Stakes Goals for Zousain Winner

Stakes targets are in the offing for promising juvenile The Victress following her debut win in the Lindsay Goudie & Brian Hare Memorial 1000 at Te Aroha on Wednesday.

Backed into $1.20 favouritism, The Victress began well for jockey Opie Bosson to take an early front-running role and the pair didn’t relinquish their advantage, holding out a fast-finishing Elegant Jazz to win by half a length.

“It was a lovely ride by Opie, taking bad luck out of the equation, he controlled the speed, and she’ll improve with that,” said Mark Walker, who trains the filly in partnership with Sam Bergerson.

“She’s got a really good constitution and great brain on her.”

The Victress won her only trial in August over 650m at Te Rapa and her trainers were pleased to make a winning start to her career on Wednesday after an interrupted spring campaign.

“We had a bit of a setback with her in the spring, after she’d won the trial, and providing she pulls up well we’ll look at the Wellesley Stakes,” Walker said.

Te Akau have a strong recent history in the Listed IRT Wellesley Stakes (1000m), having won the 2021 and 2022 editions with Quattro Quinta and Hanalei respectively.

They will be hoping to make it three wins in four years when they head to Trentham on Saturday-week with The Victress, who was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $250,000.