Foxton horsewoman Suzy Gordon recorded her first stakes win as a trainer at New Plymouth on Saturday when she produced the quinella in the Listed Agfirst Engineering Opunake Cup (1400m) with Prioress (NZ) (Proisir) and Turn The Ace (NZ) (Turn Me Loose).

Gordon has taken over the preparation of both horses at her boutique operation after they undertook the bulk of their careers with Lisa Latta and Andrew Forsman respectively.

Prioress went into the black-type assignment off the back of an impressive victory at Hawera just seven days ago, while Turn The Ace had slowly been finding his best form with a pair of runner-up finishes behind former stablemate Mr Mojo Risin’ (NZ) (Deep Field) and Saturday’s race favourite Bonnard (NZ) (Swiss Ace).

Sent forward to dispute a keenly contested pacemaking role by rider Liam Kauri, Turn The Ace took up the initiative and set a solid speed out in front. In contrast, Prioress and jockey Masa Hashizume settled third last from a wide barrier and were content to play the waiting game until moving forward from the 600m and entered the home straight as the widest runner and eight lengths from the front.

At that stage, Chajaba (NZ) (Keano) had run to the lead and looked set for victory, however, Turn The Ace found a second wind and began to fight back on the rails. Turn The Ace put his nose back in front with 50m to go and looked set for victory until Prioress put in several enormous bounds and snatched the decision right on the line.

Gordon was finding it hard to take in what had just happened as she said the victory was her first at stakes level.

“I’m a bit speechless as that is my first stakes winner,” Gordon said. “They were both really well and I knew Prioress loves racing on the back-up, so I was happy with both of them.

“I was watching Turn The Ace mainly and really didn’t know where the other one was, but she has a great finish on her.

“I haven’t even thought about what to do next, so we will just have to see how they pull up.”

Hashizume was confident of at least running in the money when he got a lovely cart into the race approaching the home bend.

“She jumped out nicely and I followed George (Rooke on Thooza) and got good cover,” he said. “On the corner I thought I was going to run in the top three and every time I asked her she gave more and more.

“It was a good effort as she had good cover and the rhythm of the race was just perfect.”

By Proisir out of the Bertolini mare Shahbab (NZ), the victory brings the mare’s record to seven wins and a further 20 placings, with $300,322 in earnings.

The win also completed a double on the day for Hashizume, who had earlier taken out the sixth race on the card aboard the Peter Lock-prepared Jungle Love (NZ) (Ace High). - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Resuming Rolling Magic confirms Big Dance credentials

The A$3 million The Big Dance (1600m) on Melbourne Cup Day is firmly on Rolling Magic’s (NZ) (Per Incanto) radar after a dominant first-up victory in the A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

In his first raceday appearance since February, the New Zealand-bred son of Per Incanto produced a performance that took even his connections by surprise. He powered clear down the straight in the hands of apprentice jockey William Stanley and won by two and a half lengths at double-figure odds.

“You know they say horses can make a fool of you – this is one that can really make a fool of you,” co-trainer Will Freedman said. 

“Every time he comes to the races, I tell the owners that he's not quite ready, going to need the run or won't like the ground. And he just turns it all upside down. It's a very welcome surprise.”

Rolling Magic’s spring itinerary is likely to be framed around a shot at The Big Dance at Randwick on November 3.

“That's where we’re heading with him,” Freedman said. “To be fair, he's returned in better order than his trials might have shown. 

“He's actually been a fairly consistent horse without winning for the back half of his last preparation. He deserved another win and it's a great result for the connections. He's come back in super order.”

Rolling Magic has now had 21 starts for six wins, seven placings and A$357,600 in prize-money.

Rolling Magic was bred by John Anderson and is out of the unraced Iffraaj mare Not A Jaffa (NZ), who is a half-sister to the Hong Kong Horse of the Year and triple Group One winner Werther (NZ) (Tavistock), the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) winner Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock), Group Three winner Gobstopper (NZ) (Tavistock) and Group One placegetter Milseain (NZ) (Tavistock).

