Residential Front Running Win in G3 Valachi Downs Breeders Stakes

Media Release - Saturday March 23

Consistent mare Residential scored her biggest career victory when she led all the way to take out the Group III Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

Residential - Race Images SouthRaced in the familiar colours of her breeder and co-owner, Waikato Stud, the Pins five-year-old gave her rivals a galloping lesson as she set up a consistent speed out in front before defying them to run her down.

Visiting rider Robbie Hannam had her humming along sweetly and despite being challenged hard by Zabay and race favourite Contessa Vanessa, Residential wouldn't surrender as she went to the line half a length to the good of her pursuers.

Co-trainer Karen Parsons, who prepares the mare with husband John, was delighted with the win although admitting that Hannam hadn't followed her pre-race instructions.

"It was super," she said.

"He pulled it off and the Waikato Stud will be very pleased."

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick paid tribute to ability of the mare's trainers to keep her competitive at the top level throughout her career.

"John and Karen have done a wonderful job with her and I'm just as pleased for them as I am for her syndicate of owners to get the win today," he said.

Advertisement

"She's just a good tough racemare who always gives her best and I think she deserved that one after being thereabouts all season.

"She comes from a really good family and once again there was old Pins reminding us just what a good stallion he was over his long career at Waikato Stud."

Residential is the daughter of stakes-placed Elusive City mare, Metropolitan, and is descended from a family that includes Gr.1 Railway Handicap winner Silver Liner, the dam of 1984-85 South African champion three-year-old filly, Petrava.

She becomes the eighth individual stakes winner for her sire Pins in the 2018-19 season.

Successful three times at Listed level during her three-year-old campaign, Residential has now won nine of her 36 starts and over $250,000 in prizemoney. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Third Group 1 Victory For Zoustar’s Sensational Joliestar
Cambridge Stud's outstanding Zoustar mare Joliestar was simply sensational, charging late to win the $1m BRC Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm, her third Group 1 victory.
Lucrative Pay Day For Adiella In Magic Millions National Classic
Coming off a last start second in the Group 3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m), the Improving 4yo The Mission mare Adiella recorded her sixth carer victory, adding the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic to her record.
Pins Colt Purple Sector a Class Above in Rough Habit
After watching on as former pupil Vega One blitzed the field in the Listed Queensland Day Stakes, John Thompson had his own reason to cheer when the three-year-old Pins colt Purple Sector earned his first black-type in Saturday’s Group III Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.
Pins Filly Wins G2 Wellington Guineas
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.
More Stakes Success for Pins Mare
Matamata visitor Princess Kereru signed off on an A+ report card for her current campaign when she scored a hollow victory in the Listed NZB Finance Sprint (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday.
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.
First Group Victory For $3.5m Earner Front Page
Having raced at Flemington, Rosehill and Ascot at his last three starts, the Matthew Dale trained Front Page travelled to his fourth different state in as many starts, winning the $300,000 G2 BRC Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm.
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Wins Epsom Oaks for Coolmore
The Group I Epsom Oaks (1m4f) had a raging hot favourite in undefeated Godolphin entry Desert Flower, but she came up short in her first try at the classic trip going down to finish third behind the Aidan O’Brien trained duo Minnie Hauk (Frankel and Whirl (Wootton Bassett).
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.
Kicked out of Australia - Jan Brueghel Wins G1 Coronation
The horse kicked out of Australia last spring as not having suitable scans to race in the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel showed just what we missed out on seeing when taking out the Group I Betfred Coronation Cup (1m4f) at Epsom overnight.