Grove Street First Winner for Ferrando

Media Release - Saturday July 6

First-season sire Ferrando was credited with his first winner when Grove Street led all the way for an upset victory in Saturday’s Sign Central 2YO (1100m) at Hastings.

Saturday’s $35,000 two-year-old sprint was the third career start and first for more than seven months for Grove Street. His previous appearances produced fifth placings behind the impressive Te Akau Racing winners About Last Night and Maracatu.

Grove Street (inside) fights hard to fend off Honey Badger in Saturday’s Sign Central 2YO (1100m) at Hastings.   Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

Grove Street was sent out as a $27 outsider on Saturday and dominated the race from the front.

The Team Rogerson gelding jumped quickly from the extreme outside gate, and jockey Leah Hemi drove him forward and slid across to the rail.

First-starter Honey Badger loomed ominously on his outside at the home turn and was poised to run straight past him, but Grove Street lifted and found more and more down the Hastings straight. At the end of a head-bobbing battle through the final 50m, Grove Street clung on to win by a nose.

“I watched his previous races and saw that he could ping out of the gates, so I was quite confident that he would be able to get to the front within a few strides,” Hemi said.

“He’s very professional. The Rogerson team do a great job with their horses, and I was fortunate to get on this one today.”

It was a big result for Graeme Rogerson, who co-trains, bred and part-owns Grove Street.

Advertisement

Rogerson also trained and co-owned Ferrando during a 27-start career that produced eight wins, six placings and more than $270,000 in stakes. He won the Gr.3 Mr Tiz Trophy (1200m) and Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) and was a two-time placegetter in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m).

Grove Street now tops the list of Ferrando’s first-crop juveniles. The Fast ‘N’ Famous stallion is also the sire of Zorro’s Revenge, who is still a maiden but placed in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe in May.

Ferrando himself was unraced as a two-year-old, and Rogerson said this week that he expects his progeny to continue to improve as they get older.

“Grove Street is learning all the time, and he’s a typical Ferrando – they’re not really two-year-old types,” he said. “They’re also looking more like stayers than sprinters, which I’ve found hard to believe.

“I think we’ve got a lot to look forward to with his progeny next season. We’ve got half a dozen of them that look really good. Zorro’s Revenge placed in the Champagne Stakes in the autumn, and he came back into the stable this week. We’re going to aim him at the 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), and then I think he’s a lovely prospect for the Derby (Gr.1, 2400m).

“Skymax is another one, she got home really well for fourth at Ruakaka the other day. She’ll go out for a spell now and will come back better at three.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment

Race Result - Sign Central 2yo 1100m

Hastings Track: Heavy(8) Time: 1:09.39
1
Grove Street
- 2c Ferrando (NZ) x Dancing Song (NZ) (Senor Pete (USA))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: L T Hemi 57
2
0.1
Honey Badger
- 2f El Roca (AUS) x Sacred Vow (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: L Sutherland 54
3
1.1
Rhythm 'N' Spice
- 2f Ardrossan (AUS) x Wannabe (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: P S Richards Rdr: A C Goindasamy 55
NZB Karaka Book 1 $290,000
Seller: Waikato Stud Ltd
Buyer: Rohan J Hughes / Grahame Begg Racing
4
1.6
Let's Dance
- 2c Preferment (NZ) x Happy Feet (AUS) (Sepoy (AUS))
Tnr: M Moroney & P Gerard Rdr: L J Allpress 57
5
1.9
Prochester
- 2g Proisir (AUS) x Vanilla Chinchilla (NZ) (Reliable Man (GB))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: L Douglas 55.5
6
2.4
Orange River
- 2f Vancouver (AUS) x Sovereign Diamond (AUS) (All Too Hard (AUS))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: K R Hercock 55
7
3.2
Vesphire
- 2f Vespa (NZ) x Sapphire Sky (NZ) (Makfi (GB))
Tnr: R R Manning Rdr: Tayla Mitchell 54
More Reading...
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Pelzter added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.