Quality mare staying put

Group One-winning mare Pondarosa Miss is off the market and she has a date with a leading New Zealand stallion in the spring.

The daughter of High Chaparral was offered for sale at a recent online auction, but she failed to reach her reserve and co-breeder and part-owner Darryl Hollinshead said they would be retaining the mare for a stud career.

“We’ve got an offer on table now, but a friend of mine is going to take a quarter share in her so she’s definitely retired and we’ll keep her for breeding – she’ll be going to Tavistock, it’s a good result all round.”

Trained by Hollinshead’s father Peter, Pondarosa Miss won six races including a defeat of Vespa and Kawi in the Gr.1 Easter Handicap and she also finished third in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup.

Her brother Ecuador is also an Australian Listed winner and Group One placegetter while the Darryl Hollinshead-trained half-sister Moderation has an opportunity to add another victory to the family roll of honour on her home track on Sunday.

The Mastercraftsman four-year-old will run in the Te Awamutu Tyre Centre 1050 following placings at Tauranga and Matamata before she was out of the money at Te Rapa last month.

“She had a lung infection, but she’s all clear now and I’m very happy with her,” Hollinshead said.

“The mare Bak Da Princess also had a Rip Van Winkle filly that was bought by Gai Waterhouse and she won a trial before she broke a leg, but she has been saved for a stud career.

“Te Akau have got the next Rip Van Winkle filly and she’s also won a trial and I’ve got a beautiful young Mastercraftsman colt.”