Haunui Graduates Dominate at Te Rapa

Saturday racing at Te Rapa saw plenty of cause for celebration at Haunui with graduates landing two of the features on the card whilst the Haunui colours were also to the fore on one of New Zealand’s biggest days of racing.

Festival Sale graduate IMELDA MARY (NZ) (Ferlax) backed up her impressive win in the G2 Royal Stakes with another dominant performance in the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic which now sees her at the top of the NZB Filly of the Year Series and, a leading contender for the G1 New Zealand Oaks next month. The first stakes winner for her sire, IMELDA MARY was bred by GSA Bloodstock, owner of the ill-fated G1 Australian Guineas-winner, FERLAX (NZ) (Pentire).

It is always nice to have the Haunui colours up on a feature day of racing and 4YO mare Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park) - pictured - didn’t disappoint with a six-length demolition of her rivals over 2100m. A filly touted as special early on by her trainer Roger James, it now appears her injury lay off may well have been a blessing in disguise with the mare looking set to attain some loftier targets further down the track.

Great horses will always bounce back and that’s exactly what MELODY BELLE (NZ) (Commands) did on Saturday after a disappointing performance at Trentham. The multiple G1 winner showed all of her fighting qualities to make it a memorable treble on the day for Haunui graduates and it would take a mammoth effort over the coming months for any horse to prise the Horse of the Year title away from her.

Haunui Farm’s Managing Director Mark Chitty says, “It was certainly a nice way to bounce back after a long couple of weeks at the yearling sales. All three wins were outstanding and I must say, it’s quite satisfying to get those results in the Waikato given we’re based in Karaka. We have had a great run of late with our graduates and hopefully Rondinella can add her name to the honours board over the coming weeks.”