Race favourite Lord Spencer (NZ) (Zed) left it late but managed to rally and out-finish gallant pacemaker Brucie (NZ) (Raise The Flag) to take out the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge 151st Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) at Riccarton.

The JJ Rayner-prepared son of Zed had taken out the key lead-up event, the Koral Steeplechase (4250m), seven days earlier and was attempting to provide rider Lemmy Douglas with a special reward after he took out the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) earlier on the card aboard Little Thief (NZ) (Dundeel).

Lord Spencer looked the part early in the contest as he cleared the big Riccarton fences with consummate ease while travelling with his head on his chest in second place as this year’s Wellington Steeplechase (4900m) winner Brucie set a handy pace in front.

Despite mixing his jumping, Brucie still held an advantage as he applied the pressure with two fences to clear, immediately putting his rivals under immense pressure to catch him.

Lord Spencer was trying his heart out as the pair cleared the last obstacle and found another measure of stamina as he closed on Brucie before thrusting his head in front within the shadows of the winning post to settle a stirring battle in his favour.

Rayner was fighting back tears as she described how much the win meant to her family, including her father, Evan, who prepared dashing hurdler Mister Divinsky (NZ) (Lavinsky) to win the 1990 Grand National Hurdles (4200m).

“I can’t believe it as I thought Brucie had us, but he (Lord Spencer) just kept grinding and grinding,” Rayner said.

“I can imagine Dad at home, he will have tears as it means so much to us.

“He (Lord Spencer) has just stepped up over these big fences and whatever he does this year is a bonus as he is still learning.

“My team at home, only a little team, will be so proud.

“Lemmy probably won’t be able to fit his hat, he is great and is riding so well, is a great guy and deserves this.”

An ecstatic Douglas, who became just the second rider to take out the Grand National double on the same day after Tom Hazlett achieved the feat in 2006, was buzzing as he described how the race panned out.

“It’s such a thrill to be associated with such a great horse and a great family,” he said.

“The Rayner family have been doing this for generations, so to be a part of this success is amazing.

“I knew Brucie was going to try and get the edge on us, so I wanted to get behind him, but not like that.

“He (Lord Spencer) absolutely pulled my arms out the whole way and horses just don’t win going over 5000m like that, so it shows how tough he is.

“The whole way I knew he needed a breather and I was grateful to be able to do that before the home turn and I was able to get back up over the last.

“This is career defining and I’ve been battling away for so long, so I’ve been rewarded for sticking it out.”

Lord Spencer is a former Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) winner and while he was a topliner over hurdles, he looks to have found his niche over the steeples, with four wins and a runner-up finish from five starts, including victory in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase (4800m) last month.

In 56 career starts he has now recorded nine wins and just over $425,000 in stakes for owner-breeder Dennis Dravitzki. - NZ Racing Desk

Little Thief pilfers Grand National Hurdles for jumps legend

The famed Kevin Myers magic was clearly on display at Riccarton on Saturday when Little Thief (NZ) (Dundeel), the most inexperienced jumper in the field, headed home a Myers trifecta in the Hospitality NZ Canterbury 136th Grand National Hurdles (4200m).

Myers has never been afraid to take a different approach when preparing horses for a major event, and Little Thief was no different as the five-year-old son of Dundeel opened his Riccarton campaign last Saturday with an eighth placed finish in a 1600m contest on the flat followed by a narrow victory midweek over 2200m in an amateur riders contest on the polytrack at the venue.

Those runs had him super fit for just his third start over fences and he proved that with a strong staying performance to come from second last with 800m to run and race away in the home straight for rider Lemmy Douglas.

Douglas was happy to adopt a patient approach as Little Thief settled with just The Bambino (NZ) (Rock 'n' Pop) behind him as Dictation (NZ) (Tavistock) and then Taika (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) set up the pace out in front. Those two were joined by the other Myers-trained runners in Happy Star (NZ) (Fabulous) and Quid (NZ) (Rios) at the 1000m to form a line of four at the head of affairs as the pressure came on with just four fences to clear.

Douglas got on his bike at this point in the race and Little Thief was soon on the heels of the leading quartet before looming three-wide on the home corner as Quid and Happy Star shook off the other pair.

Despite laying in over the last two fences, Little Thief looked like he had just joined in to race clear once he jumped the last fence and win easing down by five lengths from Quid with Happy Star a further four lengths away.

Stable representative Jason Myers was thrilled with how the race panned out, along with the ride by Douglas.

“He is a super little horse and has shown a lot of promise from the day we started schooling him,” Myers said.

“He won well in the amateur race (Wednesday) and today Lemmy rode him an absolute treat as he was told just to follow them around and his (Little Thief) improvement from his first two jumps races has seen him talking the next step up.

“I was happy with the positioning of all our horses during the race as I thought they were being given their best chance to win, and turning for home I thought Quid was going pretty well, but when Little Thief jumped the last he just took off on them.”

Douglas was delighted with the victory in his first ride aboard the winner, although he admitted to a near mistake late in the contest.

“It is the first time I’ve sat on him and I was told to just sit dead quiet and he was pulling my arms out most of the way,” he said.

“I thought he might be a little tired after Wednesday, but he travelled up beautifully and he jacked up over the last and he did what he did.

“I almost got a bit too excited coming around the top corner as I had forgotten how long this straight is, but he was so responsive and full credit to the Myers team as they really get their horses ready for this week.”