Offered by Sledmere Stud at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Rolling Magic was bought by Will Freedman for A$100,000. – NZ Racing Desk

Le Troisir impresses at Rosehill

Promising four-year-old Le Troisir (NZ) (Proisir) contributed to a big day for Rich Hill Stud’s star stallion Proisir with victory in the A$160,000 Congratulations ATC Member Jane McDonald Handicap (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Le Troisir’s success came just a few minutes before Proisir sired his 25^th individual stakes winner with Prioress (NZ) taking out the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth. That result also put Proisir more than $400,000 clear of the great Savabeel on the New Zealand sires’ premiership, all but guaranteeing him a second champion sire title.

“In what’s been another outstanding Saturday for his sire, Le Troisir takes out the A$160,000 2400m contest at Rosehill this afternoon,” Rich Hill Stud said on Facebook. “A lightly tried horse with a bright future.”

Trainer Chris Waller has taken a patient approach with Le Troisir, whose first 11 starts produced only one win along with four minor placings. He has taken a big step forward this winter, winning a 2200m Benchmark 72 at Warwick Farm on June 3 before finishing fourth over 1900m at Canterbury and third over 2000m at Rosehill.

The step up to 2400m on Saturday took Le Troisir to a new level, delivering in style as the $4.20 favourite.

Le Troisir was ridden by Zac Lloyd, who took him back from his wide gate and moved him across to settle in eighth and one off the rail.

Lloyd launched a long run around the outside of the field coming down the side of the track, and by the point of the home turn, Le Troisir was looming on the outside and challenging Golden Century (NZ) (Pierro) for the lead.

Le Troisir asserted his superiority down the straight, pulling away to win by a length and a half from Waller-trained stablemates Masoun (Too Darn Hot) and Golden Century.

From 15 career starts, Le Troisir has now had three wins and five placings and has earned A$190,235 for a syndicate headed by Ozzie Kheir.

Le Troisir was bred by John Corcoran of Grangewilliam Stud and is by Proisir out of the Fastnet Rock mare Teardrops (NZ), who is a three-quarter-sister to the Group Three winner and Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m) runner-up Brimham Rocks.

Offered by Grangewilliam Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2023, Le Troisir was a $160,000 purchase by Group 1 Bloodstock and Mr N Sangster. – NZ Racing Desk.

Bold Soul turns the tables in Flemington Cup

Two weeks after finishing second to Highland Blaze (Highland Reel) in the Banjo Paterson Series Final (2600m) at Flemington, Bold Soul (NZ) (Embellish) returned for a rematch on Saturday and reversed that result in the A$150,000 Dean Lester Flemington Cup (2800m).

Highland Blaze was the $2.70 favourite on the strength of his two-length defeat of Bold Soul last start, but rose 2kg in the weights this time to carry 55kg. The New Zealand-bred Bold Soul, meanwhile, dropped slightly from 60kg to 59kg and was on the second line of betting at $5.

Jockey Jake Noonan had Bold Soul handily placed in fourth and one off the rail behind a moderate pace.

The field bunched up coming up to the home turn, and Noonan hooked Bold Soul out three wide to stake his claim at the top of the straight.

It turned into a fierce battle through the final 200m, with barely half a length covering the first six horses home, but Bold Soul’s fighting qualities shone through as he edged out Highland Blaze in a tight photo finish.

Noonan deflected most of the post-race plaudits on to Bold Soul’s trainer Patrick Payne.

“This win is a credit to Patrick,” he said. “I was a bit anxious with the shades going on today, because I’ve had a bit of experience with him over the years and I know what he can be like. He’s a lot more seasoned now, he’s had more racing and has probably matured, but I know that when he gives you a hard time, it’s a bloody hard time. I had to be mindful of that.

“Patrick left it to me to find a good rhythm and keep the horse happy, and we managed to pull it off.”

Bold Soul has now had 33 starts for eight wins, 10 placings and A$822,725 in stakes.

“It was a close finish,” Payne’s stable representative Neil Greaves said. “Jake got him to settle nicely and gave him the run of the race, then pulled out on the home turn. I was a bit worried for part of the straight, but the horse was so fit and well trained. He managed to keep going and get the money. It’s a great thrill for everybody.”

