Racing: Barside too good in mud

Barside and Lisa Allpress. Photo / NZPA.

Heavy track conditions may have ruined the spectacle at Trentham yesterday but nothing could detract from the winning performance of Barside in the $85,000 Wellington Guineas.

Barside showed plenty of determination and stamina ploughing through the heavy 11 track conditions to post a clearcut victory in the Group Two New Zealand Bloodstock-sponsored event.

The son of Tobougg is a proven heavy track performer and relished the conditions when many of his rivals were waving the white flag. He beat Elusive Tracy by 3 lengths. A further three-quarters of a length away third was the pace setting Anotherchancetaken.

Anotherchancetaken's run was full of merit considering jockey Robert Hannam had to deal with a slipped saddle and had no option but to allow the gelding to lead.

"I rode this horse two starts ago to win at New Plymouth and he was all over the place coming up the straight but he's a nice, tough horse," said winning jockey Lisa Allpress.

"I was quite confident he would go a top race as he had good form on a heavy track but there were a few other horses with heavy track form as well."

Barside is trained at Cambridge by Trent Busuttin and has two wins and three minor placings from 10 starts.

She Rules ran her rivals into submission in the (Group Three) $70,000 Cuddle Stakes.

The daughter of Commands jumped straight to the front in the hands of Andrew Calder and was rated to perfection staying against the rail in the home stretch when clearing out.

Royal Flight got home solidly out wide to snatch second off Lady Chaparral who tracked the winner throughout.

Cambridge-based trainer Brett McDonald had the 5-year-old well forward in condition.

"She tried hard all the time and deserves a black type victory," said McDonald.

Queen of Pop delivered a devastating home stretch sprint to defeat the pace- making Eight Schillings in a strong Rating 70 field at Ellerslie yesterday.

The daughter of Pins was given a dream sit close to the speed and lengthened stride impressively late to reel in Eight Schillings and win by a head. A further short neck away third was the eye-catching debut runner, St Beune.

Queen Of Pop has been a promising performer for Ruakaka-based trainers Donna, Dean Logan and Chris Gibbs with two wins from four starts.

St Beune, a maiden in Rating 70 3-year-old company, raced greenly and had to make up a huge amount of ground in the home stretch coming from well off the speed to finish third.

Le Molloy kick-started his training career in colourful circumstances when Celeris overcame 57kg and a wide barrier 13 draw to score a narrow victory.

The 5-year-old was having her first start in 10 months but was presented in faultless physical condition by Molloy who trains at Byerley Park, Pukekohe.

Veteran jockey Grant Cooksley worked the favourite forward quickly from a wide barrier draw and sealed the victory with a blistering closing 600m sprint off the front in 34.54s to win by a head over the fast closing Her Royal Highness with a further nose back to Major Rio (third).