Superturf Wins Winter Cup

The Group 3 Aussie Browne's Pharmacies 114th Winter Cup (1600m) saw the Greg Lambert trained Superturf put in a big finish to take his first black-type race at Riccarton on Saturday.

Ridden by jockey Masa Tanaka with the light weight of 53 kilograms, Superturf (Black Minnaloushe x Alfred's Jewel) was ridden back in transit after drawing the wide gate of 13 and was brought forward around the turn before running into a wall of horses.

In a determined effort from the five-year-old, after being held up at the 200 metres, Superturf forced his way through the pack and burst to the lead, taking the Group 3 feature by three-quarters-of-a-length.

Fellow New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Ishiabeel (Ishiguru) ran a good race and was prominent in the final stages, her second placing providing a New Zealand Bloodstock quinella.

The win was Superturf's fifth from 23 starts and took his stakes earnings to over $110,000. Superturf is Black Minnaloushe's 22nd individual stakes winner with his progeny's earnings topping $26 million worldwide.

Superturf was bred by Lambourn Stud and was offered by Lambourn Stud at the 2008 Select Sale.