Guineas Plan for Highly Recommended Filly

Media Release - Thursday Sep 21
A daughter of emerging Fastnet Rock sire Highly Recommended, Greenpark Gem will be a force to be reckoned with next year, but she might still rise to a more immediate Group One challenge.

The talented filly remains in the mix for November's gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas, a race her trainers Mandy and Matt Brown claimed last year with La Diosa.

The latter also won the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes prior to her classic success and on Saturday trainers Mandy and Matt Brown are hoping for a repeat from Greenpark Gem.

"She's a big filly, 16.1 hands, so she's got a frame to fill out and she's probably going to be better in the autumn, but we'll keep her ticking along," Mandy Brown said.

"You only get one chance at the Guineas and it's on our doorstep so we're hopeful she can make it.

"She's always showed us a lot of ability, but she still has a way to go regarding her racing manners."

Highly RecommendedGreenpark Gem was a trial winner before she made a successful debut at Riccarton earlier this month.

"She was quite green in her trial and we honestly thought she would need the race day experience, although ability-wise we knew she could win," Browne said.

"I wish I had more by Highly Recommended in the stable, she's a gorgeous filly with a very kind nature, but she is aggressive in her work.

"If she runs well on Saturday she will head to Ashburton next," Brown said, referring to the Listed John Griggs Stakes (1400m) on October 21. – NZ Racing Desk.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Remembering Sunline – The Queen of the Cox Plate Before Winx
From our vantage point in 2026, we can look back at modern Cox Plate history and marvel at how quickly the years are passing.
Darley Announce 2027 European Fees -Night of Thunder Soars to €450,000
It will be Dubawi central at Darley in 2027 with the legendary 24YO sire priced at £350,000, but the roster is topped by his champion son Night of Thunder at €450,000 and there are three more G1 winning sons or grand-sons of Dubawi also added to a power packed roster.
Southern Highlands Thoroughbred Week is Out of the Gate!
Celebrating 140 years of racing and thoroughbred culture, Southern Highlands Thoroughbred Week presented by GROW Southern Highlands will span three weekends, from 19th November to 6th December.
Frankel Heads Juddmonte Euro Roster at £350,000
Fresh from siring outstanding young stayer Point of Law (GB) to win the $10m Group I VRC Melbourne Cup, champion sire Frankel will again top the roster at Banstead Manor Stud for Juddmonte.
Racing Industry Mourns Much Loved Izzy Neale
The thoroughbred racing industry is devastated tonight following news that apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, aged 22, has tragically died as the result of a race fall at Warren on Sunday.
2027 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1881 entries for the 2027 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 10
Here is the full list of 16 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Haras d'Etreham Set Fee for Hotazhell
Triple Group I winner Hotazhell will begin his stallion career at Haras d'Etreham in France at a fee of €15,000 next year before then shuttling to Widden Stud in Australia.
G1 Aussie Pedigree Watch –Newly Minted
Pedigree does matter if you want to be winning races longer than 1200m, although in an interesting twist a colt bred on face value for speed is in fact from the family of Zabeel.
Unraced First Season Sires Trial Report
It’s been a pretty steady start to spring in terms of 2YO races and we are still waiting to see a first season sire post a winner, but there has been action aplenty at the trials which would indicate the pre-Christmas period is set to ignite.