Residential leads all the way at Riccarton

Consistent mare Residential scored her biggest career victory when she led all the way to take out the Gr.3 Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

Raced in the familiar colours of her breeder and co-owner, Waikato Stud, the Pins five-year-old gave her rivals a galloping lesson as she set up a consistent speed out in front before defying them to run her down.

Visiting rider Robbie Hannam had her humming along sweetly and despite being challenged hard by Zabay and race favourite Contessa Vanessa, Residential wouldn’t surrender as she went to the line half a length to the good of her pursuers.

Co-trainer Karen Parsons, who prepares the mare with husband John, was delighted with the win although admitting that Hannam hadn’t followed her pre-race instructions.

“It was super,” she said.

“He pulled it off and the Waikato Stud will be very pleased.”

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick paid tribute to ability of the mare’s trainers to keep her competitive at the top level throughout her career.

“John and Karen have done a wonderful job with her and I’m just as pleased for them as I am for her syndicate of owners to get the win today,” he said.

“She’s just a good tough racemare who always gives her best and I think she deserved that one after being thereabouts all season.

“She comes from a really good family and once again there was old Pins reminding us just what a good stallion he was over his long career at Waikato Stud.”

Residential is the daughter of stakes-placed Elusive City mare, Metropolitan, and is descended from a family that includes Gr.1 Railway Handicap winner Silver Liner, the dam of 1984-85 South African champion three-year-old filly, Petrava.

She becomes the eighth individual stakes winner for her sire Pins in the 2018-19 season.

Successful three times at Listed level during her three-year-old campaign, Residential has now won nine of her 36 starts and over $250,000 in prizemoney.