Supreme Heights (NZ) Scores in NZB Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series

A trip to Taranaki on Saturday turned out to be hugely worthwhile for Matamata trainer Mark Brosnan, who won the $70,000 Group Three NZB Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series (1400m) with classy mare Supreme Heights (NZ) (Jimmy Choux).

The race is one of eight NZB Ready to Run Sale race sponsorships introduced this spring as an incentive to support New Zealand trainers to attend the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November.

Working alongside partners, NZB is awarding the winning trainer of each sponsored race the following prize package:

• A $500 travel voucher towards the 2020 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.
• A $600 insurance voucher towards insurance for one purchase at the 2020 Ready to Run Sale, courtesy of NZB Insurance.
• A Majestic Horse Transport voucher ($150 for a central series race or $300 for a southern series race) towards transport of one 2020 Ready to Run Sale purchase, courtesy of Majestic Horse Transport.
• A three-month subscription to the Raceform weekly production, including courier delivery.

But Brosnan had further cause for celebration. Saturday’s feature also secured a first piece of black type for Supreme Heights, his stable star who has now won six of her 15 starts.

The five-year-old mare produced a powerful front-running performance in testing track conditions, fighting fiercely in the straight to turn back the challenges of home-track runners London Express (NZ) (Shamexpress) and Ladies First (NZ) (Dylan Thomas).

Supreme Heights was passed in at the 2017 Festival Yearling Sale at Karaka with a reserve of $10,000. Retained by her breeders among an ownership group of 10 people, she has now won $126,885 in stakes.

“From that wide draw it was a very tough effort,” Brosnan told NZ Racing Desk.

“I wasn’t that confident that she was going to cope with the heavy ground, but she handled it better than I thought she would. She won on a Dead6 at Te Rapa last time, and I think that’s her favoured surface.

“She might have one or two more starts before we pop her out for a break. The logical target would be the Group Three Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera in a fortnight, but we will just have to see how she pulls up.

“The way she keeps improving, we might even have to have a look at the Group One New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha in the autumn. I’m pretty sure she will get a mile as she continues to strengthen up.”

In the lead-up to the Ready to Run Sale on 18 and 19 November, the remainder of the NZB Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series Races will be run at Riccarton on 3 October, Hawera on 10 October, Hastings on 17 October, Riccarton on 24 October, Trentham on 25 October and Riccarton on 7 November.