Pins Seals Big Stakeswinning Weekend

Waikato Stud's resident sire Pins had a weekend of success with three sons winning at black type level across New Zealand and Hong Kong, to bring his stakes-winning tally to 37.

The $85,000 Group 2 Supadeal Furniture Avondale Guineas (2100m) saw the Jason Bridgman trained Icepin (Pins x Ice Maiden) defy his rivals in the Ellerslie straight, as he took a two length lead at the point of the turn which he refused to relinquish.  

Icepin has been racing in good form for trainer Jason Bridgman and repaid faithful punters with the $28 win. He ran a good second to Jimmy Choux in the Group 2 Great Northern Guineas before running another second, this time to Banchee, in the Karaka 3YO Mile at the end of January.

The tough performance by the three-year-old has put him firmly in Derby contention, with his price plummeting to $9 with the TAB. He now sits on the third line of betting with He's Remarkable behind the heavily backed favourite Jimmy Choux at $2.60 and King's Rose at $5.

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates took the trifecta in the Group 2 event, with On The Level (Align) and Sierra Nevada (High Chaparral) running into second and third.

Bred by Waikato Stud's Garry Chittick, Icepin is owned by octogenarian owner Herbie Dyke. Icepin has now won four of his 14 starts and has earned over $355,000 in stakes.

The success continued for Pins in the $70,000 Group 3 Waikato Stud 2YO Classic (1200m) at Taranaki with Antonio Lombardo (Pins x Petit Verdot) getting into a dog fight with Chateauneuf Dupape (Darci Brahma). The Peter McKay trained Antonio Lombardo looked in deep trouble as Chateauneuf Dupape took the lead, but the son of Pins fought back on the inside to put his nose in front right at the post.

The win was Antonio Lombardo's second victory at stakes level after he won the Listed Wellesley Stakes in November last year. He was also only a head away from winning the Karaka Million at his last start.

Chateauneuf Dupape was game in defeat and provided NZB with the quinella in the race. The Lee Freedman trained colt is being kept in the care of John Sargent for his stay in New Zealand and will be one to watch in future assignments.

Antonio Lombardo was bred by Rob Anderson, Cherry Taylor & Trelawney Thoroughbred Ltd and was bought by his trainer Peter McKay from Trelawney Stud for $120,000 at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale. The win was his third from seven starts and takes his stakes earnings to over $250,000.

Sharing the Waikato Stud stallion roster with Pins is No Excuse Needed who also tasted stakes success when the Shane Kennedy trained Champagne Needed (No Excuse Needed x Bellesinga) notched up his first win at black-type level in the $45,000 Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1600m).

With much anticipation coming into the race as Milo (Coats Choice) was looking to complete the third leg of the Gore/Dunedin/Southland Guineas and claim the $100,000 bonus, Champagne Needed led all the way in the feature to win by two-and-a-half lengths. NZB graduate Miss Maximuss (Castledale) ran into third place giving NZB its third black-type quinella of the day.

Champagne Needed was bred by JC & Mrs OB Lindsay and Mrs GL & TC Williams and was bought by Shane Kennedy from Little Avondale Stud at the 2009 Karaka Festival Sale for only $27,000. The four-year-old has won two of his six starts and over $35,000 in stakes earnings.

The NZB National Broodmare, Weanling & Mixed Bloodstock Sale will be held on 2-4 May with entries closing on 4 March. For more information please contact NZB or visit www.nzb.co.nz.