Rain no help for talented Rondinella

Rondinella (Photo credit: Race Images Photos)

Rondinella has again acquitted herself exceptionally well in top company on a surface that didn’t do her any favours.

The Ocean Park mare got home strongly at Ellerslie this afternoon to run third in the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes.

The heavily rain-affected track was far from suitable, but her class showed through ahead of a possible Australian campaign.

“I put it to the owners whether they wanted to run,” co-trainer Roger James said.

“I wasn’t that keen, but they pointed out we could strike a track like this in Sydney so we needed to know how she would go.”

Rondinella had also performed creditably when runner-up in the Listed Kaimai Stakes on a soft Matamata track at her previous start.

All four of the lightly-raced mare’s wins have come on top of the ground.

Recent News
10 May 2025

Super Seth strikes twice at Caulfield

Saturday at Caulfield saw the sire on fire, Super Seth, notch up a double on the nine-race card. First off the mark was the impeccably bred three-year-old filly Madiyya, who recorded her first metropolitan win …

Read More
30 April 2025

Waikato Stud’s eagerly awaited fees announced for 2025

A mix of proven and up-and-coming sires sees fees for Waikato Stud’s six-strong roster set for the 2025 season, once again headlined by the NZ Hall of Fame inductee-in-waiting Savabeel. Alongside him stands second-season sire sensation Super Seth, emerging force Ardrossan, proven Group 1 producer Ocean Park, exciting first-season sire Noverre and a sire-in-waiting Banquo rounding out the formidable lineup.

Read More