Stakes Goals Ahead for Zousain Filly The Victress

Media Release - Thursday January 4

Stakes targets are in the offing for promising juvenile The Victress following her debut win in the Lindsay Goudie & Brian Hare Memorial 1000 at Te Aroha on Wednesday.

The Victress winning on debut at Te Aroha on Wednesday.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Backed into $1.20 favouritism, The Victress began well for jockey Opie Bosson to take an early front-running role and the pair didn’t relinquish their advantage, holding out a fast-finishing Elegant Jazz to win by half a length.

“It was a lovely ride by Opie, taking bad luck out of the equation, he controlled the speed, and she’ll improve with that,” said Mark Walker, who trains the filly in partnership with Sam Bergerson.

“She’s got a really good constitution and great brain on her.”

The Victress won her only trial in August over 650m at Te Rapa and her trainers were pleased to make a winning start to her career on Wednesday after an interrupted spring campaign.

“We had a bit of a setback with her in the spring, after she’d won the trial, and providing she pulls up well we’ll look at the Wellesley Stakes,” Walker said.

Te Akau have a strong recent history in the Listed IRT Wellesley Stakes (1000m), having won the 2021 and 2022 editions with Quattro Quinta and Hanalei respectively.

They will be hoping to make it three wins in four years when they head to Trentham on Saturday-week with The Victress, who was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $250,000.

Te Akau were back in the winner’s circle later on the card when Caravella took out the Thames Harness Racing Club Sprint (1200m) in the hands of Opie Bosson.

The victory continues the four-year-old mare’s purple patch of form, having won first-up at Taupo in November before placing at Rotorua last month.

Advertisement

“It was a top ride by Opie and the owners have been patient with her,” Walker said. “She’s been a slower maturing horse, and has had a few niggles and issues, but she's now stringing together a solid record.

“She’ll be up to Rating 75 now, which is quite a strong grade, but it will be interesting to see how she measures up.”

The daughter of Caravaggio was another yearling purchase by Ellis, who bought her out of Wentwood Grange’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $115,000.

“She’s going pretty well this mare and had to be good to win today,” Ellis said.

“She’s not the biggest but shows plenty of determination and is probably going to step over a bit more ground as well.

“We had her half-sister Our Abbadean in the stable for the Hawkins family at Wentwood Grange, and she performed very well. She ran in all three legs of the Triple Crown during the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival and came of age as an older mare when winning the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr. 2, 2000m) and Travis Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m).

“She was really good stakes' quality mare and the more wins Caravella can get on the board the more valuable she becomes.

“It’s a good family and Wentwood Grange is one of the very astute breeders in our industry.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Zousain Filly Offers Stakes Potential for Te Akau
Te Akau Racing celebrated five winners across three venues on Saturday, including the exciting return of stakes-bound filly The Victress at Riccarton Park.
Zousain Filly Chasing Stakes Success for Te Akau
The Victress has got the nod as Te Akau’s leading black-type chance at Riccarton on Saturday, but it might be an opposing stablemate who will lead the chase for higher honours later in the season.
Qilin Queen First Group Winner for Pinatubo
As a Champion European 2YO by Shamardal, that did not win beyond 1400m, we might have expected Darley shuttler Pinatubo (IRE) to be a sharp juvenile sire, but that has not been the case in the Northern Hemisphere.
Backing Tomorrow’s Leaders: Sunline Trust and Stallion Auction Unite for the Future
On Saturday 26 July, the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding community will gather at the National Breeding Awards — not only to celebrate excellence, but to invest in the future of our people and our industry.
Sires With Winners - Monday July 14
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Star Sprinting Mare Olentia Heads to Magic Virtual Sale
Outstanding racemare Olentia will provide buyers from around the globe an incredible opportunity when she is offered at next month's Magic Millions Virtual Sale.
Colt from Aussie Glamour Girl Mosheen Tops JRHA Select Sale - Yearlings
The first day of the 2025 JRHA Select Sale featuring yearlings was held at Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido on Monday and the horse that topped the session is a colt from four time Australian Group I winning mare Mosheen.
Vale, Leading NZ Administrator Ian Boyland
New Zealand racing has lost a highly respected and popular administrator with the passing of Ian Boyland at the age of 81.
High Hopes for Up and Comers
Andrew Forsman is hoping the younger members of his stable can make their mark in the new season’s age group events.
What Should Breeders Make of This?
When a stallion (who is standing at a fraction of his esteemed peers 2025 fees) leads the 2025 2yo Australian General Sires list by Winners to Runners, what if anything is this signalling to breeders?