First Group Race Victory for Season

Presented in picture perfect condition, Thrive (6 m Colombia - Trove, by Paris Opera) recorded a valuable win the Merial Ancare Metric Mile (Gr. 3, 1600m) on Saturday Sept. 14 at Awapuni.

On footing upgraded through the day from Heavy10 to Slow8, and following her third two starts ago in the Winter Cup (Gr. 3, 1600m) at Riccarton, Thrive had been given a 35-day freshen-up by Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman since last racing.

Having worked pleasingly leading into the race, she put a strong field away by one-and-three-quarter lengths.

Handily placed throughout, Thrive travelled nicely on the bridle when camped on the leaders turning for home. She joined in to level at the 200 metres and when jockey Kelly Myers asked her to extend she powered clear to win easily.

“It was pretty easy on my behalf, really,” said Myers. “I sat, held, and she travelled into it enormous. Following Thunderbird One and trucking into it, she was going better than him, so I thought I was a pretty good chance. She kicked away and won like a good horse."

“Things couldn't have panned out better for her in the run,” said Bridgman. “She had a beautiful barrier draw (3), secured a lovely trip and travelled the whole way. Kelly (Myers) didn't panic, and sweated on a run, because she knew she had the horse.

“Her work through the week was the best of her career and I knew she was in the form of her life going into the race, so I was quietly confident,” said Bridgman.

Recording the biggest of her five wins, Thrive took her earnings over $100k for owners Ken Browne, who bred the mare, and Te Akau principal David Ellis.

“I was staying down in Hawkes Bay with Peter Grieve and kept driving past a paddock that Thrive was in and said to Peter, ‘gee, that's a magnificent filly',” said Ellis. “I went in a saw Ken (Browne), got her up to the yards and I looked at her feet and everything, and I really liked Colombia (Zabeel) as a sire. He is underrated and with the mares he's had has left some very good horses. So, I bought half and Ken and I have raced her together.

“To win a Group Three with this mare is huge and she's now a very valuable broodmare,” said Ellis. “Her mother, Trove, is in foal to Burgundy (Redoute's Choice) and Thrive might be mated with Burgundy or Darci Brahma (Danehill). So, it's marvellous."

Her dam, Trove was bred by Tom and Jane Lowry from a good Okawa Stud family. While her grand-dam Fun (Three Legs - Enjoy, by Aythorpe) produced In Joyment (St Hilarion) to collect stakes of $579,974 from six wins over staying distances, including the 1998 Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2500m) when trained by Gai Waterhouse in Sydney.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

Back