Cover image courtesy of Newcastle Racecourse
Taupo: G2 Lowland S., NZ$150,000, 2000m
It was a beautiful (google her name and you will get it!) win by longshot Pulchritudinous (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) who came with a sweeping run down the centre of the track - the lightly raced filly able to put 1.75l on her rivals.
Having just her sixth start - and her first in stakes company - the Tony Rider-bred filly is the third stakes winner for Highview-based sire, a G1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf-winning son of High Chaparral (Ire).
Sold by Rider's Milan Park to Riverrock Farm for NZ$32,500 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 2), Pulchritudinous was again offered at that year's New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale where she was passed in with a reserve of NZ$50,000.
Her dam, the unplaced Showus (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), has also produced the Happy Valley winner Double Show (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}). She is one of only two foals for the unplaced Perfect Pair (NZ) (Redoute's Choice), a half-sister to the triple group winner Kenfair (NZ).
Showus' city-winning grandam Market Fair (Biscay) is a full sister to Marscay and this is also the family of the Group 1 gallopers Subzero (Kala Dancer {GB}) and Alacrity (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}).
Not served last spring, Showus foaled fillies by Ardrossan at each of her previous three years at stud with the first of those being named Fillygizalook (NZ) - a recent trial winner retained by Tony Rider.
Pulchritudinous is the sixth stakes winner (from 41 winners/61 runners) combining High Chaparral and Pentire (GB) - a cross which provides for the duplication of the terrific mares Lalun (USA) (Djeddah {Fr}) and Hardiemma (Ire) (Hardicanute {Ire}).
Newcastle: G3 Newcastle S., $250,000, 1400m
Making his own luck racing away in the home straight, Rustic Steel (Deep Field) dominated his rivals with this 3.25l victory - his second at stakes level.
The 2022 Listed Scone Cup winner who also took out that year's Big Dance has been a great horse for his owners Ron and Judy Wanless, winning nine races and not far short of $2 million in stakes.
Bred by Blake Sandblom Pty Ltd and Henry Field Bloodstock, he was sold by Newgate Farm to Tasman Bloodstock for $500,000 at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
One of the 28 stakes winners for his now retired sire, he is one of the four winners (from as many to race) for the unraced Ten Carat Rock (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) who has also produced the city winner Twentyfourcarat (I Am Invincible).
Served last year by Capitalist having missed to Dundeel (NZ) the previous season, Ten Carat Rock has a yearling colt by Castelvecchio. Ten Carat Rock is a daughter of the wonderful broodmare Shantha's Choice (Canny Lad), dam of three Group 1 winners - Platinum Scissors, Manhattan Rain and, of course, Redoute's Choice.
Rustic Steel is one of the 10 winners from 12 runners bred on a Deep Field/Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) cross and one of the eight stakes winners bred on a Deep Field/Canny Lad cross - noting that the latter has strong Mumtaz Begum (Fr) (Blenheim {GB}) influence and she is Deep Field's ancestress. Also bred this way are the Group 1 winners Portland Sky and Al Muthana.
