Winning Double for Trusting & Moreira

The partnership of Karaka graduate Trusting and Singapore's champion jockey Jo Moreira remains unbeaten after they combined for their second consecutive win in the Group 2 Hill Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

After jumping well Trusting (Tale of the Cat x Legible) led in the early stages of the race before taking a sit behind the lead in transit. Coming into the Rosehill straight the five-year-old was full of running and, with Moreira sitting quietly, Trusting took the lead 300 metres from home and eased down to the line to win by a very impressive three-quarters-of-a-length.

Winning trainer John Thompson was full of praise for the son of Tale of the Cat after the race, declaring Trusting an "awesome horse". With the Group 2 Warwick Stakes already to his name, the Group 2 Hill Stakes was Trusting's third Group 2 victory after winning the Chelmsford Stakes at his last start.

An entire that is shaping up as a valuable stud proposition, the victory was Trusting's fourth of his career and took his stakes earnings to just shy of $900,000. A prolific performer on the track, his six career placings include seconds in the Group 1 George Main Stakes, the Group 1 Epsom Handicap and the Group 1 Golden Rose.

From the Group 2 winning Zabeel mare Legible, Trusting's second dam Waihora's Lass (Tights) was an 11-time winner from 1200-2000 metres with her victories including the Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.

Bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds, Trusting was a $300,000 purchase by Patinack Farm from Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud at the 2008 Karaka Premier Sale.

Running a good third in the race was the Group 2 Brisbane Cup winner Tullamore (NZ) (Savabeel x Trocair) who is now two starts back from a spell for Gai Waterhouse. A horse that holds nominations for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, the five-year-old capped off a successful weekend for Savabeel with his hugely promising son Strike the Stars (NZ) winning the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes.

Strike the Stars is now the favourite for the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at $4.40.