One to Watch - Te Rapa

Media Release - Friday October 4

A dashing grey filly from the family of brilliant Australian Group II winner Pure Elation was a One to Watch in Friday in New Zealand.

Chiaretta - image Trish DunnellWell-related filly Chiaretta showed she has inherited her share of the family ability when coming from well off the pace to break maiden ranks when winning the NZB Ready To Run Nov 20 - 21 (1200m) at Te Rapa on Friday.

Chiaretta split stakes performers Appellant and Blackrocksdetox when second at her only start at two and had prepared for Friday's victory with a strong trials victory at Cambridge.

The Stephen Marsh-trained filly settled at the rear of the field from her outside barrier for jockey Danielle Johnson and ran home well when finding clear racing room to record a neck victory over the fast-finishing Bella Mente.

"We were always going to go back and knew the pace would be on," Marsh said. "You just don't know if they can make up that much ground in a nice field like this.

"Danielle just saved a couple of lengths here and there and presented her at the right time."

The daughter of Makfi sports the colours of prominent Wellington owner Lib Petagna and is a half-sister to stakes winning mare Members Joy, who is in turn the dam of Group Two winning I Am Invincible filly Pure Elation.

Chiaretta was identified by bloodstock agent Bruce Perry, who purchased the filly from the Book 1 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales for $200,000 from the draft of Windsor Park Stud.

The filly has impressed her connections and a trip across the Tasman next year could be on the cards for the promising three-year-old.

Advertisement

"Between Lib, Bruce and I, we have talked about getting her through to Christmas and she is a filly we would ideally like to get to Sydney in the autumn," Marsh said.

"At this stage, box one has been ticked."

Closer to home, Marsh is weighing up between the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa on Labour Day or the Gr.3 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) on October 26 as Chiaretta's next target.

"We can look at the Soliloquy and Sarten now and see which way we want to go," he said. "We are not trying to head down south with her.

"We know she likes Te Rapa and she has run second at Ellerslie, so either suits."

Johnson also believes Chiaretta has a big future.

"She has got a few gears," she said. "Going forward, I think she is a very progressive filly. She is going to go places."

Runner-up Bella Mente also showed she was nearing a return to her best, with the daughter of El Rocca Group One-placed at two. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Makfi Gelding Wins Wanganui Guineas
Lightly raced three-year-old Cooga Doon made it two wins from two starts when he took out the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1340m) in sensational fashion on Saturday.
More Stakes Success for Impending - Cool Memory Wins Listed Farnley
A son of Larneuk Stud's value Lonhro stallion Impending, five year old Cool Memory bolted in to claim his second stakes win and bring joy to favourite backers on a rain-drenched Saturday at Belmont Park.
Pericles Turns Back the Clock
Six year-old Street Boss (USA) gelding Pericles won the Group II ATC Tramway Stakes (1400m) two years ago in 2023 when trained by James Cummings and he repeated the effort at Randwick on Saturday, but this time he is in the care of Bjorn Baker.
Pedigree Watch – 3YO Plus That G1 Late Bloomer
Saturday delivered another exciting instalment of early spring racing with three stakes races for 3YO’s and once again all of them were won by new first time stakes-winners that were virtually unsighted at two and we also had a new G1 winner, whose path to the top has been anything but smooth.
Derby Dreaming for Crown of Russia
Danny O’Brien already has one promising winner by his former G1 star Russian Camelot (IRE) in the stable in Censori and on Sunday at Bendigo he unleased another.
Hong Kong Possible for Mac Attacka
Offshore interest in promising galloper Mac Attacka was piqued yet again on Saturday after the impressive three-year-old produced a powerful closing burst to take out the last race on the card at Ruakaka.
G1 Haydock Sprint Cup Upset
Wathnan Racing were expecting to win the Group I Haydock Sprint Cup (6f) overnight with short priced race favourite Lazzat, but the best he could manage was fifth behind progressive three year-old colt Big Mojo.
Lightning Strikes at The Valley
It didn't carry Black Type, but the $200,000 MVRC So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Moonee Valley was packed with intrigue and G1 winners with spring aspirations.
Stakes Goals Ahead for Supido Mare
Astute trainer David Payne is no stranger to G1 success and has always held Supido mare Shohisha in high regard and she showed the potential of better things to come this spring when powering home to win the Benchmark 94 event over 1600m at Randwick on Saturday.
Ones to Watch – Bendigo
At this time of year, you tend to take special notice of well-bred 3YO debut winners and three of them arrived at Bendigo on Sunday that were all interesting for different reasons and none more so than one who has a name that has become infamous this year.