More Group Glory for Nashville
14 April 2014
Dual Group 1 winner Nashville (NZ) (Darci Brahma) was back in the winner’s circle on Saturday, cruising to victory in the Group 3 $100,000 Coco-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton.
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Nashville (NZ) winning the Group 3 Coco-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup. |
The NZ$40,000 Ready to Run Sale graduate won his second Group 1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic in February for the training partnership of Adrian & Harry Bull, and has now won four races at stakes level.
This year’s Group 1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic was the first time Johnathan Riddell rode Nashville, and the leading rider was once again aboard on Saturday after riding the winner of the first race at Trentham then flying south to Christchurch to take the mount on classy gelding.
Riddell drifted to near the tail of the field on the Darci Brahma gelding in the Heavy 10 conditions. The race-favourite tracked The Glitzy One (Flying Spur) around the corner and the two horses were the widest runners entering the straight.
The five-year-old gelding hit the front early in the Riccarton straight and was kept up to the mark by Riddell to hold a one length margin over The Glitzy One as he cruised to victory over the third favourite with Dickens (NZ) (Istidaad) finishing on well into third.
“We knew he was really well and fit but as it kept raining we weren’t quite as confident,” commented Adrian Bull. “It was a very good ride and he seems to like the Christchurch track. The weight-for-age scale suited him as well.
“He has been a good money spinner and he has given us a few thrills.
“He is out in the paddock for a couple of months now and we will bring him back for the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival.”
Saturday’s victory was the ninth victory in Nashville’s 25-start career , accumulating $599,457 for his owners A M & Mrs R E Bull.
Bred by Blythe Tait’s Chesterfields Ltd, Nashville is out of Royal Kiss (Royal Academy) who is the dam of four winners including Australian stakes performer China Causeway (Giant’s Causeway). Nashville is also a half-sister to Sweet Maggie (Danehill Dancer), the dam of this season’s Group 2 Eclipse Stakes winner Vinnie Eagle (I Am Invincible).
Beamish Bloodstock purchased Nashville at the 2010 Ready to Run Sale for $40,000 from Chesterfields Ltd.