Westbury Stud graduates combined for a winning double at Trentham on Saturday with the farm also enjoying domestic success further afield.
The Gerry Harvey-bred pair of Brazenbelle and It’s Doris both won their maidens in fine style while Star Ballot returned to winning ways at Riccarton.
A three-year-old daughter of Brazen Beau, Brazenbelle had top four finishes from her three previous outings for trainer Allan Sharrock and was untroubled to open her account over 1000 metres.
The filly began well under Kate Hercock to sit close to the pace and was into the clear on straightening.
The filly lengthened stride down the centre of the track to strike the front 100 metres off the post and won by a comfortable half a-length.
She was purchased out of Westbury’s 2022 Ready to Run Sale for $30,000 and is raced by Sharrock Syndications.
Brazenbelle is a daughter of the Reliable Man mare Never Doubted You, who is from the family of the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner and Not Now Norman, who won an edition of the Listed Champagne Stakes.
Never Doubted You’s El Roca colt sold for $65,000 at last year’s Ready to Run Sale and she has a yearling daughter of Tarzino.
The Robbie Paterson-trained It’s Doris had placed in her previous two outings and broke quickly from the 1600 metre start for rider Courtney Barnes to settle wide on the pace.
The daughter of former stud resident Telperion took control 300 metres from home and the three-year-old and forged clear to score by 1.3l.
It’s Doris is the first winner for the unraced Postponed mare Casa Blanca, who is in foal to Swiss Ace, and she is a half-sister to the G1 Australian Oaks winner Sofia Rosa with the G1 Otaki-Maori WFA Stakes winner Mascarpone also on the pedigree page.
Meanwhile at Riccarton, Tarzino’s son Star Ballot was rewarded for consistency when he accounted for his rivals over 1800 metres.
The Harvey-bred representative had been in the money in her two lead-up runs, including her most recent effort for second in the Greymouth Cup, for trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman and was the recipient of a patient ride from Tina Comignaghi.
Star Ballot settled second last and was still back on the turn before he unwound powerfully in the closing 250 metres.
He was offered at the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka by Westbury and secured by Michael Pitman for $45,000.
Star Ballot is out of the More Than Ready mare Cast Your Vote, who has a 100 percent record at stud with all four of her foals to race successful.
The dam is out of the multiple Group-placed Danehill mare Confer and has an unraced yearling colt by Tarzino and is back in foal to the dual elite level winner by Tavistock.