Photo: Trish Dunell
Trelawney Stud celebrated a successful Saturday with three winners and two Group One placings.
Matamata proved a happy hunting ground with two homebred New Zealand Bloodstock graduates posting a winning double.
First off the mark was Challa who bought up his fifth win in the Colchester Engineering 1200.
With weight relief to 59kg, courtesy of Kelsey Hannan (a3), Challa was able to assume his customary role as pacemaker, came to the 300m full of running and proved simply too slick, winning by two and a quarter lengths.
“Full credit to Gareth (Allis, farrier), he’s got his feet right and he’s going really well,” trainer Mark Walker said.
“A lot went wrong for him last season, but he’s won both starts this time in and I felt the (weight) claim helps him as well.
“We can look for something a bit better with him now.”
Stakes placed when runner-up in his first three starts as a two-year-old, Challa is resilient, been patiently handled while finishing fourth or better in 14 of 24 starts and continues rewarding his owners in the Te Akau Challa Syndicate.
Purchased by David Ellis CNMZ for $100,000, from the draft of Trelawney Stud, at the NZB 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale, Challa was the first foal from Are There Any, a mare that won six races from 1300m to 2050m in Melbourne, while his grand-dam, Honest Politician (Distorted Humor), was also a very tough racehorse that won eight times (1600m – 2000m) in Australia.
Later on the Matamata card Seajetz flew home from the back of the pack to win the Ancroft Developments 1600.
Trained by Paul Richards after beginning his racing career with the Te Akau Racing stable, Seajetz has now recorded six wins and two placings with over $88,000 in stakes to his credit.
Meanwhile, across the Tasman the renamed Let's Go Letty was having her first start for Adrian McGregor after placing twice from for starts as Getting Moody for Peter Moody.
The four-year-old Sacred Falls mare made easy work of the Heavy10 conditions at Hamilton to clear maiden ranks with a length to spare over her rivals.
Trelawney graduates racing in elite company didn't disappoint with the ever-consistent Prise De Fer finishing third in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate at Matamata, while I'm Thunderstruck finished strongly for second behind Anome in the Gr.1 Might And Power Stakes.