Horse racing: Grinzinger Moon extends unbeaten NZ run as stakes targets loom

Ethan Jones rode Grinzinger Moon to victory at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo / Race Images

A failed attempt to get Grinzinger Moon in foal last year is proving a blessing in disguise, with stakes targets now in her sights after she continued her unbeaten streak in New Zealand on Saturday.

Starting her career in Australia, the daughter of Puissance De Lune won four consecutive races for trainer Ben Brisbourne, before putting in a couple of sub-par unplaced runs at the start of last winter and owner-breeder John Wheeler decided to retire her to the broodmare paddock.

Wheeler sent her over to New Zealand for her first mating, but after failing to conceive, she was brought out of retirement and placed in the care of Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood.

She placed in her 1000m trial at Avondale in March before heading to Ellerslie’s midweek meeting last week, where she scored by a head, giving jockey Ethan Jones his first win in New Zealand.

The expat English hoop was once again in the saddle on Saturday, and while they were posted three-wide for the entire trip, Grinzinger Moon showed her tenacity when rallying down the home straight to run out a convincing two-and-a-half length victor.

“It was a huge effort,” James said. “She was three wide facing the breeze the whole way outside the leaders. If she’d fallen in the ground at the 300m, you wouldn’t have blamed her.

“She’s a mare that could be worthy of sitting tight and setting for some of the better sprints in the summertime.

“The owner said he’s not solid on mating her again if she can perform, and she’s certainly done that, so we might have a bit of fun in the spring.”

Grinzinger Moon is out of Redoute’s Choice mare Taqdees, a daughter of stakes performer Later Gator and a three-quarter sister to Group 2 winner Wee Nessy, Group 2 performer Snapback and Group 3 performer Adios.

She has now won six of her 10 starts and earned $102,000 in prizemoney.

Her victory capped a pleasing day for the stable, which started on a bad note when it was forced to scratch race favourite Excite out of the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) following a spike in his temperature.

Incandescent avenged his stablemate when taking out the juvenile feature and Grinzinger Moon secured a stable double with her victory later on the card, while Arwen and Cosmic Dream also pleased with their placings.

Meanwhile, across the Tasman, stablemate Solid Gold got her Group1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) campaign off to a pleasing start at Doomben when running fifth in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m).

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk