered to b ...

(Tavago),

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

(Volkstok'n'barrell),

Hong Kong Derby The Hong Kong Derby is a Hong Kong Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1873. Restricted to horses four-years-old only since 1981, the race is run in mid-March and is the premier event on the domestic racing programme with a purse of HK$18 m ...

(Werther) and

Singapore Derby The Singapore Derby was a thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid-July at the Singapore Turf Club. Contested on turf over a left-handed course, the domestic Group 1 race was run over a 1,800-metre (9 furlongs) distance and open to four-year- ...

(Infantry). Asterix was bred by Sir Owen Glenn's Go Bloodstock, and he was bought for NZ$450,000 at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by bloodstock agent Bruce Perry. Asterix races in the colours of the Kelt family, which had previously been carried to Derby victory by Popsy in 1993. Former New Zealand international cricketer

Mark Greatbatch Mark John Greatbatch (born 11 December 1963) is a former New Zealand international cricketer. He scored more than 2,000 runs in his 41 Test matches for New Zealand. A left-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium pace bowler in first cla ...

also shares in the ownership.

Racing career

Asterix is trained by

Lance O'Sullivan Lance Anthony O'Sullivan (born 28 August 1963) is a New Zealand Thoroughbred horse trainer and former champion jockey. Lance is the son of premiership winning horse trainer Dave O’Sullivan and the brother of Paul O'Sullivan. Riding caree ...

and Andrew Scott, who also won the 2021 New Zealand Derby with Rocket Spade. Asterix made his debut less than two months before his Derby triumph, finishing sixth in a 1400-metre race at Matamata on January 12. An eighth placing followed at Te Rapa on February 2, before Asterix stepped up to 2100 metres and recorded a maiden victory at Tauranga on February 16. The Derby was only two weeks after that victory and represented a massive rise in class, with Asterix among the outsiders at 45-to-one. But he produced a powerful performance, swooping forward from last to lodge his bid at the top of the home straight and sprinting clear for a comfortable victory over hot favourite La Crique. On 17 February 2024, ridden by Lynsey Satherley, Asterix won the Group 2 Avondale Cup over 2400m from Dionysus and Good Oil.

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist Racehorses bred in New Zealand Racehorses trained in New Zealand 2018 racehorse births

Background

Racing career

Pedigree

See also

References