More Stakes Success for Pins Mare

Media Release - Saturday April 13

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.

Princess Kereru - Trish DunnellThe Ken and Bev Kelso and Mark Donoghue-trained five-year-old claimed her second black-type victory for the season with an authoritative display in the hands of regular pilot, Cameron Lammas.

Despite being on the back foot when the gates opened, Lammas soon had the Pins mare in a favourable mid-field position against the rail as local runner, Vinnies Volley set a breakneck speed out in front.

Lammas angled Princess Kereru off the fence at the 600m before looming into contention shortly after turning for home. Asked for a serious effort, Princess Kereru dashed away from her rivals before easing down to score by more than a length from the late closers, Endless Drama and Cavallo Veloce.

"She's just gone to another level this year," Ken Kelso said.

"If you had said to me last year that she would be doing this I would have laughed at you.

"She's just really strengthened up as she always has had ability, but was just a bit weak."

Kelso also praised the mare's bulletproof nature, which has seen her thrive since commencing her current campaign back in October.

Advertisement

"She's been up a long time but just does everything right," he said.

"She eats and is so relaxed and has a great temperament. Temperament is a huge thing in this game and she just eats, sleeps and is a real little trooper.

"He (Lammas) gets on good with her and it is the way to ride her where she comes with that last run, so it's very pleasing."

The victory took Princess Kereru's career record to seven wins and 8 placings from just 25 starts and over $250,00 in stakes earnings. Along with her two stakes wins in this preparation she also recorded a valuable Group One placing when narrowly beaten by Santa Monica in the Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie back in January. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Invincible 3YO Wins G3 Winx Guineas
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday featured a big field of 16 up and comers and following the late scratching of favourite Mister Bianco, Angela Jones took luck out of the equation on I Am Invincible gelding The Three Hundred.
Residential Front Running Win in G3 Valachi Downs Breeders Stakes
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.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!
Kiwi Bred Good Banter Finds Winning Form
Four-year-old mare Good Banter was back in the winner’s circle when narrowly prevailing in the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.
Buccleuch - First Stakes-Winner for Peltzer
The $175,000 Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday was won back in 2020 by Cherry Tortoni, who went to on to become a multiple Group winner of nearly $1million and the same colours were carried by this year’s winner Buccleuch.
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.
Pride’s Outsider Estadio Mestalla Wins Winter Stakes
The lone stakes race on Rosehill’s ten-race card on Saturday saw Joe Pride’s race outsider Estadio Mestalla (Galileo Gold) take out the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Stakes (1400m) in a boilover.
Divine Prophet’s Fortunate Kiss Captures Elusive Black Type Win
With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never as 6yo Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss charged along the inside to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday – her first black type victory.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 5
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Marble Nine Brings Up Second SW For Aquis Sire Kobayashi
The withdrawal of the top weight in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed VRC Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington saw the field down to just six, with Marble Nine continuing his outstanding recent form to secure his first black type victory.