Feature Sprint for Karaka Graduate

The Group 3 Darley Plate (1200m) run yesterday on Ellerslie's Auckland Cup Day race-card saw a hard fought finish between Karaka graduates Beautiful Girl and Vonusti.

The $100,000 event was contested by 14 high class sprinters on a picture perfect day at New Zealand's premier track.

The field jumped to find inaugural Karaka Million winner Vincent Mangano (No Excuse Needed) leading the field at a strong clip with Lipperty Lip (Riviera), Jazzella (Black Minnaloushe), and Raid (Pins) trailing the leader.

Beautiful Girl (Black Minnaloushe x Piccadilly Lily, by Rubiton) was placed in a beautiful mid-field spot by Leith Innes, on the rail with Group 1 Telegraph Handicap winner Vonusti (Ustinov) outside her hind-quarter.

Into the Ellerslie straight Innes pulled Beautiful Girl off the fence and angled the six-year-old mare out to the middle of the track where she had clear space to chase down Vincent Mangano and Jazzella who had set sail for home.

With 53kg on her back Beautiful Girl sprinted supremely when picking up the leaders and running home hard to score by a short-head over Vonusti who finished strongly down her outside.

The win was the mare's fifth from eight starts this season, a great testament to the training ability of her owner and trainer Leanne Franklin.

Good enough to contest the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas as a three-year-old, Beautiful Girl was off the racing scene for almost two years with a tendon injury before Franklin was able to nurse her back to recovery.

Beautiful Girl has now earned over $150,000 on the racetrack after being purchased as a yearling for $13,000 by Papich Racing at Karaka's 2005 Select Sale from Haunui Farm.

Now a seven-time winner, Beautiful Girl is a grand-daughter of Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner and Group 1 AJC Oaks and Sydney Cup placed Round the World (Red Anchor). This top family is also responsible for Royal Regatta, The Perfume Garden, Bel Air, and more recently Leigh Valley.

New Zealand Bloodstock will conduct the Selwyn River Unreserved Dispersal Sale on Friday, 26 March. Request a catalogue from [email protected].