Southern Icon
Trish Dunell
Southern Icon and Gwynethanne will chase down Group features at opposite ends of the country next month following their respective Te Rapa successes.
The former coasted away with Saturday's Group 1 Turf Bar 1200 to confirm a tilt at the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate on August 13.
"We have to try and win that to qualify for a start in the Makfi," part-owner and trainer Alan Tait said.
Southern Icon won three consecutive races at the end of his last campaign and he resumed in style with a bold performance that left no excuses for his rivals.
The four-year-old was in behind the leader Aaja Nachle before he strode to the front a long way from home and cruised home by four lengths.
"He took a sit early, but he is the sort of horse you can't fight so I let him roll along and he did it easily," rider Mark Hills said.
Meanwhile, Gwynethanne has put herself into contention for the Gr.3 eStar Winter Cup at Riccarton on August 6 following her clear-cut victory in the BNZ Partners Open 1600.
"She will probably go to stud next season and I said if she won this race then we would pay a late entry to the cup – that could be her swansong," trainer Karen Zimmerman said.
The winner of seven races and runner-up in the 2014 Gr.2 Travis Stakes, Gwynethanne sat at the tail-end of the field under rider Kelly McCullough who said she got the perfect drag into the race.
"She had no speed early and I managed to get on the back of Designated Driver around the turn and she finished off very well," she said.
Gwynethanne had a length to spare on Biologist at the post with the genuine Elusive Gold claiming third money. – NZ Racing Desk.
The former coasted away with Saturday's Group 1 Turf Bar 1200 to confirm a tilt at the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate on August 13.
"We have to try and win that to qualify for a start in the Makfi," part-owner and trainer Alan Tait said.
Southern Icon won three consecutive races at the end of his last campaign and he resumed in style with a bold performance that left no excuses for his rivals.
The four-year-old was in behind the leader Aaja Nachle before he strode to the front a long way from home and cruised home by four lengths.
"He took a sit early, but he is the sort of horse you can't fight so I let him roll along and he did it easily," rider Mark Hills said.
Meanwhile, Gwynethanne has put herself into contention for the Gr.3 eStar Winter Cup at Riccarton on August 6 following her clear-cut victory in the BNZ Partners Open 1600.
"She will probably go to stud next season and I said if she won this race then we would pay a late entry to the cup – that could be her swansong," trainer Karen Zimmerman said.
The winner of seven races and runner-up in the 2014 Gr.2 Travis Stakes, Gwynethanne sat at the tail-end of the field under rider Kelly McCullough who said she got the perfect drag into the race.
"She had no speed early and I managed to get on the back of Designated Driver around the turn and she finished off very well," she said.
Gwynethanne had a length to spare on Biologist at the post with the genuine Elusive Gold claiming third money. – NZ Racing Desk.