Fresh from an incredible interstate double in Australia last weekend with Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) and Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking), the Roger James and Robert Wellwood stable picked up another black-type feature in New Zealand this time when race favourite Apostrophe (NZ) (Tavistock) ($3.50) claimed victory in the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2100m) at Trentham.
The lightly raced six-year-old mare enjoys the spacious surroundings at the venue having won and been placed twice in three starts there with those two placings coming in the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) back in January and at her most recent start, the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m).
The daughter of Tavistock relished a step up in distance as she lobbed along behind midfield for rider Masa Hashizume before angling into the clear with 300m to run.
Wound up to a fever pitch by Hashizume, Apostrophe burst clear at the 150m as she cleared out by three lengths from her closest pursuers in Our Jumala (NZ) (Zed) and Royal Flower (NZ) (Proisir), who filled the minor placings.
Wellwood was on hand to witness the triumph after returning from Sydney during the week after watching Orchestral score a rugged victory the Gr.1 Vinery Stakes (2000m).
“We were a little bit worried about it being a slowly run race, but with only nine runners you’re never really going to get too far off them,” Wellwood said.
“A bit of pressure came on at the turn so she could come up behind them and when she got a gap she was electric.
“She has been screaming out to go over 2000m her whole life but we’ve never been able to get her there. Now that we have she was very good.
“There may be one more race for her at Te Rapa after this (Gr.2 Travis Stakes, 2000m) but she is probably destined for the broodmare paddock at the end of this preparation.”
Hashizume has featured prominently in recent weeks and was delighted to take out another feature contest.
“She jumped better than she normally does, but got back to last although I wasn’t worried as it was only a nine-horse field,” he said.
“She was travelling all the way and although the gap closed at the top of the straight, she quickened nicely when I came back a little bit, so I was very happy with the run.
“She has always wanted to go over 2000m and she loves the cut in the ground and here at Wellington.”
Raced by the Inglewood Partnership after being purchased by James and Wellwood for $60,000 from the Cambridge Stud draft at Karaka in 2019, Apostrophe has now won six of her 20 starts and more than $228,000 in prizemoney.
