Cup Day Success

Stakes' winning mare Abidewithme (4 m Redoute's Choice - Crimson, by Zabeel) made the best possible start to a new campaign when victorious in the Augusta Capital Rating 85 1400 metres on Melbourne Cup Day, Nov. 5, at Ellerslie.

Initially sixth on the ballot and carrying saddle cloth 22, the Ray Coupland Stakes (Listed, 1400m) winner from last season recorded her fourth success from only seven starts for owners and breeders Sir Patrick & Justine, Lady Hogan.

Having last raced in the Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) in March at Trentham, Abidewithme had looked very good in two preparatory trials and also shown to act fresh, following a win on debut at Timaru, and victory off 56-days in her only previous course attempt at Ellerslie.

Pushed up to hold a spot from barrier one by apprentice rider Mick Dee, who carried the luxurious weight of 52kgs, Abidewithme was camped on the leaders turning for home and once through a narrow gap at the 300 metres she let go in determined fashion to win by three-quarters of a length.

Working through the line like a mare that will be suited to more ground, she clocked 1:23.80, last 600m in 34.9, for the 1400 metres and paid $7.90 & $2.60 on the NZ TAB.

“I was travelling like a winner on the home turn, was a bit lucky to get through a tight gap, but she kept finding the line really good,” said Dee. “She had run a nice trial behind [stable-mate] O'Darci and he's a fair horse too, so I was fairly confident.

Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan also bred her impressive winning dam Crimson (Zabeel), who was trained by Jim Gibbs before transferring to Bart Cummings during the latter stages of her career. Herself a winner fresh-up over 1400 metres as a three-year-old, Crimson went on to produce outstanding form through the spring, winning the Waikato Guineas (Gr. 3, 1600m) and finishing second in the Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m), before victory in the Grosvenor Championship Stakes (Gr. 2, 2100m) at Ellerslie. Her dam, Bourbon Lassie (Mellay) also produced the stallion Omnicorp (Grosvenor).

A half-sister to Abidewithme, Miss Scarlatti (Stravinsky) won a listed race and also strung together second place finishes in the Norman Robinson (Gr. 3, 2000m), Wakefield Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), and VRC Oaks (Gr. 1, 2500m) in the space of three starts as a three-year-old. Now a broodmare, she produced a colt by Encosta De Lago that was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $180,000 at the 2012 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling sales from the draft of Pencarrow Stud. Named Maestro, he is part of the Te Akau Cups' Syndicate and trialled recently at Te Aroha. The second horse in the syndicate, Chambord (Zabeel), is a favoured runner for the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Saturday Nov. 9 at Riccarton.

It was the second time in quick succession that Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan had shared success with a horse in the Te Akau stables, after Osmunda (O'Reilly) had won in the colours of his father, Tom Hogan, last Saturday at Awapuni.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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