Grey Area gallops into Derby picture

Pierro’s son Grey Area showed sharp and pleasing improvement at Tauranga to run into Classic contention.

Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood stepped him up to 2100 metres following a midfield finish over a mile on debut and he produced a strong staying performance to account for older opposition.

We bred and race the three-year-old, who holds a nomination for the G1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 8.

“The mile and a-half will be no problem and third-up into the Derby won’t be either so if he makes the field we’ll roll the dice,” Wellwood said.

Grey Area bounced out well to make the running for Warren Kennedy and, after being hotly challenged early in the run home, rallied strongly to win by a length.

“He gave me a nice feel and is a gorgeous, long-striding horse,” Kennedy said.

“He’s running on raw ability and the further he goes the better, he’s a relentless galloper.”

His maiden victory maintained his dam Gracious Grey’s 100 percent record at stud with all three of the Redoute’s Choice mare’s foals to race successful including stakes performer Kind Words.

We sold Gracious Grey’s filly by Almanzor at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale to Kris Lees Racing and Bruce Perry Bloodstock for $100,000 and the mare is now win foal to Spirit Of Boom.