Bumper Week For Nzb & Mercedes Super Bonus Series

With two $50,000 bonus races and the New Zealand Bloodstock sponsored Avondale Gold Cup this week, it looks to be a bumper week for NZB and its Karaka Sales graduates.

It's the colts & geldings turn for a crack at the big money with the $50,000 Colts & Geldings Jackpot Bonus on Cup Day at Avondale on Wednesday.

Race two on the card, the New Zealand Bloodstock Mercedes Bonus (1100m), has a field of 9 2YOs with 7 runners eligible to win the $50,000 Mercedes Super Bonus on top of the $27,500 race stakes.

Of the bonus contenders, the John Sargent and Karl Allpress trained Successor (Bahhare x Betty Doolin) is looking smart with two seconds from his last two starts. The Graeme Rogerson and Stephen Autridge trained Sharka Zulu (Lion Hunter x High Twinkle) and Sir Slick (Volksraad x Miss Opera) trained by Graeme Nicholson both ran second on debut, and the curiously named Dead Rabbits (Slavic x Blanche Amelia) trained by Don Dwyer ran third at his second start two weeks ago.

The other eligible runners in the field are first starters Platinum Card (Volksraad x Swift Swallow) trained by Garry Barlow, Security Coded (Fasliyev x Big To Do) trained by Raymond Conners, and Tri Star (Woodborough x Thelema) trained by Bruce Wallace.

This week also sees a jackpot $50,000 Mercedes Super Bonus race for the fillies after the $25,000 Fillies Bonus went unclaimed at Counties on 22 November. Wellington will play host to this $50,000 Fillies Jackpot Bonus on Saturday.

For more information on the Mercedes Super Bonus Series or to follow the results of the races in the Series view the New Zealand Bloodstock website at www.nzb.co.nz or contact Guy Mulcaster on (09) 298 0055 or email guy@nzb.co.nz or Petrea Vela, email petrea@nzb.co.nz