Nothing Risque in the G1 NZB 1000 Guineas

Three-year-old filly Risque (NZ) (Darci Brahma) took no chances on Saturday to reach the pinnacle of racing with victory in the $300,000 Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 43rd 1000 Guineas at Riccarton Park.

Risque (NZ) winner of the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas. Photo courtesy of Race Images Christchurch.

Group 1 glory came straight after Risque’s first stakes win last month in the Listed Armadillo Stakes, also over 1600m at Riccarton Park. Trained by Matamata’s Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, the daughter of Darci Brahma has won three of her six starts and been runner-up on two occasions.

“We have always had a lot of time for her,” commented Autridge. “I am pleased she proved on Saturday that our assumptions of her were right as she won with ease.

“She has only ever put in one disappointing race and that was at the start of the season but other than that she is doing really well.”

The win by Risque completed the Group 1 NZ 1000 & 2000 Guineas for the Autridge and Richards stable after Karaka graduate Xtravagant (NZ) (Pentire) won NZ 2000 Guineas last weekend by an extraordinary 8.5 lengths.

Along with Risque’s win, the Te Akau Racing colours were worn to victory on three other occasions at Riccarton on Saturday, giving the stable four winners from four races.

One of the first away from barrier 3 for stable jockey Matthew Cameron, Risque quickly dropped back to race behind mid-field.

Travelling the widest on the home turn, she powered home with an impressive turn of foot at the 200m and sprinted to victory by one-and-a-quarter-lengths over Karaka graduate Strada Cavallo (NZ) (Alamosa), who finished in second place, with Dezzies Dream (NZ) (Coats Choice) in third.

“She is travelling home now to spell at The Oaks Stud for a week to 10 days. Rick Williams and I will sit down to map out her programme but I would say that we will be trying to retain that lead in the Filly of the Year Series with her,” added Autridge.

Owned by The Oaks Stud, the home of her sire Darci Brahma, the Group 1 victory has taken her earnings to $233,725. She becomes the seventh Group 1 winner for her sire and the third Group 1 winner this year following the victories of Gust of Wind (NZ) and Julinsky Prince (NZ).

Darci Brahma has seven horses catalogued in this week’s NZB Ready to Run Sale held on 18 & 19 November.

Bred by D P Bentata, Risque is out of stakes placegetter So Explicit (Straight Strike), a half-sister to the dam of stakes winning Tycoon Tango (Last Tycoon).

Winning the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas propels Risque to the top of the NZB Filly of the Year Leaderboard as she collected 12 points in the Series on Saturday. Runner-up Strada Cavallo earned 7 points and third placegetter Dezzies Dream claimed 3.5 points.

The next race in the NZB Filly of the Year Series is the Group 3 LawnMaster Eulogy Stakes at the Manawatu Racing Club on 12 December, the first leg of the Wellfield Lodge Triple Crown Series.

To view the NZB Filly of the Year Leaderboard, click here.