Racing: Gutsy Lady shows clean pair of heels

Lady Kipling, part-owned by Havelock North's Laurence Redshaw, added to her future value as a broodmare with another game winning performance in Saturday's Group 2 $100,000 NRM/Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.

The Savabeel mare, trained at Cambridge by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, looked likely to only finish second in the 1400-metre Pukekohe feature when clearly headed by Miss Pelear inside the final 200 metres, but fought back to get in the deciding stride for a half-head victory.

It was her ninth win from 26 starts and her second at Group 2 level, following success in the Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa last December. She was also good enough as a 3-year-old to come from well off the pace on the home turn and finish third behind We Can Say It Now and Binding in the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Otaki and was runner-up behind Veyron in the Group 1 Haunui Farm Classic (1600m) at Otaki in February this year.

Redshaw owns Lady Kipling in partnership with Gisborne farmer Geoff Candy and the mare was a $62,500 purchase from the 2009 Karaka yearling sales. Her win on Saturday took her stake earnings to more than $300,000.

Lady Kipling was one of four winners Opie Bosson kicked home at Saturday's Counties meeting and one of seven he picked up in two days, after a winning hat-trick at New Plymouth on Friday.

"I think he [Bosson] was probably kidding 50 metres from the finish, but the great rider he is he saved her up for the last bit," said Baker of Lady Kipling's run. "She has become very strong, a lovely mare with a good temperament and very pliable. You can put her anywhere in a race."

Lady Kipling could get another crack at Group 1 level in the Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on December 8 or she may instead defend her crown in the Group 2 Isuzu Stakes at Te Rapa on December 15.

Lady Kipling is out of the Al Akbar mare Akela, who was the winner of six races herself, while her third dam is the former high-class racemare Sylvaner and she won seven races including the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m).

600th NZ winner for trainer

Sharki Brahma, part-owned by Hawke's Bay Racing's general manager Jason Fleming, chalked up his second win from seven starts with an impressive 1-length victory in an $8000 Rating 65 1400m event at last Friday's Taranaki meeting.

The Darci Brahma 4-year-old was settled just in behind the pace by rider Opie Bosson before taking the lead at the top of the home straight. She dashed clear of the opposition soon after and was being eased down over the final stages.

Fleming is part of a syndicate of mainly Taranaki people that races Sharki Brahma from the New Plymouth stable of Allan Sharrock. He was a $105,000 purchase from the premier session of the 2010 Karaka yearling sales and is out of the Kaapstad mare Kape Dancer, who won one race in Australia.

Both of Sharki Brahma's wins have been on his home track.

Friday's success by Sharki Brahma brought up a personal milestone for Sharrock as it was the trainer's 600th New Zealand winner.

Top pair look superior

The top two 2-year-olds in New Zealand this season, Bounding and Ruud Awakening fought out the finish of the listed $50,000 Murdoch Newell Stakes (1100m) at Saturday's Counties meeting and were clearly superior to their rivals.

Lonhro filly Bounding landed the major prize but runner-up Ruud Awakening also lost no admirers, overcoming a slow start to get within a long neck of her at the finish.

Bounding was a $425,000 buy from this year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and is from Exceed And Excel's Group 3 winning daughter Believe'n' Succeed. She is owned by former Hastings businessman Gary Harding, who now lives in Tirau, and is trained at Matamata by Ken and Bev Kelso.

Bounding made it two wins from two starts, after a two-length debut victory over 880m at Ellerslie on October 27.

Co-trainer Ken Kelso said the filly will now be turned out for a brief spell and could be aimed at the A$3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) in Sydney on April 16.

Ruud Awakening is by Bernardini out of the Danehill mare Dawn Almighty and was a $90,000 purchase from the premier session of last January's Karaka yearling sales. She is owned by the Go Racing Almighty Dawn Syndicate, and is trained at Cambridge by Stephen Marsh.

She had won her previous two starts, including the listed Wellesley Stakes (1000m) at Trentham on October 27 and will also now be given a short spell. Marsh intends getting her back for a 1200m 2-year-old race at Ellerslie on January 12 as a lead-up to the $1 million Karaka Million (1200m) on the same track a fortnight later.