NZB Graduates Dominate Southland Guineas

Graduates of New Zealand Bloodstock Sales finished first, second and third in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1600m) in Invercargill.

The winner Weaponry (NZ) (Declaration of War) was a $140,000 purchase by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis at the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka, while placegetters Upscale (NZ) (Tavistock) and Air Max (NZ) (Nadeem) went through the 2017 South Island Sale. Upscale sold for $22,500, while Air Max was passed with a $20,000 reserve.

Third and fourth without much luck in the Listed Gore Guineas (1335m) and Dunedin Guineas (1500m), Weaponry set the record straight on Saturday.

Prominently positioned throughout the race, he hit the front approaching the home turn and shook free of Upscale in the last 200 metres to win by a length and a half. Air Max was the same margin away in third.

Trained by Jamie Richards for the Te Akau Weaponry Syndicate, Weaponry has now had five starts for three wins, a third and a fourth with $51,250 in stakes. He is a half-brother to the Group 1 winner Velocitea (NZ) (Volksraad).

“It was a positive ride by Dylan (Turner) and a really good win by Weaponry,” Richards said.

“He’d been a little bit unlucky in his two runs down there to date and we didn’t want to be unlucky again. In the end he won quite convincingly and was able to put a space in them over the concluding stages.

“He’s a horse that’s shown ability in the North Island and we thought he was nicely placed down there, so it’s rewarding to gain a black-type win.”

Upscale’s eight starts have produced one win and four placings, two of those at stakes level, with $31,590 in prizemoney.

Air Max won the Gore Guineas and Dunedin Guineas and has earned $75,600 in stakes.