Flamingo flies in Breeders’ Stakes
Foxton-trained mare Flamingo produced a career-best performance when she took out the Listed Property Brokers Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Tauherenikau on Wednesday.
Bred and raced by Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick, the five-year-old Pins mare is performing on borrowed time after being confirmed in-foal to the Stud’s champion stallion Savabeel.
Already a prized breeding prospect as the daughter of stakes-winning Danasinga mare, Bird, Flamingo added plenty of extra value to any future offspring with her first victory at stakes level.
Backing up from a comfortable win at Trentham at her last start, Flamingo was backed into favourite for the contest and didn’t let punters down as she swooped on her rivals at the 300m mark before racing away for a clear-cut victory.
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Co-trainer Emma Haworth, who prepares the mare with her father David from their Foxton base, acknowledged her charge was in the twilight of her racing career.
“She’s done such a fabulous job,” she said.
“I’m just so grateful to be able to do this for Waikato Stud, who have supported me since I started.
“As sad as it is to say she’s going, since she’s been in-foal she has just grown another leg.”
Haworth also paid tribute to rider Rosie Myers who was completing a winning double after success aboard Cambridge visitor Artiste earlier in the day.
“It was a perfect ride,” she said.
“I said to Rosie that we didn’t want to go back, we want to stick her on the back of the speed and get her out into the clear as soon as you can.”
Myers was delighted with the win, especially with the grit and determination her mount showed in the finish.
“I sort of got forced to go a little earlier than I wanted as I could hear them all coming and I didn’t want to get boxed in,” she said.
“She hit the front a little sooner than I wanted, but to her credit she has fought really tough.”
Runner-up Glory Days lost no admirers with a sustained finish in her first start since being unplaced in the Group 3 Manawatu Cup (2200m) in December while Podravina enhanced her future broodmare career with a black-type placing by charging home to finish third.
Myers added a third win for the day when guiding home first-starter Beyond The Fort in the last event on the card.