NZ Cup for Blood Brotha

It has proven a case of second time lucky for the Raymond Connors trained Blood Brotha (NZ) who was too good for the field in the $225,000 Group 3 Christchurch Casino 148th New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

Blood Brotha(Danzighill x Laura Dee) ran sixth in the race last year and came into the New Zealand Cup off a good fourth in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy at Riccarton at his last start.

Ridden by James McDonald in Saturday's Group 3, the six-year-old was ridden patiently in the early stages before improving his position to trail the leaders at the 600 metre mark. Blood Brotha was in a line of four horses at the 300 metre marker but took the advantage 100 metres from home to win by a quarter-of-a-length.

Now a winner of six of his 29 career starts, the Group 3 win was Blood Brotha's first at stakes level after running second in the New Zealand St Leger (2500m) in March last year.

Bred by Brian, Hector, Mrs L E & Mrs P A Anderton, Blood Brotha is raced by Raymond and Mark Connors and was offered by White Robe Lodge at New Zealand Bloodstock's South Island Sale of Two-Year-Olds. He has now won over $234,000 in stakes.

Fellow Karaka graduate The Jungle Boy (NZ) (Jungle Pocket) ran a solid race to take second after leading earlier in the straight to give NZB the race quinella. Trained by Shaun Clotworthy, it was the six-year-old's first start over 3200 metres.