Neversaynever & Headsup Quinella the ANZAC

The John Bary trained Neversaynever produced a bullish performance last Thursday at Awapuni to bring up her first stakes success in the $45,000 Listed ITM Manawatu ANZAC 1600.

Boasting a strong line up of stakes performed and stakes winning horses including the Group 1 winner Juice, Alagant Satin and Platinum Princess, the race was hotly contested, with Neversaynever (Howbaddouwantit x Dress Circle) the victor in a close finish.

With the field coming wide on the turn, jockey Craig Grylls kept his mount Neversaynever close to the inside and challenged for the lead at the 300 metres, staving off a wall of horses to beat fellow NZB graduate Headsup (Thorn Park) in a bobbing finish.

It was the five-year-old's sixth win on the track, and her first victory at stakes level, taking her race day earnings to over $60,000 and her domestic rating to 88.

From the un-raced Jetball mare Dress Circle, Neversaynever is from the same family as the champion racehorse Super Impose who won the Cox Plate and the Doncaster Handicap among his eight Group 1 wins.

Neversaynever was bought by Michael Sanders from Fairdale Stud at the 2007 Karaka Festival Sale for $14,000.