First and foremost, the wins of Sahar (NZ) (Iffraaj) and Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park) at Te Rapa provided a great thrill for the Chitty family. Not only did they carry the Haunui colours, it was a double for their dam, Valpolicella (NZ) (Red Ransom), a seventh-generation member of Haunui's prolific foundation family.
Haunui's Managing Director, Mark Chitty says, "It's been well documented that Rondinella was shaping up very nicely in her 3YO season, but she suffered a very bad hoof injury that we thought could put her on the side lines for 12 months. But thanks to a big team effort and, the work of Luke Pertab, our farrier, who had her at his water walker and rehabilitation unit, we've managed to get her back to the track. So, to see her win first up on Saturday was very satisfying on all fronts."
Not only did the Te Rapa card provide a Haunui double, former Haunui stallion Showcasing (NZ) landed a treble on the day with Maybeashowoff taking out the 2YO event, Show Down taking out race three and Amastar book-ended the card with an impressive victory in the last race. Amongst that, was another winner at the opening day of Christchurch's Cup Week with Monza Circuito, also by Showcasing, saluting the judge at Riccarton.
And, as New Zealand's Cup Week was just getting under way, Melbourne Cup Week hosted its final day at Flemington where Haunui stallions Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic) and Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega) enjoyed some significant results.
Jaameh (GB) (Iffraaj) added to his sire's black type record in Australia taking out the G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) after narrowly missing out on a place in the Melbourne Cup field. Later in the day Iffraaj proved his versatility once again with Jungle Cat running 3rd in the G1 VRC Sprint Classic (1200m), adding to his G1 win in the MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in September.
In that race, the accolades went to Lope De Vega's
son Santa Ana Lane who proved he is one of the best sprinters in Australia,
claiming his third G1 win for the year and his fourth in total. Haunui
stands Lope De Vega's only son at stud in Australasia, dual G1 winner and
Champion 2YO Belardo who has his first Southern Hemisphere foals on the ground
this spring.
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