Ourforeignminister Looking to Australia

The five-year-old gelding Ourforeignminister took a big step up in class on Saturday with the biggest victory of his career in the $70,000 Group 3 Merial/Ancare Metric Mile (1600m) at Awapuni.

Coming into the Group 3 feature off the back of a good win in the $50,000 ITM 15th Interprovincial (1600m) on a slow track, Ourforeignminister (Dubai Destination x Secret Revenue) showed no problem with Saturday's improved footing, with the track rated a dead 4.  

Ridden by jockey Danielle Johnson, the pair had a tough task in the race when Johnson lost her whip on the home turn, forcing her to ride Ourforeignminister hands and heals in the straight. But the five-year-old responded well to hard riding and put in an impressive performance to take the Group 3 feature by a head from his wide barrier of 17.

A horse that has proven a model of consistency since coming back from a spell in late May, the son of Dubai Destination has taken three wins this preparation with three minor placings from seven starts.

Trained by Richard Otto & Mark Brooks, the pair are now looking across the Tasman with Ourforeignminister with a view to aiming the horse at the country cups, with the Listed Mornington Cup over the longer trip of 2400 metres on the horse's radar.

Now a winner of five of his 18 career starts, Ourforeignminister was bred by Rothwell Park and was purchased by Paul Willetts from Curraghmore Stud for $100,000 at the 2008 Karaka Select Sale. His race day earnings now top the $100,000 mark after Saturday's win.

Running second in the race was the John Bary trained No Excuse Maggie (No Excuse Needed x Maggie O'Reilly) who gave New Zealand Bloodstock the Group 3 quinella. The five-year-old mare has also been very consistent in her last few races, and beat Ourforeignminister three starts back in a rating 90 over a mile at Te Rapa.

Saturday's Group 3 was No Excuse Maggie's first start in black-type company and her second placing was an impressive performance from a horse that has only had 12 career starts.