Our shuttle stallion Almanzor played a starring role at Taupo with a winning double delivered by a pair of homebreds.Geriatrix took advantage of a drop back in class for a confidence-boosting victory while Bellezor impressively broke her maiden off a lengthy break in the previous event.Trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Geriatrix finished powerfully from well back in the field for rider Kozzi Asano to win over 1400 metres and his second success on the course.In a driving finish, the colt got in the deciding stride to beat the Stephen Marsh-prepared Arrowette, a Zoustar mare we also bred and race.Geriatrix had finished fourth in the G3 Wellington Stakes three runs back in November before he was out of the picture in the Karaka Millions, but Scott said he had his excuses.“He didn’t handle the ground there at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night. He had been away from the races for a fair while too,” he said.We sold Geriatrix at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka with agent Bruce Perry signing the ticket at $675,000.He is a son of the Showcasing mare Its Our Showtime, who is a half-sister to the G1 Railway Stakes winner Inspirational Girl and the family of Group winners Demonetization, Midnight Styling, Zingaling and Midnight Blue.Congratulations also go to trainer Paul Richards, who produced Bellezor for a stylish first-up victory over 1400 metres.The four-year-old’s only previous appearance was an unplaced one of the course 11 months ago, but was paraded in forward condition off a trial placing.She settled third last before improving 700 metres from home to corner four wide and then showed sharp acceleration under Matthew Cameron to overpower her rivals.We offered Bellezor via the Gavelhouse platform and she was purchased for $14,500 by part-owner Richards, who races the mare with Group One Developments.A half-sister to the multiple Singapore stakes winner Mr Clint, Bellezor is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Victoria Belle who is a granddaughter of the dual Group One winner Foxwood.We sold Victoria Belle’s colt by Hello Youmzain to Victorian trainer Nigel Blackiston for $200,000 at Karaka last month.

Jockey Ethan Brown has predicted a bright staying future for our homebred Two Questions, who responded in the affirmative at Bendigo.Trained by Ciaron Maher, the lightly raced four-year-old had finished runner-up at Moe last month and went one better over 2400 metres in commanding fashion.Two Questions was caught wide from an outside gate before settling in second spot and, after taking control at the top of the straight, surged clear for a dominant victory after minor placings in four of his previous five appearances.“The bigger track and genuine tempo suited him and I had the luxury of riding him a lot closer,” Brown said.“I was a bit worried about hitting the front too soon, but he was strong through the line and very genuine.“He can definitely go through his grades and I look forward to sticking with him.”Two Questions is by the late Tavistock out of the German-bred mare Nessun Dorma, a daughter of dual elite level winner Lawman and a half-sister to the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly winner and multiple stakes performer Now We Can.He was purchased by Maher for A$240,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where he was offered on our behalf by Maluka Thoroughbreds.We sold Nessun Dorma’s colt by So You Think to Danny O’Brien at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$350,000. She produced a filly by Armory last season and is in foal to Embellish.

Stable confidence in Almanzor’s daughter Dawla wasn’t misplaced at Newcastle.Trained by Brad Widdup, the four-year-old had been a resuming winner at Wyong last month and she was expected to produce another bold showing over 1200 metres.Our homebred mare drifted to the back of a small field before she was angled into the clear by apprentice Zac Waddick 350 metres from home and lengthened stride effortlessly to come over the top of her rivals.“She had trained on very well and we asked Zac to ride her quietly,” stable representative Andre Rabbett said.“She’s best left to her own devices early and can then really finish off.”Now the winner of three of her 11 starts, Dawla was purchased out of our 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft for $70,000 by bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo and Honeycomb Bloodstock.She is out of the unraced Lucky Unicorn mare Satisfact, who is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1-winning siblings St Reims and Champagne, and the family of the two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year and multiple top-flight winner Bonneval.