Racing: Aussie raider scoops prize

Master Melbourne trainer Lee Freedman recorded his first Group One win for the season when taking out the $200,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders Stakes with Dane Julia at Te Aroha yesterday.

Freedman has won more than 120 Group One races but has been winless in the elite racing grade this season before pulling off a masterstroke and sending the South African-bred Dane Julia to New Zealand to contest the fillies and mares feature.

Dane Julia was a star in South Africa winning her first five starts and was won the Group One South Africa Fillies Classic before being bought by Australian interests and transferred to the Freedman stable.

Dane Julia had solid form in Melbourne before the hit-and-run raid on New Zealand and this victory will increase her value as a broodmare when retired to stud this year.

Michael Walker rode the 5-year-old mare patiently, settling off the leaders and timed his challenge to perfection wide out in the home stretch scoring a determined long-neck victory over the favourite Shanzero.

A further length away third was the solid closing Veloce Bella.

While Group One winning glory may have eluded Freedman before yesterday's feature, he still has an imposing record this season in Australia - 64 metropolitan races, two Group Two events, four Group Three and 14 listed events.

DON SELLWOOD is looking forward to next season's 3-year-old features with his latest star Donthassleme.

The massively built son of Volksraad was an effortless winner at Te Aroha, overcoming a wide barrier 14 draw to overpower a useful field of 2-year-olds.

Jockey Andrew Calder had him nicely placed one off the fence behind the leaders and this pair quickly bounded to the lead with 200m remaining to score by 1 lengths over Poetic Music with a further 2 lengths back to Time Keeper (third).

Donthassleme has been an impressive performer for Sellwood scoring two wins and a second placing from three starts.

It was only misfortune that denied the gelding an unbeaten career record when getting everything wrong on debut and finishing second.

"This race has given me a good line on how good he is as he drew wide and we had excuses if we were beaten.

"He had them covered a long way from home and I could see at the 300m mark that he was trucking into it," said Sellwood.

"I'll now throw him out in the paddock for the winter and we'll assess what to do with him when he's back in training.

"The 3-year-old races at Hawkes Bay could be an option but that could come too early in the season.

"I've got a big opinion of this horse and we'll just take things along quietly when he's back in training as there's a stack of good races to choose from.

"I can't wait to see this horse back on the track with more maturity and strength," said Sellwood.

CONSISTENCY WAS rewarded when Double Barrel scored a determined victory in the $35,000 First Credit Union 1200.

The 4-year-old settled in the middle of the field against the rail and, responding to a patient ride by Cameron Lammas, sprinted between runners coming down the home stretch to score by a length over Albercheno with a further nose back to Mallinson Road (third).

Double Barrel has scored four wins and four minor placings from 18 starts and showed a slick turn of foot when it mattered to post an impressive victory.

Sky Rocket was one runner to catch the eye, blocked for racing room in the home straight, and closing quickly late to finish fourth.