Te Rapa Double - Great Win Grazia

Given a perfect ride by Opie Bosson, improving mare Grazia (4 m Savabeel - Trocair, by Flying Spur) collected an $11,500 bonus in addition to winning the $12,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl Series Rating 65 2100m on 1 March at Te Rapa.

Aboard two starts ago when breaking through for a big win over a mile on 12 January at Wanganui, Bosson is now unbeaten on the mare owned by the Te Akau Grazia Syndicate.

“She's stepped up heaps since I won on her at Wanganui,” Bosson said. “She's getting stronger and stronger, and she'll be alright."

Bosson improved Grazia from sixth to fourth at the 1200 metres as the leader, Thailand (Tavistock), snuck away and after levelling a furlong out she gained an upper hand inside the final 100m to win comfortably.

On lovely footing, rated Good3, Grazia ran the 2100 metres in 2:10.0, last 600m in 35.7, and paid $4.90 & $1.90 on the tote and $4.60 & $1.70 fixed odds.

“She's a well bred mare that has always shown plenty and I think she could carry on, as well,” said Stephen Autridge, who trains the mare with Jamie Richards.

Autridge said that Grazia was a little bit keen, stepping up to a middle distance for the first time.

“She'll learn from that,” he said. “She hasn't had many runs and we've taken her along quietly. She's a full-sister to Shillelagh, so let's hope she can be as good as her.”

Victory took the training partners a step closer to leading the Premiership.

Following a good day on Saturday at Matamata, where Gold Fever (Savabeel) won the $100,000 J Swap Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) and Smashing (Pins) the $40,000 Westbury Waikato Handicap over 1200 metres, Grazia provided their 60th win and narrowed the gap to two.

Winning the premiership last year with 104 wins, while counterpart Mark Walker finished third in Singapore, after winning the previous season, and leads the way again this year, the Autridge/Richards' runners have amassed the most prize money.

Chairman of the Waikato Racing Club, and also sharing in the ownership of Grazia, Karyn-Fenton-Ellis paid tribute to a ‘spirited and determined effort'.

“She can be a handful at times, a bit of a tart, but as we know, some of the best fillies and mares in racing tend to have a bit of attitude about them and she certainly doesn't lack anything on that score,” she said.

Fenton-Ellis also drew attention to it being a significant day for New Zealand racing, and gave praise to New Zealand Bloodstock for initiating the Pearl Series Bonus scheme.

“It is the first day of March, which means the minimum $10,000 stakes have been rolled out by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, and on top of that it is part of the lucrative New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl Series and we wish to thank them for the great support they give the industry, especially for the fillies' and mares' series such as this.

“Grazia was enrolled for the Series when David (Ellis) purchased her at Karaka, and collects nearly $20,000 for the win.

“It was a peach of a ride by Opie Bosson, now returned to Te Akau as stable rider, and as Steve Davis said on Weigh In the other day, ‘Opie is in his view head and shoulders above any rider in the country' amongst some fantastic riders. But, the Opie Bosson factor does appear to be quite noticeable on race day - he's just a genius.”

Grazia was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis for $100,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Little Avondale Stud.

“I was right out on the back of the farm, right up on the skyline, with some very good owners, and watched the race on my phone, and I've got it taped to watch inside,” Ellis said.

“Grazia is owned by a terrific group of owners that have been rewarded again today for their unbelievable patience.

“She is a filly that we've always had a lot of time for, although at times been frustrating, but the boys have done a great job training her, giving her the time to grow and mature into herself.

“She is from a really good family of Christopher Grace's in Hunterville. He is a top breeder in the Central Districts and Grazia is a full-sister to the Group Three placed Shillelagh and Brisbane Cup winner Tullamore, so she is becoming very valuable.”

Te Akau Racing Manager Brad Taylor accepted the spoils on behalf of the owners.

“It is always good to come and win races at Te Rapa,” Taylor said.

“It's a fantastic surface, as it again today. To echo Karyn's sentiments, it was another lovely ride by Opie, now two for two on her, and I'd like to thank New Zealand Bloodstock for these Pearl Series races.

“The owners have always had faith in this mare and now she is starting to deliver, so it's outstanding.”

Grazia was strapped by Dennis Tan.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz