Valuable Stakes Win for Well-Bred Espresso Martini (NZ)

Blue-blooded Premier Sale graduate Espresso Martini (NZ) (High Chaparral) greatly enhanced her value with a black-type win in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial (1500m) at Ellerslie.

Espresso Martini is the third foal to race, and the third winner, out of the Keeper mare Keepa Cruisin (NZ). A half-sister to the seven-time Group 1 winner Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross), Keepa Cruisin herself won the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) as a three-year-old in 2007. She also won the Group 3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and ran second in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

Espresso Martini lined up on Saturday for just the fourth start of her short career, having picked up a win and two placings in her previous three appearances.

Given a perfect ride by Leith Innes, she hugged the rail in third place before angling out in the straight and running down Jip Jip Rock (High Chaparral) to win by a long neck.

Espresso Martini is now the winner of two of her four starts and $39,250 for her owners Love Racing Pty Ltd.

“She’s a well-bred filly who’s raced by Donna Love and a great group of owners, so it’s fantastic to get some black type for them,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said.