Signify Shocks Favorites in Telegraph

Apprentice jockey Racha Cuneen booted home 45-1 longshot Signify (NZ) to with by the smallest of margins over last out G1 Sistema Railway winner Start Wondering (NZ) in the NZ$250,000 G1 Telegraph H. at Trentham Saturday. It was the apprentice's second top flight victory after booting home La Diosa (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas earlier in the season.
“It's amazing and I'm very grateful to have the opportunity, I'm glad I got the job done,” Cuneen, who is apprenticed to Neill Ridley, told www.nzracing.co.nz. “I was travelling really well and I waited as long as I could and then asked the horse to go and he got there.”
Signify raced five deep while a tad eager behind second choice Start Wondering as 2016 Telegraph hero Adventador (NZ) (Fast 'N' Famous {Aus}) made the running while shadowed by Passing Shot (NZ) (Swiss Ace {Aus}). Adventador still held the advantage with 400 metres remaining, but Start Wondering was beginning to let down to his outside and farther back Racha Cuneen grew animated on a willing Signify. On the line, Signify nipped Start Wondering by a nose, with favorite Perfect Fit (NZ) a half-length behind in third. The first nine past the wire were covered by a mere three lengths. First Serve (NZ) (Swiss Ace {Aus}) went amiss on the back straight and was euthanised.
“Racha rode him when he ran second at Wingatui on Boxing Day and I told him that I had nominated the horse for the Telegraphy,” Cowan, whose wife Tracey owns Signify, told www.nzracing.co.nz. He said you've got to run him and after Racha ran second in the Telegraph on Miss Seton Sands last year he had a good feel and knowledge around the race.”
Signify started the season with a fourth in a handicap going this trip at Ashburton Oct. 15, but endured traffic trouble aplenty in the Listed Pegasus H. going 1000 metres and trailed in 10th Nov. 5. An encouraging second in the G3 Lindauer Stewards S. at Riccarton Park Nov. 9, the dark bay ran out of steam after briefly leading in another handicap stepped up to 1400 metres and reported home fifth Nov. 27. He was most recently the bridesmaid in the Listed Mosgiel S. at Wingatui Dec. 26.

Pedigree Notes…
The first foal out of the unraced Pica Pica (NZ), herself by American expat Stravinsky, Signify is a half-brother to G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce S. bridesmaid Sicario (NZ) (Bullsbars {Aus}), who sold for NZ$20,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale. Pica Pica did not produce a foal the year after Sicario, but has a yearling by Darley shuttler Helmet (Aus).

Saturday, Trentham, New Zealand
TELEGRAPH H.-G1, NZ$250,000 (US$179,175/£144,776/€167,564), WRC, 1-21, Open Set Weight, 1200mT, 1:07.71, Dead.
1–#@&SIGNIFY, 55.0, g, 5, by Perfectly Ready (AUS)
1st Dam: Pica Pica, by Stravinsky (USA)
2nd Dam : Magpies (AUS), by Bluebird (USA)
3rd Dam: Dreamtime Girl (AUS), by Lunchtime (GB)
(NZ$5,500 2YO 2013 NZB South Island 2YO & Mixed Sale)
O-Mrs T L Cowan; B-Llanhennock Trust, Waikato, NZ; T-A M
Cowan; J-R Cuneen; NZ$146,876. Lifetime Record: 30-8-8-1,
NZ$302,311. *1/2 to Sicario (NZ) (Bullbars {Aus}), G1SP-NZ.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: F.
2–Start Wondering, 58.0, g, 6, Eighth Wonder–Roseanbar, by Al
Akbar (AUS) . O-Mrs J M & S B Gudsell; B-I G Hadfield, Central,
NZ; T-E & J Rayner; J-J Parkes; NZ$47,000.
3–Perfect Fit, 56.0, m, 5, Elusive City (USA) –Fayreform, by
Tights (USA) . O-Haunui Bloodstock Ltd, M Duncan, The
Provincial Club Ltd, G H Madill & J Orton; B-Haunui Bloodstock
Ltd, Auckland, NZ; T-K & B Kelso; J-M T Coleman; NZ$23,500.
Margins: 0.1 len, 0.6 len, 1.1 len. Odds: 45.00, 4.80, 3.90.
Also Ran: Lady Zafira, Reilly Lincoln, Mighty Solomon, Brighton, Slice of Class, Speech Craft (Aus), Adventador, Passing Shot, Luna Rossa, Odyssey Moon (Aus), Longchamp, Miss Appleton, Statham, No More Tears, First Serve.
Click for the Racing Post result, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. NZ Racing Video.