Written by Paul Vettise
Emotions ran high at Ellerslie where Pretty To Sea (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Taroni (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) handed owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, of Cambridge Stud, a winning double.
It has been a wretched year for the couple, both on personal and professional levels, with Brendan’s sister Sonya Harper passing away on Christmas Day following a long battle with illness.
She was a major part of the stud team, working in the office at Karaka and a regular racegoer to cheer on the farm’s runners.
Cambridge Stud has also had to endure the earlier losses of stallions Roaring Lion (GB), Burgundy (NZ) and Tavistock (NZ).
Pretty To Sea and Taroni provided spirit-lifting performances with the former charging home to land the Listed Hallmark Stud H.
“The Lindsays have had such a run of bad luck so hopefully this cheers them up a bit,” trainer Stephen Marsh said.
"There was good, genuine speed in the race and I’m just so proud and now onto the G1 Railway S.”
Pretty To Sea settled off the pace and when rider Michael Dee angled her wide she powered home to beat the favourite Avantage (Fastnet Rock).
A half-sister to stakes winner Bonny O’Reilly (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), Pretty To Sea was bred and sold for NZ$150,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Waikato Stud.
She is out of Pretty (NZ) (Pins), who is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winners Glamour Puss (NZ) (Take Of The Cat {Ire}) and Vision And Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}). It’s also the family of the G1 Coolmore Classic winner Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Cambridge Stud's Brendan Lindsay celebrates the win of Pretty To Sea (NZ)
Million spot confirmed
Taroni delivered a sublime effort to win the Stella Artois Juvenile and earn a spot in next month’s Karaka Million.
The filly had won on debut on the course last month, only to be relegated to second for causing interference.
Leith Innes has been aboard Taroni in both appearances and he punched the air and looked skyward as he crossed the line.
“I could hear cheering from above. She shouldn’t have lost the race last time, but it is what it is,” he said. “It’s a special win, just great.”
Taroni is prepared by Lance Noble and he echoed Innes’ comments.
“It’s very special for a lot of different reasons. This filly has just kept improving and it’s a very rewarding win,” he said.
“It’s very special for a lot of different reasons. This filly has just kept improving and it’s a very rewarding win.” – Lance Noble
The addition of side winkers proved a successful gear change and Taroni raced in fourth spot before hitting the front 200 metres from home and she powered away to beat Dragon Queen (NZ) (Sweynesse) and the pacemaker Embers (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
"We don’t need to do too much with her now she’s qualified. I don’t think she’ll have another run before the Karaka Million,” Noble said.
“She’s a pretty straight forward filly and that’s what Showcasing puts into them and why he has so many 2-year-old winners – she just eats and sleep and does her job.”
Taroni as a yearling
Bred by Nearco Stud, Taroni was purchased out of Curraghmore’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale draft for NZ$90,000.
She is a daughter of Alagant Satin (NZ) (Al Akbar {NZ}), who won the G2 Eight Carat Classic and the G3 Eulogy S. and is from the family of the two-time South African Group 1 winner and sire Be Noble (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}).
