Embraceable You
Trish Dunell
A maiden victory for promising hurdler Our Countess at Te Aroha on Sunday put the icing on the cake for trainers Peter and Jessica Brosnan as they celebrated success at Ellerslie just 24 hours earlier
The Matamata based husband and wife team produced their handy mare Embraceable You to score in convincing fashion over 1400 metres in the last race of the day, a victory that could pave the way for bigger and better things for the mare next winter.
The five-year-old mare has been a revelation in recent weeks, winning three of her last five starts, which has Peter Brosnan thinking about what could be in her next campaign.
"She has come into her own of late and I think she can only get better as she matures further," he said.
"We thought we had a pretty handy horse on our hands after she won her maiden last year but she didn't really kick on after that.
"We gave her a spell and it took a few runs to get her fitness up to scratch this time but since she won at Avondale last month she has just blossomed."
Brosnan was keen on the mare's chances as he made his way to the races on Saturday although the constant rain he struck on the trip north from his Matamata base had him worried about the longevity of the Ellerslie programme.
"We were in the last race and I did start to worry they might call them off if the visibility got too bad or something like that," he admitted.
"I knew my mare would handle the conditions as she loves it with the track like it was so I was just praying they would keep the meeting going.
"She was backing up after a tough run at Pukekohe last weekend but her fitness really told as she was in front most of the way down the straight and just kept giving all the way to the post."
Brosnan is keen to keep the mare going while the tracks remain rain affected with a run over 2000 metres or more part of a longer term plan.
"She is out of a Zabeel mare so I do think she can go beyond a mile in her next campaign," he said.
"While the tracks are wet she can have another start or two with one of those likely to be over a middle distance.
"If she shows she can handle that then it will bode well for next winter where we would like to try and win one of the nice winter staying races."- NZ Racing Desk
The Matamata based husband and wife team produced their handy mare Embraceable You to score in convincing fashion over 1400 metres in the last race of the day, a victory that could pave the way for bigger and better things for the mare next winter.
The five-year-old mare has been a revelation in recent weeks, winning three of her last five starts, which has Peter Brosnan thinking about what could be in her next campaign.
"She has come into her own of late and I think she can only get better as she matures further," he said.
"We thought we had a pretty handy horse on our hands after she won her maiden last year but she didn't really kick on after that.
"We gave her a spell and it took a few runs to get her fitness up to scratch this time but since she won at Avondale last month she has just blossomed."
Brosnan was keen on the mare's chances as he made his way to the races on Saturday although the constant rain he struck on the trip north from his Matamata base had him worried about the longevity of the Ellerslie programme.
"We were in the last race and I did start to worry they might call them off if the visibility got too bad or something like that," he admitted.
"I knew my mare would handle the conditions as she loves it with the track like it was so I was just praying they would keep the meeting going.
"She was backing up after a tough run at Pukekohe last weekend but her fitness really told as she was in front most of the way down the straight and just kept giving all the way to the post."
Brosnan is keen to keep the mare going while the tracks remain rain affected with a run over 2000 metres or more part of a longer term plan.
"She is out of a Zabeel mare so I do think she can go beyond a mile in her next campaign," he said.
"While the tracks are wet she can have another start or two with one of those likely to be over a middle distance.
"If she shows she can handle that then it will bode well for next winter where we would like to try and win one of the nice winter staying races."- NZ Racing Desk