Eulogy Stakes to Lilikoi

Given the best ride in the race, Lilikoi  (3 f Charm Spirit - Barbadine, by Giant's Causeway) proved far too good winning the $70,000 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) on Saturday at Awapuni. 

In the only stakes' race on the programme, Rosie Myers gave the third favourite ($5.20 & $2.30) a charmed run fourth on the outer and it was game over a furlong out, as Lilikoi sprinted clear to win easing down. 

Winning by one and three-quarter lengths, Lilikoi ran the 1600 metres in 1:37.7 on footing rated Good3.

In training for owner and breeder Sir Peter Vela, Lilikoi had delivered on her promise with a smart fresh-up win at Taupo, and gained course experience last start when running the fastest 600m of the day (33.9), 23 November, coming from last to finish second in the 3YO 1300 metres.

“It was a really nice effort,” Sir Peter said. “Well trained, well prepared, well planned, and everything you look forward to when you give a filly with that pedigree to a trainer like Jamie (Richards). He did a magnificent job. His planning was meticulous. He had that race picked out for her a long way out and I was delighted for him to see it come to fruition.”

A five-length trial winner before racing twice as a two-year-old, Lilikoi has come of age at three to register two wins and two seconds from four starts. 

“We knew she had some ability and Garry Cossey, my racing manager, does all the form and he thought she was a good thing today because of her sectionals last start and so on and so forth,” he said.

The Eulogy Stakes, a prestigious race in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, had been captured three times previously by Te Akau trained horses, including 2008 Filly of the Year Insouciant (Keeper) for Sir Peter.

“I'm not sure how many times we've won it,” Sir Peter said. “Mark Walker trained Insouciant for us and Laurie Laxon won it for us with Clear Rose. It's always been a good race and possibly not the strongest edition this year, but there were some lovely fillies and you've still got to do the job to win it, and Rosie (Myers) rode her really well.

“After the messing around with the start being held up, she jumped brilliantly and settled straight away. I was delighted.”

Lilikoi is from the first crop of triple Group One winner Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit), who commenced stallion duties in 2015 at Windsor Park Stud, and the highest earning son of leading international sire and sire of sires Invincible Spirit (Green Desert). While her dam, Barbadine (Giant's Causeway), won three times (1800m - 2300m) and to date left three individual winners of five races, with Lilikoi becoming her first at stakes level. She sports a lovely cross of internationally acclaimed sire Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer), through Charm Spirit as the sire of his dam sire Montjeu and Barbadine's dam sire Entrepreneur. 

“Barbadine, I bought as a yearling in Ireland, and I raced her there. A beautifully bred filly, she was a very nice racehorse and I was delighted to get her home to New Zealand and breed from her. And it seems that Charm Spirit has been the answer.

“This filly is bred to go two miles, so distance shouldn't be a problem, and the fact that she's got a turn of foot is exciting and a real asset. I hope that Jamie and Cossey are eyeing the Royal Stakes because although she hasn't been around Ellerslie, it's 17 days, just lovely, and looks a suitable race for her.”

Lilikoi became the sixth stakes' winner this season for Richards and he leads the premiership with 48 wins.

“She was given a lovely ride by Rosie and it was a terrific win,” Richards said. “It's really good when a plan comes together. I'd sat down with Cossey after Taupo, and targeted this race, with a lead-in beforehand and 10 days in the paddock and thankfully it's all worked out perfectly.

“She's not the most straightforward filly and the team in middle barn have done a great job. She's developing into a really nice filly and hopefully there's plenty more to come.”

Having previously won the Eulogy Stakes with Crystal Palace (Palace Music), Insouciant (Keeper), and King's Rose (Redoute's Choice), Te Akau principal David Ellis was thrilled to win the race again for his good friend Sir Peter Vela. 

“It's a privilege to train horses for Sir Peter and his team at Pencarrow Stud,” Ellis said. “They all do a great job and we've had so much success with horses carrying the V in the Box (brand). Horses like Darci Brahma, Burgundy, Insouciant, and an incredible number of winners over the years. I think one year we won 32 races for Pencarrow.

“Lilikoi is a filly that we've liked all the way through and she's already produced some terrific finishes in her races. I thought today, once Rosie got into such a great position that she would be extremely hard to beat and, really, she just won as she liked.”

Lilikoi was strapped by Tony Gillies.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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