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Mehzebeen completed a major staying double at Riccarton in outstanding style with a commanding victory in the G3 New Zealand Cup.

The five-year-old’s southern exploits also further emphasized what a source of high-quality distance performers our resident sire Almanzor continues to produce.

The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Mehzebeen had been a dominant frontrunning winner on the first day of the Listed Metropolitan Trophy and she backed up waltz home in the Cup.

“It was a great ride by Craig (Grylls) to get one out and one back, she went to sleep and was strong through the line,” Bergerson said.

This is a massive thrill, it’s one of the iconic races in New Zealand racing, so it means a lot to have our names on the trophy.

“Thanks to all of our team, both at Matamata and down here. The start of her prep didn’t quite go to plan, but she’s just improved and improved.

“That win last week gave us the confidence to press on. She’s absolutely thrived and bounced through the run on the first day and then she came out and was really strong through the line.

“There are plenty of nice Cup races coming up, both here and in Australia.”

Mehzebeen lobbed along in fourth spot away from the fence before making her run wide out near the turn under jockey Craig Grylls.

The mare strode to the front and was far too strong in the run to the line to have three lengths on her nearest rival at the post.

“The plan was to get a bit of cover, and we managed to do that quite quickly,” Grylls said.

“She just travelled so well throughout. Coming up to the turn I thought that all she would have to do to get them all off the bridle would be to just quicken up a little bit, and she did that. She won easily in the end.”

The Pencarrow Stud-bred Mehzebeen has now five races and also finished runner-up in the G1 New Zealand Oaks during her classic season.

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Our Magic Millions and New Zealand Bloodstock yearlings have started their sales preparation and our yearling team are working hard as they continue the education of our class of 2025.

El Castello crowned his unbeaten start to his three-year-old season with a sublime victory in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes.The Cambridge Stud-bred three-year-old posted a resuming maiden success last month before a midway win and then stepped up to black type company to land top honours in the G3 Gloaming Stakes.The son of Castelvecchio had no trouble bridging the gap to the highest level in the 2000 metre age group feature at Randwick in the hands of regular rider Josh Parr.“He’s just a very good horse and the preparation went perfectly, everything worked out and I still think he improves again,” trainer Anthony Cummings said.El Castello was quickly into stride to lope along near the pace and held a strong gallop to the post after striking the front 250 metres from home.“He switched off in the middle stages and he’s always up for the challenge,” said Cummings, who is now considering a tilt at the G1 VRC Derby.“We’ve got to get him home and make sure that he’s okay and tick a fair few boxes before we do that, but that is the plan.” The Randwick horseman purchased El Castello out of our draft at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$220,000 with his dam the Fastnet Rock mare Word Games.She is a half-sister to Fiveandahalfstar, who Cummings prepared to claim top-flight titles in the BMW Stakes and the VRC Derby and also trained his sire Hotel Grand to win the Spring Champion and the G1 Randwick Guineas.Word Games produced a half-sister by Almanzor to El Castello last season and recently produced another filly by our son of Wootton Bassett before visiting Chaldean.

Seindeel was confidently tipped to break his maiden at Seymour and the three-year-old son of Dundeel had no trouble living up to expectations.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained representative had finished an encouraging fourth on debut at Moe earlier this month and the step up to 1300 metres allowed him to show his true colours.

Indeed, itwas our silks that were carried to victory by rider Daniel Moor who gave thefavourite Seindeel a perfect ride from an inside barrier.

“He’s ahorse who’s got a lot of ability and he just over-raced in his first start, so we put the cross-over nose band on,” stable representative Matt Rupe said.

“We wantedto be more positive this time, he doesn’t like being in among horses.

“It was good to get the maiden out of the way, we’ll see how he comes through the race as to whether we tip him out or give him one more.”

Seindeel jumped well to settle in third spot away from the fence before surging to the front200 metres from home to have the race in the bag.

“They have done an amazing job with him, he didn’t really handle the occasion that well at Moe so to come here and win was great,” Moor said.

“He’s a talented horse and he’ll improve significantly.”

Seindeel was purchased out of breeder Inglewood Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $150,000 by Anthony Freedman Racing and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock.

We are involved in the ownership group which also includes Inglewood’s Gus and Bianca Wigley, Freedman and partners.

He is out of the Domesday mare Giggly, a half-sister to Group winners Crack Me Up and Hoofit.

High-class mare Snazzytavi was in a league of her own at Te Rapa where she added the G2 Cal Isuzu Stakes to her record in effortless fashion.

Our five-year-old daughter of the late Tavistock couldn’t have been more impressive in her return, cantering to victory to emphasise she is in prime order for our sponsored G1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Off the back of a Taupo trial win, trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall had Snazzytavi in tip-top condition in her first appearance since a runaway victory in the G1 Livamol Classic to close out her spring campaign.

“I was very happy with the way she looked, she’s got a lot more condition on her this time around,” Richardson said.

“They walked early and she still settled, which was most important, she’s athletic with an amazing stride and she’s tough.

“I’m over the moon for the horse and connections, I’d love to win the Zabeel Classic for the owners.”

Snazzytavi drifted to second last in the running before regular rider Warren Kennedy angled her wide at the top of the straight.

The mare needed minimal persuasion to lengthen stride and quickly put paid to her rivals, allowing Kennedy the luxury of a look either side in the closing stages.

