Guiseppina might have a reputation of being "a little madam" but she's every bit a racehorse as she showed with her demolition of her Flying Handicap rivals at Awapuni on Saturday.
In her sternest assignment to date, she and James McDonald swooped on the leaders nearing the home turn and unleashed her power, McDonald having the luxury of treating her to a pat on the neck at the finish.
The ever consistent O'Cartier was two and a half lengths away second with Eileen Dubh a distant third.
Co-trainer Julia Ritchie said Guiseppina was normally a placid mare but she had a habit of being a bit stroppy on raceday and dropped McDonald on the way to the barrier on Saturday.
"There's a bit of madam about her. We've had our moments."
But Ritchie, a former jockey who has ridden the mare in trackwork, is only too happy to overlook the bad points.
"I think now we can see her huge potential. Still, I was shocked by the way she beat some good sprinters on Saturday. I wasn't expecting that in a million years".
Ritchie would like to back up in the Te Aroha Breeders Stakes on Saturday, but is leaving that decision to the owners, the Vela brothers.
Ritchie and partner Steven Ramsay also won with Ebullient on Saturday, making up for the disappointment of scratching a sore Our Ella Belle from the Awapuni Cup. She has now been sent for a spell.
In other feature races from Awapuni, crack filly Anabandana earned a breather from racing with a last-gasp win over a tough Antonio Lombardo in the $200,000 Manawatu Sires.
"I thought we were going to rush past Antonio Lombardo 200 metres out but he fought back strongly," said a relieved jockey Opie Bosson.
Grand Riccarton campaigner Hold It Harvey won his second Gr2 Awapuni Cup, with a dominant win over Dawn Ghost and Can't Keeper Down. Hold it Harvey has now won $550,000, with 13 wins from 52 starts.
He's now likely to tackle the Canterbury Gold Cup before a spell, said jockey Jamie Bullard.
Starcraft gelding Starcheeka was also an impressive winner on Saturday. Owner Peter Walker is reluctant to travel to Australia for a second campaign, however.
"We took him there as a juvenile and we got our backsides kicked."
Trainer Peter Snowden said hotpot Sepoy's win in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill on Saturday was "the best feeling I have ever had in my life".
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy said tactics worked to perfection. "It just couldn't have worked out any better. I couldn't believe the run we got."
Mosheen ($101) was the surprise packet, chasing Sepoy home to run him to within two lengths with Elite Falls ($13) coming from the back of the field for third, another 1 lengths away.
McEvoy now needs only a Cox Plate win to complete the grand slam to go with his Slipper win, the 2008 Caulfield Cup on All The Good and the 2000 Melbourne Cup on Brew.
The $2.25 million BMW on Saturday went to outsider Cedarberg.
He has just 51kg in the Sydney Cup (3200m) but trainer Pat Carey hasn't committed to going there as he has his sights on the Cups races in the spring.
Second-placed Mourayan is set to be joined by stablemates Muir and C'Est La Guerre in the Sydney Cup.
An emotional Chris Waller struggled to find the words to describe Rangirangdoo after the gelding staved off Love Conquers All to win the George Ryder Stakes.
"He is a very good horse, a class horse, it's just so great to see him
Veteran Theseo, the winner of more than $3.2 million in a 40-start career for trainer Gai Waterhouse, was retired after the race.
Flying Guiseppina shows potential
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