Tavarnelle Takes Group Double for Karaka at Flemington

NZ Champion sire Zabeel is closing in on a historic 150 stakes winners with his classy daughter Tavarnelle taking his tally to 144 in Saturday’s A$150,000 Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes at Flemington.

Trained by Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes, Tavarnelle (Zabeel x Wanaka) kicked off a memorable day for New Zealand and Karaka at Flemington with Ferlax (Pentire) winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas.

Tavarnelle is the 144th stakes winner for Zabeel

Last seen on the track in early November last year, Saturday’s race saw Tavarnelle race fresh up under Glen Boss, with the four-year-old facing a tough contest in race rival Sheila's Star (Snitzel) who kept finding in the straight. But the daughter of Zabeel ground her down in the final stages to win by a short head, running the last 600 metres in a slick 33.35 seconds.

Tavarnelle has now had 12 starts for three wins and Saturday’s result proved a great move by the Hawkes Stable as they have picked up valuable back-type with the mare who placed in the Group 3 Tesio Stakes during her last campaign at Moonee Valley.

Bred by Standard 2080 Ltd, Tavarnelle is raced by Matrix Racing and was purchased by Colm Santry Bloodstock from Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan’s Cambridge Stud at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale for $330,000.

Saturday’s win has taken Tavarnelle’s stakes earnings to over $200,000 and the Hawkes Stable indicated that she will be heading for Sydney to race in the Autumn Carnival.