They coasted home by two lengths to remain unbeaten in five appearances on the course and we were also upbeat with Bella Waters’ gallant run for fourth off the back of her win in last month’s G2 Tauranga Stakes.

“She’s something special and has really stepped up,” Kennedy said.

“She settled beautifully on a muddling pace, she was always cruising and did it easily. I gave her one and it was game over, she smashed them so it’s all systems go going forward.”

Snazzytavi was bred by Gordon Cunningham under his Suncroft Bloodstock banner, and we purchased her privately out of the trials.

She is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Ritzy Lady, who won six races including the Listed New Zealand St Leger and finished runner-up in the G2 Counties Cup.

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Promising stayer Phats capped off a consistent run of form with a stout victory at Trentham with a return trip next month for a bigger prize on his program.

The four-year-old son of Embellish appreciated the step up to 2100 metres and the Chrissy Bambry-trained representative finished strongly for the second win of his career.

The Foxton-based horsewoman is now keen on a crack at the $350,000 Remutaka Classic on January 18 for the gelding.

“He’s in the Remutaka now with the golden ticket, so he’ll probably go to the (Listed) Marton Cup two weeks before,” Bambry said.

Phats placed in both of his runs at Flemington and Caulfield during a two-start winter campaign across the Tasman before returning home for a break.

He turned in three solid performances over 1600 metres before stepping up to a middle distance at Trentham where he finished powerfully from midfield to score in the hands of Masa Hashizume.

Bred by Bambry’s father Tony and raced by the family with Luca and Simon Luoni, Phats is a son of the City On A Hill mare Blueberry Hill, whose sister is the dam of Listed Wanganui Guineas-winning half-siblings Lord Turbo and Alcaldesa.

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A change of environment has worked wonders for Power Of Three who produced a dominant performance to breakthrough at Tauranga.

Our daughter of Yes Yes Yes had three unplaced runs in Victoria for Tony and Calvin McEvoy before we decided to bring her home to join Cody Cole’s Matamata stable and the filly has thrived in her new quarters.

Power Of Three was a trial winner before she gave a strong account in her New Zealand debut at Rotorua where she finished a gallant third.

“It was a super kick-off point, she didn’t have much form on the board in Australia, but I think that was maturity more than anything,” Cole said.

Improved with that run under her belt, he was confident of a bold showing at Tauranga and she did us all proud.

Power Of Three travelled well in second spot and was a willing partner in the straight for rider Craig Grylls for a comfortable maiden success.

We purchased the chestnut out of Coolmore’s draft at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$325,000.

She is the first foal of the English-bred Exceed And Excel mare Excellent Magic whose brother Folkswood won the G3 Dubai Millenium Stakes before relocating to Australia where he won the Listed Cranbourne Cup and ran third in the G1 Cox Plate.

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A change of environment has worked wonders for Power Of Three who produced a dominant performance to breakthrough at Tauranga.

Our daughter of Yes Yes Yes had three unplaced runs in Victoria for Tony and Calvin McEvoy before we decided to bring her home to join Cody Cole’s Matamata stable and the filly has thrived in her new quarters.

Power Of Three was a trial winner before she gave a strong account in her New Zealand debut at Rotorua where she finished a gallant third.

“It was a super kick-off point, she didn’t have much form on the board in Australia, but I think that was maturity more than anything,” Cole said.

Improved with that run under her belt, he was confident of a bold showing at Tauranga and she did us all proud.

Power Of Three travelled well in second spot and was a willing partner in the straight for rider Craig Grylls for a comfortable maiden success.

We purchased the chestnut out of Coolmore’s draft at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$325,000.

She is the first foal of the English-bred Exceed And Excel mare Excellent Magic whose brother Folkswood won the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes before relocating to Australia where he won the Listed Cranbourne Cup and ran third in the G1 Cox Plate.

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While About Time’s barrier manners remain a concern, there’s no doubting her staying talent.

Our homebred and raced daughter of American Pharoah was again fractious in the gates at Ellerslie before she got into her work and put paid to her Rating 75 rivals over 2100 metres.

“She doesn’t help herself and the starting gate guys have done a great job with her again,” trainer Lance Noble said. “She’s not easy, but she’s got a lot of ability.”

She was successful in the G2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes last season and there was a sense of timing about the mare with a rise in distance at Ellerslie.

“She’s had a couple of runs over 1600 metres and in her last one at Pukekohe was a bit dour so stepping up in trip suited her,” Noble said.

“She’s nominated for the Dunstan Stayers’ Final, so that’s looking likely now.”

About Time settled back of midfield on the rail before rider Warren Kennedy angled her away from the fence 500 metres from home and the four-year-old rounded off powerfully for the third win of her career.

“She’s done a great job and the 2100 metres was what she was looking for,” said Kennedy, who was fired out the back of the stalls before the race.

“Well done to the barrier boys, they handle her really well. She is getting better, believe it or not.”

About Time is a daughter of the Fastnet Rock mare Romantic Time who is a half-sister to the ill-fated G2 Silver Slipper Stakes winner Amelia’s Dream.

She has been an excellent producer with her son and multiple winner Young Werther a multiple Group 1 placegetter while daughter Romantic Lady was a stakes performer and Villaden has also won eight races.

Romantic Time has an unraced juvenile son of Savabeel Adoration and had an Almanzor colt last season before returning to our son of Wootton Bassett.

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