NZ Oaks Winner for Van Nistelrooy

15th March 2008

The Group One New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on Saturday was won by the Stephen McKee trained filly Boundless (3f Van Nistelrooy x Nothing Less, by Star Way), a daughter of exciting young sire Van Nistelrooy.

The filly duelled for the lead for much of the 2400 metre journey and revealed hidden reserves of stamina in fighting on in dogged style to win by a short neck in a driving finish over Referred.

An $80,000 purchase from the 2006 NZB Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Trelawney Stud, Boundless is raced by a group of four people including Trevor McKee who selected and bought the filly.

With three wins from 11 starts and prizemoney of $263,175, Boundless becomes the eighth stakes-winner worldwide for the young Storm Cat sire Van Nistelrooy and his second Group One winner joining the American based filly Set Play.

Boundless is stoutly bred on her dam’s side being from the Star Way mare Nothing Less, a half-sister to stakes-winners Zero Limit and Twinkling from dour staying mare Limitless, winner fo the Group One QTC Brisbane Cup over two miles.

Nothing Less has done a great job at stud producing seven winners including three other stakes- placed horses in Nothing Lika Tango, Our Tango and Purrfection.

Van Nistelrooy shuttled to New Zealand for four seasons brought out by a syndicate of studs, his last New Zealand bred progeny foals of last spring.

Van Nistelrooy enjoyed an outstanding debut season in North America last year finishing as the leading first season sire by individual winners and as a result has had his service fee lifted to $US25,000.