Group 3 Barneswood Farm S. 3YO, NZ$70,000, 1400m
Race Results
Cornflower Blue (NZ) (Savabeel) continued on her path towards next month's G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas with a tough win in the G3 Barneswood Farm S. at Ashburton.
The Jamie Richards-trained filly, having her fourth start, took significant improvement off her recent fourth in the Listed Canterbury Belle S. to outgun the Tony Pike-trained Embers (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and win by a long neck, with the Nick Wigley and Kayla Milnes-trained Matchmaker (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) another 2l away in third.
Cornflower Blue was ridden by Danielle Johnson and carried the colours of her breeders at Waikato Stud. She settled just off the pace set by Embers and Johnson produced her for her run at the top of the straight, while further back, two runners, Showmehowitsdone (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) and Zoltan (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) lost their riders.
The front pair settled down to fight it out and while Embers put up stern opposition, Cornflower Blue packed too much power and got the better of her rival late.
Pedigree notes
Cornflower Blue becomes the 104th stakes winner for Waikato Stud's Savabeel and is out of Tiffany Yellow (O'Reilly {NZ}), the sister to Group 3 winner Mosse (NZ) and to the stakes-placed Silver Sparkle (NZ).
The third dam is the Listed winner Classy Twiggy (Twig Moss {Fr}), who among her five foals was the blue hen Parfore (NZ) (Gold Brose). She produced the Group 1 winners Tiger Tees (Dubawi {Ire}) and Terravista (Captain Rio {GB}) as well as the stakes winners Ball Of Muscle (Dubawi {Ire}) and Super Easy (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Tiffany Yellow has had a filly full sister to Cornflower Blue this spring having missed to Savabeel the previous season.
