Tomelilla (NZ) Scores Third Stakes Win

With a dominant performance in Sunday’s $50,000 Listed Haunui Farm Karaka Classic (1600m) at Pukekohe, the $15,000 Festival Sale purchase Tomelilla (NZ) (Tavistock) scored her third black-type win and took her stakes earnings past $200,000.

Ridden by Matt Cameron for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, the six-year-old burst out of midfield to hit the lead 300 metres from home. She quickly put the result beyond doubt, scoring by three lengths from fellow Karaka graduate Excalibur (NZ) (Tavistock).

Tomelilla has now had 25 starts for eight wins, 10 placings and $208,485 in prize-money for owners Maryanne Baker and Greg Jones. She has earned more than 13 times her purchase price.

Sunday’s win continued a remarkable run of form for Tomelilla, who made her black-type debut with victory in the Group 3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) in May. She added the Listed Ag Challenge Stakes (1590m) at her next start, then placed in the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) and Listed Opunake Cup (1400m).

“She’s had five black-type starts now for a Group Three win, two Listed wins and two placings,” Baker said. “She’s a very honest mare.”

Runner-up Excalibur, who cost $22,000 at the 2015 Festival Sale and $150,000 at the Ready To Run Sale, has now had 21 starts for six wins, five placings and $125,512 in stakes.