NZB Grads Take Kelt Trifecta

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates took the trifecta in New Zealand's richest race on Saturday.

Hawke's Bay racegoers witnessed a huge upset in the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes when twenty dollar shot Balmuse (Lord Ballina x Musing) sprinted past white hot favourite, Premier Sale graduate Starcraft (Soviet Star x Flying Floozie).

Balmuse was a $30,000 purchase for Wanganui's Dan O'Leary from New Zealand Bloodstock's 2001 Festival Sale. The Festival Sale - the third session of the National Yearling Sales Series - is growing in stature with a number of quality graduates extolling the merits of this sale with their outstanding performances. Of the three yearling sales sessions at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series earlier this year, the Festival Sale results sheets recorded the biggest increases from 2003, making it NZB's most successful sale in terms of percentage growth.

Third place went to Westbury Stud's Zafar (Zabeel x Fair Tai), a $350,000 graduate of the Premier Yearling Sale.

Also flying the flag for New Zealand Bloodstock at the weekend was Ready to Run Sale graduate Town Of Fionn (Snippets x Ballyfin) who followed up an impressive placing in September with a win in yesterday's class one National Day Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin. After settling in fifth the chestnut gelding ranged up to take the lead at the 300 metres mark and held out a fast finishing Meridian Star to win by a head.

Town Of Fionn was purchased at the 2002 Ready To Run Sale by Michael Stedman Bloodstock for $50,000. He was sold by Lyndhurst Farms.

Earlier in the day New Zealand breds Good Profit (Haayil x Saving Grace) and Fifty Fifty (O'Reilly x Second Set) quinellered the class two Guangxi Handicap in impressive style. Coming from the back of the field at the 400 metres mark Good Profit cruised past race leaders and managed to hold out a late rally by Fifty Fifty to claim the win.

Fifty Fifty was also purchased by Michael Stedman Bloodstock for $55,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2002 Select Colts Sale, from Delahunty Farm.