Pins Filly Wins G2 Wellington Guineas

Media Release - Saturday March 16

An emotional Kevin Hughes was pleasantly surprised to get the judges call in his favour when his bonny filly Emily Margaret prevailed in a tight finish to the Group II Norwood Family Wellington Guineas (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Emily Margaret - Trish DunnellThe Riccarton horseman, who trains in partnership with his wife Pam, fought back tears as his thoughts turned to the victims of the Christchurch mosque terrorist attack, an atrocity committed in his home patch.

"It's unbelievable, I thought we were second," Kevin Hughes said.

"It's great for her and great for the South Island. We've had a terrible time down there. This is fantastic."

A last-start all-the-way winner of the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m), Emily Margaret showed she was no one-trick pony when coming from well off the pace today.

"She tries hard and there are not many times she hasn't fronted up," Hughes said.

"She missed the start today and I thought 'Oh dear', but she just stormed home. She did that second-up this year over 1000m but that was huge.

"It was a strong race and there were some very nice horses in the race. I thought there were half a dozen horses that could win it."

Advertisement

Emily Margaret has had an extensive three-year-old preparation, which started back in September with victory in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m), a leg of the NZB Southern Filly Of The Year Series.

The trainer is keen to try the daughter of Pins over a mile in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on April 6.

"We want to get the Filly of the Year down South, so we'll have one more run," Hughes said.

Emily Margaret defeated lightly-tried galloper Vigor Winner by a half-head, with favourite Dawn Patrol a short-neck away in third in a strong showing first-up from a break.

Winning rider Robert Hannam was full of praise for the brave filly considering the race didn't go to plan.

"The plan was not to go back, but I jumped okay and then we got squeezed early," Hannam said.

"Then plan A and B went out the window, plans D and E came into effect. When I went through her form the other day, she had won a race from back. I sat back and I knew the outer part of the track was going to be better, so I just waited and gave her one run and she is pretty tough." – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Higher Goals for Impressive Maiden Winner
A comfortable maiden victory by Not Usual Litening at Te Rapa on Saturday has co-trainer Murray Baker looking at stepping his charge up to a greater challenge in the coming weeks.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Randwick
Spring racing is just around the corner and a busy set of trials at Randwick on Friday featured eight heats won by juveniles with winners including stakes horses The Playwright and Cobra Club as well as unraced youngsters by Justify (USA), I Am Invincible and Flying Artie.
Bred to be Good - So You Think x More Joyous
It sounds like a match made in heaven, a colt by two time Cox Plate winning sire So You Think from eight time Group I winner More Joyous, and this 2YO is slated to make his debut in New Zealand this weekend,  
Bred to Be Better at Three
Andrew Campbell will unveil another exciting youngster at Hawera on Saturday when two-year-old gelding Valvano makes his debut in the Simon Bendall @ Metcalfe Real Estate (1200m).
Best On Breeding
Like many others, I was saddened to hear of the recent death of Les Carlyon who wrote this humorous piece in the Age after Nick Columb’s $300,000 New Zealand purchase Courtza had won the 1989 Blue Diamond Stakes - Courtza is the great-granddam of this week’s Best On Breeding selection.
Wathnan Racing Swoop - Quai de Bethune Eclipses July Sale Record 775,000 Guineas
The Tattersalls July Sale concluded in spectacular fashion with QUAI DE BETHUNE selling for a record 775,000 guineas and the Busuttin Young stable also picked up lightly raced 3YO TIME ALLOWED for Australia.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 11
Here is the full list of 45 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Debut 2YO Winner for Brutal
Fresh from siring a smart metro winner at Sandown on Wednesday in Brutalina, Brutal was in the frame at Scone on Friday where Brett Cavanough unleashed a promising two year-old debut winner in Bird Whistle.
Godolphin Draft Headlines Huge Inglis Digital July (Early)
A 26-strong Godolphin draft, a G1 placed 3YO with credentials for the $10m Golden Eagle and shares in multiple other G1 performers including dual G1 winner Overpass headline a huge catalogue for the Inglis Digital July (Early) Online Sale.
Melbourne Racing Club Unveils Major Spring Racing Enhancements
Racing Victoria has confirmed prize money allocations for the 2025-2026 season and Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has announced some exciting race program changes and prizemoney increases that, together with other great initiatives at Flemington and Moonee Valley, reinforce the position of Victoria’s Spring Racing Carnival at the forefront of international racing.