Well-related three-year-old Ace Sapphire has again impressed in retaining his perfect record.
The son of Westbury Stud’s Swiss Ace romped home on debut at Riverton last month for trainer Kelvin Tyler and he followed up with another effortless winning display at Wingatui on Sunday.
He lobbed along in third sport under rider Yogesh Atchamah to the turn before he surged to the front 250 metres from home and coasted clear to score by nearly three lengths.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Ace Sapphire was initially bought out of Westbury Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft for $60,000 and subsequently made $50,000 when reoffered by Kilgravin Lodge at the Ready to Run Sale.
He out of the More Than Ready mare Princess Carolina has been a fine servant of the Karaka farm.
Five of her eight foals to race have been successful and includes Ace Sapphire’s brothers Little Giant and Top Prospect, respective winners of the G3 Shan Tin Vase and the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial.
Princess Carolina is a half-sister to the stakes performer Readyforcatherine, dam of the ill-fated G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner and sire Atlante, and has an unraced two-year-old filly by Swiss Ace.
Meanwhile, Swiss Ace’s associate sire Redwood was to the fore on Monday when his son Hula Beat produced a tenacious display to justify his inspired support in the Te Aroha Cup.
Punters flocked to the Gerry Harvey-bred and raced son of Redwood, who started a short-priced favourite and the grey rewarded his followers with a gallant victory over 2200 metres.
Prepared by Stephen Marsh, he bided his time toward the back of the field before rider Sam Weatherley asked him to pick up ground 800 metres from home.
Hula Beat was third on the turn and finished doggedly to win for the second time from his last three appearances.
“I thought he was going to win by five lengths, but he got a bit distracted and I have said he is not as effective going right-handed,” Marsh said.
“Sam said he was gawking around at the steeplechase fences and the crowd but when he put his mind back on the job he really knuckled down and got the win.
“It was probably a better effort than it may have looked and he is a nice progressive horse that is suited by the winter surfaces.”
He was originally passed in when offered by Westbury Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale and subsequently joined Marh’s Cambridge operation.
Hula Beat is out of the late Zabeel mare Limbea who is a half-sister to the South African stakes winner I’ve Got Rhythm with their dam the former high-class performer and dual Group 1 winner Love Dance.
