NZB Graduates Dominate Stakes Races

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates had a great weekend winning five of the seven stakes races held around the country. A sixth stakes race was won by a horse offered but passed-in.

Saturday's premier meeting featured the Group 2 Waikato Gold Cup at Te Rapa as well as three other stakes races.

Eight-year-old gelding Travellin' Man (Blues Traveller x Peat) won the $32,500 Listed Turf Sportsground Sprint (1400m). The $30,000 yearling was sold at the 1998 Premier Yearling Sale.

Unbeaten juvenile gelding Kindacross (Cape Cross x Kindness) made it 3-from-3 and broke the track record (held by former champion 2YO Our Maizcay) when winning the $30,000 Listed Fairview Ford Stakes (1000m). Kindacross was a $62,500 purchase for David Ellis at the 2004 Premier Yearling Sale. He was sold by Cambridge Stud.

In the main event of the day, the $100,000 Group 2 Waikato Times Gold Cup (2400m) six-year-old mare Singing Star (Danasinga x Jelignite Jen) finished strongly to beat high weight St Reims. Singing Star was offered and passed-in for $30,000 as a yearling at the 2000 Select Fillies Sale.

Also on Saturday was Manawatu Racing Club's meeting at Awapuni. The $50,000 Group 2 Robertson Holden Eulogy Stakes (1600m) was the fifth leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series. The race was won by 2002 National Weanling and Broodmare Sale graduate Justa Tad (Istadaad x Infinity). She was purchased for $1000 by trainer Rudy Liefting. The win saw Justa Tad increase her lead in the Filly of the Year Series to 8 points.

Sunday's meeting at Ellerslie featured the $70,000 Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2000) which was rescheduled following the abandonment of last weekend's meeting. Mandela (Ebony Grosve x Wairongoa Belle) a 2003 Festival Yearling Sale graduate won the rescheduled race. The gelding was bought by Paul Willets for $1,750 from Esker Lodge.

Later in the day in another "Derby trial" promising colt Cheval De Troy (Zabeel-Better Succeed) blitzed his rivals by five-and-a-half lengths to win the $60,000 Listed Bonecrusher Stakes (2100m). Cheval de Troy was sold by Cambridge Stud for $400,000 at the 2003 Premier Yearling Sale. He was purchased by Stuart Hale Bloodstock.