07 March 2010
Smart Murray and Bjorn Baked-trained 3yo On The Level became the sixth Group 1 performer for Highview Stud sire Align with his game third placing behind Jimmy Choux in the $2.2 million Telecom New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
On The Level (ex Springtime Romance) the winner of two races and placed on another four occasions, had finished second in his previous start in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie.
Trainer Murray Baker was very happy with On The Level’s performance. “He came from behind and it was a game effort. He didn’t really enjoy the ground and he is a much better horse on top of the ground,” Baker said.
Baker said On The Level will now head for a tilt at the Group 1 A1.5 million AJC Derby (2400m) at Randwick, Sydney, on April 9.
On The Level’s sire, Align, has proven a very versatile sire in his stud career.
He has produced an array of quality stayers. Besides On The Level he has also sired the likes of Group 2 New Zealand Cup (3200m) winner Everswindell and Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) runner-up Out Of Align.
He has equally been a top-class sire of sprinting types with the Group 1 winning two-year-olds, Nightlign and Fully Fledged as well as the outstanding multiple stakes-winning Coup Align.
Align has also been to the fore again in Singapore this year, a region where he has previously enjoyed a high degree of success.
Align is currently eighth on the Singapore general sires’ premiership and his leading performer this year has been Maraeti.
And in New Zealand the son of Night Shift is also enjoying an excellent season, currently in 12th position on the general sires’ table with progeny earnings of $474,575. On The Level is his leading stakes performer in New Zealand with prize money earnings of $236,175 this year.
