Cover image courtesy of Race Images - Peter Rubery
G1 Telegraph, NZ$350,000, 1200m
She had to dig deep but she did just that, Levante (NZ) (Proisir) so tough recording her 11th win from 19 starts, her third at Group 1 level and her second in this race.
Which makes it three times in a row that the Telegraph has been won in consecutive times by the same horse - Enzo's Lad (Testa Rossa) successful in 2018 and 2019, Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in 2020 and 2021.
One of the 11 stakes winners for her in-form Rich Hill Stud-based sire, Levante was bred by L Williams. She is the final foal produced by the imported mare Island Doy (GB) (Doyoun {Ire}) who has been represented by another four winners including the stakes placegetters Doyenne (NZ) (Kilimanjaro {GB}) and Miss Isle (NZ) (Bachelor Duke {USA}).
Both of those mares are also doing the job at stud - the former producing last year's G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce S. winner Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) and the latter last year's Listed Castletown S. winner Sophmaze (NZ) (Derryn).
Island Doy is a half-sister to the G3 Courier Mail Classic winner Cryptavia (NZ) (Gold Brose) from the family of G1 French Derby hero Bering (GB), the G1 Secretariat S. winner Bayrir (Fr) (Medicean {GB}) and last year's G2 Brisbane Cup winner Irish Sequel (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).
Levante boasts crosses of the prolific mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) and Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}).
G2 Wellington Guineas, NZ$140,000, 1400m
Holding on in determined fashion, favourite Cognito (So You Think {NZ}) having his first run since the spring, continued the good day for Karyn Fenton-Ellis who also races Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}).
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Cognito is the 47th stakes winner for his high-achieving, Coolmore Stud-based sire. Making his way through the Baramul Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, he was purchased for $165,000 by David Ellis and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA).
He is one of the three winners for the unraced Lady Primrose (More Than Ready {USA}) whose dam is the Listed Parramatta Cup winner Primrose Sands (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) - also dam of the Group 3-placed Formula One Racer (Anabaa {USA}).
Back in New Zealand where she was due in the spring to Tarzino (NZ), Lady Primrose has as her third dam the G1 Railway H. winner Valencia (NZ) (Bismark II {GB}) whose dam is somewhat of a legend in New Zealand - the G1 Great Northern Oaks winner Kind Regards (NZ) (Le Filou {Fr}) doing such a great job at stud with her seven winners including Vice Regal (NZ) and the dam of Sky Chase (NZ).
In a bit of trivia, the mighty Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) carried the KR brand... Kind Regards.
A descendant of the famed matriarch Cinna (GB) (Polymelus {GB}), Cognito is bred on a 5 X 6 cross of Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) via her grandson Sadler's Wells (USA) and son Nureyev (USA).
G3 Anniversary H., NZ$100,000, 1600m
A lovely return to winning form for last year's G1 NZ Oaks heroine Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) who had caught the eye with a fast-finishing G2 Rich Hill Mile second at her previous outing.
A homebred for Karyn (with David Ellis) Fenton-Ellis who races her under the Te Akau Beautiful In Red Racing Partnership, Belle En Rouge is one of the eight stakes winners and two Group 1 winners for her late sire and is a member of his penultimate crop of just 33 living foals.
A full sister to the Singapore winner Little Master (NZ), Belle En Rouge is out of the unraced Cavendish Belle (NZ) (Thorn Park), half-sister to the Listed QTC Metropolitan H winner Filante Etoile (NZ) (Soviet Star {USA}) and to the stakes-placed Vega Sicilia (NZ) (Rodrigo De Triano {USA}) who produced the G2 Avondale Guineas winner Valbuena (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Carrying crosses of the prolific stallions Northern Dancer (Can), Sir Ivor (USA), Nureyev (USA) and Bletchingly, Belle En Rouge also boasts a 6 X 7 cross of the wonderful mare Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) via her descendants Redoute's Choice and Spinning World (USA).
Belle En Rouge hails from the same branch of the Blue Denim (USA) (Blue Larkspur {USA}) family as the Group 1 winners Naturalism (NZ), Crystal Palace (NZ) (Palace Music {USA}) and Star Dancer (NZ) (Star Watch).
G3 Trentham S., NZ$100,000, 2100m
Putting in the big strides late, Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) showed why he is favourite for the upcoming G3 Wellington Cup.
Bred by Grangewilliam Stud and sold by them to S A Sharrock for NZ$60,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale (Book 2), Ladies Man is 17th stakes winner for their resident stallion who is of course best known as the sire of Verry Elleegant (NZ).
He is the second stakes winner for the G3 Kingston Town S. winner Just Polite (Dehere {USA}) whose daughter Ladies First (NZ) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) won the 2018 G1 Auckland Cup.
Revisiting Zed (NZ) three years running (no Stud Book record of last year's service as yet), Just Polite is a half-sister to the G1 VRC Oaks placegetter Savsbelle (NZ) (Savabeel), the Singapore stakes placegetter Take The Gold (End Sweep {USA}) and the dam of the G3 Bendigo Cup winner Top Of The Range (NZ) (Savabeel).
Boasting a cross of the great mare Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}), Ladies Man can count amongst his relations the Group 1 winners Clean Sweep (NZ) (End Sweep {USA}), Habibti (USA) (Tabasco Cat {USA}), Sky Classic (Can), Regal Classic (Can), Grey Classic (Can) (Grey Dawn {Fr}), Always A Classic (Can) and Classy 'N Smart (Can) (Smarten {USA}).
Listed Wellesley S., NZ$80,000, 1100m
Remaining unbeaten after emerging victorious from a two-horse battle over the final furlong, Codigo (NZ) (Ardrossan) has kicked off his Waikato Stud-based sire's career in fine style.
A G3 Concorde H.-winning son of Redoute's Choice, Ardrossan - who was undefeated at two - has had four debut crop runners.
Bred by Dame Lowell Goddard who races him with Waikato Stud, Codigo is the first foal for the metropolitan-placed winner Sophia Magia (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) whose closest black-type relation is Dear Pal (NZ) (My Pal {Ire}) - her third dam's half-sister.
And coincidentally Dear Pal's stakes win was in this very race back in 1964!
Sophia Magia paid a return visit to Ardrossan in 2022 whilst her yearling filly is also by him.
Codigo is bred on a 4 X 4 cross of Last Tycoon (Ire) and a 5 X 5 X 5 cross of his sire Try My Best (USA) with the latter hailing from the same prolific Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) family as Redoute's Choice.