Out of the Snitzel mare Stolen Gem, Little Thief is a half-brother to multiple Group One performer To Catch A Thief (NZ), who finished third in the 2023 Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) along with filling the same position in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) later that year. - Kevin Robertson

Another Caulfield triumph for First Chorus

Five-year-old mare First Chorus (NZ) (Ghibellines) continued her winter winning spree with her third victory in succession at Caulfield on Saturday when saluting in the Travis Harrison Cup (1800m) for trainer Lindsey Smith.

The New Zealand-bred daughter of Ghibellines was perfectly handled by apprentice Luke Cartwright, who settled midfield before creeping into the race as Banker’s Choice (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) made an early dash for home.

The $1.90 favourite scored by just under half a length from Detonator Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) and Jennivamoose (NZ) (Vadamos), with connections now confirming a tilt at the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at the same venue on August 29.

With trainer Lindsey Smith watching on from Bali, it was left to syndicator Brad Spicer to represent a boisterous group, with the syndicator honoured to win a race named after rising star apprentice Travis Harrison, who tragically died in a car accident in 1996.

“She’s had a wonderful winter,” Spicer said.

“It’s an honour to win the Travis Harrison Cup. The racing industry has really carried his legacy on.

“So we remember Travis through this race, and it's great how racing really gets behind their own people.

“She’s now ready to have a crack at the Heatherlie Stakes in a few weeks, and hopefully it rains because it will give her more of a chance. But whatever she does is just a bonus from now on.”

Jockey Luke Cartwright was perfectly poised when speed was injected into the race and was pleased to notch his second win aboard First Chorus.

“She travelled strongly because the gallop wasn’t quick, and then they really put the foot down at the half mile,” he said.

“I had to track up and ease her around the outside of the field, then she kicked clear with only Detonator Jack giving us a run for our money.

“She did what she had to because she is such a good mare. She knew what she had to do, and she has a near-impeccable record here at Caulfield.”

First Chorus is by former White Robe Lodge stallion Ghibellines. She was bred by Dean Lawrence, with his mother-in-law Diana Duff-Staniland and Paul Duffus.

A full-sister to seven-time winner Bellini Miss (NZ), First Chorus is one of four winners from the winning O’Reilly mare Broadway Miss (NZ).

Spicer purchased First Chorus privately as a young horse on account of the ability shown by her older sister.

With Saturday’s victory, First Chorus advanced her career record to eight wins and four placings from 16 starts, with A$476,360 in prizemoney to date. - NZ Racing Desk

Prima Bella bound for stakes company

Six-year-old mare Prima Bella (NZ) (Per Incanto) continues to enjoy a strong campaign, relishing the fast tempo set by Beast Mode (Better Than Ready) to power over the top in the Ranvet Handicap (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Matthew Smith will now thrust the daughter of Per Incanto into stakes company, with the much-improved mare having won three of her five starts this campaign.

“She’s airborne,” Smith said.

“When you get a mare in form, you have to keep them going. Look at Paul Cave’s mare The Mona Lisa, she keeps winning too.

“My mare has never been going better and I will have to look at a stakes race now because she is racing so well.”

Prima Bella, who got in well at the weights with 52.5kg after apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald’s 3kg claim, finished powerfully to win by just over a length from Amazing Eagle (Capitalist), with early leader Beast Mode holding on for third.

The truly run nature of the race, combined with an upgraded Good 4 surface, aided Prima Bella to clock a slick 56.57 seconds for the 1000m.

Smith said Prima Bella is likely to be back at Randwick in two weeks’ time for a race such as the Gr.3 Toy Show Quality (1100m).

“I’ve got Idle Flyer (Dundeel) resuming that day, but I might split the mares up and run her in the Show County (Gr.3, 1200m),” Smith said.

“Prima Bella deserves her chance in a better class of race as she is in such good form and she handles wet or dry tracks.”

Prima Bella is by outstanding Little Avondale Stud stallion Per Incanto out of the seven-time winner Darci Brahma mare Brah Spring (NZ).

Bred by Little Avondale, she is also from the family of Australian Group One performers by Per Incanto – Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) and Belluci Babe (NZ) (Per Incanto).

Sporting the colours of a syndicate headed by Francis and Christine Cook, Prima Bella was purchased at the Sydney Classic Yearling Sale for A$320,000, and after seven wins the well-related mare has surpassed her purchase price in prizemoney. - NZ Racing Desk

Sydney staying raid pays off for I Park

Connections of Kiwi raider I Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) have been well and truly rewarded for their decision to undertake an off-season staying campaign in Sydney, with the Lauren Brennan-trained five-year-old scoring a dogged victory in the A$160,000 Myplates Handicap (2400m) at Randwick. The

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Perfect Ten fashioning strong record

A sustained betting move for six-year-old mare Perfect Ten (NZ) (Tavistock) proved on the money as the daughter of Tavistock comfortably notched the fifth win of her career when successful in the Bottle Stop Handicap (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The Nikki Burke-trained mare sat behind a

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Shawshank gets redemption at Riccarton

Shawshank’s (NZ) (El Roca) winning streak may have come to an end at Riccarton last Saturday, but he redeemed himself when bouncing back to score a gritty victory at the Christchurch track seven days later in the Vernon Vazey & Truck Parts Open (1400m). Following a series of disappointing results

NZ Racing NewsJoshua Smith