Horse racing: Provence and Damask Rose secure major wins for Tony Rider at Ellerslie

Tony Rider pictured with jockey Sam Spratt following Provence's win in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Photo / Kenton Wright (Race Images)

A stunning family double for Tony Rider on Champion’s Day elevated the Milan Park principal into rare territory.

Rider was still coming to terms on Monday with the enormity of events at Ellerslie where his homebred Savabeel sisters Provence and Damask Rose landed massive feature event blows.

The former won the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and three races later Damask Rose also produced a dashing performance to claim the inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m).

“It was amazing and very, very special. It seems so unbelievable, but it happened,” Rider said.

He races the Stephen Marsh-trained Provence with the Brent Cooper-managed Social Racing Winners Circle Syndicate, and Damask Rose was sold to Te Akau’s David Ellis for $200,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.

Not even a missed chance to remain in the ownership group of Damask Rose could take the gloss off Rider’s achievements.

“David has always held her in high regard and when she was a two-year-old he still had 25% left in her,” he said.

“He rang me and said she was very, very good and said I really think you should take the 25%.

“I said I’ve already got a filly [Provence] out of the mare, so I didn’t take the opportunity.”

The Stephen Marsh-trained Provence, who also won the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) earlier this preparation, will be a hugely valuable addition to Milan Park’s broodmare band at the end of her decorated career.

“She’s a very correct and good-looking mare and we’re still considering what we do next,” he said.

“She’s come home for a week and then we’ll decide whether she goes to the paddock and comes back for the spring or maybe have one more race.”

Her dam, Sombreuil, is a daughter of Flying Spur and was a private purchase through bloodstock agent Bruce Perry from Trelawney Stud.

She is out of the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) winner Te Akau Rose and the family of the Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) winner and sire Brutal.

Sombreuil has a perfect record at stud with all three of her foals to race successful, and her unraced Savabeel filly was sold for $200,000 at Karaka last year with agent Phill Cataldo signing the ticket.

The mare missed in 2023 and has a colt at foot by Super Seth, sire of recent Australian Group One winners Feroce (Australian Guineas, 1600m) and Linebacker (Randwick Guineas, 1600m), and is back in foal to Savabeel.

“The Super Seth will be going to the sales, I’ve already had Inglis chasing me but more than likely he’ll go to Karaka,” Rider said.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk