KEY POINTS:
Crossyourheart showed no respect or mercy for her rivals when overpowering and outsprinting a quality field of 2-year-olds to win the $500,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Classique at Te Rapa yesterday.
The 1200m event was expected to be dominated by the brilliant John Wheeler-trained The Pooka, a last-start winner of the Wakefield Stakes at Trentham, but the colt must have left his best efforts there.
As hard as The Pooka tried, he couldn't catch Crossyourheart who toyed with her rivals and led throughout. Crossyourheart's jockey Leith Innes knew he had the horse to beat, The Pooka, sitting outside him.
Innes also knew 200m out from the finish that he had the race won as The Pooka was struggling to stay in contact with Crossyourheart, eased down at the finish to win by 4 1/2 lengths.
The Pooka stuck on gallantly to finish second, 1 1/2 lengths clear of Seppelt.
Crossyourheart is unbeaten in four starts from the Pukekohe Park stable of Richard Collett and Shane Hapeta.
"I said yesterday privately that we could win by three lengths," said Collett. "I didn't think she was going to lead but she jumped so well that I was happy to see her there."
They will now set the flying filly for the (Group Two) Matamata Breeders' Stakes. The Diamond Stakes (Group One) at Ellerslie next month is also a likely target.
Owner Gerald Shand paid $210,000 for the filly at last year's Premier Sale at Karaka. The filly was nominated for the Golden Slipper in Sydney but Shand did not make the second sustaining payment for the race.
Shand would have to make a hefty late payment if he wants the filly in the world's richest 2-year-old event.
Blimey O'Reilly dictated terms and the opposition suffered the consequences in the Waikato Guineas.
The 3-year-old was rated to perfection by Gavin McKeon and clinched victory with a blistering closing 600m sprint that gave nothing else a chance.
Blimey O'Reilly had plenty of chasers down the home stretch but showed plenty of fight to score by three-quarters of a length over Fantastic Dancer with a further 1 1/4 lengths back to Mettre En Jeu (third).
Punters were dealt a killer blow as Blimey O'Reilly was a 34-1 shot and the quinella combined with fellow long shot Fantastic Dancer paid a massive $568.40.
The sit-sprint style of the race gave runners beyond the middle of the field no realistic winning chance.
The favourite Stolen Thunder was one victim as he settled at the rear of the field and made up plenty of ground to finish ninth, five lengths from the winner.
Blimey O'Reilly broke maiden ranks in his last start at Gisborne and despite the jump in class and distance, handled the assignment well.
The victory should clinch the gelding a likely starting berth in next month's $700,000 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
Blimey O'Reilly was a $50,000 purchase by a Macau-based syndicate of trainer Joe Lau, journalist Laurence Wadey and New Zealand-born racecaller Bruce Sherwin.
Another leading NZ Derby prospect, Brut Force, suffered a similar shock defeat in the final event when placed 11th behind 20-1 shot Ististar.
Brut Force settled back against the rail and suffered a bad check midway down the home stretch when working into clear racing room and was not knocked about by jockey Opie Bosson.
