NZB Wellington Guineas Goes Barside

The NZB-sponsored feature at Trentham on Saturday - the Group 2 $85,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Wellington Guineas - proved an intriguing contest with Karaka Ready to Run graduate Barside putting his name into the Guineas mix.

Settling towards the back of the field, the Trent Busuttin trained Barside (Tobougg x Chita Rivera) began his run from the rear at the 600 metres coming wide into the spacious Trentham straight. Running well in the centre of the track, at the 200 metres, Barside showed a strong turn-of-foot, storming past leader Elusive Tracy to win the feature by almost three-and-a-half lengths.

With most past winners of the Wellington Guineas �going on to perform strongly in the 2000 Guineas, Barside and Elusive Tracy will be amongst the leading contenders for next month's features at Riccarton.

Barside was offered at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 Ready to Run Sale and passed in for $38,000 and subsequently bought by a large syndicate of owners including trainer Trent Busuttin.

Part-owner Sam Pomare travelled to Trentham on Saturday to watch the race and was delighted with the win.

"Everything went right for him, the conditions were good and he ran a great race.

"He's still a bit green but he's a tough, strong horse with a big heart and great determination.

"We have got the flight booked south next month and he'll line up in the 2000 Guineas in November. It's not every day you get to run your horse in a $1 million dollar Group 1 race so he will have his opportunity.

"He will definitely handle more ground so who knows, there are some big races next year like the derby which we may have an opportunity in as well."

Owned by a large syndicate of owners, Barside notched up his second win in the Group 2 feature, taking his stakes to almost $60,000.

Barside is out of the Casual Lies mare Chita Rivera and is the half-sister to Natalie Wood (Yachtie), the dam of the highly talented and Melbourne Cup nominated Maluckyday (Zabeel), trained by John Hawkes.

Barside is the second Ready to Run Sale graduate to register Group success so far this season with Linton (Galileo) already winning the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes. The Sale's success has carried on in fine fashion from last season's phenomenal results which saw graduates win the Group 1 Hong Kong Champions Mile, the Group 1 New Zealand Derby and the Group 1 WRC Telegraph Handicap.

Linton is due to line up in the Lexus Stakes this weekend where a win would see him gain entry to the Melbourne Cup.

Breeze Ups for the NZB Ready to Run sale have been completed and DVD copies are available from today. Please contact NZB if you would like a copy.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale will be conducted at its Karaka sale centre in Auckland on 16 & 17 November.