'Saint' Steals New Zealand S.

On a day that saw the Ellerslie course playing kind to frontrunners, Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman's Saint Emilion (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) jumped straight to the head of affairs and remained there to earn a first Group 1 win in the NZ$200,000 2000-metre G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand S.

Unhurried and racing freely under Leith Innes, Saint Emilion was on cruise control from the bell and little had changed 600 metres from home. Asked at the 250m, he let down strongly and, despite the swooping Darscape Princess (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who gobbled up ground late on, held the filly safe by a rapidly diminishing 3/4 of a length. G1SW Authentic Paddy (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit) was 2 1/4 lengths behind in third. The crowd's pick, Lizzie L'Amour (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) failed to fire when seventh and her Baker/Forsman barnmate Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) was one better on the day.

“It worked out perfectly and Leith rode him a treat, in that mood he's hard to catch,” Forsman told www.nzracing.co.nz. “He was just cruising and he really deserved that. We'll see what's about and thing about Sydney and Brisbane, we'll be looking at all the options.”

Added Innes, “At the 1200m I felt pretty confident. He was enjoyin ghis work. Murray and Andrew always have them very fit and it's great to pick up a Group 1 for them. He's a grand old horse and he deserved it.”

Successful in the 2016 G3 Omf S. over course and distance, the grey's best spring performance was a fourth in the G1 Livamol Classic at Hastings on Oct. 22 from five appearances. Only 10th in the G3 Counties Cup at Pukekohe on Nov. 25, the gelding was off until winning a Cambridge barrier trial on Feb. 5. Saint Emilion rolled to a 1 1/2-length victory in a Feb. 17 Ellerslie handicap over 1500 metres most recently.

Pedigree Notes…

Saint Emilion is the seventh Group 1 winner for his sire, the Coolmore shuttler Mastercraftsman (Ire). After Saint Emilion, four-time winner Roseario was essentially married to Per Incanto, with the 4-year-old gelding Merzano (NZ), an unnamed sophomore filly, juvenile filly La la Lola (NZ), and a weanling filly to show for it. Roseario is a half-sister to MSW Raw Instinct (NZ) (Housebuster), while under the fourth dam is G1 Australian Derby hero All Ashore (NZ) (Crested Wave). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Saturday, Ellerslie, New Zealand
BONECRUSHER NEW ZEALAND S.-G1, NZ$200,000 (US$145,665/£105,179/€118,360), ARC, 3-10, Open WFA, 2000mT, 2:02.47, gd.
1–SAINT EMILION, 59.0, g, 6, by Mastercraftsman (Ire)
                1st Dam: Roseario, by Pentire (GB)
                2nd Dam: Jinsky Rose, by Tights (USA)
                3rd Dam: Sovereign Rose, by Sovereign Edition (Ire)
*FIRST GROUP 1 WIN. (NZ$76,000 RNA Ylg '13 NZBSEL). O-Est
Late R A Horton; B-Mrs R A Horton, Waikato, NZ; T-M Baker &
A Forsman; J-L G Innes; NZ$120,000. Lifetime Record:
36-13-3-1, NZ$387,045. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Darscape Princess, 57.0, m, 4, Darci Brahma–Cape Princess,
by Cape Cross (Ire). O/B-Bromley Bloodstock Ltd, Bay Of
Plenty, (NZ); T-F J Auret; J-D J Browne; NZ$39,000.
3–Authentic Paddy, 59.0, g, 8, Howbaddouwantit (USA)–
Authentic Cross, by Cape Cross (Ire). O-Mrs J E Berry, C, P J & T
Gray & M Tepaa; B-D H Robinson, Central, (NZ); T-Ms L Latta;
J-T D Thornton; NZ$19,000.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, SHD. Odds: 10.00, 7.90, 25.00.
Also Ran: Savvy Dreams, Start Wondering, Nicoletta, Lizzie l'Amour, Ronchi, Beefeater, Brighton.
Click for the Racing Post chart. NZ Racing Video.