The Hottie Wins G3 Grangewilliam Breeders Stakes

Media Release - Saturday October 5

A special week got even better on Saturday for trainer Robbie Patterson and owner-breeders Eddie and Nicola Bourke and Allan Piercy.

They teamed up for back-to-back victories at Hawera with The Hottie in the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and Belles Beau in the Energy Ford Hawera (1400m). That winning double came only four days after the rescheduled Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Matamata on Wednesday, which Patterson, the Bourkes and Piercy won with One Bold Cat.

A smiling Courtney Barnes after her victory aboard The Hottie  Photo Credit: Peter Rubery Race Images

A smiling Courtney Barnes after her victory aboard The Hottie Photo Credit: Peter Rubery Race Images

“I thought any win here today would top the week off nicely, but two wins including a Group Three is even better,” Patterson said. “And the Breeders’ Stakes is a very cool race to win for us as well, being Taranaki kids. It’s fantastic.”

The Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes was a triumphant return to racing for The Hottie. The seven-year-old has now won six times in a 16-start career, placing on another five occasions and banking $195,995.

The chestnut daughter of Swiss Ace showed bright promise last season, scoring three smart wins along with a third in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. But she bled when finishing at the tail of the field as a $2.90 favourite in the Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton in April.

Just under six months on from that low point of her career, The Hottie lined up for her first start since then and came away with her biggest win.

“She’s been hard work all her life, this horse,” Patterson said. “She’s always had a lot of issues. She bled in her last start at Riccarton. For her to come back and win this today is a massive effort.

“I haven’t done a lot with her, actually. I just gave her a quiet trial on Tuesday, and that’s about all she’s done. She always goes well fresh, so I tried to leave her in that state. She’s just a really good horse, and when she’s right, she’s lethal.”

The Hottie was ridden by Courtney Barnes and was a step slow leaving the starting gates, but she soon recovered and moved up into fourth behind Town Cryer, Wessex and Diss Is Dramatic.

Town Cryer and Wessex rounded the turn together and seemed set to fight out the finish, but then The Hottie pounced. She finished over the top of those two rivals and pulled ahead in the final 150m, winning by a length and a quarter. Defending champion Town Cryer held on for second, a nose in front of Wessex and the strong-finishing Liffey.

“The race panned out really well,” said Barnes, who has now ridden 11 Group or Listed winners. “She didn’t jump that great, but she was able to recover well and then travelled sweetly from there.

“There was quite a bit of speed in the race on paper, but they didn’t go as hard as I thought they might. I think being in a handy position helped, and I knew from the moment we came around the corner that we were pretty much home.”

Patterson identified the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on October 27 as The Hottie’s potential next target.

“There’s a Group Three mile coming up in a few weeks’ time that we can have a look at, and then there are some nice races for fillies and mares through the late spring and summer as well,” the New Plymouth trainer said. “She could even be competitive in a Group Two or Group One mile somewhere.”

Just over half an hour after The Hottie’s black-type success, Belles Beau produced an impressive performance of his own in Rating 75 company. He outfinished Boomtown Boy and Herbert in a tight struggle down the straight, winning by a head.

Belles Beau has now recorded three wins and two placings from just a six-start career, earning $58,145 in stakes. The four-year-old Iffraaj gelding is a full-brother to talented stablemate Belles Fate, who herself has won twice in a five-start career including on the first day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring carnival last month. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Race Result - Grangewilliam Stud Breeders Stakes Gr3 1400m

