Dijon Bleu wins 2017 Hawkes Bay Breeders Gold Trail Group 3 NZ $70,000 at Hastings (NZ), 1200m.
An impressive win by Dijon Bleu, making it back-to-back stakes wins, racing clear over the final 100m to secure win three from six starts. She broke from barrier three to settle midfield yet found herself three wide starting the bend.
Rider Vinnie Colgan edged her closer (wide) approaching the last corner but was three or four lengths adrift when they straightened. A shake plus a couple of slaps at the 250m and she bounded up to them, claimed the lead at the 150m then came away to win easily and well by a length and three-quarters.
Florence Jean camped outside the leader to the last corner, co-led when they straightened, led at the 200m but could not hold out the winner yet fought well for second from Princess Rihanna, finally gaining black type after four successive fourths in stakes races, who was well back and wide entering the straight and finished very well to grab third.
Astor led them to the straight, co-led at the 200m and fought on well enough for fourth.
