Visiting Australian jockey Jake Bayliss celebrated his biggest career win when he drove Volpe Veloce to victory in the Gr. 1 Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie.
Bayliss has created plenty of attention with his immediate success since arriving in New Zealand on a short-term contract for the summer.
The Victorian based jockey has made no secret of his desire to ride his first Group One winner and he achieved the feat in style on New Year's Day with a copybook performance on the four-year-old Foxwedge mare.
Although the race had been depleted by several late scratchings due to the downgrade in track conditions, the battle for the early lead was keenly fought as the well fancied Melody Belle and Fully Funded vied for the pacemaking role. Despite jumping well Bayliss soon found himself near the rear on Volpe Veloce as runners jostled to find a position of advantage.
Bayliss bided his time and set the mare alight approaching the home corner where last year's winner, Start Wondering, had taken control. Searching for better ground out wide, Volpe Veloce headed out after Start Wondering who was fighting on strongly at the 200m mark.