By Heather Anderson
Start Wondering (NZ) earned his first Group 1 triumph in the 1200-meter NZ$200,000 G1 Sistema Railway, giving trainers Evan and his daughter JJ Rayner, their first win at the highest level on New Year's Day. Originally trained by JJ's cousin Paul Belsham, before a stint with Chris Waller across the Tasman, Start Wondering returned to the land of his birth and was sent to the Rayners, as Belsham had retired. He saluted by 1 1/4 lengths over last April's G1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' S. heroine Perfect Fit (NZ) with last out G3 Lindauer Stewards S. heroine Reilly Lincoln (NZ) the same distance back in third.
“Paul's my cousin and we're very close, said winning co-trainer JJ Rayner to nzracing.co.nz. “The owners gave him to Paul before sending him to Sydney with Chris Waller. He bled over there, so he came back, but Paul had retired, so he came to us. Paul did all the early work and he will be cheering at home. I can imagine Wanganui will be going off.”
The field was reduced by one at the off, with the gate scratch of G1SW Ryan Mark (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}) and Start Wondering broke well from gate five. The 4-1 shot secured an ideal tracking position in fourth with the speedy 3-1 favorite Snowdrop (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) to his immediate inside as Irish Moon (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) cut out a testing pace, while closely monitored by Reilly Lincoln through the first quarter-mile. Called on for his run at the half-way mark, Start Wondering pounced inside the final 300-metres, overcoming a stubborn Irish Moon. He got the jump on Perfect Fit, as she also came with a stinging late rally, while the stalking Reilly Lincoln held third by a nose.
“I said to one of the jockeys when we pulled up that I'd have to pinch myself,” winning hoop Johnathan Parkes told nzracing.co.nz, who also won the G3 Laser Plumbing Te Puke City of Auckland Cup with St. Jean (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) just one race earlier on the card. “I was quite confident he could win today and he's come out and done it well. He got out well and we got a nice trip. I had him just where I wanted him as I didn't want to be on the fence. The pace really made it for me as he likes the speed on and when it was time to move, he really came over the top of them. In the end, he was just too good.”
Originally trained by Paul Belsham, the son of Eighth Wonder was transferred to Australia and scored three times from five Australian appearances at Rosehill, including a 1500-metre handicap last January. Only sixth after suffering from a bleeding episode against similar May 7, the gelding was sent back across the Tasman to the Rayners. Given a spell, he was second in a barrier trial at Waverley going 1000 metres Oct. 20 and earned his first black-type victory in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint at Te Rapa over this trip Nov. 5. Start Wondering dropped to ninth in unsuitably heavy ground in the Listed Chainey's Panasonic Levin S. last time Nov. 25.
Pedigree Notes…
Start Wondering is the best foal, lone stakes winner and first Group 1 winner by the once-raced Eighth Wonder (NZ). Out of the two-time winner Roseanbar, herself a half-sister to G1 New Zealand Derby runner-up Corporal Jones (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), Start Wondering has a juvenile full-sister, who is unnamed. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Ellerslie, New Zealand
SISTEMA RAILWAY-G1, NZ$200,000 (US$138,450/£112,278/€131,694), ELL, 1-1, 2yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.84, gd.
1–@&START WONDERING, 122, g, 6, by Eighth Wonder (NZ)
1st Dam: Roseanbar (NZ), by Al Akbar (Aus)
2nd Dam: Assesarose (NZ), by Conquistarose
3rd Dam: Assessable (NZ), by Wolverton (Ire)
O-Mrs. J. M. & S. B. Gudsell; B-I. G. Hadfield (NZ); T-Evan & J. J.
Rayner; J-Johnathan Parkes. NZ$120,000. Lifetime Record:
16-9-2-1, $249,085. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Perfect Fit (NZ), 123, m, 5, Elusive City–Fayreform (NZ), by
Tights. O-Haunui Bloodstock Ltd, M. Duncan, The Provincial
Club Ltd, G. H. Madill & J. Orton; B-Haunui Bloodstock Ltd.,
(NZ); T-Ken & Bev Kelso. NZ$39,000.
3–Reilly Lincoln (NZ), 119, m, 5, Pins (Aus)–Wailea Miss (NZ), by
O'Reilly (NZ). O-Lincoln Farms Bloodstock, Ltd.; B-Lincoln
Farms, Ltd. (NZ); T-Lisa Latta. NZ$19,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, NO. Odds: 4.20, 5.30, 18.00.
Also Ran: Natuzzi (NZ), Summer's Day (NZ), Statham (NZ), Irish Moon (NZ), Brighton (NZ), Snowdrop (NZ), Red Striker (NZ), Astara (NZ), No More Tears (NZ), Shezhardtocatch (NZ).
Scratched: Rocanto (NZ), Ryan Mark (NZ), Volks Lightning (NZ).
Click for the Racing Post chart, or the NZ Racing Video.
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