Written by Paul Vettise
Two mares significantly increased their future breeding values with victories at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
Bisou Bisou (Shaft) added the G2 Dunstan Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ S., to her record while Igraine (GER) (Galileo {IRE}) was a gallant winner of the G3 Ssangyong Counties Cup.
Formerly trained by Kevin Myers, Bisou Bisou was relocated to Tiley’s stable by her breeders and owners John and Di Bowbyes for increased black type opportunities. She is out of Fraise (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), who is a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner and producer Testa Rossa (Perugino {USA}).
Change welcomed
The 7-year-old has warmed to the change and won on debut for Tiley at Ellerslie earlier this month before claiming the Breeders’ S.
“She was racing down the West Coast, Marlborough and places like that but she has settled in so well up here,” he said.
“She’s a brave little girl and the idea was to come up here to try and get some black-type.
“I was hoping, as I wasn’t confident, but I was certainly hoping.” – Nigel Tiley.
“I was hoping, as I wasn’t confident, but I was certainly hoping.”
Bisou Bisou settled at the back of the field and rider Andrew Calder pinched runs near the rail and finished well between runners to down the favourite Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge), who was forced to race wide without cover.
“What I liked about the ride was that he didn’t come out and try and go around them,” said Tiley, a former Group 1 winning jockey.
“He balanced her up and came through them. The gaps came and she did the rest.” – Nigel Tiley.
“He balanced her up and came through them. The gaps came and she did the rest.
The Robert Priscott-trained Igraine was one of two Northern Hemisphere mares sourced for Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor by international bloodstock agent Paul Moroney.
“It’s a fantastic result and we’re so proud of her,” Cherry Taylor said. “Robert and his team have done a great job and thanks to Paul for buying her.
“He selected a few and we looked at the videos and she was the one we liked.” – Cherry Taylor.
“He selected a few and we looked at the videos and she was the one we liked.”
They also purchased L’Acclamation (GB) (Acclamation), who was retired after two New Zealand runs and has been served by Fastnet Rock.
“This one’s not going to stud, she’ll race on for another year,” Taylor said. “The Waikato Cup will be her next run.”
The winner of four of her six starts from Priscott’s stable, Igraine is a half-sister to the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern winner Ito (GER) (Alderflug {GER}) with their dam Iota (GER) (Tiger Hill {IRE}) won the G1 Grosser Preis de Diana.
