Makfi Mare Wins Winter Cup

Media Release - Saturday August 7

Scenes of unbridled joy and celebration broke out on the Riccarton public lawn shortly after outsider Ritani ($21) took out the 124th running of the Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) on Saturday.

Kozzi Asano guides Ritani to victory at Riccarton Photo Credit: Race Images South

Friends, family and connections of the Kerry and Ian Taplin-trained seven-year-old Makfi mare were besides themselves as rider Kozzi Asano returned to the birdcage after Ritani had downed the well supported Taranaki raider Justaskme and fellow northerner Verry Flash to record her ninth and most important career victory.

Asano produced a copybook ride as he settled Ritani in behind the steady speed set up by pacemakers Quiz Kid and So Much Mour before angling for a run closer to the rails in the home straight, as the majority of the field fanned wide.

Advertisement

Driven to the front at the 150m, Ritani had enough in reserve to hold out all challengers by just over a length and set off the jubilant celebrations.

As his wife Kerry accepted hugs and kisses from the ecstatic group of supporters, it was left to an emotional Ian Taplin to welcome back the horse to the Riccarton birdcage after the race.

“It’s amazing,” he said.

“Look at the people with Kerry, just wow.

“We had the plan three months ago to set her for this race, so we gave her a break and brought her back for the Cup trial at Ashburton, where she ran fifth.

“We then went to the Oamaru Cup where she was going to run second but just got run down on the post.

“This is just amazing.”

Asano was full of smiles after the win as he paid tribute to his mount.

“I can’t believe I won it as it was such a tough run,” he said.

“I was going to get cover three or four back, but she jumped well and was just travelling so well.

“When I asked her, she just kept going and was so tough.”

Ritani is out of the stakes placed Unbridled’s Song mare, Elegant Emerald who ran fourth in the 2003 Gr.1 Telegraph Handicap (1200m) behind Tit For Taat.

Purchased by bloodstock agent Bruce Perry for $85,000 out of the Wellfield Lodge draft at the 2016 Select Yearling Sale, she did her initial racing for owner Lib Petagna from the Stephen Marsh stable where she won on four occasions.

Ritani transferred to the Taplin stable in October last year after being purchased for $16,000 off the gavelhouse.com auction site, where she has now won a further five races and career prizemoney of just over $213,000. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Winning Edge 124th Winter Cup Gr3 1600m

Riccarton Park Track: Heavy(11) Time: 1:47.59
1
Ritani
- 7m Makfi (GB) x Elegant Emerald (AUS) (Unbridled's Song (USA))
Tnr: K & I Taplin Rdr: K Asano 55
2
1.3
Justaskme
- 6g No Excuse Needed (GB) x Often (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: S A Sharrock Rdr: R H Schofer 60
3
2.1
Verry Flash
- 7g Zed (NZ) x Opulence (NZ) (Danroad (AUS))
Tnr: K T Myers Rdr: S J Macnab 54
4
2.9
Tappy's One
- 5g Proisir (AUS) x Tappy Lee (NZ) (One Cool Cat (USA))
Tnr: K & I Taplin Rdr: C W Johnson 55.5
5
3.0
Bluey's Chance
- 8g Remind (USA) x Opera Dancer (AUS) (Rigoletto (AUS))
Tnr: Kennedy Moore Rdr: T Jonker 54
6
3.7
Happy Star
- 6g Fabulous (NZ) x Carlton Queen (NZ) (Zed (NZ))
Tnr: J Benner & H Wynyard Rdr: L J Allpress 55.5
7
5.3
Take The Deel
- 6g Dundeel (NZ) x Whitesails (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: L J Stewart Rdr: T R Moseley 53
8
9.4
Mont Ventoux
- 6g Nom Du Jeu (NZ) x Good Reason (NZ) (Lord Ballina (AUS))
Tnr: R P Liefting Rdr: S R Weatherley 56
9
10.4
So Much Mour
- 7g Azamour (IRE) x Sonet (NZ) (Gold Brose (AUS))
Tnr: K & A Tyler Rdr: S D Khetoo 53
10
12.4
Queen Sweep
- 7m Ego (NZ) x Queen's View (NZ) (Grosvenor (NZ))
Tnr: S Hargreaves & N Murfitt Rdr: M E Gestain 53
11
14.2
Cetus
- 7g Nom Du Jeu (NZ) x City Of Dreams (NZ) (His Royal Highness (NZ))
Tnr: T K Allan Rdr: M J Sanson 53
12
18.1
He's Got Power
- 5g Power (GB) x Keepereel (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: K & A Tyler Rdr: Rohan Mudhoo 56
13
18.2
Midnight Runner
- 7g Jimmy Choux (NZ) x In The Midnight (AUS) (Quest For Fame (GB))
Tnr: J R Phillips Rdr: J R Lowry 60
14
18.3
Quiz Kid
- 5g Iffraaj (GB) x Guessing (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: Craig & Shaun Phelan Rdr: J K Riddell 58
15
18.4
Full Fury
- 6g Dalghar (FR) x Ididit (NZ) (Ustinov (AUS))
Tnr: K & A Tyler Rdr: K Mudhoo 53.5
16
30.8
City Slicker
- 6m Shocking (AUS) x Citycenta (NZ) (Elusive City (USA))
Tnr: K & A Tyler Rdr: Ms K Williams 56.5
17
34.9
Wild Jack
- 9g Castledale (IRE) x Batterysnotncluded (NZ) (Yamanin Vital (NZ))
Tnr: S D Blair-Edie Rdr: A Comignaghi 55
18
38.4
Beauty Star
- 8g Northern Meteor (AUS) x Fairytale Dancer (AUS) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: Ms T Rae Rdr: W F Pinn 59.5
More Reading...
No Shock in Supernova
The good times keep on rolling for connections of winning machine Here To Shock(NZ) (Shocking) who plundered the inaugural A$1 million Supernova at Pakenham over his favoured 1400m distance for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes.
Four MM Lead Ups for Icarian Dream - what are the stats?
Two-year-old filly Icarian Dream’s win in the B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday will see her head into the Magic Millions 2YO Classic having had four starts before year’s end, which might seem a lot in this day and age – but is it? We’ve had a look.
Sires With Winners - Friday December 20
Here is the full list of 71 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Arriving Home Goes Two for Two – Three-Quarter Brother for MM 2025
Talented I Am Invincible filly Arriving Home does her best work on the line and we saw it when she scored on debut at Warwick Farm earlier this month and again when she got there in the last stride to win at Randwick on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday December 19
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Josh Herd awarded 2025 Sunline Trust Scholarship
Manawatu’s Josh Herd has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship.
Stakes Racing Catalogue Updates Last Week
A dozen stakes updates in the past week into catalogues for yearlings coming up.
Hong Kong Summed Up - Dec 22
A double for Brave Smash, including a new winner, also new winners for Hellbent and Kermadec, and three yearling catalogue updates amongst seven Australasian bred winners at Sha Tin on Sunday.
$250,000 Magic Millions Debut Friday Night – Sale Mail
A field of 10 unraced juveniles will get the chance to go straight into the $3million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a win in tonight’s $250,000 Magic Millions Debut (1000m), so who are the contenders?
Sad Passing Uncle Mo
A regular shuttler to Coolmore Australia in the first four years of his stud career, leading US sire and brilliant racehorse Uncle Mo was euthanised in Kentucky on Thursday at age 16 on veterinary advice following an injury to his left foreleg.