Zero to hero in a hurry
Grand Bouquet showed her appreciation of improved track conditions to significantly turn her form around at Te Rapa this afternoon.
The beautifully-bred Savabeel mare was a non-player on a Heavy 11 surface seven days ago in the Kiwifruit Cup, but on a drier surface she showed her true colours with a sterling finish from the back of the field to down the Rating 95 stayers.
Bred by Waikato Stud, Grand Bouquet is a daughter of the farm’s three-time Group 1 winner Daffodil and was purchased at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by the China Horse Club for $600,000.
Daffodil is out of the O’Reilly mare Spring, a half-sister to the G1 Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Good Faith, dam of the stakes winners Tully Dane and Mygoodgrace.
Grand Bouquet began her career in Australia from Kris Lees’ stable and was a four-time winner before she returned to New Zealand to continue her career with Cambridge trainer Lauren Brennan.
The 5-year-old was making her fourth appearance for Brennan, who said the mare needed good footing to show her best.
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It is not the easiest role, that of Chairman of our Thoroughbred Racing Board. Like all chairmanships, one’s mind is rarely not occupied with the responsibility. To our Chairman, I say thanks. A lifetime in the industry, Chairman of our largest club, it is difficult to identify someone more suited to the role.
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