Bright Future Expected for $8,000 Purchase Ladies First (NZ)

When she impressively won a New Zealand Bloodstock-sponsored race at New Plymouth today, Ladies First (NZ) (Dylan Thomas) also provided a wonderful example of an astute purchase in the Karaka sale ring.

Purchased as a yearling for just $8,000 by part-owner Humphrey O’Leary, Ladies First scored stylish wins in two of her first three career starts to set up a shot at Saturday’s $40,000 NZB Finance 3YO (1600m). It was a step up in class but she rose to the occasion to boost her career record to three wins from four appearances.

Ridden by premiership winner Lisa Allpress for local trainer Allan Sharrock, she overtook the leaders at the top of the straight and surged clear to win by an emphatic two and three-quarter lengths.

Ladies First has now won more than $44,000 in stakes, five and a half times what she cost as a yearling, and Sharrock thinks even bigger and better things lie ahead.

“She put them away pretty easily in the end,” he said. “She’s quality.

“I’d like to put her in a paddock for three months and let her grow into herself,” he said. “At the moment she’s still a weak filly but with a lot of ability.

“She could end up being a Cup mare. I think we’ve just got to look after her.”

Ladies First was bred by Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock New Zealand Ltd. She is out of the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes winner Just Polite (Dehere), the dam of four winners from four foals to race.