It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
Bella Waters produced a career best performance in the G2 Tauranga Stakes to add to her burgeoning record.
The five-year-old has made rapid and impressive progress under the guidance of Moira and Kieran Murdoch to double her winning tally at black type level and set up a possible crack at the G1 Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day.
Our homebred and raced daughter of the late Sacred Falls was a big mover last season when she went from her maiden success to victory in the Listed Rotorua Cup in one preparation.
Bella Waters was then spelled and finished midfield when resuming last month over 1300 metres before a stellar performance to score over1600 metres in the Tauranga weight-for-age feature.“I thought she was a little bit unlucky first-up and we were worried about the track this time, but it turned out to be good for her, she really has come of age,” Moira Murdoch said.
Bella Waters settled back in the running before edging closer near the turn and she thundered home down the outside in the hands of regular rider Warre Kennedy to account for a competitive line-up.
She is a daughter of our Irish-bred Pivotal mare But Beautiful, who was successful on three occasions and is also the dam of the G2Autumn Classic winner Immediacy.
But Beautiful is a half-sister to the European stakes winners Ayrad and Dawn Of Hope and their second dam Fire The Groom was successful in the G1 Arlington Park Beverley D Stakes.
She is the mother of the dual Group 1 winner Stravinsky, sire of six top-flight winners during his successful tenure at Cambridge Stud.
We sold Bella Waters’ half-sister by Hello Youmzain to Busuttin Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock at Karaka this year for $240,000 and But Beautiful is due to foal to Embellish.
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.
The progeny of our resident sire Almanzor were keenly sought-after during New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.
An array of leading New Zealand, Australian and Asian buyers successfully chased down his two-year-olds with his highest-priced offering to cross the Tasman after he was knocked down for $325,000.
Trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald and Blandford Bloodstock signed the ticket for Lot 76, who was offered by KB Bloodstock.
The colt is a son of the G3 Lowland Stakes winner and G1 New Zealand Oaks runner-up Miss Selby, dam of the juvenile winner and G2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes runner-up Lowe Flying.
The pedigree also features the former top mare Viadana, successful at Group 1 level in the Easter Handicap and New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
Te Akau chief David Ellis was taken by a well-credentialled Almanzor filly and he went to $150,000 for Lot 170.
Offered by Woburn Farm, she is a sister to the multiple winner Mary Shan, who finished runner-up at Group 2 level in both the Eight Carat Classic and Soliloquy Stakes.