Hawera Track: Good(4) Time: 1:24.27
1
The Hottie
- 7m Swiss Ace (AUS) x The Countessa (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Robbie Patterson Rdr: C R Barnes 57
2
1.3
Town Cryer
- 7m Tavistock (NZ) x The Speaker (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: R J Bergerson Rdr: K A Myers 57
3
1.4
Wessex
- 5m Turn Me Loose (NZ) x Trepidation (NZ) (Falkirk (NZ))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: T L Newman 57
NZB Karaka Book 1 $150,000
Seller: Windsor Park Stud
Buyer: Mr CW Kwok / Andrew Forsman
4
1.5
Liffey
- 7m Niagara (AUS) x Steelkhap (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: J Sweetensen Rdr: K R Hercock 57
5
2
Sumi
- 7m Atlante (AUS) x Seek A Fortune (NZ) (Kaapstad (NZ))
Tnr: S A Sharrock Rdr: Harry Grace 57
6
2.8
Diss Is Dramatic
- 5m Dissident (AUS) x Our Drahma Queen (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: Ms L Latta Rdr: Joe Doyle 57
7
5.8
Royal Flower
- 6m Proisir (AUS) x Ishidanzin (NZ) (Ishiguru (USA))
Tnr: Ms G Temperton Rdr: L T Hemi 57
8
6
Nom De Plume
- 6m El Roca (AUS) x Lago De Plume (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Robbie Patterson Rdr: C Dell 57
9
6.3
Pride Of Aspen
- 6m Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Flattery (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: Hollie Wynyard Rdr: R T Elliot 57
10
8.1
Contribute
- 7m Contributer (IRE) x Contrada (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Robbie Patterson Rdr: C H Butler 57
11
10.4
No Rain Ever
- 4m No Nay Never (USA) x November Rain (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: W J Thurlow Rdr: J K Riddell 57
More Reading...
Big double for Manning’s gavelhouse graduates
Respected horseman Ralph Manning has been a prolific purchaser on gavelhouse.com over the years, and a pair of his bargain buys played starring roles on Australian racetracks on Saturday.
Rosemont to Stand G1 2YO Dubawi Son Henry Longfellow
Joining Too Darn Hot as the only other G1 winning 2yo by Dubawi to ever stand in Australia - Rosemont Stud are thrilled to announce the brilliant, supremely bred Group I winning 2yo HENRY LONGFELLOW (IRE) who will stand at their Geelong base in 2025 in partnership with Coolmore.
NZB Sale Date Finalised for 2025 Weanling Sales
In an exciting move, the date for the NZB National Weanling Sale (thoroughbred) and NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale (standardbred) has been finalised, with both weanling sessions selling on Thursday 26 June 2025 at Karaka.
Godolphin 3YO tops Feb (Late) Online Sale
Exciting Godolphin galloper Caesar Cipher (Encryption) topped today’s Inglis Digital February (Late) Online Sale, selling for $140,000.
Blue Gum Premier Star Prospects
Blue Gum Farm sold 24 yearlings for $4.4million at last year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale including the sale-topping $925,000 Snitzel filly from Jestajingle and Sean Dingwall and his team are proud to present another top class draft of 31 this year at Oaklands Junction.
Kiwi Bred Ceolwulf Ready for G1 Verry Elleegant
Trainer Joe Pride is confident that Ceolwulf will take a significant step forward from his first-up performance as he prepares for Saturday’s Gr.1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.
Damask Rose Set to Bloom in $3.5million Kiwi
Talented filly Damask Rose is set to bloom once more when she heads to Ellerslie next week to contest the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) after winning her 1100m trial at Taupo on Wednesday.
Geegess Mistruth Mighty Again - Ears Pricked
Mighty Tassie filly Geegees Mistruth had little trouble retaining her local unbeaten record with an easy win in the Group III Vamos Stakes at Launceston on Wednesday.
Star Stratosphere Filly Wins Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes
The purple and white stars colours of Star Thoroughbreds have had a hot run in Tasmania in recent weeks and featured again on Wednesday at Launceston when brilliant two year-old filly Sanniya made it two wins in as many starts when taking out the $150,000 Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes (1200m).
Public Attention Earns Slot for $3.5million Kiwi
Prominent Australian owner Aziz “Ozzie” Kheir and global thoroughbred giant Coolmore won the world’s richest turf race, the A$14 million The Everest (1200m), in 2019 with Yes Yes Yes, and six years on they are teaming up once more in the hope of taking out another slot race.