Taranaki mare Jennibegood continued a meteoric rise through the grades when she won the $30,000 Whyte Handicap (1600m) at Trentham.
The Jahafil mare only cleared maidens at Stratford on December 30 last year and was notching her fifth win from her last nine starts when she took out Saturday's listed stakes' race.
Jennibegood had won her previous two starts in modest company at Hawera and trainer Neil Bradley was just hoping she could run in the money to pick up some black type.
But she surpassed his expectations when she powered home down the outside fence to grab the honours by a long neck from the pacemaking Toffant with Anson Bay 2 1/2 lengths back third.
They shut out the favoured pair of Vee For Victory and Van Winkle, who were the next two home, with third favourite On Call a modest eighth.
Bradley, 69, said Jennibegood had just kept improving and he believes she will be better with another year on her. He is unsure of immediate plans but is inclined to give her a chance to freshen.
"She's been in work for 12 months and she might only have one or two more runs in the spring before going out," he said.
Bradley, who has been training for nearly 50 years, enjoyed one of his best moments at Trentham when the outstanding jumper Hi There won the Wellington Steeplechase in 1968.
He has had a number of top flat performers over the years including top filly Princess Dram, who won the 1984 Bayer Classic.
Black Dowie further delayed a jumping career when he scored an effortless win in the $30,000 Parliamentary Handicap (2200m).
Levin trainer Peter McKenzie has been able to revitalise the horse's flat form with two victories in six starts after he had been out of the winner's circle for nearly two years.
"I don't think I have done anything different," McKenzie said from Queensland yesterday.
"I just think the change of environment has helped him. We did buy him as a jumper but I hoped that there might be another flat race or two in him."
McKenzie is campaigning his talented stayer Jaybejay in Queensland and is hopeful of notching a notable double for the week when Jaybejay tackles the $A163,000 ($NZ205,886) Caloundra City Cup (2400m) at Caloundra on Thursday.
Black Dowie was ridden by leading rider Michael Walker, who conceded that he went too early on the horse when he finished third in the Winter Oats at Trentham the previous week.
'I thought he would be too good for them last week and I did go a bit early on him," Walker said.
"But he was a fitter horse today and he travelled well all the way. He was always going to win."
It's A Steal produced a game run for second in the hands of Robert Hannam, who had also ridden runner-up Toffant in the Whyte Handicap earlier in the day.
Trainer Norman Wood said It's A Steal would probably return to jumping at Otaki on July 28 and could head to Riccarton for the $20,000 Sydenham Hurdle (3200m) on August 4.
Oliverdance, having his first start in open company, battled well for third ahead of favourite Gypsy Moth and first day winner No Fibs.
- NZPA
Racing: Jennibegood much better than expected
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