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Sir Percy, the Epsom Derby winner, sired his first New Zealand winner when That's Where It Is was successful in a $7000 maiden race for 2yr-olds at Waimate yesterday.
That's Where It Is is from the first New Zealand crop of Sir Percy, who has sired 28 individual winners in the northern hemisphere with his oldest crop 3yr-olds. His progeny include the dual listed race winner Coquet.
Sir Percy did not shuttle to New Zealand this year from the Lanades Stud at Newmarket, but stood the three previous seasons at Rich Hill Stud, Matamata.
Sir Percy was unbeaten in four starts as a 2yr-old including the Dewhurst Stakes, the most prestigious race for 2yr-olds in Britain. The son of Mark Of Esteem won the Derby in 2006.
That's Where It Is was bred at the Rich Hill Stud, which retained a share in the colt after his sale for $20,000 to Shailer Thoroughbreds through the select sale at Karaka in February. That's Where It Is is trained by brothers Paul and Kris Shailer, who operate stables at Matamata and Awapuni. Paul, who is in his second season as a trainer, worked for Sydney trainer Chris Waller for 10 years after success as a jockey in New Zealand.
"I always felt he [That's Where It Is] could be the first New Zealand winner for Sir Percy," John Thompson, the Rich Hill managing director, said.
That's Where It Is is out of the Bahhare mare Clifton.
The Shailers produced the 2yr-old Killa Question to provide another Rich Hill stallion, Any Suggestion, with his first winner last season. Killa Question, owned by Rich Hill, won at Pukekohe and Trentham from 13 starts. He was subsequently gelded and recently returned to work.
• Trainer Michael Pitman and Auckland owner-breeder Judge John Clapham extended a winning association when Conserves La Foi and Berenice won at Waimate yesterday.
Judge Clapham races Conserves La Foi, whom he bred. He also bred and raced Perspicacious, the granddam of Berenice. Perspicacious won seven races in the late 1990s when trained by Pitman.
Conserves La Foi was transferred to Pitman in August after winning four races from the Wanganui stable of Kevin Myers.
Berenice, who cleared maiden ranks impressively yesterday, is a 3yr-old filly by Holy Roman Emperor. She is raced by Pitman's brother, John, who bred her from Sutology, the dam of Conscious Mistake (four wins). Sutology (by Straussbrook) gained five of her six wins in Melbourne.
Pronto King, the first horse Pitman bought at auction and winner of the 1983 Dunedin Guineas, was offered by Judge Clapham. The son of Pronto and Nahaly was a $1000 purchase at the 1982 Waikato yearling sale at Claudelands.
Berenice has been nominated for the NZ One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton next month.
The Diamond One, another Guineas nominee and the second foal of the 2002 One Thousand Guineas winner, The Jewel, came from back in the field to win a 1200m maiden yesterday when having her third start.
Trained by Steve Anderton for the Dennis brothers, she is a half-sister by Tale Of The Cat to The Glitzy One, the winner of four races, including the Great Autumn Handicap.
• Jim Cassidy will replace a suspended James McDonald on Dear Demi in the group one Thousand Guineas at Caulfield tomorrow, AAP reports.
Clarry Conners was delighted with the work of Dear Demi at Caulfield on Monday. The filly drew the outside gate of 16 for the 1600m feature.
Dear Demi has been a drifter in Thousand Guineas betting and was out to $17 yesterday with Molto Bene the $4.80 favourite ahead of Commanding Jewel ($6.50), a younger half-sister to last year's winner Atlantic Jewel.
• French trainer Mikel Delzangles has declared Dunaden a better horse than when he won the Melbourne Cup last year.
Delzangles was at Werribee track work yesterday morning where he watched Dunaden gallop impressively over 1600m, running his final 1200m in 1.16.5, including a brilliant final 600m in 35.82, the last 400m in 23.9.
Dunaden is primed for the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup on Saturday where success is likely to earn him a penalty for the Melbourne Cup.
Dunaden has been given 58kg for the $6 million Melbourne Cup, which is 3.5kg more than he carried to win the Flemington feature last year.