Trish Dunell
Former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Showcasing sired the winners of both juvenile stakes races in New Zealand on Saturday.
Consistent filly Rainbow Dash (Showcasing - Sarsourti) added further valuable black-type to her outstanding two-year-old campaign with a gritty victory in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1100m) at Te Rapa.
The Jenna Mahoney-trained filly has only finished further back than second on one occasion in her six starts to date and that was when running sixth on an unsuitable heavy track in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in March.
Mahoney, who also part-owns the filly with breeder Michaela Murray’s Murray Bloodstock operation and Geoff Wolfe, was thrilled to see her pocket rocket knuckle down and take out the race.
“She tried really hard today, which was good to see for a little filly, as they were a lot bigger than her those horses in the race,” Mahoney said.
“She definitely has a lot of positives about her as she tries really hard, although she is only small, so that is a good sign.”
Rainbow Dash will now head to the spelling paddock before Mahoney gets her ready for a crack at some of the early-season spring three-year-old features.
Race Images South
Meanwhile at Riccarton All About Magic (Showcasing - Rosecroft) scored a comprehensive victory in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m).
Prepared by the father and son team of Michael and Matthew Pitman, it was Michael’s wife Dianne who was accepting the accolades in the Riccarton birdcage afterwards as Michael listened on from England where he has their dual Group One winning sprinter, Enzo’s Lad preparing to tackle the Royal Ascot carnival in June.
The victory was All About Magic’s third from just five raceday starts, with the black-type from the win enhancing any future career she may have in the broodmare paddock.
“As Michael has said before, she comes from one of the good families and they are all the lovely dark fillies like her,” Pitman said.
“She has everything going for her.”
Bred and raced by Twizel’s Stephanie Rathgen, All About Magic is the third living foal of Montjeu mare, Rosecroft who is the daughter of talented performer Soltanto and hails from the extended family of Group One winners, Soliloquy, Solveig, Culminate, Captivate and Savaria.
Rathgen purchased Rosecroft in foal to Showcasing for $7,000 at the 2016 National Broodmare Sale with All About Magic the resulting progeny.-NZ Racing Desk