Greaves indicated that Bold Soul might be seen in a new role before the end of his current preparation.

“I think the intention is for him to have a run over jumps,” he said.

By Cambridge Stud’s Group One-winning son of Savabeel, Embellish, Bold Soul is the last foal of the now-retired Singspiel mare Twin Soul and was bred by Lou Te Keeti.

Bold Soul was sold at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 2 Yearling Sale for $20,000 to Wanganui horseman Hamish Auret and subsequently relocated to Payne’s Victorian operation. – NZ Racing Desk.

Prima Bella shares spoils in Flemington dead heat

Just seven days after placing in a Randwick sprint, Prima Bella (NZ) (Per Incanto) ventured to Melbourne and produced another big effort to dead-heat for first in the A$130,000 VRC Member Andrew Bostock Trophy (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The New Zealand-bred Per Incanto mare was a gallant third in Sydney the previous weekend, beaten by only half a length under 58kg on a testing heavy track. Backing up a week later with the same impost, Prima Bella upped her game even more to share the spoils in her Flemington debut.

Prima Bella was ridden by Harry Coffey and disputed the speed with Street Artist (NZ) (Super Seth) through the early stages of the race. Coffey drove Prima Bella into a clear lead at the 200m mark, but then Along The River (Written Tycoon) drew up alongside.

The pair fought tooth and nail through the last 150m and the hit the finish line locked together. After a tense couple of minutes, the judge was unable to split them and a dead heat was confirmed.

Prima Bella has now had 13 starts for six wins, three placings and A$257,225 in prize-money.

Prima Bella is one of 52 winners from only 94 runners in a landmark Australian season for Little Avondale Stud stallion Per Incanto, whose A$15 million in total progeny earnings on that side of the Tasman put him in a career-best sixth place on the Australian sires’ premiership.

Per Incanto had a metropolitan winning double in Australia on Saturday, both in the maroon, white and yellow colours of Frank and Christine Cook’s Mystery Downs. Earlier in the afternoon, Rolling Magic (NZ) (Per Incanto) won the A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill. He also sired a winner in New Zealand with Sibella (NZ) (Per Incanto) successful at Ruakaka.

“Prima Bella dead-heated in the last at Flemington to give Per Incanto a Saturday treble,” Little Avondale said on Facebook. “Fellow Little Avondale-born and reared Rolling Magic made a successful return to the races at Rosehill and is now on a path to The Big Dance, and Sibella led all the way over 2100m at Ruakaka. Congrats to trainers, Matthew Smith, Richard and Will Freedman and Moira and Kieran Murdoch, and breeders John and Elizabeth Anderson and Joan Egan.”

Little Avondale are the breeders of Prima Bella, who is out of the seven-race winner Brah Spring (NZ). That daughter of Darci Brahma is a three-quarter-sister to Listed winner Sir Lovesalot (NZ) and half-sister to Listed winner Pure Incanto. 

Further down the pedigree page, the family also features a couple of Australian Group One performers by Per Incanto – Evaporate (NZ) and Belluci Babe (NZ).

Prima Bella was offered by Sledmere Stud during the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where Matthew Smith Racing bought her for A$320,000. – NZ Racing Desk.

Te Aroha mare loves New Plymouth

The Peter Lock-trained Jungle Love (NZ) (Ace High) continued her love affair with New Plymouth on Saturday when extending her unbeaten streak on the track to three wins. The five-year-old daughter of Ace High won her first two starts at the Taranaki track, and she has continued

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Ayteem provides Millar with home course double

Local trainer Janelle Millar secured a home track double on Saturday after Ayteem (NZ) (Eminent) led from go to whoa in the Sinclair Electrical & Refrigeration (1800m), the last race on the day. Millar had also captured the first race on the card, the Seaton Park (1400m), with Timemakesthewine (NZ) (Time

NZ Racing NewsLOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Local gelding scores popular victory at Ruakaka

There was a jubilant atmosphere on course at Ruakaka on Saturday following local gelding Rotten Tommy’s (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) popular maiden victory in the Lion Red (1200m). The son of U S Navy Flag has been living up to his name, with his racing manners letting him

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