NZ Stakes Double at Moonee Valley

New Zealand fielded two stakeswinners under lights at Moonee Valley on Friday night with Norzita (NZ) and You Think So (NZ) sharing the spotlight.

Group 1 Flight Stakes winner Norzita (NZ) (Thorn Park x Visique) signalled that she is ready for a big campaign with a brilliant fresh up victory in the A$120,000 Listed Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) for Bart Cummings.

Norzita won the Group 1 Flight Stakes in the spring

A three-year-old daughter of the late Thorn Park, Norzita gave weight to the rest of the field in the race but the 57.5 kgs did little to hamper her as she ran just 0.38 seconds outside the track record set by Miss Andretti to win by 1.5 lengths under jockey Steven Arnold.

Norzita beat the Group 2 winner Longport (Casino Prince) in the Group 1 Flight Stakes at her last appearance in the spring and she is likely to have one more start in Melbourne this preparation in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes on 9 March before being taken to Sydney.

Bred by Marc and Sarah Devcich, Norzita was purchased by Duncan Ramage’s DGR Thoroughbred Services from Windsor Park Stud at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $200,000, the equal highest price ever paid for a Thorn Park filly at the time.

Raced by Dato Tan Chin Nam – who also raced Karaka graduate So You Think – in conjunction with Westcode Pty Ltd, Friday’s win was Norzita’s third from seven starts and has taken her stakes earnings to over A$420,000.

The next race, the A$150,000 Listed Torney Night Cup (2500m), saw You Think So (NZ) (Golan x Milly Molly) take a winning double for the kiwis and Karaka.

The Michael Kent trained five-year-old was ridden by Luke Nolen who elected to take the son of Golan to the front mid-race after trailing a slow pace. After stealing a break on the home corner, he kept You Think So galloping strongly in the straight to win by three lengths.

You Think So had three trials in New Zealand, winning his last, before being taken to Australia where he has been brought along slowly by Kent who is keen to take the horse to the Listed Adelaide Cup for his next start.

A handy galloper, You Think So has won seven of his 21 starts for over A$320,000 with Saturday’s victory his first at stakes level for his owners Mr D Murray, Miss Judmar Racing, Mr J Corr, Mr P Fitzgerald, Mr P Henley, Mongrel, Mr J O'Brien, Rosswood, Mr J Seward and Mr E Woods.

Bred by Monovale Holdings Ltd, You Think So was purchased as a yearling by Andrew Scott from Monovale Farm at the 2009 Festival Sale for just $16,000.