NZB Grads Complete Guineas Double

Canterbury's Cup Carnival week has been particularly rewarding for New Zealand Bloodstock as its sale graduates took both the big races in the lead up to the New Zealand Cup.

Last Saturday, Justa Tad (Istidaad x Infinity), a $1000 purchase from the 2002 National Weanling & Broodmare Sale, beat the country's top three-year-old fillies in the Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock One Thousand Guineas. Rudy Liefting, who purchased and now trains the filly along with wife Megan, was thrilled with the filly's effort and plans to contest the Group 1 Levin Classic later this month.

This race was the third in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, and puts Justa Tad firmly in the lead with 18 points from La Sizeranne (Stravinsky) with 10 points and Eloa (Volksraad) with 6 points.

On Wednesday, the Gr.1 Coupland Bakeries Two Thousand Guineas proved to be a slight upset when impressive filly Clean Sweep (End Sweep x Eidercrown) beat a tough line up of colts and geldings as she backed up from the One Thousand Guineas where she ran a good fourth. Michael Coleman rode the filly after deciding she was a better chance than stablemate Pinprick. The decision was fortuitous as the Pins colt raced erratically throughout the race and was lucky not to cost Clean Sweep the win.

Clean Sweep cost $20,000 from the Raffles Farm draft in last year's Premier yearling sale where she was purchased by Paul Moroney Bloodstock.