This was not the strongest G3 juvenile field on paper with just one runner having won a race but being at a mile it does provide a window into next season for the serious age group races from the 1600m to 2400m. The track at Ellerslie was once again a gluggy slow surface and bordering on heavy in places so the vast majority of the form is only relevant for wet trackers. The winner Brighton was far too strong the closing stages and considering it came at just his second start it does augur well for him next season. San Miguel fought on for second and is another of these late maturers that that Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman stable seems to find each season so his 3yo spring campaign looks set in stone. Girslarebackintown finished third after racing near the pace throughout and she should win a race soon. The eyecatcher and name to remember for next season is Dragon Dancer when finishing fourth as he was asked a lot of in the running. Lamarosa the only winner in the field (he was two-from-two) was just a fair fifth after being tardy. Ronchi, Fanatic and Electric Aura should win a race if not this season then certainly as early three-year-olds. The winning of 1:41.13 summed up the footing and massive margins many got beaten throughout the day as the outside lanes became the preferred highway for many riders.
Previous Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
CADUCEUS
(NZ)
2G LUCKY UNICORN (AUS) - FRENCH LION (AUS) LION HEART (USA) |
KELLY MC CULLOCH | 56.5 | PAUL SHAILER | 4 |
|
|
FAST DRAGON
(AUS)
2C FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - SECRET SILENCE (AUS) FUSAICHI PEGASUS (USA) |
P A TAYLOR | 56.5 | B WALLACE | 5 |
|
|
SWIPER THE FOX
(NZ)
2G ALIGN (AUS) - CANZANO (AUS) CANNY LAD (AUS) |
JASON COLLETT | 56.5 | LEO MOLLOY | 6 |
|
|
DOWAGER QUEEN
(NZ)
2F SAVABEEL (AUS) - DOWER (NZ) PINS (AUS) |
JAMES MCDONALD | 54.5 | GRAEME & DEBBIE ROGERSON | 3 |
|
|
LION TAMER
(NZ)
2C STORMING HOME (GB) - LIONESS (NZ) GENEROUS (IRE) |
M T COLEMAN | 56.0 | MURRAY & BJORN BAKER | 9 |
|
|
JOEY MASSINO
(NZ)
2G O'REILLY (NZ) - RATIONABLE (NZ) HOUSEBUSTER (USA) |
V A COLGAN | 56.0 | PETER MCKAY | 5 |
|
|
SUFFICIENT
(NZ)
2C ZABEEL (NZ) - FLEUR DE CHINE (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS) |
L G INNES | 56.0 | B WALLACE | 6 |
|
|
CRUSOE
(NZ)
2G VOLKSRAAD (GB) - CASERIO (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ) |
B R JONES | 55.5 | RICHARD COLLETT & SHANE HAPETA | 5 |
