Outstanding three-year-old Warwoven prompted elite level celebrations at Cambridge Stud after the colt demolished a top-class field of age group rivals at Rosehill.

Stallion dreams were realised when he credited our resident sire Sword Of State with his first Group 1 winner following his victory romp in the Golden Rose over 1400 metres at Rosehill.

It was a sublime performance that fuelled trainer Bjorn Baker’s desire to chase top targets further afield with his stable star.

"He’s so good-looking and fast, he’s so special and it was an awesome performance,” he said.

“He's a serious horse and we are looking at the Caulfield Guineas, even the Cox Plate.

“His mother was very good at 2000 metres and he relaxed beautifully but one step at a time. It is an amazing game, racing. It is the best game in the world, and I don't say that lightly."

Warwoven was sourced by Baker’s great friend and bloodstock agent Jim Clarke at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he was offered by breeder Kia Ora Stud and knocked down for A$380,000.

He is the first foal of the Makfi mare Needle And Thread, who won the G2 Royal Stakes and placed at Group 2 level in the Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic and Eight Carat Classic and G3 Sunline Vase.

Now the winner of five of his eight starts, Warwoven settled three back on the fence and once into the clear, he exploded clear to win easing down by three lengths.

"He was dominant, he's very good, we know he's very good, and it was just very satisfying for him to go out there and do that,” regular rider Rachel King said.

“There was enough tempo on, there was enough pressure and he just put his head down and relaxed and was beautiful in the run.

"We know he's got an awesome turn of foot, and I was desperate to get him up over this kind of distance and probably even further. He's proven that he's the real deal."

‍

Resident sire Almanzor enjoyed a memorable weekend both on and off the track.

The internationally successful sire son of Wootton Bassett was a major player at Ellerslie where his daughters Pounce and Asturia played starring roles while his son First Five was honoured at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards.

The David Greene-trained First Five was named Champion Sprinter-miler courtesy of his Group 1 victories in the Telegraph and the BCD Group Sprint.

Homebred Pounce drew attention to her future prospects of higher honours when the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepared filly trounced her rivals in the G3 Sunline Vase in the hands of champion jockey Craig Grylls.

She was sold through our draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale with Wexford Stables signing the ticket at $110,000 for the first foal of Caminata.

“As time has gone by, we’ve learned what works best for Almanzor and he loves mares with Danehill and Zabeel in the pedigrees especially,” said Cambridge Stud’s Head of Sales and Nominations Scott Calder.

“Pounce is out of a Darci Brahma mare who combines both of those bloodlines so it’s nice when a plan comes together.”

Te Akau Racing’s Asturia impressively beat a competitive age group line-up over 1400 metres on debut for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson with Grylls also in the saddle.

“This crop of just turned three-year-olds is from the first year Almanzor stood at the increased fee of $50,000 off the back of the early results he had,” Calder said.

“We were always hoping it would be a crop that showed a lot of promise and Pounce now looks among the best spring three-year-olds and Asturia is also a filly that looks well up to gaining black type.”

‍

Hello Liz successfully carried her trial form over to race day at Illawara Grange where she made a dream start to her career.

Trained for us by Annabel and Rob Archibald, the three-year-old daughter of Hello Youmzain had scored in her heat at Rosehill last month before delivering at the first time of asking over 1200 metres.

The three-year-old was quickly into stride to settle in fourth spot away from the rail and was a willing partner in the run home for rider Kerrin McEvoy to score in a driving finish.

We purchased Hello Liz from breeder Liz Pollard through Landsdowne Park’s draft for $150,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.

She is the first winner for the Listed Tauranga Classic winner Queens Rose, a daughter of O’Reilly and Group 3 winner Rosetti Bay who also produced the multiple stakes winner Perfect World.

Queens Rose produced a brother to Hello Liz last season.