Racing: Cup win stylish way to sign off

Mark Du Plessis will not have long to bask in Group One winning glory - he is off to Singapore on Tuesday.

The Cambridge-based jockey rode a superlative race on Bazelle when the pair combined to easily take out the $350,000 New Zealand Herald Auckland Cup at Ellerslie yesterday.

Du Plessis gave the mare a dream sit on the pace throughout the 3200 metre event, and sealed the victory with a powerful sprint at the top of the home stretch to burst away from the opposition.

Bazelle won easing down at the finish by 1 1/2 lengths over Bondy with a further 4 1/2 lengths back to Zabeat (third).

The majority of jockeys sat back off the pace and allowed firstly Bazelle and Bel Air to control the tempo of the race and suffered the consequences in the home stretch.

This was the most sedately run Auckland Cup in the last 44 years, reflected by a sluggish 3.29.45 winning time as the race developed into a sprint home over the closing 800 metres.

Du Plessis had Bazelle in front, then briefly in the trail before positioning the daughter of Zabeel outside the leader, Bel Air.

"She jumped nicely and with her good early speed and ability to roll along on the pace I just slotted her in front then took a sit behind Bel Air," said Du Plessis.

"When I asked her to sprint at the top of the home stretch she really climbed into it and I had them well covered over the closing 100 metres. She really impressed me with the way she won here at Ellerslie in the Nathans Memorial and I jumped at the chance to ride her in the Auckland Cup."

Bazelle was ridden in the Nathans Memorial by Rhys McLeod but he could not handle the mare in the Auckland Cup because he had already been engaged to ride Mistrale.

Mistrale battled into ninth place in the Auckland Cup.

Du Plessis had a short stint up in Singapore in November where he won the $S1.2 million Singapore Gold Cup on Raul.

Du Plessis will ride again in Singapore until January 15 and then he will find out if he can secure a longer riding contract.

"It was a great experience riding up in Singapore and I'm very keen to have a shot at getting a long-term contract.

"It's a wonderful feeling winning an Auckland Cup as along with the [New Zealand] Derby it is one of the greatest races to win in New Zealand."

Du Plessis was originally to ride All's Well, but when that horse was made second emergency for the Cup he was able to secure the ride on Bazelle.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY