$600 Weanling Purchase Takes Share of Southern Filly Series Lead

Courte Zarindi (NZ) (Any Suggestion), who cost just $600 at the 2015 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, moved into New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly Series contention with a strong come-from-behind win in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui.

Ridden by Tina Comignaghi for trainer Sally McKay, Courte Zarindi produced a late surge to beat Excelleration (NZ) (Exceed and Excel) and the pace-making Pipiana (NZ) (Highly Recommended).

Courte Zarindi has won three of her 11 starts for owners Bill McNamara and Sam Fryer, earning $60,710 in prize-money – more than 100 times her purchase price.

She earned 7 Southern Filly Series points for the win, which lifts her to the top of the table alongside the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes winner Kiwi Ida (Squamosa). Excelleration and Pipiana earned 4 and 2 points respectively.

The two remaining races in the Series are the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on April 7 and the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at the same venue two weeks later. Courte Zarindi will be aimed at both races.

“The mile will be perfect and the 2000 metres shouldn’t worry her,” McKay told NZ Racing Desk. “She’s a lovely horse with a very bright future.”