Smart Miss
JOHN Bary was back in the Group One groove at Te Aroha yesterday.
He successfully executed a long-term plan when the well-related Miss Wilson reigned supreme in the $200,000 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
An emotional Bary savoured top-flight success with the half-sister by Stratum to his former star galloper Jimmy Choux, a multiple Group One winner and former New Zealand Horse of the Year.
He was bred and raced by Richard and Liz Wood and their familiar colours were donned by Vinnie Colgan aboard Miss Wilson.
‘‘It’s great for Richard and Liz. They have been big supporters of the stable,’’ Bary said.
‘‘This means a lot to me and my staff, they work long hours and this is as much about them as me.’’
Miss Wilson finished fourth in the Breeders’ Stakes 12 months ago after she had won the Cuddle Stakes (1600m) and this time around Bary elected to bypass the Trentham event.
‘‘I learned from last year and she is much better fresh,’’ he said.
Miss Wilson jumped well to sit behind the tearaway leaders Ruud Not Too and Nicoletta, before reeling them in 250m from home.
‘‘This is really special, it’s been a long-time plan and full credit to John and his team,’’ Richard Wood said.
Miss Wilson won by half-a-length from Thee Auld Floozie, who also finished runner-up in the 2017 edition of the event behind Charmont.
Nicoletta stuck on grimly to take third money ahead of Heni and Coldplay.
IN-FORM filly Le Castile is delivering exactly what trainer Mark Blackie has been expecting.
The daughter of Dalghar won for the second time in her short career when she accounted for a tidy field of three-year-olds in the Pyramid Trucking 1400m at Te Aroha.
‘‘I’ve always had a good opinion of this filly and that’s a great win,’’ the Tauranga horseman said.
‘‘She was a little bit fresh today as well and she’s still learning her game.’’
Successful in maiden company at Te Teko last month, Le Castile settled in the trail and once clear in the run home she rounded off strongly.
Blackie is unsure of the grey’s immediate future, but he has ruled out a tilt at the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa in a fortnight’s time.
‘‘She’s really looking for a mile now,’’ he said. ‘‘I’ll have a look at the programmes, but she doesn’t like wet tracks.’’
LA Fille En Jeu has bagged a southern stakes double and the Whanganui-trained mare could get an opportunity to complete a hat-trick.
The free-going mare led all the way to win yesterday’s $50,000 Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton, where two weeks ago she had claimed top honours in the South Island Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
‘‘We always planned to try and get both races and we left her down here with Les and Richard Didham, so it’s a big thanks to them,’’ said trainer Nigel Auret, who bred and races La Fille En Jeu with his wife Adaire.
‘‘There’s another race for her here in four weeks, which we might look at, but we will assess how she comes through this first.’’
The race in question is the Great Easter Stakes (1400m) on May 5.
La Fille En Jeu raced to a clear lead under jockey Lisa Allpress.
‘‘Lisa said she gave her a kick out of the gates and the mare took off and she was struggling to hold her,’’ Nigel Auret said.
La Fille En Jeu was out on her own on straightening and she had enough in reserve to hold off Tommy Tucker and King Pin.