Stakes-Winning Weekend for Tavistock Full Brothers

Tara Madgwick - Monday November 20
Full brothers Werther and Gobstopper posted Group race wins in New Zealand and Hong Kong on the weekend.

The talented staying duo are by Cambridge Stud's high class sire Tavistock from Zabeel mare Bagalollies.

Gobstopper won the Group III New Zealand Cup, read about him here.

Horse of the Year & Champion Middle Distance Horse in Hong Kong in 2015-16 and Champion Stayer in Hong Kong in 2016-17, Werther showed he was back to top form winning the Group II BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) a Sha Tin on Sunday.

Werther - Grant CourtneyNext month's HK$25 million Group I LONGINES Hong Kong Cup at the course and distance is all that stands between the six-year-old and a career sweep of Hong Kong's premier 2000m contests.

Werther has already sealed wins in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, AP QEII Cup and Hong Kong Gold Cup, and Sunday's win was just the lead-up to Hong Kong's richest race connections had been hoping for.

"He's exactly where we want him to be, there are exciting times ahead," said winning jockey Tommy Berry.

Werther had to call on his champion's grit in the closing stages to outpoint runner-up Time Warp by a neck. The New Zealand-bred was blowing hard when he came back to scale, but emphasised his wellbeing with a brash kick at the air as he made his exit.

"That was a cracking good run considering it was his second run this season," said his trainer John Moore.

"His fitness was really tested and he will improve for this run.

"The speed that Harbour Master went up front today really tested his fitness level, which wasn't 100 percent. We got away with it and now we go to the Hong Kong Cup. He'll come away from this race in better fettle for that grand final."

Tavistock has nearly 20 entries for the NZB Ready to Run Sale this week, click here to see them.

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