Exciting Contest For $120,000 Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders Stakes This Saturday

Saturday's Gr. 1 $120,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders' Stakes over 1600m at Te Aroha has attracted a top line up of fillies and mares for the prestigious feature race. The race will be a serious competition with the stars of spring racing set to go head to head under weight-for-age conditions in what is the only Group 1 race on the New Zealand calendar for fillies and mares only.

Classy last start Listed winner Rodrigo Rose, (Rodrigo de Triano x Rosebrook) trained by Graham Richardson & Mark Donohue at Matamata makes up one part of the Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan owned duo. The other Hogan owned mare, Diamond Like (Danehill x Tristalove) will back up from her last start win at Auckland in testing conditions last Saturday. The Paul O'Sullivan trained mare who has drawn favourably in barrier one, will be having only her second start over the 1600m distance.

Gr. 1 WRC Captain Cook Stakes winner Penny Gem (Pentire x Gemscay) trained at Matamata by the Michael Moroney & Andrew Scott combination has been running very useful races this season. She finished second in the both the Gr. 1 ARC Zabeel Classic and Gr. 1 Waikato RC International Stakes over New Year.

Talented three-year-old filly Kainui Belle (Kashani x Lady Ukiah) who finished second in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series is also the winner of the Gr. 2 ARC Eight Carat Classic. Kainui Belle is trained by Wayne & Vanessa Hillis at Matamata.

Another classy runner who could figure in the finish is Surprize Surprize (Prized x Impossible Dream). Trained at Takanini by Kevin Hughes, Surprize Surprize finished second last start in the Listed Tauranga Classic. She will again be partnered by jockey Grant Cooksley.

Other mares racing in the feature Gr. 1 event are: Deebee Belle (Bin Ajwaad x Deebee Lady), Sokool (Bin Ajwaad x Dancing Mill), Amah Dramas (Barathea x Enchilada), Foxy Blonde (Volksraad x Platinum Blond), Scarlet Rose (Straussbrook x Scarlet), Sunlaw (Desert Sun x Cereno Cloud), Alyssum (Prized x Kay Row), Blackrock College (Volksraad x Marscade), Belle Femme (Zeditave x Cast Your Fate) and Tina Temple (Diamond Express x Capismation).

Last year's New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders Stakes was won by Zirna (Deputy Governor x Riverly Lass), who went on to achieve great success in Singapore where she was recently crowned Singapore Horse of the Year. Zirna is currently in Dubai for a crack at the rich US$2mill Dubai Duty Free later this month.

New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance will also sponsor a race on the Te Aroha card this Saturday, the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance 3YO over 1600m.