Valuable Group Two for Nerve Not Verve (NZ)

Talented and well-related staying mare Nerve Not Verve (NZ) (Shocking) added a valuable black-type win to her pedigree page with a strong display of stamina in Saturday’s A$300,000 Group Two Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick.

A half-sister to the Group One Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Glory Days (NZ) (Red Giant), Nerve Not Verve was a $60,000 purchase by Bruce Perry Bloodstock from Curraghmore’s draft at the 2017 Select Sale at Karaka. She has now won seven of her 39 starts and more than A$480,000 in stakes.

The six-year-old has found a rich vein of form in recent times, winning at Moonee Valley in late February before venturing to Sydney for some shots at black type. She started off with a bold second in the Group Three Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill on March 19, then went one better on Saturday in a tough test of stamina.

Ridden by Regan Bayliss for trainer Mike Moroney, Nerve Not Verve raced up in the top three throughout the race, then moved forward to challenge the front-running Knights Order (So You Think) at the top of the straight.

The pair went to war through the final 300 metres, and Nerve Not Verve slowly but surely gained the ascendancy. She edged ahead and scored by a short neck, with the rest of the field more than three lengths behind the first two finishers.

“Clarky (Tim Clark, riding Knights Order) put the pressure on from about the 800-metre mark, but nothing else really came into it,” Bayliss said. “It became a ding-dong battle, and you never want to get to one of Gai Waterhouse’s horses too early. But luckily enough this mare thrived at the 2600 metres and did a good job.

“As we all know, Mike Moroney is great at getting these stayers up and going. She’s been around for a little while. This was obviously her first go at the distance, and she’s really relished it. She was in tip-top order here today, and she loves that bit of sting out of the ground, and she’s won accordingly.”

Moroney has been a long-time believer in Nerve Not Verve’s staying ability, and he was delighted to see that faith rewarded at Group Two level.

“She’s a really good staying mare,” he said. “I’ve always been a believer that she would stay. I think it’s the combination of her learning to relax a little bit more, as well as this sort of ground that she’s obviously adept in. She’s done a great job.

“She gave us signs during the week, when her work was up to the best she’s ever worked. I just couldn’t fault her. I knew she was hard and fit and probably the first trip I’ve had her 100%.

“We’ve got a little to think about now – whether we head to Queensland or what we do with her. She’s deep into her preparation, but as you know with mares like that, they can stay in form.”