Tough NZ-bred mares Zennista and Dame Claire raced to significant milestones on Saturday by picking up valuable black-type wins at Awapuni and Flemington.
The Lisa Latta trained Zennista (Zenno Rob Roy x Zarnitsa) was the first of the pair to secure her stakes victory when producing a big performance in the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m).
The four-year-old mare stalked her rivals coming into the straight and proved a class above as she raced clear on the outside in a powerful display to claim her deserved first stakes victory by three-and-a-quarter-lengths.
Running a brilliant second in the G1 New Zealand Oaks last season, Zennista has been racing in top form and came into the Listed contest after running second in the Listed Rotorua Stakes to Oak Park (More Than Ready) at her last start.
The breakthrough victory was jockey Darryl Bradley's 100th race win for trainer Lisa Latta. The mare will now be freshened for a possible tilt at the G3 Winter Cup at Riccarton.
Bred by John Berger, Zennista was offered by Oxford Thoroughbreds at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 Karaka Festival Sale and was purchased by Lisa Latta Racing Stables for $20,000 and has now won over $165,000 in stakes.
At Flemington the honest mare Dame Claire (Danehill Dancer x Lovely Actress) made it back-to-back victories in the $150,000 Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m).
Trained by Pat Carey, the four-year-old mare led the field throughout the demanding trip in the hands of jockey Craig Newitt and was five lengths clear at the 1200m. Maintaining her strong gallop into the straight, she proved too hardy for her rivals as she raced home to record a one-and-a-quarter-length victory.
Her fifth win from 24 starts, the race was her second attempt at black-type level and she came into the contest having won over 2800m at Flemington on May 5 beating the stakes winning Karaka graduate Almodovar (Pins).
Dame Claire was offered by Monovale Farm at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2009 Karaka Premier Sale and was purchased by Pat Carey for $30,000. She has now won just shy of $250,000 in stakes.
