Late bloomer continues form
‘‘She’s got a lot of natural talent and a bit of a tough streak to go with it,’’ said her trainer after Role Model had easily accounted for her Te Rapa opposition. ‘‘The Breeders’ Stakes is shaping up as classy field but she deserves her place there, so all going well she’ll give me a chance to win my third.’’
Matamata’s February 23 feature is likely to be headed by the two unbeaten fillies Bounding and Recite.
Bounding, trained by Ken and Bev Kelso for Tirau owner Gary Harding, accounted for subsequent Karaka Million winner Ruud Awakening in her Pukekohe stakes win in November and is coming to hand well for the big day in just over two weeks’ time.
Hastings-trained Recite, prepared by John Bary of Jimmy Choux fame, has a similar formline with a debut success followed by an easy win in the Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham last month.
The Kelso-Harding combination were prominent at the Karaka sales last week, with their single focus a filly by leading Australian sire Flying Spur that Gary claimed with a bid of $400,000.
Other big prices paid by local buyers included $450,000 by Gary Hennessy to secure Waikato Stud’s colt by Zabeel from former smart racemare Tootsie; Graham Richardson took home a filly by young Australian stallion Onemorenomore for $250,000; Lance Noble’s buying included a colt by Pins from Auckland Cup winner Bazelle at $140,000; Peter and Kim McKay bought Premier Sale colts by their former star Alamosa for $90,000 and by Pins at $57,500, while Paul and Kris Shailer went to $160,000 to secure Bradbury Park’s half-sister to their Karaka Million runner-up Fantastic Honour.